Dear in Christ,
[Though fairly lengthy, this is a quick note on Matt 10:34-36. Errors and omissions expected]
When read without considering the sociopolitical unrest that prevailed in Judea, Galilee and the rest of Israel, the passage would sound like what it literally means: Jesus came to bring wars (sword) in the land and rifts in families.
Right from the very beginning of the first century, Jewish society was in total unrest, as they wanted to be free from the rule of the “pagan” Rome. It was in 6 AD that the Roman Empire set up its offices in Judea and other parts of Israel. The administration was carried out through Prefects, Procurators, and Legates. It was almost the same time that insurrections / rebellion started in the land. One of the most notable persons mentioned in the New Testament, in this connection is Judah of Galilee (Acts 5:37), a Zealot. He along with his supporters tried to overthrow the Roman administration. The Roman empire dealt with them with an iron fist and the rebels perished.
During the days of Jesus' ministry, another group of Zealots, again, Galileans plotted to overthrow the Roman administration. The news of the conspiracy fell in the ears of Pontius Pilate, but, he couldn’t have involved in it, as Galilee wasn’t under his jurisdiction. These Galileans came to Jerusalem to observe the Passover and the forces under Pilate massacred them, even while their offerings were in their hands (this, probably, could have been the reason for the misunderstanding between Herod and Pilate - Luke 23:12). Thus we read:
It was at this point, I believe, the epistle to Hebrews was written, to correct them. In the 3ʳᵈ and 4ᵗʰ chapters of the epistle it is narrated how God has been entreating people to enter the rest of God (Sabbath) from time to time, variously and through various messengers. These messages were delivered to them with the earnestness of preaching the gospel. But, alas, they won’t listen, as they neither trust the messengers nor believe in God. (Heb 4:1, 2).
The most outstanding example of people not trusting God as well as His messengers would be the narrative where a group of Israelites deciding to proceed to the land of Canaan on their own (Numbers 14), despite Moses' repeated requests and attempts to discourage them from making such a misadventure. Needless to say, they perished.
After hinting at many such incidents of disobedience, the author of the epistle to Hebrews implores the Hebrew believers to enter into the rest of God, taking lessons from the mistakes or misdeeds of their ancestors. It is in this context it is said:
The context makes it abundantly clear that the talk is about the separation of those who accept the word of God (the message to enter the rest) and those who don’t. Those who reject the message would continue in their attempt to overthrow the Roman administration and would perish when the Roman army would come and invade Judea and Jerusalem (and it happened in 70 AD).
The Word of God, as a sword, was a device that would separate those who accept it and those who don’t.
(You may be reminded of Eph 6:17, which equates “the Word of God” to “the Sword of the Spirit”)
Many were leaving the way of insurrection and rebellion and were entering the rest (Sabbath), a.k.a, the Kingdom of God/Heaven during the days of Jesus' ministry.
Jesus has mentioned this in:
(I’m aware of the objections raised by Christian “scholars” on these points. Their objections are, as kindly as I can put it, silly.)
Jesus’ words were the sword that would cause division between those who accept them and those who reject them, in the land of Judea and Israel.
It was with the backdrop of the sociopolitical unrest prevailed in Judea and the rest of Israel that most of the narratives in the New Testament were written. It was with this backdrop that many of the pronouncements of Jesus were made.
In the passage we are discussing (Matt 10:34-36), Jesus was presenting his own words as a sword. Jesus spoke what he heard from his father (John 12:49). His presence on earth was as Emmanuel, (God is with us: Matt 1:23). Jesus' words were the Word of God. Jews should’ve taken Jesus' words more seriously, as it was the very first time that God spoke to them through his only begotten son (Heb 1:1, 2).
As we have seen in Heb 4:12, the Word of God is the sword that would separate those who accept it and those who reject it. Those who accept the Word of God would enter the Kingdom, a.k.a, God’s rest and those who reject it would continue in their rebellion against the Roman administration. As for those who reject Jesus' words, they have a new enemy in their own family members who entered the Rest / Kingdom, apart from the Roman administration and Jesus (who was exposing the errors of their religion). Their anger towards those family members who entered the Kingdom resulted in their persecuting the first century believers, as we read in Acts.
