Matthew 10:28 (NKJV)
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Luke also records this. Here is his version.
Christ Warns About Hypocrisy
In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark WILL BE HEARD in the LIGHT, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms WILL BE PROCLAIMED ON THE HOUSETOPS.
4 “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid ofthose who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!
You have to put both of these passages from Matthew and Luke together to the whole picture and all of what Jesus says.
Jesus is speaking about the Deceptive phony teaching and religious hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Then He tells us to “proclaim from the housetops” what light He has given us exposing the darkness. THAT’S WHAT I’M DOING! Most religiously trained minds being seared by the Serpent (mine was too at one time) will read Luke 12:4-5 and immediately (because we were trained to) think that this is speaking of GOD casting someone into hell. because when we read “Him who” and “He” or “Him” we have been taught this refers to GOD. Actually it doesn’t once say “God” and is not referring to “a person” at all or a fiery eternal torture pit – Hell; that is if you look at the original language. I will give you a run down of these words in the order that they are printed in the text and show you what the original language has. Then you can easily see what is really being said here. Also you will notice that assuming this is referring to GOD throwing someone into hell is completely out of context and off the subject of “what” Christ was warning about in this passage, “ this that” which He was actually referring to. I will also show what a couple breaths later, he actually said to them about fearing GOD.
Here are the words in this passage we will look into in the order as they are translated and sometimes inserted into the text to make it say what they thought or wanted it to.say; “those” “who” “they” “whom” “Him” “who” ”He” and “Him”, Eight of them. I have them highlighted in the text above so you can easily identify them as we refer to them.
1. do not be afraid of “Those” = 3588. ὁ ho; fem. hē, neut.tó, def. art. Originally a demonstrative pron. meaning THIS, THAT - 543 occurrences; AV translates as “WHICH”413 times
2. afraid of those “Who” = Added by the translators, there is NO word there.
3. no more that “They” = Added by the translators. There is NO word there.
4. I will show you “Whom” = 5101 τίς [tis /tis/] 538 occurrences; AV translates as “WHAT” 260 times
5. fear “Him” = 3588. ὁ Originally a demonstrative pron.meaning THIS, THAT
6. fear Him “who” = Added by the translators. There is NO word there.
7. after “He” has = Added by the translators. There is NO word there.
8. I say to you, fear “Him” = 5126 οὗτος [touton /too·ton/] pron. Accusative case singular masculine of 3778; GK 4047; 64 occurrences; AV translates as “THIS” 39 times.
So now we have
1. Do not be afraid of “this that”
2. No word
3. No word
4. I will show you “What”
5. fear “This That”
6. No word
7. No word
8. I say to you fear “This”
Since it is at the center of our topic let’s go ahead and look at the word “HELL” in this passage:
Hell = Actually two words here, one we just looked at is left out G3588 “This that” –> Hell = G1067 Gehenna – (dump)
The word Gehenna is derived from the Hebr. expression, gā-Hinnom, Valley of Hinnom – A deep, narrow ravine west and south of Jerusalem. At the HIGH PLACES of Baal in the Valley of Hinnom, parents
sacrificed their children as a burnt offering to Molech IN FIRE 2 Kin. 23:10 The prophet Jeremiah foretold that God would judge this awful abomination of human sacrifice and would cause such a destruction that “the Valley of the Son of Hinnom” would become known as “the Valley of Slaughter” Jer 19:5-6 Apparently, the Valley of Hinnom was used as the garbage dump for the city of Jerusalem. Refuse, waste materials, and dead animals were burned here. Also it appears to have become the common cesspool of the city, into which its sewage was conducted to be carried off by the waters of the Kidron.
It is interesting that in this passage above where God is warning of judgment on this detestable practice of child sacrifice in fire; God says this; in Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 19:5 (NLT)
“They have built pagan shrines to Baal, and there they burn their sons as sacrifices to Baal. I HAVE NEVER COMMANDED SUCH A HORRIBLE DEED; IT NEVER EVEN CROSSED MY MIND TO COMMAND SUCH A THING!”
Now if it never entered God’s mind to burn people in fire; how is it that most of Christendom teaches that a burning hell awaits them in Gods final judgment and eternal place for most of mankind…
Furthermore, it is also interesting that According to Rabbinical Judaism: (You know Jesus was a Jew) the Hebrew term Gehinnom became a figurative name for the PLACE OF SPIRITUAL “PURIFICATION” for the wicked dead in Judaism. According to most Jewish sources, the period of purification or punishment IS LIMITED TO ONLY 12 MONTHS and every shabbath day is excluded from punishment. After this the soul will ascend to Olam Ha-Ba,the world to come, or will be destroyed if it is severely wicked. (I will list references at the end of the article)
No eternal punishment in fire mentioned here. Only garbage dumps, sewage drains, and FINALLY PURIFICATION lasting no more than ONE YEAR! And not even that if you take out the Sabbaths….
