Jesus was a cause of family division

JESUS WAS A CAUSE OF FAMILY DIVISION
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Matthew 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance
againsthis father, and the daughter againsther
mother, and the daughter in law againsther mother in
law.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Christ Sending A Sword
Matthew 10:34
W.F. Adeney
Jesus Christ came as the "Prince of Peace,"and his advent was heralded by
angels, who sang of "peace onearth." When one of his disciples drew a sword
to defend him, he bade the man put it back in its sheath, saying, "They that
take the sword shall perish with the sword" (Matthew 26:52). His kingdom is
not of this world, and because it is not, he told Pilate that his servants would
not fight (John 18:36). How, then, can he speak of sending a sword?
I. HISTORICALLY, THE ADVENT OF CHRIST PROVOKES
OPPOSITION. We know that swords were drawn againstthe disciples of
Christ. James the son of Zebedee heard a warning in these words of Christ
that was subsequently verified in his own person - though as yet he knew it not

- when Herod slew him with the sword, and he became the first martyr-
apostle. Our Lord foresaw persecutionand predicted it. But this was not
contrary to his peace principles. His disciples did not fight; and neither he nor
they provokedantagonismby showing a quarrelsome spirit. The swordwas
wholly in the hands of the enemies of the new faith. It was not a sword of
equal warfare, but a swordof cruelty, tyranny, persecution. Yet Christ did
not draw back from the prospect of it, nor did he permit any compromise on
the part of his disciples. Truth must be spoken, errors must be exposed, sin
must be denounced, at any cost. Let the Christian be prepared for opposition.
If all men speak well of him, let him searchhis conductto see whetherhe has
been faithful, or whether perchance he may have been speaking smooththings
for the sake ofease and comfort.
II. SOCIALLY, THE COMING OF CHRIST STIRS UP DISCORD.This is a
sad picture of the sword cutting into the home and separating child and
parent (ver. 35). We know that no family is so united as a truly Christian
family. Christ consecratesandstrengthens home-life. He does not require us
to renounce home-ties in order to follow him. How, then, does he come to
describe the hideous picture of family quarrels brought about by his coming?
We know that his words came true in many a Jewishhome where a sonor a
daughter confessedChrist. They are applicable to-day in Hindoo families that
have been reachedby missionary influences. Even in England a true, brave
confessionofChrist may bring greattrouble in a worldly home, the habits of
which are distinctly unchristian. The explanation is that Christ must be first,
and that no domestic claim can excuse us for disloyalty to him. In order that
the home may be ultimately glorified as the dwelling of Christ, it may have to
be firs; of all saddenedas the scene ofdiscord. The largersocietyis broken
and disturbed by Christian influences, and the trouble must go on tilt society
is Christian.
III. SPIRITUALLY, THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST BRINGS A SWORD.
The Word of God is sharper than a two-edgedsword(Hebrews 4:12). The
gospelof peace first brings warfare into the soul. It cuts through old habits; it
opposes darling sins; it sets nil a new standard at variance with what was
loved in the past. The old Adam will not die without a struggle;he fights
againstthe new man. Thus the heart of the Christian becomes a battle-field.

To refuse to resisttemptation for the sake ofpeace and quiet is to be
unfaithful to Christ, who only gives peace through a faithful endurance of
conflict. - W F.A.
Biblical Illustrator
To set a man at variance againsthis Father.
Matthew 10:35
The year separation
Dr. A. Barites., Bengel.
I. THAT UNION OF FAMILIES IN RELIGION IS DESIRABLE. Becauseall
its members have the same interests at stake;they are all under substantially
the same obligations;it promotes the happiness of a family, gives consolation
in times of affliction, promotes the eternal welfare of all.
II. THAT RELIGION DOES, IN FACT, MAKE A SEPARATION IN
FAMILIES, It divides families at the Communion table; in respectof their
prospects of future glory, and at the judgment-bar with unerring accuracy.
Lessons:Pray more for impenitent children, &c.; contemplate the possibility
of a family being united in heaven.
(Dr. A. Barites.)Thosewho are most near, are most easily divided.
(Bengel.)
Children and parents
W. Benham.
There is a climax of three degrees. Brothershall be againstbrother, parent
againstchild, child againstparents — eachworse than the preceding. The
history of the Church has many illustrations of this. Such were the histories of

Perpetua and Felicitas, in the persecutionof Severus, where the children
refused to listen to parents' entreaties to give up Christ, and died in their
steadfastness;and such was the dreadful speechrecordedof Philip II. of
Spain, who thought that he was showing zeal for God by declaring of the
Protestants, "Ifit were my own son, I would bring the faggot."
(W. Benham.)
Domestic variance occasionedby religion
Too often is this prediction fulfilled in the case ofconverts (especiallythose
from Judaism) even at the present day — the most devoted sonor daughter
has too often to feelthat their adopting Christianity has severedthem from
beloved parents. The Rev. MosesMargdionth, in a narrative drawn up in the
year 1842, illustrates this by his own experience. Mr. Margdionth had been
led, by a remarkable chain of circumstances, to embrace Christianity. He was
a native of Poland, but did not receive baptism until his arrival in London,
having left his country for the purpose of study, and more especiallyof
acquiring religious knowledge.He felt it his duty as soonas possible to
acquaint his parents with his change of faith, and his father at first wrote him
an affectionate answer, entreating him to come home and recanthis apostacy,
but finding that nothing would induce him to renounce Christianity and
return to his house, ceasedto answerhis letters, and for a long time seemedto
ignore his existence. Still, however, Margdionth perseveredin writing, and at
length, to use his own words — "I receiveda most severe letterfrom my
father, telling me that if I did not return immediately to his house, I should
never be permitted to call myself his son: that he should hate me with perfect
hatred, and that he should prohibit my writing to him any more. My dear
mother wrote againwith affectionate sadness, telling me that she had not
ceasedto weepfor me, and had even injured her eyes with weeping." It is
consolatoryto find that Mr. Margdionth, who spared no effort or exertion to
win hack the heart of his father, was rewarded at length by a complete
reconciliation, though we have no ground to believe that his parents ever
embracedChristianity. Yet sadder tales meet us in the annals of missions