The passage in question is not about Jesus bringing a literal sword on the earth or causing rifts within families.
The sword that proceeds from the mouth of the Word of God. (Rev 19:13-15)
It’s popularly believed that this “Word of God” would come from heaven on a “literal” white horse and would wage war against one and all (Rev 19:1).
The words that Jesus spoke during his earthly ministry personified as “The Word of God”.
Please read the following passage slowly and carefully:
(The last days mentioned in John 12:48 can’t be different from the days during which God spoken through his son. Heb 1:1-2).
Hope this would help a few and would engender a healthy discussion.
[Though fairly lengthy, this is a quick note on Matt 10:34-36. Errors and omissions expected]
Don’t think that I’ve come to bring peace to the earth. I haven’t come to bring peace, but a sword! (Matt 10:34-36)Matt 10:34-36 is one of the New Testament passages very often used by atheists, rationalists and even by some of the Christians who are on the way to become atheists or agnostics, to berate and deride Jesus and the Bible.
When read without considering the sociopolitical unrest that prevailed in Judea, Galilee and the rest of Israel, the passage would sound like what it literally means: Jesus came to bring wars (sword) in the land and rifts in families.
Right from the very beginning of the first century, Jewish society was in total unrest, as they wanted to be free from the rule of the “pagan” Rome. It was in 6 AD that the Roman Empire set up its offices in Judea and other parts of Israel. The administration was carried out through Prefects, Procurators, and Legates. It was almost the same time that insurrections / rebellion started in the land. One of the most notable persons mentioned in the New Testament, in this connection is Judah of Galilee (Acts 5:37), a Zealot. He along with his supporters tried to overthrow the Roman administration. The Roman empire dealt with them with an iron fist and the rebels perished.
During the days of Jesus' ministry, another group of Zealots, again, Galileans plotted to overthrow the Roman administration. The news of the conspiracy fell in the ears of Pontius Pilate, but, he couldn’t have involved in it, as Galilee wasn’t under his jurisdiction. These Galileans came to Jerusalem to observe the Passover and the forces under Pilate massacred them, even while their offerings were in their hands (this, probably, could have been the reason for the misunderstanding between Herod and Pilate - Luke 23:12). Thus we read:
Luke 13:1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.A few decades after the day of the Pentecost, apostasy was spreading among the Hebrew speaking believers in Judea and other parts of Israel. They lost their faith in Jesus coming back and their Messiah liberating them the Roman administration. It is quite normal that they decided to join ranks with the rest of the Jews in their bid to overthrow the Roman administration.
It was at this point, I believe, the epistle to Hebrews was written, to correct them. In the 3ʳᵈ and 4ᵗʰ chapters of the epistle it is narrated how God has been entreating people to enter the rest of God (Sabbath) from time to time, variously and through various messengers. These messages were delivered to them with the earnestness of preaching the gospel. But, alas, they won’t listen, as they neither trust the messengers nor believe in God. (Heb 4:1, 2).
The most outstanding example of people not trusting God as well as His messengers would be the narrative where a group of Israelites deciding to proceed to the land of Canaan on their own (Numbers 14), despite Moses' repeated requests and attempts to discourage them from making such a misadventure. Needless to say, they perished.
After hinting at many such incidents of disobedience, the author of the epistle to Hebrews implores the Hebrew believers to enter into the rest of God, taking lessons from the mistakes or misdeeds of their ancestors. It is in this context it is said:
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.I know that this is another misunderstood and misinterpreted passages of the Bible, as though the passage is a treatise on the nature of soul and spirit. (Isn’t it interesting that the folks who make such theories completely ignore “joints and marrow” part of the scripture?)
The context makes it abundantly clear that the talk is about the separation of those who accept the word of God (the message to enter the rest) and those who don’t. Those who reject the message would continue in their attempt to overthrow the Roman administration and would perish when the Roman army would come and invade Judea and Jerusalem (and it happened in 70 AD).
