Courage under Persecution

Tags

Christianity, Gehenna, God the Father, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Matthew, Luke, Mark, Matthew, New Testament, parousia, persecution, religion, Son of man, spirituality, synagogue, synoptic gospels, tvaraj

Saturday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time. The reading is from Gospel of Matthew 10:26-33.

Jesus and his Apostles by Harold Copping

Courage under Persecution – Matthew 10:26-33

Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.

What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.

And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.

Even all the hairs of your head are counted.

So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.

But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.

Here is the Q parallel in Luke

Courage under Persecution – Luke 12:2–9

There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.

Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.

I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more.

I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.

Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.

Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.

I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.

But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.

Jesus tells his apostles

“Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.” (Matthew 10:26)

The concealed and secret coming of the kingdom is to be proclaimed by them, and no fear must be allowed to deter them from that proclamation.

The following verses are similar to the afore mentioned Matthew 10:26

For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light. (Mark 4:22)

For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light. (Luke 8:17)

Similarly, good works are also public; and even those that are not cannot remain hidden. (1 Timothy 5:25)

A similar saying of the following verse

And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. ((Matthew 10:28)

is found in James

There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save or to destroy. Who then are you to judge your neighbor? (James 4:12)

A similar verse to the following verse

Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father. ((Matthew 10:32–33)

is found in the marcan parallel

Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this faithless and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38)

Also in the Q parallel

“I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.” (Luke 12:8–9)

Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:26)

and in other books of the New Testament

if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us. (2 Timothy 2:12)

“The victor will thus be dressed in white, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and of his angels. (Revelation 3:5)

The Son of Man will acknowledge those who have acknowledged Jesus, and those who deny him will be denied (by the Son of Man) before the angels of God at the judgment. Here Jesus and the Son of Man are identified, and the acknowledgment or denial will be before his heavenly Father.