among the heathen. Harriet Winslow, the devoted American missionary in
Ceylon, mentions the very sad case ofa youth named Tupyen, who had
become interestedin Christianity by reading part of a Tamil Bible, lent him
by another young man. He beggedpermissionto attend the mission schoolat
Tillipally, but when it came to his father's knowledge thathe had there
avowedhimself a Christian, the poor fellow was, whenhe next returned home,
shut up, and otherwise mostseverelytreated. Once he made his escape to
Tillipally, and there told the missionary, Mr. Peel, what had befallen him. He
took a Testament, and pointing to this very passage(Matthew 10:31-39), said,
with tears — "That very good." But againfalling into the hands of his father,
Tupyen was beaten, tabooed, threatened, insulted in every possible way, so
that at length, alas, he signed a recantationof Christianity.
Socialobstaclesto religion
H. W. Beecher.
I. THE REASONS WHY MEN LABOUR TO PREVENT THEIR FELLOWS
FROM RISING TO A VITAL CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.
1. We are to remember that sociallife is not merely the accidental
juxtaposition of man with man; it organizes itself. Men stand related to each
other in such a way that if one goes outof the circle, it is like the going of one
out from a quartette of singers.
2. It is frequently the case that the escape ofone from a circle towards a true
and high religious life, is hindered on accountof the socialambitions which
prevail. Circles defend themselves againstmen going to desertfor religion.
3. Another reasonwhy persons endeavour to prevent the escape ofmen to a
higher religious plane, is the judgment and rebuke which is always reflected,
by such a course, upon their own career.
II. WHAT THE MOTIVES ARE BY WHICH THIS SOCIAL HINDRANCE
WORKS.
1. There is the battle of fear into which men go.

2. Next is the battle of interest. Men try to dissuade their fellow-men from true
religion on accountof the effects which it will have upon their interests in life.
3. Then there are persons who are peculiarly sensitive to praise. They cannot
bear the shady side of men's opinions. A circle, by a judicious silence, can
make a man feel as though the fogs of Newfoundland were on him.
4. Then there is the battle of dissuasion.
III. THE MODES OF RESISTANCETHAT ONE MAY LAWFULLY SET
UP AGAINST THESE THINGS.
1. It should be made clearthat you are in earnestand sincere.
2. That that which is upon you is not a mere whim.
3. Rememberthat you need and shall have the help of God.
(H. W. Beecher.)
The soul's longing for God not hindered by socialobstacles
H. W. Beecher.
As birds, when their time of emigrationcomes, and they feel the impulse to fly
to the summer-land, and will not be stopped, either by the snap of the fowler's
gun or by the sweepof the hawk, or by any solicitation, but rise, and fly
through night and through day, to find that summer-land: so souls feel the
fascinating call of God, and, rising, soar — and must, because the Holy Ghost
is upon them.
(H. W. Beecher.)
Societytroubled by men leafing it for a better life
H. W. Beecher.

The smallestwheelin my watch, emigrating, would leave all the rest of the
wheels, big and little, in a very sorry plight. Although it may be very small,
and stand on its own rights as a wheel, yet, after all, it has been cogged, and
notched, and adjusted, so that the whole structure depends on that. You might
as well smash the watch as to take that out. Frequently it is the case thatthe
members of a circle are so affiliated, so exactlyfitted to eachother, that if you
take one out, all the rest are dissevered. And it is not surprising, it does not
imply any greatdegree of depravity, to say that where a number of men are
living an ordinary, an average, sociallife, and one of them is inspired with a
higher, a holier religious purpose, and desires and means to go up on a level
that none of them have been standing on, his emigration upward wrenches
them all. And it is not strange that they try to stop it.
(H. W. Beecher.)
Unrest a vital process
J. B. Brown, B. A.
The unrest of a Christless soul, a Christless nation, a Christless world, is
really the beginning of a vital process,whichin its first stages is always a
travail. The Lord is not afraid of the storm of strife and frenzy which He stirs
in the world. We think that these are death pains; He knows that they are
birth pains, through which the glorious golden future is being born.
(J. B. Brown, B. A.)
A boy's foes at school
T. Arnold, D. D.
When a boy first comes from home, full of the natural desire of doing his duty,
of improving himself, of getting on well, he is presently besetby the ridicule of
all the worthless and foolish boys around him, who want to sink him to their
own level. How completelytrue it is that his foes are they of his own household