SO, What is “This That” Jesus was just warning about in the context of this passage? “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy Luke 12:1 Now we have the right pieces lets put it all together in the literal wording we have found above.
4. “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of “that which” kill the body, and after that has no more that can do. 5. But I will show you “what” you should fear: Fear “this” after has killed, has power to cast into that – the hell(Gehenna – dump) yes, I say to you fear “this”!
I can imagine Jesus point to “that” valley dump as He spoke and saying fear your life ending up as “that”. Stinking, useless garbage. Because of – following the hypocritical teaching of the Pharisees. ““Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy”
Matthew adds “destroying” body and “soul” (“your life”) in hell (Gehenna – a dump) Let’s look at these words here from Matthew that are not in Luke’s account
Destroy – G622 Guess what, it means – to destroy! Not necessarily to go out of existence but used many times to denote being “ruined” or “ render useless”
Soul – G5590 to breathe, blow. Soul, that immaterial part of man held in common with animals. Also the inner self, heart, mind; a psychological faculty, life.
Fear what? Fear the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy! Religious hypocrisy that is. Religious hypocrisy is Dishonest, Deceitful, Two-faced evil teaching that spreads “like leaven” throughout the whole community sucking the life out of the soul until you are no good for anything but to be thrown into the garbage dump – a useless, ruined stench to everything that is godly. YES, we should fear that!
Here is another bit of information that may help. After doing a complete exhaustive search in 62 bible versions of the Gospels I found NOT ONE place where Jesus told anyone to “Fear God” in the original languages….
Jesus DID SAY something about ~ GOD and fear ~ in this passage; in the very next two verses!
But YOU, He said to the ones he was addressing, DO NOT FEAR GOD, the one who loves you so much He never forgets about you, who has even numbered the hairs of your head!
“Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? Andnot one of them is forgotten before GOD. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
I would like to bring to your attention again what the passage is NOT saying. It does not say Fear “HIM” or”GOD” who is able…..” it says Fear “this that” Which is referring back to (THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES – staying in context) = Fear this, that, the Pharisees are teaching (leaven) which will kill your real life (soul) here and end you up in the garbage dump of life. Luke’s account includes a detail Matthew leaves out which is who Jesus had just been talking to and about ”THIS” “THAT” WHAT” Jesus is warning them about…. Again I am just honestly looking at the whole picture here and the original language being used hoping it will be helpful – not to be argumentive.
Many bible translators with their warped religious minds have “manipulated” the translation of many words in very sly cunning ways many times with just a small word that changes the whole meaning of the passage – as the serpent deceived Eve “has God said?” Gen. 3:1 This leads your thinking in a different direction being unaware of this craftiness. Considering their religious brainwashing I’m not sure they are even aware they are being used to do this….
Many have asked me; So, you don’t believe the bible? Yes… in the original language. But for whatever reason God has allowed many to be deceived…. Or we would not have all these damnable doctrines being taught - from the bible…
Unfortunately many misguided church leaders centuries ago found out – Religion is Power or should I say Power over the people. And that’s what keeps the money flowing and the religious machines gears turning….. Just like gas in your tank and oil in your motor; fear fuels the fire that keeps burning in the minds of unlearned unknowing masses drawing them back week after week, year after year seeking peace where there is no peace. Only a nagging unrest in their hearts that they try to sooth and smother with religious good works that never completely satisfy their empty, worn out, thirsty souls. So they continue coming back to a dry well that the owners keep assuring them there is water they are just not dipping the bucket the right way or fast enough or deep enough or long enough. Till they finally look at each other with pasted on smiles uttering the right satisfying words as if they’d had a cold drink of the water of life. All the while knowing deep inside they are as thirsty as they were before they came. But continue in their masquerade of Grace which is really works and faith which is really fear….. You know I’m talking to you and you know I am right….
Jesus said:
Matthew 11:28–30 (AMP)
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. [Jer. 6:16
30 For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good—not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.
After all, He is, not will be, “THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD!” That includes you my friend – Do you believe this?
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Evangelist Dennis D. Caldwell
Dictionaries, Concordance and Lexicons and references:
Wiki – Hell - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gehenna
Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary : New Testament AMG Publishers.
Strong, J. (1996). The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the text of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurrence of each word in regular order. Woodside Bible Fellowship.
