Please Explain this verse

[Copper Scroll]

One thing to keep in mind, you need to read the Bible passages in context with the surrounding verses.

Link to Matt 10

In this chapter, Jesus is speaking of the cost of being a disciple of His and of putting Him first in your life.

Here in America, there are few instances of accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord costing family relations, but among the first century Church people were outcast by their families. It ws a choice they had to risk taking, and the Lord was warning them of this.

That's the answer right there.

He talks against peace in the world--at the very least this is a contradiction with his other statements in favor of peace.

He is not talking in favor of hate and social conflict. He is preparing His followers for hate and social conflict--the culture and society's reaction to Him. You must view the thing in context.

[sylvan3]

One thing to keep in mind, you need to read the Bible passages in context with the surrounding verses.

Link to Matt 10

In this chapter, Jesus is speaking of the cost of being a disciple of His and of putting Him first in your life.

Here in America, there are few instances of accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord costing family relations, but among the first century Church people were outcast by their families. It ws a choice they had to risk taking, and the Lord was warning them of this.

That's the answer right there.

He talks against peace in the world--at the very least this is a contradiction with his other statements in favor of peace.

He is not talking in favor of hate and social conflict. He is preparing His followers for hate and social conflict--the culture and society's reaction to Him. You must view the thing in context.

That's your rationalization for it. In fact, it is a contradictory statement (i.e. a peaceful Jesus not advocating peace) that stands on its own. Jesus, showing some imperfection, does not bother to clarify much of what he says, thus requiring people to creatively interpret him. These variegated creative interpretations often lead to family conflicts, I suppose, among other things.

[Copper Scroll]

That's your rationalization for it. In fact, it is a contradictory statement (i.e. a peaceful Jesus not advocating peace) that stands on its own. Jesus, showing some imperfection, does not bother to clarify much of what he says, thus requiring people to creatively interpret him. These variegated creative interpretations often lead to family conflicts, I suppose, among other things.

The only thing that is imperfect here is your interpretation. That's not to say that mine is perfect, but it's better than yours because it takes context into consideration. See a contradiction there if you want to. It's good for starting arguments with Christians... but it's good for little else.

[Nero's Fiddle]

The peace Christ brings is between man and God. He was pretty clear about that.

When He sets up His earthly kingdom, peace on earth will exist. He was pretty clear about that.

In the meantime, when Satan is still the god of this world, His servants will be hated the same way He was hated. This brings about discord, even within families. He was clear about that.

Loving Him means obeying His commandments. Therefore, loving Him more than any other finds practical outworking in being unwilling to compromise His truth for any reason. He was clear about this.

I don't understand the problem... This is not veiled or a parable. It is what He said, and it is what He meant.

(FYI... I am part of an unsaved family. Some of the most unkind things that have been said to and of me by my family have been a result of my desire to follow Christ. Christ said that His followers were not of the world, so the world couldn't love them the way it loved its own... He was clear about that too.)

[sylvan3]

The peace Christ brings is between man and God. He was pretty clear about that.

When He sets up His earthly kingdom, peace on earth will exist. He was pretty clear about that.

In the meantime, when Satan is still the god of this world, His servants will be hated the same way He was hated. This brings about discord, even within families. He was clear about that.

Loving Him means obeying His commandments. Therefore, loving Him more than any other finds practical outworking in being unwilling to compromise His truth for any reason. He was clear about this.

I don't understand the problem... This is not veiled or a parable. It is what He said, and it is what He meant.

(FYI... I am part of an unsaved family. Some of the most unkind things that have been said to and of me by my family have been a result of my desire to follow Christ. Christ said that His followers were not of the world, so the world couldn't love them the way it loved its own... He was clear about that too.)

The problem is that it contradicts this verse:

Matthew 26:52 "Put up again thy sword into his place: for all that take the sword shall perish with the sword".

[Copper Scroll]

The problem is that it contradicts this verse:

Matthew 26:52 "Put up again thy sword into his place: for all that take the sword shall perish with the sword".

... which means that those who act with violence, suffer violence... and does not contradict the meaning of the other verse, which is that one's relationship with God must come before one's relationships with others. Jesus, in that passage, was telling his followers to prepare to sacrifice/forsake their closest relations (given the sociocultural context). He was not telling them to go out with swords and fight. That would contradict the passage above.

[SoulGrind]

The problem is that it contradicts this verse:

Matthew 26:52 "Put up again thy sword into his place: for all that take the sword shall perish with the sword".

... which means that those who act with violence, suffer violence... and does not contradict the meaning of the other verse, which is that one's relationship with God must come before one's relationships with others. Jesus, in that passage, was telling his followers to prepare to sacrifice/forsake their closest relations (given the sociocultural context). He was not telling them to go out with swords and fight. That would contradict the passage above.

You will find that sylvan is quick to attack, refute, and pass judgment without actually reading anything beyond what's under his nose at any given time.

Falling on deaf ears and blind eyes?

Hmmm...

[Guest shiloh357]

Please explain these verses and how they square with a concept of a peaceful Jesus.

Matthew

10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

10:36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

The problem is that Jesus is not presented to us as "peaceful" in the Bible. Jesus' life was marked by controversy. Jesus was at odds with the faulty religious system of the day, every day of His ministry. So you are trying to set this passage against a false image of Jesus that you have created in your own mind or that someone has planted in your mind. Its just another one of those false premises that you like to argue from. Jesus is the Messiah, He is deliverer. His value system is at constant war with the world's value system. There will not be "peace" where Jesus is concerned until this world is finally judged and sin is eradicated.

[EricH]

Please explain these verses and how they square with a concept of a peaceful Jesus.

Matthew

10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

10:36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

The problem is that Jesus is not presented to us as "peaceful" in the Bible. Jesus' life was marked by controversy. Jesus was at odds with the faulty religious system of the day, every day of His ministry. So you are trying to set this passage against a false image of Jesus that you have created in your own mind or that someone has planted in your mind. Its just another one of those false premises that you like to argue from. Jesus is the Messiah, He is deliverer. His value system is at constant war with the world's value system. There will not be "peace" where Jesus is concerned until this world is finally judged and sin is eradicated.

Absolutely correct