Who Do You Love? Matthew 10:34-39

SCRIPTURE

Matthew 10:34-39
"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the 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 person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

LANGUAGE

Vs 34  peace - (to join); peace (literally or figuratively); by implication, prosperity: — one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again.
Vs 34  sword - a knife, figuratively, war, judicial punishment: — sword.
Vs 36  enemy - hateful (passively, odious, or actively, hostile); usually as a noun, an adversary (especially Satan): — enemy, foe.
Vs 37  loves - phileō; to be a friend to (fond of (an individual or an object)), i.e. have affection for (denoting personal attachment, as a matter of sentiment or feeling
Vs 38  worthy - deserving, comparable or suitable (as if drawing praise): — due reward, meet, (un-)worthy.
Vs 39 lose - to destroy fully (reflexively, to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively: — destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.

COMMENT

I think this section of Scripture is often overlooked. And for good reason, it seems to ask a lot from us, and today, that is not a popular thought. We want the comfy Jesus. The feels good Jesus. The Jesus who is ONLY full of love and compassion. This Scripture leads me to believe that picture is not a complete picture of Jesus.

This section begins with a statement that Jesus did not come to bring peace to the earth. That word translated peace can also be implied to mean prosperity. I actually find this to be a better translation, because of how our minds see things. Jesus, getting ready to leave His disciples, tells them, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." (John 14:27-28) Same Greek word. But notice He qualifies it by saying, "my peace," and not the peace (or prosperity) of the world. Ephesians 2:14 tells us, "For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace." Again, same Greek word. Jesus did not come to bring the peace or prosperity that most of the world chases after. His peace is different, in that it rests on our faith in an eternal God and the Son he sent. This is the interpretation that best connects with His Sermon on the Mount, as well as many of His other teachings.

Jesus came to bring a sword. Many times the word sword indicates judgement, and I believe that may be the case here. I do not believe that Jesus intentionally came to tear families apart, but that He know that many times this would be the result. Perhaps you have not experienced that, but many have. In some cultures, to confess Christ is to get an instant rejection from family, thus forcing some to forfeit the peace that the know. Even within "Christian" households, a radical acceptance or devotion to Jesus may be frowned upon, causing a person to think twice about what it really means to be a Christian.

Many families are tight knit groups. I find it interesting that the word "love" here is not the Greek "agape," but rather the Greek "phileo." Agape being a stronger, more committed love and Phileo being a friendship (think Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love).  Jesus calls His disciples "friends" (Greek: philo) in John 15:15. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.  The bond that friends have is different than the bond that a husband/wife or other relatives might have. Jesus seems to be saying that if our friendship is not the utmost among all of your friendships, it is not worthy of the type of friendship this relationship needs. He is not telling us to hate our families. But He does know that our friendship with Him might cause a strain on some relationships. This is where I see the idea of judgement coming in. Not that Jesus needs to judge us in this, but we can judge ourselves as to whether or not truly He is our friend.

To take up our cross is not a pretty picture. Have you seen, "The Passion of the Christ?" That is a choice we must make. Not a choice to just accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, but a choice to actually mean those words. It is as if the choice were to accept Him as Lord OR Savior. Yes, I'll take Savior please, but I still want to be lord of my own life. That is not an option. Lord means master, and if Jesus is not both your Lord and your Savior, that's a problem.

Jesus concludes saying, "Whoever finds his life will lose it." That word lose carries with it the idea of destruction. So He is effectively saying, "Whoever is their own lord will destroy their life." Looking at the big picture, where eternity is concerned, this is without a doubt, the truth.