Matthew 10: 35-42 and similar verses

[agentlank]

I’d like to get some (name removed by moderator)ut on the title verse.

A friend and I were discussing the verse and similar ones and there was some confusion as to what it means. I read it as noone should come between man and God, meaning even a husband or wife even though it doesn’t explicitly say that. My friend seems to think it is only referencing the parties listed in the verse. Clarification on the verse would be much appreciated.

 

[powerofk]

I’d like to get some (name removed by moderator)ut on the title verse.

A friend and I were discussing the verse and similar ones and there was some confusion as to what it means. I read it as noone should come between man and God, meaning even a husband or wife even though it doesn’t explicitly say that. My friend seems to think it is only referencing the parties listed in the verse. Clarification on the verse would be much appreciated.

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. 35For I have come to set a man ‘against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36and one’s enemies will be those of his household.’ 37 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 40“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple—amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”

Okay. First of all, there’s something to think about - following Jesus means paying the price. This is especially true if your family/friends don’t believe in Jesus or aren’t very devout - following Jesus devoutly can separate you from your family and friends. As such, Jesus is saying that you have a choice - appeasing other people (including family and friends) or follow Him. You can’t truly follow Jesus if you try to appease other people - following Him must be the most important thing in your life. You also must be willing to willingly bear the suffering that comes with following Jesus (carry the cross) - and be willing to give your entire life to following Jesus. Anything less is not acceptable. By the way, the same passage in Luke reads as follows:

26“If any one comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple"

This makes it even more clear that Jesus must come first - before even the closest of familial obligations and even before love of one’s own life (of course, Jesus didn’t literally mean that you should literally “hate” your spouse or children - He insisted on the indissolvabilty of marriage, after all - but He does mean that He must come first).

 

[eva77]

Okay. First of all, there’s something to think about - following Jesus means paying the price. This is especially true if your family/friends don’t believe in Jesus or aren’t very devout - following Jesus devoutly can separate you from your family and friends. As such, Jesus is saying that you have a choice - appeasing other people (including family and friends) or follow Him. You can’t truly follow Jesus if you try to appease other people - following Him must be the most important thing in your life. You also must be willing to willingly bear the suffering that comes with following Jesus (carry the cross) - and be willing to give your entire life to following Jesus. Anything less is not acceptable. By the way, the same passage in Luke reads as follows:

This makes it even more clear that Jesus must come first - before even the closest of familial obligations and even before love of one’s own life (of course, Jesus didn’t literally mean that you should literally “hate” your spouse or children - He insisted on the indissolvabilty of marriage, after all - but He does mean that He must come first).

Let me add…How do you follow Jesus? How do you be a disciple? We can’t all be Priests, Nuns… et cetera. Jesus summed up the commandments when He said… "37 Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul,
and with thy whole mind. 38 This is the greatest and the first
commandment. 39 And the second is like to this: Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as thyself. (Matt 22:37-39).
How do you love God when you can’t actually see him to express such love? Yes Hope…by praying and turning all your cares to Him…Faith…by thanksgivings, praises, worship to an unseen God, Love…how???..Remember the “…when I was hungry you gave me to eat…” verses, that is a good way to show you love God!!! That’s a great way to be a disciple.

My apologies,I think I derailed a bit from the topic.

 

[v21337304]

What did Simeon foretell about Jesus: “Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted.” Luke 2 - 34. Jesus made it clear that He was the Messiah and therefore God and you must follow only Him. Alas He also knew that there will be many who would not accept Him, even those in a family. Our duty is to God not to other human beings. Difficult I know. But we are not menu bible, choosing what pleases us instead of doing what is right.

To love God as He ought to be loved, we must be detached from all temporal love.
We must love nothing but Him, or if we love anything else, we must love it only for His sake.

St. Peter Claver

 

[John_Martin]

The same chapter shows the answer that I find in verses 16 to 23:

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Then Jesus goes on to say that if they did it to him they will do it to his disciples.

He is saying that you will be tempted to give up on the Kingdom of God, your newfound treasure, if you give up on it because of your desire not to go against others who oppose the truth, which is especially difficult when those opposed are your family members. They can put harsh pressure on you if they are the meaning of your life above Christ.

But, if they are with you in Christ, and in his Church, you both know that Jesus is the meaning of each other’s life, and that you walk together both knowing Christ as your Lord and King.