fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Matt. 10:28.
"And I say unto you My friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear Him, which after He hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him." Luke 12:4, 5.
1. These texts are the record, by different writers, of the same language of the Savior. The first one is often quoted by those who teach the immortality of the soul and its conscious existence in death. In Matthew's version of the Savior's words, the soul is indeed made very prominent; but in that of Luke, it is not mentioned. Yet the language of the one version is the same substance as that of the other.
2. Thus, while Matthew represents the Savior as saying, "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul," Luke expresses the idea thus: "Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more they can do." And Matthew adds, "Fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Luke gives the same warning, thus: "Fear Him, which after He hath killed hath power to cast into hell."
3. Thus it is seen that our Lord recognizes the fact plainly expressed
elsewhere, that there are two deaths.
The first death, which is the common lot of mankind, is thus spoken of by Paul: "It is appointed unto men once to die." Heb. 9:27. The second death is the portion only of the wicked. "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." Rev. 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8.
---The Savior bids us not to fear those who can inflict only the first of these deaths;
--- but He warns us to fear Him who alone is able to kill with the second death."
J.N. Andrews
