Matthew 10:34 - Interpretations Please

[Blue Lanai]

Hey family...

Matthew 10:34 is one of those interesting verses that is often pulled out of context, so before discussing it, let's look at the surrounding Scripture:

32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

So, onto the scripure in question:

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

I have seen both Atheists and Christian fundamenalists alike interpret this scripture to mean that Christians are "bringing a sword" to the world, presumably to destroy that which the Bible teaches against. The infamous Fred Phelps has used this line many times as a justification for his actions.

Personally, I think both of those camps missed the point.

The way I interpret this scripture is that Jesus is, indeed, bringing a sword -- not as a weapon of war -- but as a means of severing us from secular ties so that we may bond with Christ and His word.

In Matthew 10:35-37, Christ seems to be saying that there is no tie, not even family, that comes before His word. I see this as a exhortation to fully embrace Christ and put Him above all other obligations and beliefs that we may have.

What's your take on this scripture?

 

[Dodo_David]

I'll take a stab at this.

In Matthew 10:35-36, the LORD Jesus is citing a passage in the 7th chapter of the book of Micah, which reads like this:

The day God visits you has come, the day your watchmen sound the alarm. Now is the time of your confusion.
Do not trust a neighbor; put no confidence in a friend. Even with the woman who lies in your embrace guard the words of your lips.
For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.

In short, the LORD Jesus was declaring Himself to be the Son of David, the Messiah, God-in-the-flesh.

He was also saying that families would end up divided on account of Him, something that happens when one member of a family becomes a believer in Messiah Jesus, while others in the family remain unbelievers.

 

[Blue Lanai]

@Dodo: Interesting. Thanks for your reply.

 

[lforrest]

I agree with Dodo's interpretation, might I add:

The purpose of this scripture is to warn believers about the strife that will come about as a result of following Jesus. The Gospel is an unyielding sword that causes division; even to the point of separating families as the trailing verses show.

I also take it as an implicit warning not to be compromising the Word of God to try and appease others.

 

[Arnie Manitoba]

He was giving instructions to his 12 disciples and was pretty much telling them their task would not always be smooth and easy

A sharp (sword) division would transpire between believers and unbelievers

Some people would love the disciples' message .... some would hate it

We can still witness those divisions today ... even within our own families

To me , that is the general thrust of what Jesus was saying

.... and to take it to a higher level we must face the fact that people either go to heaven or hell based on the divisions (sword)

... and that is as serious as it gets .

 

[Angelina]

The word of God divides because it pierces between soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It separates those who believe in him by faith and those who do not. I agree with the above posts...

 

[Blue Lanai]

@Iforrest, @Annie, @Anglelina: Thank you all for your replies. It seems like we're all pretty much in agreement as far as the interpretation goes. I must admit that this this is something of a first. I've asked this question before on other forums and gotten wildly different responses to it (and I may still get some!), but it's interesting to see that there is a lot of consensus thus far.

 

[[email protected]]

Hey family...

Matthew 10:34 is one of those interesting verses that is often pulled out of context, so before discussing it, let's look at the surrounding Scripture:

32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

So, onto the scripure in question:

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

I have seen both Atheists and Christian fundamenalists alike interpret this scripture to mean that Christians are "bringing a sword" to the world, presumably to destroy that which the Bible teaches against. The infamous Fred Phelps has used this line many times as a justification for his actions.

Personally, I think both of those camps missed the point.

The way I interpret this scripture is that Jesus is, indeed, bringing a sword -- not as a weapon of war -- but as a means of severing us from secular ties so that we may bond with Christ and His word.

In Matthew 10:35-37, Christ seems to be saying that there is no tie, not even family, that comes before His word. I see this as a exhortation to fully embrace Christ and put Him above all other obligations and beliefs that we may have.

What's your take on this scripture?

*******
Atheists don't give two cents for any logical interpretation of Biblical scripture. All they care is to denigrate the Word of God.
Any attempt to explain anything about the Bible or the sincere Christian walk of discipleship to such people is a total waste of time.
Even the most experienced and dedicated Christian apologists are coming to realize that sorry fact.

Atheists seem determined and devoted to be consigned to the flames of eternity. So let them.

It is not anyone's duty to prevent it. Not at all and not a little.

Jesus said to make disciples, not to convert fools. Discipleship is a full time job for the teacher as well as the student. There is no time for the foolish and the mocker. It is not up to Christians to save the world. That is in God's hands. Our task is only to show the way.

and that's just me, hollering from the choir loft...

 

[veteran]

The way I interpret this scripture is that Jesus is, indeed, bringing a sword -- not as a weapon of war -- but as a means of severing us from secular ties so that we may bond with Christ and His word.

In Matthew 10:35-37, Christ seems to be saying that there is no tie, not even family, that comes before His word. I see this as a exhortation to fully embrace Christ and put Him above all other obligations and beliefs that we may have.

What's your take on this scripture?

We have to read more of that Matt.10 chapter to get more of the big picture, because our Lord Jesus was covering from the first time He sent His disciples on the road to preach The Gospel all the way to the very end of this present world. So what you've got within that chapter are events of various timelines from their days all the way to our days, the end of days. Thus it was for them and it is for us, Christ's Church, for today also.

