Luke 12:4-7 - Fear Him who can throw you into hell!

12:4

Remember that is this discourse Jesus is speaking to the disciples. We tend to regard the Pharisees as bogey men, looking down on them as idiots. However, we need to remember that the religious establishment had significant influence and power over people. So Jesus’ teaching contains various strands. He has just warned them that His disciples must guard integrity in their own lives, now He turns to dealing with the threats that would be posed against them. They were not to fear the opposition, even if that opposition could bring an end to their lives. This is a sober warning indeed, but one that has been and is very relevant to many Christians throughout history, and in various parts of the world today. Killing the body is all they can do, they can do no more after that. Jesus is taking a very eternal perspective here, and it is one we need to have as well.

12:5-7

Jesus continues with His stern words. The one they, and we, should really fear is the One who has authority to throw us into Hell. Now that is not the sort of preaching we hear much of these days, but Jesus considered it worth saying! In fact Jesus spoke an awful lot about hell. Our eternal destiny is at stake. “Yes, I tell you, fear Him”. Jesus even remphasises the point.

Then He goes on a softer line, and this is important in understanding what He has just said. He reminds the disciples about the care that God has for all of creation, and that we are the most valuable part of that creation. He closes this part with the encouragement that we do not need to be afraid because we are precious to God.

We need to take all of this in. The enemy can do terrible things against us, but his power is limited to this life, and even that power is actually under the control of God. And God cares for us.