Matthew 10: 34-36 "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter in law against her mother-in law, and a man's enemies will be those of his own household."
Yeah, that makes it real easy to honor thy parents, doesn't it? Seems like an uphill battle, really.
Not to mention that Matthew 12 speaks of "a house divided cannot stand". So He devides the family and forces a situation where they're almost certainly doomed for failure. Is this really reasonable or just?
2006-09-12 16:15:21 · 22 answers · asked by WhyAskWhy 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Honor your mother and father means to have respect for them and for the life that they gave you. The division that Jesus speaks of shows that he is aware of the difficulty that following him can cause a person even among one's own family members. It is just him giving an advance warning of what is possibly to come when one begins to follow God's will. There are other passages which go on to say that unbelievers in a family can be won without a word by the good conduct of the believer. It is important to read the whole Bible and get the entire message.
2006-09-12 19:07:35 · answer #1 · answered by Sparkle1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is basically saying that when people learn bible truths some in their family may not agree so it would cause a division. Like say your parents raised you a Baptist and you decided to become a Catholic or one of Jehovahs Witnesses. The beliefs would be so different it would cause a man to go against his father etc.
The house divided same thing. Like when you have a church where people start believing a little different than some in their church so they break off and start their own church, they are divided. These scriptures are not how you are applying them.
2006-09-13 00:44:51 · answer #2 · answered by SpecialK 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the household, some will believe and some will not..it's a dividing line.
Matt. 12- He is talking about those that are part of the household of God...they divide themselves against one another over simple things, like the color of the carpet in the church..when you are bickering and divided over things that are of no real importance..all who are involved will fall.
Here's you another one..."if any lack wisdom, let him ask of the Father"..you might want to try that before using your own thinking to try and reason out what the bible is saying.
2006-09-12 23:23:57 · answer #3 · answered by Judah's voice 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's not what it means you aren't taking that scripture in it's context. In Matt 10:34-36 Jesus is saying his message will divide families b/c some members will accept and follow his word and others won't. I've seen it happen where husbands will resent their wives for attending 'church' and children will break away from their parents believes and so on.
2006-09-12 23:20:33 · answer #4 · answered by Sparkle 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Family will be divided because of someone in the family accepting Christ not all will accept it thats the sword Jesus is talking about.
Matt 12 Is about DEMONS and he was stating how a kingdom can't go against a kingdom. The pharisee's were saying Jesus did his work from the devil. But satan can't work against satan.
2006-09-12 23:23:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Matthew 10
Each person has to have an individual commitment to follow Christ. A man may and his father may not. A daughter may choose not to while her mother may - thus dividing the household.
In any case we are to honor our parents regardless of their religious convictions.
2006-09-12 23:37:43 · answer #6 · answered by NickofTyme 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Honor them by respecting the fact that they brought you into the world and kept you alive.
Yet if they seek to turn you away from God, do not heed their counsel. You can honor people but not follow them into Hell.
Christ is not dividing the family. He is saying that if there is division in the family over God, that the faithful one should not follow what the faithless are doing and saying.
Again, it is possible to honor people and not believe what they say or do what they do.
2006-09-12 23:36:19 · answer #7 · answered by Gestalt 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The greatest commandment is to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind (Matt 22:37). It is from our relationship with our Father in heaven that right relationships with parents, brothers and sisters, friends, and fellow Christians will grow. Human love is prey to all the problems of the human heart, and therefore, is at it's best when that heart seeks God first.
2006-09-12 23:37:18 · answer #8 · answered by TJMiler 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The ideas Jesus taught were radical then, and they are still radical now.
Such things as "Love your enemies"...."Do good to those who hate you"...
And "My house shall be called a House of Prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves", and "you cannot serve both God and money"
Or how about "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God"..."Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God"..."Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth".
"Give to those who ask of you, expecting nothing in return"
Let's be honest, most, if not all, of these ideas run contrary to our human nature. We WANT to be this way, or at least most of us say we do...but, if we were, honoring our fathers and mothers really wouldn't be that big a deal. Would it?
2006-09-12 23:31:03 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Jesus further said you must put God above your Mother, Father, Son and Daughter.
Should a dysfunctional house stand?
2006-09-12 23:26:10 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