Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 10:28

"And be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." — Matthew 10:28 (ASV)

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Oh! fearful destruction! This is what we may well fear – both body and soul, to undergo everlasting ruin, broken in pieces and destroyed as to all excellence, happiness, and peace. This we may fear.

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.

A philosopher – Anaxarchus, I think it was, – used to say when a certain tyrant had threatened to kill him, "You cannot kill me; you may crush this body, but you cannot touch Anaxarchus." So do not fear those who cannot kill the soul; if that is safe, you are safe.

Even Seneca frequently asserted that it was not in any man's power to hurt a good philosopher, "for," he said, "even death is gain to such a man;" and it is certainly so for the Christian. For him, to die is indeed gain. But oh! fear that God who can destroy the soul, for then the body also is destroyed with a terrible and tremendous destruction: "fear him."

This, following the previous verse, forbids us to withhold our testimony out of fear of men. We must not say less or more because of the opposition of the enemy.

A powerful argument against such fear is the comparative weakness of the enemy. Men can only wound our inferior part, the body, but are not able to kill the soul. But if we disobey God, the Supreme Lord of life and death has power even to destroy both parts of our being by casting them both into the death and darkness of Gehenna or hell.

Let us fear the Greater, and we will not fear the lesser. There is no cure for the fear of man like the fear of God.