— that is, they who are most immediately about him, those of his own age,
and his own place in the school. Theybecome his idol; before their most
foolish, most low, and most wickedvoices. he gives up his affections, his
understanding, and his conscience;from this mass of ignorance, and
falsehood, and selfishness, he looks forthe guide of his opinions and his
conduct.
(T. Arnold, D. D.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(35) The words are partly, as the marginal reference shows, anecho of Micah
7:6, but the selectionof the specialrelationships as typical instances suggests
the thought of some personalapplication. Had Zebedee lookedwith
displeasure on the calling of his two sons? or was there variance betweenthe
daughter-in-law and the mother-in-law in the household of Peter? Were the
brethren of the Lord, who as yet believed not, as the foes of a man’s own
household?
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
10:16-42 Our Lord warned his disciples to prepare for persecution. They were
to avoid all things which gave advantage to their enemies, all meddling with
worldly or political concerns, allappearance of evil or selfishness,and all
underhand measures. Christforetold troubles, not only that the troubles
might not be a surprise, but that they might confirm their faith. He tells them
what they should suffer, and from whom. Thus Christ has dealt fairly and
faithfully with us, in telling us the worstwe canmeet with in his service;and
he would have us deal so with ourselves, in sitting down and counting the cost.

Persecutorsare worse than beasts, in that they prey upon those of their own
kind. The strongestbonds of love and duty, have often been broken through
from enmity againstChrist. Sufferings from friends and relations are very
grievous;nothing cuts more. It appears plainly, that all who will live godly in
Christ Jesus must suffer persecution;and we must expectto enter into the
kingdom of God through many tribulations. With these predictions of trouble,
are counsels andcomforts for a time of trial. The disciples of Christ are hated
and persecutedas serpents, and their ruin is sought, and they need the
serpent's wisdom. Be ye harmless as doves. Not only, do nobody any hurt, but
bear nobody any ill-will. Prudent care there must be, but not an anxious,
perplexing thought; let this care be castupon God. The disciples of Christ
must think more how to do well, than how to speak well. In case ofgreatperil,
the disciples of Christ may go out of the way of danger, though they must not
go out of the way of duty. No sinful, unlawful means may be used to escape;
for then it is not a door of God's opening. The fear of man brings a snare, a
perplexing snare, that disturbs our peace;an entangling snare, by which we
are drawn into sin; and, therefore, it must be striven and prayed against.
Tribulation, distress, and persecutioncannot take awayGod's love to them, or
theirs to him. FearHim, who is able to destroy both souland body in hell.
They must deliver their messagepublicly, for all are deeply concernedin the
doctrine of the gospel. The whole counselof God must be made known, Ac
20:27. Christ shows them why they should be of goodcheer. Their sufferings
witnessedagainstthose who oppose his gospel. When God calls us to speak for
him, we may depend on him to teachus what to say. A believing prospectof
the end of our troubles, will be of greatuse to support us under them. They
may be borne to the end, because the sufferers shall be borne up under them.
The strength shall be according to the day. And it is greatencouragement to
those who are doing Christ's work, that it is a work which shall certainly be
done. See how the care of Providence extends to all creatures, evento the
sparrows. This should silence all the fears of God's people; Ye are of more
value than many sparrows. And the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
This denotes the accountGod takes and keeps of his people. It is our duty, not
only to believe in Christ, but to profess that faith, in suffering for him, when
we are calledto it, as wellas in serving him. That denial of Christ only is here
meant which is persistedin, and that confessiononly can have the blessed

recompence here promised, which is the real and constantlanguage offaith
and love. Religionis worth every thing; all who believe the truth of it, will
come up to the price, and make every thing else yield to it. Christ will leadus
through sufferings, to glory with him. Those are best prepared for the life to
come, that sit most loose to this present life. Though the kindness done to
Christ's disciples be ever so small, yet if there be occasionforit, and ability to
do no more, it shall be accepted. Christdoes not say that they deserve a
reward; for we cannot merit any thing from the hand of God; but they shall
receive a rewardfrom the free gift of God. Let us boldly confess Christ, and
show love to him in all things.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Think not that I am come ... - This is taken from Micah7:6. Christ did not
here mean to say that the object of his coming was to produce discord and
contention, for he was the Prince of Peace, Isaiah9:6; Isaiah11:6; Luke 2:14;
but he means to saythat such would be one of the effects of his coming. One
part of a family that was opposedto Him would setthemselves againstthose
who believed in him. The wickedness ofmen, and not the religion of the
gospel, is the cause ofthis hostility. It is unnecessaryto say that no prophecy
has been more strikingly fulfilled; and it will continue to be fulfilled until all
unite in obeying his commandments. Then his religion will produce universal
peace. Compare the notes at Matthew 10:21.
But a sword- The swordis an instrument of death, and to send a swordis the
same as to produce hostility and war.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
35. For I am come to seta man at variance againsthis father, and the
daughter againsther mother, and the daughter-in-law againsther mother-in-
law—(See on[1259]Lu12:51-53).
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Ver. 34,35. Luke hath much the same with Matthew 10:34, in Luke 12:51. As
the Jews were much mistakenin their notion of the Messiah, as if he were to
be a temporal prince, to restore the kingdom to Israel, and as the kingdom, so