Matt 10:16-23
16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father Which speaketh in you.
21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
(KJV)

That part above in red our Lord Jesus also gave in His Olivet Discourse about the events of the final generation, the generation that would experience His return (see Matt.24 and Mark 13). He was giving it in respect to the "great tribulation" time He mentioned.


Our Lord Jesus also gave this Message when or if we are delivered up per that.

Matt 10:28
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him Which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
(KJV)


So, by the time we get to the Matt.10:34 verse, that's the perspective already set for us by the flow of that chapter. Per the end of Joel 2, there's to be a major event like what took place on Pentecost (Acts 2), as Pentecost during the Apostle's days only served as an example. Some of us are going to be delivered up to those councils and synagogues during the coming tribulation, to give Christ's Testimony against the wicked rulers of this world. Those delivered up are to make that stand... for Christ Jesus. It's what the 5th Seal of Rev.6 is pointing to.

So the most important part of our Lord's Message in Matt.10:34 that I find, is to stand and don't seek to run and escape the coming trials, but do our duty to Christ and make that stand as He commanded there.

How many Churches are preaching this particular Message today? Hardly any... of them! But then, there it is, our Lord Jesus revealing to His elect what He wants them to do during the coming tribulation.

 

[Guestman]

Jesus recognized that accepting the truth of the Bible, becoming a genuine disciple of his, would cause division within a family, perhaps splitting the family in half, using the expression "sword" as opposed to "peace".(Matt 10:34)

Because of closely adhering to his words, such as to be "no part of the world" (John 15:19), remaining politically neutral as Jesus (John 17:16), abstaining from the holidays that the churches promote, such as Christmas, Easter, Halloween, etc,(2 Cor 6:17), ' abstaining from blood ' (Acts 15:20, 29), becoming a "witness" for Jehovah, going from "house to house" with "the good news of the kingdom"(Matt 10:11-13; 24:14; Acts 5:42; 20:20) it causes a separation between of "a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a young wife against her mother-in-law."(Matt 10:35)


Thus, Jesus said that "a man's enemies will be persons of his own household." The truth of the Bible divides, separating those who really want to do Jehovah God's will from those who cannot see why in the world that they accepted this religion, when there are so many others, such as Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, etc.that do not require such "restrictions" or to follow the course of independence ("be your own person", Eph 2:1-3), or get a good college education so as to rise up the ladder of financial success.


The pressure would be on these ones who have accepted "the truth" (see 2 John 1) to remain firm in their stance for Jehovah though perhaps the rest of the family is opposed to their taking up the true worship of Jehovah God, for Jesus now says: "He that has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me; and he that has greater affection for son or daughter than for me is not worthy of me."(Matt 10:37)


Wanting to to please our parents or perhaps our children has caused some to relent and give up their learning of Jehovah God, perhaps quitting their Bible study; hence Jesus gave the above warning. Some children have been ostracized, hated, kicked out of the home at a young age. Some have allowed their grown children to hinder their progress in "the truth", and as Jesus said concerning the Jews, that "my word makes no progress among you."(John 8:37)


At Luke 12, Jesus says that "I came to start a fire (or fiery zeal for Jehovah God) on the earth, and what more is there for me to wish if it has already been lighted ?(perhaps by John the Baptist preaching) Indeed, I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and how I am being distressed until it is finished ! Do you imagine I came to give peace on the earth ? No, indeed, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on there will be five in one house divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."(Luke 12:49-53)


Jesus knew that once accepting "the truth" (see John 8:44), would be a great test, in which some would fail (Matt 13:6), for he said that "whoever does not accept his torture stake and follow after me is not worthy of me."(Matt 10:38) Trials and tribulations awaits those who follow Jesus closely (1 Pet 2:21), who accede to "the truth". Therefore, Jesus concludes with the words: "He that finds his soul will lose it, and he that loses his soul for my sake will find it."(Matt 10:39)


Anyone who wishes to continuing pleasing family members at the expense of "the truth" will lose their "soul" or future life under God's kingdom, but he that even loses his "soul" because of sustaining their loyalty to Jehovah, by possibly being put to death by family members or others "will find it" by means of a resurrection from the dead.(John 11:25)

 

[veteran]

Jesus recognized that accepting the truth of the Bible, becoming a genuine disciple of his, would cause division within a family, perhaps splitting the family in half, using the expression "sword" as opposed to "peace".(Matt 10:34)

Because of closely adhering to his words, such as to be "no part of the world" (John 15:19), remaining politically neutral as Jesus (John 17:16), abstaining from the holidays that the churches promote, such as Christmas, Easter, Halloween, etc,(2 Cor 6:17), ' abstaining from blood ' (Acts 15:20, 29), becoming a "witness" for Jehovah, going from "house to house" with "the good news of the kingdom"(Matt 10:11-13; 24:14; Acts 5:42; 20:20) it causes a separation between of "a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a young wife against her mother-in-law."(Matt 10:35)

Let's not use this to push the Jewish traditions, for the Jews are just as bad with following men's traditions.

By the time we get to Matt.10:39, that is about the coming tribulation timing especially. It is repeated here...
Luke 17:33-37
33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto Him, "Where, Lord?" And He said unto them, "Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together."
(KJV)