SEV Biblia, Chapter 10:27
Lo que os digo en tinieblas, decidlo en luz; y lo que oís al oído, predicadlo desde los terrados.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 10:27
Verse 27. What I tell you in darkness] A man ought to preach that only which he has learned from God's Spirit, and his testimonies; but let him not pretend to bring forth any thing new, or mysterious. There is nothing that concerns our salvation that is newer than the new covenant; and in that there are, properly speaking, no mysteries: what was secret before is now made manifest in the Gospel of the ever-blessed God. See Ephesians iii. 1-12. What ye hear in the ear] The doctor who explained the law in Hebrew had an interpreter always by him, in whose ears he softly whispered what he said; this interpreter spoke aloud what had been thus whispered to him.
Lightfoot has clearly proved this in his Horae Talmudicae, and to this custom our Lord here evidently alludes. The spirit of our Lord's direction appears to be this: whatever I speak to you is for the benefit of mankind,-keep nothing from them, declare explicitly the whole counsel of God; preach ye, (khruxate proclaim,) on the house-tops. The houses in Judea were flat-roofed, with a ballustrade round about, which were used for the purpose of taking the air, prayer, meditation, and it seems, from this place, for announcing things in the most public manner. As there are no bells among the Turks, a crier proclaims all times of public worship from the house- tops. Whoever will give himself the trouble to consult the following scriptures will find a variety of uses to which these housetops were assigned. Deuteronomy xxii. 8; Josh. ii. 6; Judg. ix. 51; Neh. viii. 16; 2 Sam. xi. 2; 2 Kings xxiii. 12; Isa. xv. 3; Jer. xxxii. 29, and Acts x. 9.
Lightfoot thinks that this may be an allusion to that custom, when the minister of the synagogue, on the Sabbath eve, sounded with a trumpet six times, upon the roof of a very high house, that from thence all might have notice of the coming in of the Sabbath. The first blast signified that they should heave off their work in the field: the second that they should cease from theirs in the city: the third that they should light the Sabbath candle, &c.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 27. What I tell you in darkness , etc.] Hence Christ proceeds to encourage his disciples to an open, plain, and faithful ministration of the Gospel, not fearing the faces and frowns of men. For with respect to the Gospel, his meaning is, that what was hid and covered should not remain so, but should be revealed, and made known, and they were the persons who were to do it; and it was with that view that he had communicated it to them: and whereas he had told them it in darkness; not in a dark and obscure manner; for though he spoke in parables to others, yet to them he made known the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven: and if at any time he delivered parables, or dark sayings, to them, he would afterwards, or when alone, explain them to them; but his meaning chiefly is, that what he communicated to them in private houses, when they were by themselves, and no one saw, or heard them, and so were in darkness with respect to others, that speak ye in light ; openly and publicly in the synagogues and temple, in the high places of the city, streets, or fields, wherever there is a concourse of people; hide and conceal nothing, but speak out all clearly, distinctly, fully, without the least reserve, or throwing any obscurity on it, which may cover the true sense of it from the view of the people. And what ye hear in the ear , or is whispered to you by me, as your master.
Christ alludes to the custom of the Jewish doctors, who had each an interpreter, into whose ear he used to whisper his doctrine, and then the interpreter delivered it to the people: so it is said f647 , Rab came to the place of R. Shilla, and he had no speaker to stand by him; wherefore Rab stood by him, and explained.
The gloss upon it is, an interpreter stands before a doctor whilst he is preaching, and the doctor wl jwl , whispers to him in the Hebrew tongue, and he interprets it to the multitude in a tongue they understand.
Again f648 , they said to Judah bar Nachmani, the interpreter of Resh Lekish, stand for a speaker for him.
The gloss upon it is, to cause his exposition to be heard by the congregation, l wjly , which he shall whisper to thee.
Now it was absolutely requisite, that the speaker, or interpreter, should faithfully relate what the doctor said; sometimes, it seems, he did not: it is said in commendation of the meekness of R. Aba, that he delivered one sense, and his speaker said another, and he was not angry.
The gloss says, his speaker was, he that interpreted to the multitude what he wl jwl , whispered to him in the time of preaching.
Sometimes one doctor is said to whisper in the ear of another, when he instructed him, or informed him of anything. R. Jochanan whispered R.
