Tuesday Contradictions: Matthew 10:28 – Fear or Freedom?

Update: 2025-11-04

Description

In episode 186 of the Bible Difficulties and Answers podcast, host Lance Smith unpacks Matthew 10:28 and explores the Bible's two-fold teaching on fear: reverential awe of God that motivates holiness, and the New Testament's assurance that perfect love casts out paralyzing fear. Drawing on Old and New Testament passages and contemporary scholars, this episode reframes fear as awe that empowers faithful living amid persecution and promises eternal perspective.

References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:

The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website

The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page

Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com

Skeptics Annotated Bible: https://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/feargod.html

Ellis, Paul. "Fear God Who Can Throw Us Into Hell? (Matthew 10:28 )." Escape to Reality Blog, July 9, 2013. https://escapetoreality.org/2013/07/09/matthew-10v28-fear-god/

"Who Has the Power to Kill Body and Soul? Matthew 10:28 Reconsidered." BBH Church Connection Blog, May 9, 2014. https://bbhchurchconnection.wordpress.com/2014/05/09/who-has-the-power-to-kill-body-and-soul-matthew-1028-reconsidered/

Poor, Jeffery. "What Does It Mean to Fear God? (and What We Get Wrong About Fear)." Medium, May 2020. https://jefferypoor.medium.com/what-does-it-mean-to-fear-god-and-what-we-get-wrong-about-fear-rethink-d44cf6c5f925

"Why Are We Told, 'Do Not Fear Those Who Can Kill the Body'?" GotQuestions.org. https://www.gotquestions.org/do-not-fear-those-who-can-kill-the-body.html

Bar, Eitan. "Fear God Who Could Throw You Into Hell?! (Matthew 10:28 )." Eitan Bar Articles, https://eitan.bar/articles/fear-god-who-could-throw-you-into-hell-matthew-1028/

Hildebrandt, Theodore. "Fear of God." Biblical eLearning Short Paper, 2010. https://biblicalelearning.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Hildebrandt_FearOfGod_ETS_Atlanta2010ShortVersion.pdf

Moser, Paul K. "The Fear of the Lord: The Beginning of Reconciliation." Irish Theological Quarterly 87, no. 1 (2022): 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/00211400221078906

Blocher, Henri. "The Fear of the Lord as the 'Principle' of Wisdom." Tyndale Bulletin 28 (1977): 3–42. https://tyndalebulletin.org/article/30613-the-fear-of-the-lord-as-the-principle-of-wisdom.pdf

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