Matthew 10:26

. Fear them not, therefore,.... That is, be not afraid of men, and of their reproaches and revilings; which our Lord intimates would do them no more hurt, than they did him, and which in a little while would be all wiped away: time would bring all things to light, when the wickedness of these men would be discovered, their evil designs seen through; which were now covered with the specious pretences of sanctity, and zeal for religion, and the glory of God; and the innocence and integrity of him and his disciples would be made manifest. There is no need to refer this to the great day of account, when every secret thing shall be brought to light; but it chiefly regards the times when the Gospel should be more publicly known, and embraced, and should prevail against all the opposition made unto it; and then all these reproachful names and characters would be seen plainly to arise from spite and malice: to which may be applied those proverbial sayings in common use, for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed, and hid, that shall not be known.

. Luke 8:17 Ver. 17. For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest,.... Meaning, whatever was then wrapped up in parables and dark sayings, or was secretly, and in a private manner, committed to them, should be made manifest by them to others hereafter: neither any thing hid, that shall not be made known, and come abroad; for what had been whispered to them, in the most secret and silent manner, was to come abroad not only in Judea, but in all the world, and to be published upon the house tops; See Gill on "Matthew 10:26" See Gill on "Matthew 10:27" Luke 8:18 Ver. 18. Take heed therefore how ye hear,....

The design of the enemies is not merely to destroy you, but to suppress that, and, therefore, whatever be the consequence, publish that." What I tell you, that speak ye. Note, That which the apostles have delivered to us is the same that they received from Jesus Christ, Heb. ii. 3. They spake what he told them--that, all that, and nothing but that. Those ambassadors received their instructions in private, in darkness, in the ear, in corners, in parables. Many things Christ spake openly, and nothing in secret varying from what he preached in public, John xviii. 20. But the particular instructions which he gave his disciples after his resurrection, concerning the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, were whispered in the ear (Acts i. 3), for then he never showed himself openly. But they must deliver their embassy publicly, in the light, and upon the house-tops; for the doctrine of the gospel is what all are concerned in (Prov. i. 20, 21; viii. 2, 3), therefore he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. The first indication of the reception of the Gentiles into the church, was upon a house-top, Acts x. 9. Note, There is no part of Christ's gospel that needs, upon any account, to be concealed; the whole counsel of God must be revealed, Acts xx. 27. In never so mixed a multitude let it be plainly and fully delivered. 2. By way of comfort and encouragement.

[Bible] `Lo, I do send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, be ye therefore wise as the serpents, and simple as the doves. And, take ye heed of men, for they will give you up to sanhedrims, and in their synagogues they will scourge you, and before governors and kings ye shall be brought for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations. `And whenever they may deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye may speak, for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak; for ye are not the speakers, but the Spirit of your Father that is speaking in you. `And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and father child, and children shall rise up against parents, and shall put them to death, and ye shall be hated by all because of my name, but he who hath endured to the end, he shall be saved. `And whenever they may persecute you in this city, flee to the other, for verily I say to you, ye may not have completed the cities of Israel till the Son of Man may come. `A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his lord; sufficient to the disciple that he may be as his teacher, and the servant as his lord; if the master of the house they did call Beelzeboul, how much more those of his household? `Ye may not, therefore, fear them, for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed, and hid, that shall not be known; that which I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light, and that which you hear at the ear, proclaim on the house-tops. `And be not afraid of those killing the body, and are not able to kill the soul, but fear rather Him who is able both soul and body to destroy in gehenna. `Are not two sparrows sold for an assar? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father; and of you — even the hairs of the head are all numbered; be not therefore afraid, than many sparrows ye are better. `Every one, therefore, who shall confess in me before men, I also will confess in him before my Father who is in the heavens;

The disciple is not above his teacher, nor the bondman above his lord. [It is] sufficient for the disciple that he should become as his teacher, and the bondman as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more those of his household? Fear them not therefore; for there is nothing covered which shall not be revealed, and secret which shall not be known. What I say to you in darkness speak in the light, and what ye hear in the ear preach upon the houses. And be not afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but fear rather him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father; but of you even the hairs of the head are all numbered. Fear not therefore; ye are better than many sparrows. Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, I also will confess him before my Father who is in [the] heavens. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in [the] heavens. Do not think that I have come to send peace upon the earth: I have not come to send peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man at variance with his father, and the daughter with her mother, and the daughter-in-law with her mother-in-law; and they of his household [shall be] a man`s enemies. He who loves father or mother above me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter above me is not worthy of me.

