Jesus said…
Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Heart stirring words indeed!
Commentaries:
Matthew Poole:
There are two passions which prevail upon men to make them apostatize in a day of temptation, fear and shame.
Pulpit:
The cross of Christ appeared to the great body of mankind to be shameful and contemptible. To the Jews it was a stumbling-block, and to the Greek’s foolishness. Hence vast numbers, whether through shame or fear, did not dare to confess it, and still less to preach it. And therefore it is that Paul says (Romans 1:16), “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.”
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Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Gill:
For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ,….
The reason why he was so ready and willing to preach it, even where he ran the greatest risk of his character and life, was, because it was “the Gospel of Christ” he preached, and he was not ashamed of it.
This supposes that some were, though the apostle was not, ashamed of the Gospel;
as all such are who hide and conceal it,…
who have abilities to preach it, and do not: or…
who preach, but not the Gospel; or…
who preach the Gospel only in part,…
who own that in private, they will not preach in public,…
and use ambiguous words, of doubtful signification, to cover themselves;
who blend the Gospel with their own inventions, seek to please men, and live upon popular applause, regard their own interest, and not Christ’s, and cannot bear the reproach of his Gospel.
It expresses, that the apostle was not ashamed of it; that is, to preach it, which he did fully and faithfully, plainly and consistently, openly and publicly, and boldly, in the face of all opposition:…
PEACEMAKERS 