a peacefulkingdom; so many persons think still that where true religion
comes, there must be forthwith peace and union. And indeed so it should be,
and so it would be if the gospelwere cordiallyand universally received. It is
impossible that a systemof laws should be compiled better fitted to human
society, or conducible to peace, the greatend of it, than the laws of the gospel
are: but eventually it is not so, nor was sucha civil peace the end of Christ’s
coming. Accidentally, through the corruption of men’s hearts, the consequent
of Christ’s coming into the world, and of his gospelcoming into and
prevailing in any part of the world, is (as Luke phrases it) rather division,
which is here called a sword. Through men’s fondness of their idolatry,
superstition, and lusts, and madness on them, their impatience of being
outdone in religion and righteousness ofconversation, the event of Christ’s
coming was division, wars, variances, like the times prophesied of by Micah,
Micah7:6; God either stirring up wars to revenge the contempt of the gospel,
(as it happened to the Jews), ormen taking up arms to compel all others to
their idolatries and superstitions. And that natural antipathy which men have
to holiness, setting them at variance with those who, embracing the gospel, live
a life as becomeththe sgospelofthe Lord Jesus Christ, workethso far, that
men will have no respectto their nearestrelations.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
For I am come to seta man at variance against,.... Or"to divide a man from
his father". Here our Lord opens and explains what he means by the sword,
intestine divisions, domestic broils, family differences, as wellas such as
appear in towns, cities, and kingdoms, which are exemplified by other
instances following;
and the daughter againsther mother, and the daughter-in-law againsther
mother-in-law: the case is this, a father believing in Christ, embracing his
Gospel, and submitting to his institutions, is contradicted, opposed, and
persecutedby his own son, and a mother by her own daughter; in both which
relations, natural affectionknit them together;and the mother-in-law by her
daughter-in-law, who before lived togetherin the most peaceable, kind, and
tender manner: which must be imputed, not to Christ, and the doctrines of
Christ, and the natural tendency of them, embracedby the father, the mother,

and mother-in-law; but to the natural enmity of the son, the daughter, and the
daughter-in-law, to everything divine, spiritual, and evangelical,or"vice
versa".
Geneva Study Bible
For I am come to seta man at variance againsthis father, and the daughter
againsther mother, and the daughter in law againsther mother in law.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Matthew 10:35-36. Comp. Matthew 10:21. Involuntary recollectionof Micah
7:6. Comp. also Sota xlix. 2, in Schoettgen.
ἦλθον γάρ] solemn repetition.
διχάσαι]to separate (Plat. Polit. p. 264 D), i.e. to place a man in that attitude
of party hostility (διχοστασία)towardhis father which results in their
separation, and so on.
νύμφη: young wife (common in classicalwriters), speciallyin the sense of
daughter-in-law (in the LXX.).
καὶ ἐχθροὶ, κ.τ.λ.]imminent, as if alreadypresent: and a man’s enemies (are)
the members of his ownfamily! ἐχθροί is a predicate.
Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 10:35. escription of the discord.—διχάσαι, to divide in two (δίχα), to
separate in feeling and interest, here only in N.T.;verifies the truth of
Grotius’ comment as to the “sword”.—ἄνθρωπονκατὰ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ.In
this and the following clauses it is the young that are set againstthe old. “In all

greatrevolutions of thought the change begins from the young” (Carr,
Cambridge Gr. T.).—νύμφην, a young wife, here as opposedto πενθερᾶς, a
daughter-in-law.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
35. to set … at variance] The Greek word occurs here only in the New
Testament, and is rare elsewhere. The rootis the same as that of the word
translated to “cut asunder.” The word is used by Plato of a scientific
distinction. Here the thought of the dividing swordis carried on. Comp.
Micah7:6, where see Dr Pusey’s note, who quotes Tertullian to shew how true
Christ’s words proved in the secondcentury.
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 10:35. Διχάσαι, to separate)A necessaryconsequenceofwhat
precedes.—ἄνθρωπον, a man) sc. a son who loves Me: see Matthew 10:37.—
κατὰ, against)In this passagethose are put in opposition, who are otherwise
naturally most attached, to eachother.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 35. - Parallelpassage:Luke 12:53 (cf. supra, vers. 21, 22). For I am
come;I came (Revised Version). Notice the threefold η΅λθον. Christ would
leave in his hearers'minds no room for thinking that he was ignorant of what
the immediate result of his coming would be. To. A mere infinitive, not even
with τοῦ, much less ἵνα with subject. The result is not in any sense the final
cause ofhis coming. Set a man at variance against(διχάσαι... κατὰ). Bythe
preposition is implied enmity, by the verb complete severance. Forrelationto
God is the greatline of cleavage, andthat not only in God's sight, but in
outcome of character. His father. From this word till the end of ver. 36 our
Lord adopts Micah's (Micah7:6) description of a generaltime of distrust for
his ownpicture of the discord introduced by his coming. The wording is
hardly takenfrom the LXX.
Vincent's Word Studies
Set at variance (διχάσαι)

Lit., part asunder. Wyc., to depart equals part.
Daughter-in-law (νύμφην)
So A. Y. and Rev.;but the full force is lostin this rendering. The word means
bride, and though sometimes used in classicalGreek ofany married woman, it
carries a notion of comparative youth. Thus in Homer, "Odyssey," iv., 74:3,
the agednurse, Euryclea, addressesPenelope(certainly not a bride) as νύμφα
φίλη (dear bride), of course as a term of affection or petting. Compare
"Iliad," iii., 130, where Iris addresses Helenin the same way. The radical and
bitter characterof the division brought into households by the Gospelis
shown by the fact of its affecting domestic relations in their very freshness,
The newly-married wife shall be setat variance with her mother-in-law.
Wycliffe's rendering is peculiar: And the son's wife againstthe wife's or
husband's mother.
Matthew 10:36 A man's enemies will be the members
of his own household.'
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Biblical Illustrator
To set a man at variance againsthis Father.
Matthew 10:35
The year separation

