The "full" quote, according to the NASB translation of the Bible, reads (Jesus speaking):
"Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came 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 enemies will be the members of his household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 10:34-39 NASB)
2007-09-06 14:20:15 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It means this:
Men are by nature enemies of God and hostile in mind towards God.
When God sent His Son from heaven to teach men the way of God, God testifying to His authority by performing signs and miracles of healing; even raising the dead, in the end they betrayed Him and crucified Him.
The minute one decides to repent of his sins, turn towards God and accept the testimony of God - that men are deserving of hell, but God in His goodness has allowed the punishment due to men fall upon His Son as an atoning sacrifice; from that minute on they make themselves enemies of the world, declaring the universal guilt and failure of mankind, and vindicating God in His indictment against sinners. If you love God, you will be hated by the world. If you love the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.
2007-09-06 14:31:29 · answer #1 · answered by wefmeister 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Your question: "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
My answer: Jesus is not of this world...The world is full of sin the world belongs to Satan, The sword he speaks of is the HOLY BIBLE...For his word cuts the heart like a sword in other words it convicts us, makes us feel guilty for our sins...
God's word is the same then now and forever....
Your question; For I came 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 enemies will be the members of his household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 10:34-39 NASB)
My answer: Have you noticed how people that are not Christian hate Christians? well some of these people can be your mother, your father, your sister, your brother, your own family will come against you if you belive in Jesus as Lord....
This is even worse in countries where they don't have freedom of choice in their religion...With other Religions families will completely turn against a family member who turns against their belifs and becomes a Christian so that should answer your question I hope....
2007-09-06 14:31:39 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
He is pretty much saying that if he was here to bring *peace* then he would go around telling everyone what they wanted to hear, but that is not what he came here to do. He came with the truth (sword) and there will be some people in a family that believe and others who don't (family against family). That will in turn make your family your enemies (they will end up hating you for your beliefs). You should love God more than anything and put him first.. if you do this then you shall have everlasting life.
2007-09-06 14:29:34 · answer #3 · answered by Y!A P0int5 Wh0r3 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Important question... Chapter 16 of Gospel Enigma has a complete answer to your question.... But you have to read the book to put the chapter and these verses into context.
Generally speaking, the Monastic influence in these Gospels is generally ignored by "mainstream" theologians... but you have come across a verses that highlight that influence... Gospel Enigma explains that whole thing. Find the Book at New Free Books... a free on line resource.
2007-09-06 14:30:43 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Not everyone would be accepting of Jesus' message. In a family a young woman might accept it but her mother in law might not, putting conflict, or a sword, between them.
He who has found his life etc.? Well if you find your life by putting it before God's will then you'd lose the hope of everlasting life promised by Jesus. If you lose your life for the sake of his message, you would be remembered and be brought back to life... thereby finding it.
2007-09-06 14:29:19 · answer #5 · answered by Q&A Queen 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think it means that there are going to be so few left alive when He returns that it may be compared to smoldering trees after a forest fire. I remembered this verse when I read your question.
Isa 6:13 And though a tenth remains in the land,
it will again be laid waste.
But as the terebinth and oak
leave stumps when they are cut down,
so the holy seed will be the stump in the land." ~(from New International Version)
2007-09-06 14:41:28 · answer #6 · answered by Chapter and Verse 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What he is saying is that he came to set the truth. just like in his time the Jews did not believed him the same thing happen even today. the intellectual does not believed in him as being the only way to our salvation. so if you denied the truth just to make peace with you relatives or friend then you are not putting him first and believing in him.. but thru his promise and truth and your steadfastness you love ones will also be saved. if you go back to the time of Jesus he did not bring peace . they were seeking them to kill them. but we in our faith in his promise know that he will bring us peace ,even now when you pray you find a peace that only he can give you. his spirit is with us ,he said he will never leave us nor forsake us. can anyone who does not trust you nor give you respect deserve you?
2007-09-06 14:48:20 · answer #7 · answered by HOLY GHOST ONE GODAPOSTOLIC 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means that Jesus is to be # 1 in your life and then all the rest will see Him in you and follow Him. In other words if you are a Christian and believe you submit your life to Jesus for Him to run for you. HE will never give you more than you can handle.The hard times are tests of your faith and builds up your character to be able to face the world with HIM. God bless you for reading His Holy Word.
2007-09-07 02:59:12 · answer #8 · answered by lighthousecastle 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means a Christian should put no one and nothing ahead of God in their heart, in accordance with Exodus 20:3-4 ("You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below"). An idol is anything that replaces God in our hearts. God has to be first, above all else.
If you read some of the testimonies on this website, you will see many examples of Christians who are living out the truth of the verses you cite:
http://www.persecution.com/
The last part of the passage is about being willing to put God's will above your own, and has to do with sanctification (dying to "self", or the sin nature, in order to submit in obedience to God, which promotes growth in your true, spiritual self).
Just like a seed planted underground seems to "die" but in actuality blossoms into a living plant, so real life is found in "dying to the flesh nature" and following God in obedience to His will above our own.
P.S.
I agree with Spirit Princess; she gave a very good answer.
2007-09-06 14:33:13 · answer #9 · answered by Rella 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
As I understand it it means that Christ's message will offend people. Any claim of "Truth" will offend those who do not or don't want to believe it.
If a person chooses to follow Christ and their family rejects Christ, obviously the person is to choose God above family. To love God more than any person is what we are called to do, and by loving God most it enables us to love others more than we could ever do otherwise. Our love of God is to be first in our lives and by this love for God we will do our best to obey His commandments concerning other people. We are to love them as ourselves.
Some families will turn against their children who choose Christ and will kill them, or turn them over to the law as is done even today in Islamic countries. Sometimes it means that a family will simply disown, divorce, denounce, etc... their parent, child, or their sibling or spouse...depending on the family of course.
It means that Christ's message will be divisive, but true.
Thereby family turns against family...faith in Christ is offensive to those who do not believe, as is His message because they will not or choose not to admit their sin. He teaches all are sinners...
We are to love God and to keep our faith unto death...if we renounce our faith to save our lives unto death...meaning that if we deny Christ until we die to make others like us, to gain better material wealth, etc...we will lose our eternal souls.
Remember, Peter denied Christ three times because he was afraid for his life...but he repented and was forgiven. We are to share the gospel (good news of Christ) with all who will listen and have faith...repent when we fall and try harder while asking for help from the Holy Spirit within us.
Hope this helps a little.
Take Care and God Bless!
2007-09-06 14:40:47 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