JPN Reply:
Hi Claudia,
I'm doing fine thanks! Hope things are well with
you. Matt 10:34-36:
Matthew 10:34-36 Do not suppose that I
have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace,
but a sword. (35) For I have come to turn " 'a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her
mother-in-law-- (36) a man's enemies will be the members of his own
household.'
It is important to read this in the context of
what the Jewish expectation of the Messiah was at the time. The Jews
believed that when the Messiah comes He would bring in peace. They
were looking for the Messiah that would setup His kingdom and fulfill
the great prophecies like Isaiah 11:1-11. Even today the Rabbi's still
use this as an argument for why Jesus can't be the Messiah. For
example:
Rabbi Tovia Singer argues, “If Jesus were the
Messiah, you would know it from reading the newspaper, because the
front page, instead of being about wars, would be about peace. But
since Jesus’ time until today, more than one hundred and twenty
million people have died in wars.”
In addition, Rabbi Yossi
Mizrachi says that when the Messiah will come, “There will be no more
wars in the world, everyone will dwell in peace and the wolf shall
dwell with the lamb.”
From :
https://www.oneforisrael.org/bible-based-teaching-from-israel/jesus-really-messiah-come-no-world-peace/
Jesus of course knew exactly what His first coming was for, and
also what would happen at His second. He knew that He came first of
all to die for the sins of mankind (thus bringing the believer peace
with God) and it would not be until His return at the second coming
that He would bring the peace to Israel and the world that was hoped
for at that time.
So in Mathew 10:34-36 Jesus was expressing
this misunderstanding about His first coming. It wasn't one that would
bring the peace that many expected but one that would bring division.
It would actually turn one against another, even within families. That
was the case for first century believers and is still the case today.
If a Jew believes in Jesus and departs from Judaism they can be cut
off from the family. Same with Hindus (although this can get more
violent). Muslim believers who depart Islam and become a Christian can
even be tried for blasphemy and executed in some countries! So Jesus
was stating the reality of what faith in Him would mean for many. It
is not that He desires division or conflict, but He knew that would be
the result for many who believed in Him. And we shouldn't think that
Jesus was talking about a literal 'sword' or inciting violence like
Muhammad did. He was talking about the division believing in His name
would bring and the need to be willing to make and suffer that cost.
That is why He goes on to say:
Matthew 10:37-38 Anyone who
loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone
who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; (38)
and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of
me.
Following Jesus, for many, is a dangerous and risky
proposition. Then and now. It brings division within families. But
that is the price believers need to be willing to pay. Also have a
look here:
https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-sword.html
Hope this helps,
Iain.
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