What I tell you in darkness, that speak in light: and what you hear in the ear, that preach upon the housetops.
All Commentaries on Matthew 10:27 Go To Matthew 10
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Yet it was not at all darkness, when He was saying these things; neither was He dis coursing unto them in the ear; but He used a strong figure, thus speaking. That is, because He was conversing with them alone, and in a small corner of Palestine, therefore He said, in darkness, and in the ear; contrasting the boldness of speech, which He was hereafter to confer on them, with the tone of the conversation which was then going on. For not to one, or two, or three cities, but to the whole world you shall preach, says He, traversing land and sea, the inhabited country, and the desert; to princes alike and tribes, to philosophers and orators, saying all with open face, and with all boldness of speech. Therefore, He said, On the house tops, and, In the light, without any shrinking, and with all freedom.
And wherefore said He not only, Preach on the housetops, and Speak in the light, but added also, What I tell you in darkness, and What ye hear in the ear? It was to raise up their spirits. As therefore when He said, He that believes in me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do; John 14:12 even so here too, to signify that He will do it all by them, and more than by Himself, He inserted this. For the beginning indeed, says He, I have given, and the prelude; but the greater part it is my will to effect through you. Now this is the language of one not commanding only, but also declaring beforehand what was to be, and encouraging them with His sayings, and implying that they should prevail over all, and quietly also removing again their distress at the evil report. For as this doctrine, after lying hid for a while, shall overspread all things, so also the evil suspicion of the Jews shall quickly perish.
