Matthew 10:26
Monday, 2 June 2025
Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Matthew 10:26
“Therefore, not you should fear them. For nothing, it is, having been covered which not it will be revealed, and secret which not it will be known” (CG).
In the previous verse, Jesus told the apostles that the disciple will be like his teacher and the servant like his lord. Therefore, they could expect that if the house-master is called Beelzebub, much more will they call the household the same. Remembering that, He next says, “Therefore, not you should fear them.”
Saying “therefore” requires knowing the context of what He is talking about, which is His comparison of them to Him. He is the Teacher and Lord, while they are the disciples and servants.
Saying that they should not fear means that He is not fearing, and they should be like Him. He has done nothing wrong to deserve such an accusation, and they, emulating Him, will have not done anything wrong as well. Based on this, he next says, “For nothing, it is, having been covered which not it will be revealed.”
This same general thought is also expressed in Mark 4:22 and Luke 8:17 and 12:2. In this clause, there is a new word, apokaluptó , to reveal uncover, disclose, etc. It is derived from apo (from) and kaluptó , the word translated as covered in this same clause.
The meaning of Jesus’ words is that, despite the accusations against them, even if everyone were to believe them, the truth would be made known that they were serving the Messiah and not Beelzebul. At some point, no matter when it came about, they would be vindicated. Likewise, Jesus continues with, “and secret which not it will be known.”
Due to the nature of the words of both clauses together, as well as the fact that Jesus says them several times elsewhere, it appears that this is a proverbial expression. The repetition of the clauses using different words to convey the same idea forms its own sort of emphasis.
Jesus is reassuring them that a basic truth that others understood would hold true in their case in their relation to Him and their portrayal of His gospel.
Life application: Due to the nature of Jesus’ words being either a proverbial saying or simply an axiom that exists because of the nature of how God deals with things, the words extend beyond the immediate context of it applying to the apostles and disciples during Jesus’ time.
In other words, being a truth that is understood and applicable in all situations, we should have the same attitude that Jesus requests those with Him to have. We should not fear if we are wrongly accused by others concerning our faith in Christ.
Depending on where you live, it may matter more or less. If you are a Christian in Saudi Arabia, you are surrounded by a nation of people who, for the most part, have rejected the message of Christ. Thus, there will be a natural hostility towards the gospel and those who proclaim it.
That may well up at some point in accusations against believers, even to the point of physical harm or death. This is true in any such area. And though it may be less of a concern in some nations, there is a growing hostility even in once-friendly Christian nations against believers.
In such a case, there may actually more of a possibility of harm than with nations that have a supermajority of non-Christians. The Christians may be looked at as a curiosity or as being no threat.
But in countries moving away from Christian values, there are those who want to speed the process and eliminate their perceived foes. Jesus’ words ask us not to fear. Regardless of what transpires with our situation, the truth of our proclamation will someday be revealed. Those who reject it will be the ones who suffer.
What He said to the apostles in Matthew 10:15 about the nature of judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah in relation to the cities of Israel that reject Him will be no less true of those who reject His gospel now. All wrongdoing will be exposed, and all who proclaim the truth will be revealed as such. And judgment upon those who reject the gospel will be forthcoming.
O God, we are grateful to You for Your kind hand of grace upon us. Give us the desire and fortitude to go out and speak of Your goodness to others. May it be that our words will be accepted and acted upon as we share the good news of Jesus. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.
