4 “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! (Lk. 12:4-5)
Jesus’ words here can be, at least at first, shocking. He told His disciples, people whom He addressed as “My friends,” not to be afraid of men because all they can do is kill them. How is that for a rationale? ‘Don’t be afraid. The worst they can do is kill you.’ At first such a statement is jarring until we are reminded of the nature of our existence and the limitation of man’s power over us. We are more than our physical bodies. We are comprised of material (our bodies) and immaterial (our souls). Man can kill the body but he cannot kill the soul; therefore, he is limited as to the damage he can inflict upon other men. God however is not so limited. He has the power to not only kill but to cast into hell (vs.5b).