§ 8. Jesus' Ministry in Galilee Continued

Again, take note of the repition in this episode, which is the framework for understanding:

• "have no fear of them" (v.26)
• "do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul" (v. 28)
• "Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." (v. 31)

Mark and Luke can help us understand the Lord's meaning here. They contain this same thought in a different episode, where they place it within a more helpful context for understanding.

Mark 4:21–25

And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

Luke 8:16–18

“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

So, the purpose of bringing the gospel into the world is to let the world have it! Although the apostles are preaching something that is new in their time, it is the message of God. And God intends for that message to go out to all the world. It's not as though the apostles will say something they will later regret or take back—the gospel is here to stay. The whole truth will come out eventually, whether the apostles speak it or not, whether people believe it or not.

Esther 4:14

For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Everything Jesus is teaching is intended to be shared with the world.

Isaiah 45:18–19

For thus says the LORD,
who created the heavens
    (he is God!),
who formed the earth and made it
    (he established it;
he did not create it empty,
    he formed it to be inhabited!):
“I am the LORD, and there is no other.
I did not speak in secret,
    in a land of darkness;
I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,
    ‘Seek me in vain.’
I the LORD speak the truth;
    I declare what is right.”

In the literal sense, the apostles proclaimed and wrote down everything necessary (John 20:30–31) about Jesus in the Bible. In a larger sense, the entire message of God is to be shared with all.

Thus, we must be willing to uphold the entirety of Jesus's teaching, even in the midst of controversy.

Acts 20:20, 27

…I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable.
…I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

And we must also understand the word applies to all people in whatever stations of life: young and old, leaders and subjects, Jew and Gentile, etc..

Galatians 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Note, too, that everything in the Bible is useful and appropriate; even if the church thinks some topics perhaps not appropriate for some audiences (say, for children), the church must be sure nonetheless to address such topics in the teaching somewhere.

Matthew's language precisely distinguishes body from soul; both God and men can act upon the body, but only God can act upon the soul. Jesus focuses on the appropriate object of fear: God. God is the final Judge, and His judgments are eternal.

Romans 8:18

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Luke records this thought in a different context.

Luke 12:4

I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.

He adds that Jesus called them "friends," showing that Jesus Himself knows what it is to be in the flesh, and He can sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15–16). Luke also makes very clear that there are worse things than death.

In this explanation of how precious we are in the sight of God, Jesus calls on us to compare ourselves to the sparrows. Even if they die, they don't do so apart from God knowing about it, God caring. How much more His servants among us?

Psalm 116:15

Precious in the sight of the LORD
    is the death of his saints.

Acts 7:54–55

Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

The last saying of Jesus in this episode has two settings. In one setting, we are here among men; in the other, Jesus is at the judgment before God, the Father. And again the key difference is faith! It takes faith for us to confess Jesus while here among men, where heaven cannot be seen and people may even persecute us for confessing Him. Because we see the unseen things we can endure suffering.

Hebrews 11:27

By faith [Moses] left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.