Joshua hyndwab , in his ear. The Jews have a notion that the law was given this way; so they interpret the eloquent orator in ( Isaiah 3:3) f651 this is he to whom it is fit to deliver the words of the law, jlb hntyn , which was given by whispering: and so, it seems, the Gospel was in like manner delivered by Christ to his disciples. It was reckoned a very great honour, and a token of magisterial dignity, to have one to whisper in the ear to, and speak for them. So to one that related his dream, that he saw an ass standing at his pillow, and braying, answer is made, thou shalt be a king, that is, the head of a school; and a speaker or an interpreter shall stand by thee f652 . Our Lord very justly takes upon him the character of a doctor, master, and dictator, and solemnly charges his disciples, clearly, loudly, and faithfully to declare what he suggested to them. That preach ye , says he, upon the housetops ; for the roofs of their houses were not ridged, but plain, and flat, upon which they could stand or walk; and battlements were made about them to prevent their falling off, according to the law in ( Deuteronomy 22:8). Here many religious actions were performed: here Peter went up to pray, ( Acts 10:9) and here persons sometimes sat and read: hence that passage in the Misna if any one ggh arb arwq , was reading on the top of a roof, and the book is rolled out of his hand, etc. and sometimes they made their proclamations from hence of their festivals and solemn days, and particularly of their sabbath; which was done by the sound of a trumpet, that the people might cease from work in the fields, and shut up their shops in the city, and light up their lamps. This proclamation, by the sound of a trumpet, was made six times by the chazan, or minister of the congregation, from an housetop; and, it is said, that there was, ry[h hbwgb djwym gg , a peculiar roof in the highest part of the city, and from the middle of it he blew the trumpet f654 . In allusion to this, our Lord orders his disciples to blow the trumpet of the everlasting Gospel; and loudly proclaim to all the truths and mysteries of grace, which he had made known to them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 16-42 - Our Lord warned his disciples to prepare for persecution. They were to avoid all things which gave advantage to their enemies, all meddlin with worldly or political concerns, all appearance of evil of selfishness, and all underhand measures. Christ foretold troubles, no only that the troubles might not be a surprise, but that they migh confirm their faith. He tells them what they should suffer, and from whom. Thus Christ has dealt fairly and faithfully with us, in tellin us the worst we can meet with in his service; and he would have us dea so with ourselves, in sitting down and counting the cost. Persecutor are worse than beasts, in that they prey upon those of their own kind The strongest bonds of love and duty, have often been broken throug from enmity against Christ. Sufferings from friends and relations ar very grievous; nothing cuts more. It appears plainly, that all who wil live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution; and we must expec to enter into the kingdom of God through many tribulations. With thes predictions of trouble, are counsels and comforts for a time of trial The disciples of Christ are hated and persecuted as serpents, and their ruin is sought, and they need the serpent's wisdom. Be ye harmless a doves. Not only, do nobody any hurt, but bear nobody any ill-will Prudent care there must be, but not an anxious, perplexing thought; le this care be cast upon God. The disciples of Christ must think more ho to do well, than how to speak well. In case of great peril, the disciples of Christ may go out of the way of danger, though they mus not go out of the way of duty. No sinful, unlawful means may be used to escape; for then it is not a door of God's opening. The fear of ma brings a snare, a perplexing snare, that disturbs our peace; a entangling snare, by which we are drawn into sin; and, therefore, it must be striven and prayed against. Tribulation, distress, an persecution cannot take away God's love to them, or theirs to him. Fea Him, who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. They mus deliver their message publicly, for all are deeply concerned in the doctrine of the gospel. The whole counsel of God must be made known, A 20:27. Christ shows them why they should be of good cheer. Their sufferings witnessed against those who oppose his gospel. When God calls us to speak for him, we may depend on him to teach us what to say. A believing prospect of the end of our troubles, will be of grea use to support us under them. They may be borne to the end, because the sufferers shall be borne up under them. The strength shall be accordin to the day. And it is great encouragement to those who are doin Christ's work, that it is a work which shall certainly be done. See ho the care of Providence extends to all creatures, even to the sparrows This should silence all the fears of God's people; Ye are of more valu than many sparrows. And the very hairs of your head are all numbered This denotes the account God takes and keeps of his people. It is ou duty, not only to believe in Christ, but to profess that faith, i suffering for him, when we are called to it, as well as in serving him That denial of Christ only is here meant which is persisted in, an that confession only can have the blessed recompence here promised which is the real and constant language of faith and love. Religion i worth every thing; all who believe the truth of it, will come up to the price, and make every thing else yield to it. Christ will lead u through sufferings, to glory with him. Those are best prepared for the life to come, that sit most loose to this present life. Though the kindness done to Christ's disciples be ever so small, yet if there by occasion for it, and ability to do no more, it shall be accepted Christ does not say that they deserve a reward; for we cannot merit an thing from the hand of God; but they shall receive a reward from the free gift of God. Let us boldly confess Christ, and show love to him in all things __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
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Vincent's NT Word Studies
27. Preach (khruxate). Better Rev., proclaim. See on Matt. iv. 17.
