Green Baggins

Matthew 10:34-39

10/14/2007

No Audio Available

The picture many people have of Jesus is of a gentle Jesus, meek and mild, who wouldn’t hurt a fly, and who wants world peace. Of course, there are a few passages that are difficult for them to explain, such as the cleansing of the temple. And then there’s this passage, in which Jesus tells us that His purpose was not to bring peace on the earth, but rather a sword. At first glance, this statement seems to belong in the Koran more than the Bible. What does Jesus mean by it?

Well, He certainly did not mean that we are supposed to go out with our swords and kill people who are not Christians. If that is what Jesus meant, then it would have contradicted what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, where He told us to turn the other cheek, expect persecution, and count ourselves blessed when we face such persecution. Jesus is not saying anything different here, actually. Remember, the context is talking about persecution. There will be people who will be scandalized because of the cross. Even close family members can sometimes be very much offended when their family member becomes a Christian. So, the sword that Jesus is talking about is a metaphorical sword. The Word of God divides people. It divides those who listen, hear, and obey, from those whose hearts are hard, and who will never listen. It is not Jesus’ intention to bring war. It is Jesus’ intention to bring about a separation of the people of God from the people of the world. The Word of God is what does that.

Notice the closeness of the people who are divided. The closest family ties are divided. Notice that Jesus does NOT say a man from his wife. The marriage bond is deeper even than religious differences. As Paul says, if a Christian’s spouse will still live with the Christian, then that’s great. If the non-believer does not want to live with the Christian, then the Christian is free. This does not give us license to marry a non-believer. Paul tells us to marry only in the Lord. The situation that Paul had in mind was where two married people started out as non-believers, both of them, and then one of them became a believer. But, in any case, the marriage bond goes deeper even than religious differences.

Undoubtedly, that is why the marriage bond is also omitted in verses 37-39, where Jesus is talking about being worthy of Him. He who loves his wife loves himself, as we learn from the rest of Scripture. He is one flesh with her. Now, it is still possible for a person to make an idol out of their spouse. It is rather rare in these days, when the culture’s fascination is with being discontent, rather than being content with one’s spouse. That being said, Jesus’ point here is that no relationship is more important than the one we have with Jesus. Jesus commands us to give Him our ultimate allegiance.

Of course, relationships are only one thing that Jesus mentions here. But everything else is understood to be included. Just because Jesus didn’t mention pickup trucks doesn’t mean that you have the freedom to love your pickup truck more than you love Jesus. Jesus uses the word “worthy” here. That is an interesting word. Jesus is not saying that if you love Jesus more than all these other people, that therefore you are worthy. He is talking about a necessary, but not a sufficient condition. What is the difference? Well, if you want to start a fire, you need fuel. Fuel is necessary for a fire. However, if all you have is fuel, you do not have sufficient tools to start a fire. You also need heat and oxygen. If you have all three of those things, then you have sufficient conditions to start a fire. Any one of those things is necessary, but none of them is sufficient in and of itself. Loving Jesus more than all these other people is necessary. However, what is even more important is that Jesus loves you. Obviously, Jesus is here talking about our relationship to Him. Relationship with Christ is the cutting off of our relationship with the world. We must remember that.

Verse 38 is a very shocking verse. Unfortunately, it is no longer shocking to us, because the cross has become almost a romantic symbol. Everyone wears a cross, as one wears a piece of jewelry. As I’ve said before, the shock value that the cross had in the first century is what the guillotine or the electric chair have for us today. This is not a romantic picture that we should have in our minds. The cross was shameful and degrading. We cannot ever forget that. I don’t particularly wish to wear a golden picture or carving of an electric chair or a guillotine around my neck. Let us not forget how shameful it was. In fact, it was a curse. Jesus bore a curse for us. The curse of the law is upon Christ for hanging upon a tree. He needed to bear that curse if we were ever to be free of the curse of the law.

But of course, Jesus is talking about more than His crucifixion. He is talking about our everday lives. In those lives, we are to take up our cross and follow Jesus. These modern “preachers,” such as Joel Osteen, who preach that if you only believe in yourself, and achieve self-actualization, whatever that is, then you will realize your full potential, and you will become rich, and experience life to the fullest. I think Jesus would beg to differ. Taking up a cross, taking up shame, degredation, persecution, and daily toil is not exactly what Joel Osteen is talking about. We all have our various crosses to bear. It is nothing that Jesus has not born before. And He will help you bear this burden, as long as it is yours to bear.

The last verse is something of a puzzle. What Jesus is saying is that we are not to be overly concerned about saving our physical life. Our very lives are to be lived in service to Jesus. We are to pour out our lives, yes, even our very blood, if necessary, for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom. Loyalty to Jesus is what matters here. Even if you lose your life here on earth, Jesus tells us that you will find it again. The verse implies the resurrection. It has to. And in that is our ultimate hope. Death is a defeated enemy, because Christ has conquered it through His death and resurrection.