Dr. A. Barites., Bengel.
I. THAT UNION OF FAMILIES IN RELIGION IS DESIRABLE. Becauseall
its members have the same interests at stake;they are all under substantially
the same obligations;it promotes the happiness of a family, gives consolation
in times of affliction, promotes the eternal welfare of all.
II. THAT RELIGION DOES, IN FACT, MAKE A SEPARATION IN
FAMILIES, It divides families at the Communion table; in respectof their
prospects of future glory, and at the judgment-bar with unerring accuracy.
Lessons:Pray more for impenitent children, &c.; contemplate the possibility
of a family being united in heaven.
(Dr. A. Barites.)Thosewho are most near, are most easily divided.
(Bengel.)
Children and parents
W. Benham.
There is a climax of three degrees. Brothershall be againstbrother, parent
againstchild, child againstparents — eachworse than the preceding. The
history of the Church has many illustrations of this. Such were the histories of
Perpetua and Felicitas, in the persecutionof Severus, where the children
refused to listen to parents' entreaties to give up Christ, and died in their
steadfastness;and such was the dreadful speechrecordedof Philip II. of
Spain, who thought that he was showing zeal for God by declaring of the
Protestants, "Ifit were my own son, I would bring the faggot."
(W. Benham.)
Domestic variance occasionedby religion
Too often is this prediction fulfilled in the case ofconverts (especiallythose
from Judaism) even at the present day — the most devoted sonor daughter

has too often to feelthat their adopting Christianity has severedthem from
beloved parents. The Rev. MosesMargdionth, in a narrative drawn up in the
year 1842, illustrates this by his own experience. Mr. Margdionth had been
led, by a remarkable chain of circumstances, to embrace Christianity. He was
a native of Poland, but did not receive baptism until his arrival in London,
having left his country for the purpose of study, and more especiallyof
acquiring religious knowledge.He felt it his duty as soonas possible to
acquaint his parents with his change of faith, and his father at first wrote him
an affectionate answer, entreating him to come home and recanthis apostacy,
but finding that nothing would induce him to renounce Christianity and
return to his house, ceasedto answerhis letters, and for a long time seemedto
ignore his existence. Still, however, Margdionth perseveredin writing, and at
length, to use his own words — "I receiveda most severe letterfrom my
father, telling me that if I did not return immediately to his house, I should
never be permitted to call myself his son: that he should hate me with perfect
hatred, and that he should prohibit my writing to him any more. My dear
mother wrote againwith affectionate sadness, telling me that she had not
ceasedto weepfor me, and had even injured her eyes with weeping." It is
consolatoryto find that Mr. Margdionth, who spared no effort or exertion to
win hack the heart of his father, was rewarded at length by a complete
reconciliation, though we have no ground to believe that his parents ever
embracedChristianity. Yet sadder tales meet us in the annals of missions
among the heathen. Harriet Winslow, the devoted American missionary in
Ceylon, mentions the very sad case ofa youth named Tupyen, who had
become interestedin Christianity by reading part of a Tamil Bible, lent him
by another young man. He beggedpermissionto attend the mission schoolat
Tillipally, but when it came to his father's knowledge thathe had there
avowedhimself a Christian, the poor fellow was, whenhe next returned home,
shut up, and otherwise mostseverelytreated. Once he made his escape to
Tillipally, and there told the missionary, Mr. Peel, what had befallen him. He
took a Testament, and pointing to this very passage(Matthew 10:31-39), said,
with tears — "That very good." But againfalling into the hands of his father,
Tupyen was beaten, tabooed, threatened, insulted in every possible way, so
that at length, alas, he signed a recantationof Christianity.

Socialobstaclesto religion
H. W. Beecher.
I. THE REASONS WHY MEN LABOUR TO PREVENT THEIR FELLOWS
FROM RISING TO A VITAL CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.
1. We are to remember that sociallife is not merely the accidental
juxtaposition of man with man; it organizes itself. Men stand related to each
other in such a way that if one goes outof the circle, it is like the going of one
out from a quartette of singers.
2. It is frequently the case that the escape ofone from a circle towards a true
and high religious life, is hindered on accountof the socialambitions which
prevail. Circles defend themselves againstmen going to desertfor religion.
3. Another reasonwhy persons endeavour to prevent the escape ofmen to a
higher religious plane, is the judgment and rebuke which is always reflected,
by such a course, upon their own career.
II. WHAT THE MOTIVES ARE BY WHICH THIS SOCIAL HINDRANCE
WORKS.
1. There is the battle of fear into which men go.
2. Next is the battle of interest. Men try to dissuade their fellow-men from true
religion on accountof the effects which it will have upon their interests in life.
3. Then there are persons who are peculiarly sensitive to praise. They cannot
bear the shady side of men's opinions. A circle, by a judicious silence, can
make a man feel as though the fogs of Newfoundland were on him.
4. Then there is the battle of dissuasion.
III. THE MODES OF RESISTANCETHAT ONE MAY LAWFULLY SET
UP AGAINST THESE THINGS.
1. It should be made clearthat you are in earnestand sincere.