The Word of God, as a sword, was a device that would separate those who accept it and those who don’t.
(You may be reminded of Eph 6:17, which equates “the Word of God” to “the Sword of the Spirit”)
Many were leaving the way of insurrection and rebellion and were entering the rest (Sabbath), a.k.a, the Kingdom of God/Heaven during the days of Jesus' ministry.
Jesus has mentioned this in:
Mat 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. (See also Luke 16:16)Two of the most outstanding examples of such people entering the Kingdom, a.k.a, Sabbath (the rest) would be:
Simon who was called the Zealot (Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13). (His name is misrepresented as Simon the Canaanite in Matt 10:4 and Mar 3:18; he wasn’t a Canaanite. The word mistranslated as Canaanite has it origins in the Hebrew word קָנָא, pronounced as kaw-naw', H7065 in Strong's and means “zealous”.) He went on to become one of the 12 apostles of Jesus.There was a violent and extremist group among the first century Jews, named Sicarii. These moved around wearing weapons on their backs and would kill anyone who is found to be violating the Jewish Law. Judas Iscariot belonged to this group and his surname has its origins in “ Sicarii”. Given that he was an extreme extremist, it would have been fairly easy for the first century Jewish leaders to entice him into betraying Jesus.
(I’m aware of the objections raised by Christian “scholars” on these points. Their objections are, as kindly as I can put it, silly.)
Jesus’ words were the sword that would cause division between those who accept them and those who reject them, in the land of Judea and Israel.
It was with the backdrop of the sociopolitical unrest prevailed in Judea and the rest of Israel that most of the narratives in the New Testament were written. It was with this backdrop that many of the pronouncements of Jesus were made.
In the passage we are discussing (Matt 10:34-36), Jesus was presenting his own words as a sword. Jesus spoke what he heard from his father (John 12:49). His presence on earth was as Emmanuel, (God is with us: Matt 1:23). Jesus' words were the Word of God. Jews should’ve taken Jesus' words more seriously, as it was the very first time that God spoke to them through his only begotten son (Heb 1:1, 2).
As we have seen in Heb 4:12, the Word of God is the sword that would separate those who accept it and those who reject it. Those who accept the Word of God would enter the Kingdom, a.k.a, God’s rest and those who reject it would continue in their rebellion against the Roman administration. As for those who reject Jesus' words, they have a new enemy in their own family members who entered the Rest / Kingdom, apart from the Roman administration and Jesus (who was exposing the errors of their religion). Their anger towards those family members who entered the Kingdom resulted in their persecuting the first century believers, as we read in Acts.
The passage in question is not about Jesus bringing a literal sword on the earth or causing rifts within families.
The sword that proceeds from the mouth of the Word of God. (Rev 19:13-15)
Rev 19:13 ...the name by which he is called is The Word of God.
Rev 19:15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron.I hope that you realize that the sword that proceeds from the Word of God is the Word of God itself. (Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12). The talk here is about the proclamation of the gospel in the Jewish settlements, among Jews and proselytes, during 30 to 70 AD. This eventful period, which “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6), though short, is figuratively called the 1000 years or the millennium.
It’s popularly believed that this “Word of God” would come from heaven on a “literal” white horse and would wage war against one and all (Rev 19:1).
The words that Jesus spoke during his earthly ministry personified as “The Word of God”.
Please read the following passage slowly and carefully:
John 12:48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words HAS A JUDGE (as though the judge were a different person); the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.The judge that had to judge those Jews who reject Jesus and his words were the words Jesus already spoke, and not Jesus coming back from heaven as the Word of God (Rev 19). His words sealed the fate (so to say) of those who accepted them and those who rejected them.
(The last days mentioned in John 12:48 can’t be different from the days during which God spoken through his son. Heb 1:1-2).
Hope this would help a few and would engender a healthy discussion.
In Christ,
Tomsan Kattackal
Tomsan Kattackal
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