Matthew 10, 34-37

[chevalier]

• 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
  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.
  36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
  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. *

This has recently been used in a debate in which I’m saying that Jesus did not come with the sword. I want to illustrate that the proper relationship with God is placing Him on the first place, before humans, as well as that relationships with humans are only good relationships when they follow the relationship with God rather than precede it.

Additionally, I’d like to mention that we’re called to suffer in the Lord’s name and will suffer at the hands of even the closest people to us, such as relatives and spouses.

The trouble is that I have a very poor memory for verses, i.e. what comes from which book, chapter and verse. Care to help me out if you remember the locations? Thanks in advance.

 

[Wendy-Kay]

A perfect example of how this verse helped me in my life was when my husband’s beloved baby sister, a confirmed Catholic, got “married” in an outdoor ceremony without dispensation from the bishop or without any regard for the Faith at all. In my husband’s huge close-knit Catholic family, we were the only people who did not attend for respect of how holy Mother Church views the sacrament of marriage. We caught total heck for this decision from everyone, even his parents. This verse was for us Christ’s helping hand in a difficult situation, where ignoring Christ’s Church and going for the sake of family unity would have been the easy solution.
I have a fundamentalist protestant background. I recall verses because I had to memorize them, so repetition helps. But I wouldn’t get too caught up in specific chapters and verse numbers. You could always carry a pocket bible, and you can enter key words and find their location at usccb.org/nab/bible/ . I have this bookmarked on my pc since I reference it so much.

 

[tm30]

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

There is a bit of wordplay here. In one sense, Jesus is telling His disciples that, like it or not, My message is going to divide even immediate family members because nothing - not even one’s mother - can take precedence over it.

On the other hand: A “sword” was notably equated with “the Word of God” in the Old Testament.

Job 5

15 But he shall save the needy from the sword of their mouth, and the poor from the hand of the violent.

Psalms 58

8 Behold they shall speak with their mouth, and a sword is in their lips: for who, say they, hath heard us?

Isaias 49

2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword: in the shadow of his hand he hath protected me, and hath made me as a chosen arrow: in his quiver he hath hidden me.

In essence, the sword = the Word of God…

…and like a sword will be used in battle - not temporal battle but spiritual battle.

 

[Nita]

I want to illustrate that the proper relationship with God is placing Him on the first place, before humans, as well as that relationships with humans are only good relationships when they follow the relationship with God rather than precede it.

Matthew 22:36-39 regarding the “greatest commandment” could be used in regards to this.

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

But, this has to be reconciled with St. John’s words in his first epistle:
1 John 4:20 If any one says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

Nita