2. That that which is upon you is not a mere whim.
3. Rememberthat you need and shall have the help of God.
(H. W. Beecher.)
The soul's longing for God not hindered by socialobstacles
H. W. Beecher.
As birds, when their time of emigrationcomes, and they feel the impulse to fly
to the summer-land, and will not be stopped, either by the snap of the fowler's
gun or by the sweepof the hawk, or by any solicitation, but rise, and fly
through night and through day, to find that summer-land: so souls feel the
fascinating call of God, and, rising, soar — and must, because the Holy Ghost
is upon them.
(H. W. Beecher.)
Societytroubled by men leafing it for a better life
H. W. Beecher.
The smallestwheelin my watch, emigrating, would leave all the rest of the
wheels, big and little, in a very sorry plight. Although it may be very small,
and stand on its own rights as a wheel, yet, after all, it has been cogged, and
notched, and adjusted, so that the whole structure depends on that. You might
as well smash the watch as to take that out. Frequently it is the case thatthe
members of a circle are so affiliated, so exactlyfitted to eachother, that if you
take one out, all the rest are dissevered. And it is not surprising, it does not
imply any greatdegree of depravity, to say that where a number of men are
living an ordinary, an average, sociallife, and one of them is inspired with a
higher, a holier religious purpose, and desires and means to go up on a level
that none of them have been standing on, his emigration upward wrenches
them all. And it is not strange that they try to stop it.

(H. W. Beecher.)
Unrest a vital process
J. B. Brown, B. A.
The unrest of a Christless soul, a Christless nation, a Christless world, is
really the beginning of a vital process,whichin its first stages is always a
travail. The Lord is not afraid of the storm of strife and frenzy which He stirs
in the world. We think that these are death pains; He knows that they are
birth pains, through which the glorious golden future is being born.
(J. B. Brown, B. A.)
A boy's foes at school
T. Arnold, D. D.
When a boy first comes from home, full of the natural desire of doing his duty,
of improving himself, of getting on well, he is presently besetby the ridicule of
all the worthless and foolish boys around him, who want to sink him to their
own level. How completelytrue it is that his foes are they of his own household
— that is, they who are most immediately about him, those of his own age,
and his own place in the school. Theybecome his idol; before their most
foolish, most low, and most wickedvoices. he gives up his affections, his
understanding, and his conscience;from this mass of ignorance, and
falsehood, and selfishness, he looks forthe guide of his opinions and his
conduct.
(T. Arnold, D. D.)
Christ Sending A Sword
Matthew 10:34

W.F. Adeney
Jesus Christ came as the "Prince of Peace,"and his advent was heralded by
angels, who sang of "peace onearth." When one of his disciples drew a sword
to defend him, he bade the man put it back in its sheath, saying, "They that
take the sword shall perish with the sword" (Matthew 26:52). His kingdom is
not of this world, and because it is not, he told Pilate that his servants would
not fight (John 18:36). How, then, can he speak of sending a sword?
I. HISTORICALLY, THE ADVENT OF CHRIST PROVOKES
OPPOSITION. We know that swords were drawn againstthe disciples of
Christ. James the son of Zebedee heard a warning in these words of Christ
that was subsequently verified in his own person - though as yet he knew it not
- when Herod slew him with the sword, and he became the first martyr-
apostle. Our Lord foresaw persecutionand predicted it. But this was not
contrary to his peace principles. His disciples did not fight; and neither he nor
they provokedantagonismby showing a quarrelsome spirit. The swordwas
wholly in the hands of the enemies of the new faith. It was not a sword of
equal warfare, but a swordof cruelty, tyranny, persecution. Yet Christ did
not draw back from the prospect of it, nor did he permit any compromise on
the part of his disciples. Truth must be spoken, errors must be exposed, sin
must be denounced, at any cost. Let the Christian be prepared for opposition.
If all men speak well of him, let him searchhis conductto see whetherhe has
been faithful, or whether perchance he may have been speaking smooththings
for the sake ofease and comfort.
II. SOCIALLY, THE COMING OF CHRIST STIRS UP DISCORD.This is a
sad picture of the sword cutting into the home and separating child and
parent (ver. 35). We know that no family is so united as a truly Christian
family. Christ consecratesandstrengthens home-life. He does not require us
to renounce home-ties in order to follow him. How, then, does he come to
describe the hideous picture of family quarrels brought about by his coming?
We know that his words came true in many a Jewishhome where a sonor a
daughter confessedChrist. They are applicable to-day in Hindoo families that
have been reachedby missionary influences. Even in England a true, brave
confessionofChrist may bring greattrouble in a worldly home, the habits of