"There is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; nor hid, that shall not be known." Now what He saith is like this. It is indeed sufficient for your encouragement, that I also shared with you in the same reproach; I who am your Master and Lord. But if it still grieve you to hear these words, consider this other thing too, that even from this suspicion ye will soon be released. For why do ye grieve? At their calling you sorcerers and deceivers? But wait a little, and all men will address you as saviors, and benefactors of the world. Yea, for time discovers all things that are concealed, it will both refute their false accusation, and make manifest your virtue. For when the event shows you saviors, and benefactors, and examples of all virtue, men will not give heed to their words, but to the real state of the case; and they will appear false accusers, and liars, and slanderers, but ye brighter than the sun, length of time revealing and proclaiming you, and uttering a voice clearer than a trumpet, and making all men witnesses of your virtue. Let not therefore what is now said humble you, but let the hope of the good things to come raise you up. For it cannot be, that what relates to you should be hid. 2. Then, having rid them of all distress, and fears, and anxiety, and set them above men's reproaches, then, and not till then, He seasonably discourses to them also of boldness in their preaching. For, "What I tell you," saith He, "in darkness, that speak ye in light; and what ye have heard in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops." [1447]

“The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household! Fear them not, therefore; for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, and hid that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in the light; and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the house-tops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not, therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven; but whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

A disciple is not superior to his lord, nor a servant to his master. For it is enough then for the disciple that he be as his lord, and the servant as his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more the people of his house! Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall [Arabic, p. 51] not be revealed; nor hid, that shall not be disclosed and published. What I say unto you in the darkness, speak ye in the light; and what ye have told secretly in the ears in closets, let it be proclaimed on the housetops. I say unto you now, my beloved, Be not agitated at those who kill the body, but have no power to kill the soul. I will inform you whom ye shall fear: him which is able to destroy soul and body in hell. Yea, I say unto you, Be afraid of him especially. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing in a bond? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But what concerns you: even the hair of your heads [17, 18] also is numbered. Fear not therefore; ye are better than many sparrows. Every man who confesseth me now before men, I also will confess him before my Father which is in heaven; but whosoever denieth me before men, I also will deny him before my Father which is in heaven.

Christ says, Matthew 10:27: “What I say unto you in darkness, that speak ye in the light; and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the house-tops.” Therefore we ought not to hide or conceal any thing: for things which should be spoken on the house-tops should be delivered and divulged to all; not so as that this man and the other, but so as that all may hear them. But here let us mark Bellarmine’s exposition, and observe how neat an interpreter he is of scripture: “Preach ye upon the house-tops; that is,” says he, “i f need so require;”—so as to save his former reply, that the catholics conceal some traditions because there is no necessity for disclosing them. I answer: What sort of an exposition is this? As if it might be doubted whether there were any necessity for performing the command! Yea, it is necessary because Christ hath enjoined it. If they were allowed to interpret scripture thus, they might 1 [Igitur testificatio ejus vera, et doctrina apostolorum manifesta et firma, et nihil substrahens, neque alia quidem in abscondito, alia vero in manifesto docentium.—p. 273, B . ed. Fevard.] 2 [Sed eadem dementia, cum confitentur quidem nihil apostolos ignorasse, . . . sed non omnia volunt illos omnibus revelasse, quaedam palam et universis, quaedam secreto et paucis demandasse.—c. 25, T. 3. p. 17.]

[Reformed Biblical] integrity, though then the world might not acknowledge them, in due time would be revealed; or God would vindicate them, and the universe would do them justice. They were, then, to be willing to be unknown, despised, persecuted, for a time, with the assurance that their true characters should yet be understood, and their sufferings appreciated. {r} "for there is nothing" Mr 4:22; Luke 12:2,3; 1 Colossians 4:5 ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW - Chapter 10 - Verse 27 ## Verse 27. What I tell you in darkness , etc. That is, in secret , in private , in confidence . The private instructions which I give you while with me, do you proclaim publicly, on the house top . The house top, the flat roof, was a public conspicuous place. See 2 Sa 16:22. See Barnes "Matthew 9:2" . ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW - Chapter 10 - Verse 28 ## Verse 28. Them which kill the body . That is, men , who have no power to injure the soul, the immortal part. The body is a small matter, in comparison with the soul. Temporal death is a slight thing, compared with eternal death, he directs them, therefore, not to be alarmed at the prospect of temporal death; but to fear God , who can destroy both soul and body for ever. This passage proves that the bodies of the wicked will be raised up to be punished for ever. In hell . See Barnes "Matthew 5:22" . {s} "And fear not" Isaiah 8:12,13; 51:7,12; 1 Pe 3:14 ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW - Chapter 10 - Verse 29 ## Verses 29-31. Are not two sparrows , etc.