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Mat 10:28. Καὶ μὴ φοβηθῆτε, κ.τ.λ., and be not afraid of etc.) The connection is as follows: He who publicly preaches hidden truth, him the world afflicts: he who fears God, ought to fear nothing except Him: he who does not fear God, fears everything except Him: see 1Pe 3:14-15.[490]-ἈΠῸ, of) This preposition is not repeated. I fear Him, is a stronger phrase than I am afraid of Him.[491]-ἈΠΟΚΤΕΝΌΝΤΩΝ,[492] who kill) From the root κτέω are derived κτένω, κτείνω, κτέννω. See Eustathius.-τὸν δυνάμενον, Him who is able[493]) and that too with the highest ability and authority (see Luk 12:5), that is, GOD; see Jam 4:12.-καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα, both soul and body) the two essential parts of man.-ἀπολέσαι, to destroy, to ruin) It is not said to kill: the soul is immortal.-ἐν Γεέννῃ, in hell) It is not easy to preach the truth; and to none are severer precepts given than to the ministers of the Word, as is evident from the epistles to Timothy and Titus. The most efficacious stimulus is on this account employed. Many witnesses to the truth have been first excited, and afterwards led on, by the most fearful terrors from God.
[490] The world admires the magnanimous spirit of those who fear nothing, and regards such a spirit worthy of heroes and great men. And yet the fear of GOD is the only heroism truly worthy of the name; and in the absence of it, all presence of mind, as it is called, is false, and only indicates reckless rashness.-V. g.
[491] i.e. Bengel would render the passage thus-“Be not afraid of them (μὴ φοβηθῆτε ἀπὸ τῶν) which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear HIM (φοβὴθητε τὸν) which is able,” etc.-(I. B.)
[492] E. M. ἀποκτεινόντων.-(I. B.)
[493] In the original there is a play on the words potest and potestas, which cannot be preserved in the translation. The passage runs thus-“Eum qui potest, et quidem cum summa ἐξουσίᾳ, potestate.”-(I. B.)