which are distinctly unchristian. The explanation is that Christ must be first,
and that no domestic claim can excuse us for disloyalty to him. In order that
the home may be ultimately glorified as the dwelling of Christ, it may have to
be firs; of all saddenedas the scene ofdiscord. The largersocietyis broken
and disturbed by Christian influences, and the trouble must go on tilt society
is Christian.
III. SPIRITUALLY, THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST BRINGS A SWORD.
The Word of God is sharper than a two-edgedsword(Hebrews 4:12). The
gospelof peace first brings warfare into the soul. It cuts through old habits; it
opposes darling sins; it sets nil a new standard at variance with what was
loved in the past. The old Adam will not die without a struggle;he fights
againstthe new man. Thus the heart of the Christian becomes a battle-field.
To refuse to resisttemptation for the sake ofpeace and quiet is to be
unfaithful to Christ, who only gives peace through a faithful endurance of
conflict. - W F.A.
COMMENTARIES
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
10:16-42 Our Lord warned his disciples to prepare for persecution. They were
to avoid all things which gave advantage to their enemies, all meddling with
worldly or political concerns, allappearance of evil or selfishness,and all
underhand measures. Christforetold troubles, not only that the troubles
might not be a surprise, but that they might confirm their faith. He tells them
what they should suffer, and from whom. Thus Christ has dealt fairly and
faithfully with us, in telling us the worstwe canmeet with in his service;and
he would have us deal so with ourselves, in sitting down and counting the cost.
Persecutorsare worse than beasts, in that they prey upon those of their own
kind. The strongestbonds of love and duty, have often been broken through
from enmity againstChrist. Sufferings from friends and relations are very

grievous;nothing cuts more. It appears plainly, that all who will live godly in
Christ Jesus must suffer persecution;and we must expectto enter into the
kingdom of God through many tribulations. With these predictions of trouble,
are counsels andcomforts for a time of trial. The disciples of Christ are hated
and persecutedas serpents, and their ruin is sought, and they need the
serpent's wisdom. Be ye harmless as doves. Not only, do nobody any hurt, but
bear nobody any ill-will. Prudent care there must be, but not an anxious,
perplexing thought; let this care be castupon God. The disciples of Christ
must think more how to do well, than how to speak well. In case ofgreatperil,
the disciples of Christ may go out of the way of danger, though they must not
go out of the way of duty. No sinful, unlawful means may be used to escape;
for then it is not a door of God's opening. The fear of man brings a snare, a
perplexing snare, that disturbs our peace;an entangling snare, by which we
are drawn into sin; and, therefore, it must be striven and prayed against.
Tribulation, distress, and persecutioncannot take awayGod's love to them, or
theirs to him. FearHim, who is able to destroy both souland body in hell.
They must deliver their messagepublicly, for all are deeply concernedin the
doctrine of the gospel. The whole counselof God must be made known, Ac
20:27. Christ shows them why they should be of goodcheer. Their sufferings
witnessedagainstthose who oppose his gospel. When God calls us to speak for
him, we may depend on him to teachus what to say. A believing prospectof
the end of our troubles, will be of greatuse to support us under them. They
may be borne to the end, because the sufferers shall be borne up under them.
The strength shall be according to the day. And it is greatencouragementto
those who are doing Christ's work, that it is a work which shall certainly be
done. See how the care of Providence extends to all creatures, evento the
sparrows. This should silence all the fears of God's people; Ye are of more
value than many sparrows. And the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
This denotes the accountGod takes and keeps of his people. It is our duty, not
only to believe in Christ, but to profess that faith, in suffering for him, when
we are calledto it, as wellas in serving him. That denial of Christ only is here
meant which is persistedin, and that confessiononly can have the blessed
recompence here promised, which is the real and constantlanguage offaith
and love. Religionis worth every thing; all who believe the truth of it, will
come up to the price, and make every thing else yield to it. Christ will leadus

through sufferings, to glory with him. Those are best prepared for the life to
come, that sit most loose to this present life. Though the kindness done to
Christ's disciples be ever so small, yet if there be occasionforit, and ability to
do no more, it shall be accepted. Christdoes not say that they deserve a
reward; for we cannot merit any thing from the hand of God; but they shall
receive a rewardfrom the free gift of God. Let us boldly confess Christ, and
show love to him in all things.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Think not that I am come ... - This is taken from Micah7:6. Christ did not
here mean to say that the object of his coming was to produce discord and
contention, for he was the Prince of Peace, Isaiah9:6; Isaiah11:6; Luke 2:14;
but he means to saythat such would be one of the effects of his coming. One
part of a family that was opposedto Him would setthemselves againstthose
who believed in him. The wickedness ofmen, and not the religion of the
gospel, is the cause ofthis hostility. It is unnecessaryto say that no prophecy
has been more strikingly fulfilled; and it will continue to be fulfilled until all
unite in obeying his commandments. Then his religion will produce universal
peace. Compare the notes at Matthew 10:21.
But a sword- The swordis an instrument of death, and to send a swordis the
same as to produce hostility and war.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
36. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household—This saying, which is
quoted, as is the whole verse, from Mic 7:6, is but an extensionof the
Psalmist's complaint (Ps 41:9; 55:12-14), whichhad its most affecting
illustration in the treasonof Judas againstour Lord Himself (Joh 13:18;Mt
26:48-50). Hence would arise the necessityof a choice betweenChrist and the
nearestrelations, which would put them to the severesttest.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Not of the householdof faith, which showeth that it is not the gospel, but
men’s corruptions, which causethdivision. Those, who truly receive the gospel
agree wellenough, at leastbreak not out into open feuds; but the tie of no

