Fearful Decisions
Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Matt. 10:34-37, RSV.
That is quite a statement from One called the "Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9:6).
Here we find Jesus at His realistic best. His followers may not need to fear, but there is plenty about which to be fearful, including in one's own family when some decide to walk with Him in line with His principles, while others choose to go against Him and His principles, each with strong views on the topic.
His statement that "I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law" probably impacted His hearers at two levels at the same time. On level one Jesus was using language familiar to His Jewish audience. The prophet Micah had written: "The son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house" (Micah 7:6, RSV).
The rabbis took that verse and applied it to the time of the Messiah (m. Sotah 9:15). Again, they taught that one of the events to take place at the coming of the Messiah would be division within families. Thus we read: "When Messiah comes" "daughters will rise up against their mothers, and daughters-in-law against their mother-in-law" (b. Sanhedrin 97:a).
With that background in mind, Jesus may have been making a Messianic claim in a place and a manner that the modern casual reader doesn't see. But a first-century Jew may have easily made the connection.
More on the surface is Jesus' teaching that He will be absolutely first in the life of every true follower. He will be more important than even life's closest human relationships, more important than anything.
Jesus is setting forth no abstract theoretical problem. All through time individuals have had to make an excruciating decision to follow Him in the face of the objection of a spouse, or of children, or of the larger community. Such choices are among the most painful we ever have to make. Yet they are just as important for eternal life as they are painful.
Lord, give me grace to get my priorities right. Amen.
Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Matt. 10:34-37, RSV.
That is quite a statement from One called the "Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9:6).
Here we find Jesus at His realistic best. His followers may not need to fear, but there is plenty about which to be fearful, including in one's own family when some decide to walk with Him in line with His principles, while others choose to go against Him and His principles, each with strong views on the topic.
His statement that "I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law" probably impacted His hearers at two levels at the same time. On level one Jesus was using language familiar to His Jewish audience. The prophet Micah had written: "The son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house" (Micah 7:6, RSV).
The rabbis took that verse and applied it to the time of the Messiah (m. Sotah 9:15). Again, they taught that one of the events to take place at the coming of the Messiah would be division within families. Thus we read: "When Messiah comes" "daughters will rise up against their mothers, and daughters-in-law against their mother-in-law" (b. Sanhedrin 97:a).
With that background in mind, Jesus may have been making a Messianic claim in a place and a manner that the modern casual reader doesn't see. But a first-century Jew may have easily made the connection.
More on the surface is Jesus' teaching that He will be absolutely first in the life of every true follower. He will be more important than even life's closest human relationships, more important than anything.
Jesus is setting forth no abstract theoretical problem. All through time individuals have had to make an excruciating decision to follow Him in the face of the objection of a spouse, or of children, or of the larger community. Such choices are among the most painful we ever have to make. Yet they are just as important for eternal life as they are painful.
Lord, give me grace to get my priorities right. Amen.
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