natural or moral relations will hold togetherthe seedof the womanand the
seedof the serpent. This doth not always happen, but very ordinarily, and
therefore there was need that Christ should forewarnhis disciples of it.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. His children, and his
servants, such that he has either begottenand brought up, or are daily fed at
his table, and maintained by him. This, with the former instances, are
borrowedfrom Micah7:6 and the times of the Gospelare set forth in the
same dismal and black characters,as those in which the prophet lived; and
much such a description do the Jews themselves give, of the times of their
expectedMessiah;which agreeing in words, as wellas things, I cannotforbear
transcribing.
"The government shall be turned to heresy(Sadducism), and there will be no
reproof; the synagogue shallbecome a brothel house, Galilee shall be
destroyed, and Gablan shall be laid waste, and the men of the border shall
wander from city to city, and shall obtain no mercy; the wisdom of the Scribes
shall stink, and they that fear to sin shall be despised, and truth shall fail;
young men shall turn pale, or put to shame, the faces ofold men, and old men
shall stand before young men; the "son" shalldeal basely "with his father, the
daughter shall rise up againsther mother, and the daughter-in-law against
her mother-in-law, and the enemies of a man shall be they of his ownhouse":
the face of that generationshall be as the face of a dog, and the son shall not
reverence his father (o).''
All which characters, how exactly they agree with the generationin which
Christ lived, is easyto observe.
(o) Misn. Sota, c. 9. sect. 15. T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 97. 1. Zohar in Num. fol.
102. 3. & Raya Mehimna in ib. in Lev. fol. 28. 2. Shirhashirim Rabba, fol. 11.
4. DerechEretz Zuta, fol. 19. 4.
Geneva Study Bible
And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 10:36. ἔχθροὶ: the predicate standing first for emphasis; enemies, not
friends as one would expect, the members of one’s family (οἰκιακοὶ, as in
Matthew 10:25). The passagereproduces freelyMicah 7:6.
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 10:36. Ἐχθροὶ, enemies)A man shall have them of his household—
his relations, servants, and acquaintances—forenemies, if he believes in Me;
see Micah7:6.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 36. - No parallel passage in the Gospels. And a man's foes shall be they
of his own household(καὶ ἐχθροὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οἱ οἰκιακοὶ αὐτοῦ). Ἐχθροί ισ
predicate. His very household(not to be limited to servants)turns against
him.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
GREG ALLEN
"The Love That Jesus Demands"
Matthew 10:34-39
Theme: Jesus lets his followers know that he demands to have the
first place of love in their lives.

(Delivered Sunday, February 19, 2006 at Bethany Bible Church. All
Scripture quotes, unless otherwise indicated, are from the New King
James Version.)
I'd like to begin today by sharing with you about the time that I
gave my first public testimony as a Christian.
Shortly after I came to Christ, I began attending a local
Presbyterian church. I eventually sought membership; and the
pastor asked me to give my testimony. I gave my first public
testimony of faith to that Presbyterian congregation while still a
teenager and as a very young believer. And as I stood before the
congregation - with the pastor standing next to me - I stuck out my
chest; and boldly testified, "I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior;
and I haven't had a bad day since!"
I thought it was a pretty good testimony. It was short, to the point,
and - as far as I understood - true. But I wasn't sure why the older,
more experienced saints were politely chuckling. And I was even
more surprised when the pastor lovingly patted me on the shoulder,
smiled, and said, "Greg, don't worry; those bad days will come; but
Jesus will be with you in them."
This surprised me. I thought I was setting forth a pretty good
advertisement for the Christian faith. I wanted people to believe - as,
at that time, I believed - that following Jesus meant the end of life's
troubles. No one had to explain to me that, while many of life's
troubles DO come to an end when we begin to follow Jesus, many
other troubles begin.
I didn't understand that back then. But some thirty-three years
later, I now do. But I have also learned - just as that Presbyterian

pastor told me - though difficult times do come to those of us who
follow Jesus, Jesus never leaves us in them.
* * * * * * * * * *
This morning's passage is about those troubles. In it, Jesus gives us
far warning. He lets us know that following Him is no easy road. It
will cost us all that we are and all that we have.
This passage is found in the tenth chapter of Matthew's Gospel.
Jesus was speaking to His twelve disciples. He was about to send
them out to proclaim Him in the cities where He was going to go and
preach. Before they went, He gave them many instructions and
many warnings. And in speaking to them, His focus clearly expands
beyond just the twelve to speak to all of us who would be His
ambassadors in this world.
He lets us know the kind of world it is that He sends us out into: that
we are being sent as sheep in the midst of wolves (v. 16); and that we
will be hated by all men for His sake (v. 22). He lets us know that
there will be times when His followers will suffer at the hands of
men for their connection to Him - sometimes being arrested and
dragged before the authorities (vv. 17-18); sometimes driven from
one city to another by persecution (v. 23); and sometimes even put to
death (v. 21).
But He also commands us to be unafraid. He tells us not to fear
those who can kill our bodies but cannot kill our souls (v. 28). He
tells us to remember confidently that our heavenly Father watches
us and values us greatly (v. 29). He commands us to faithfully
profess Him before men; promising that if we do, He will profess us
before His Father in heaven (v. 32-33).

And as we come to this morning's passage, I feel that He brings
much of His exhortations to a head; and gives us a serious 'reality-
check' in terms of what it will require of us to follow Him. He clears
up any delusions we might have about following Him; and makes
sure that we understand in advance that it is not the pathway to the
easy life. He says;
"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to
bring peace but a sword. For 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'; and 'a man's enemies will be those of his
own household.' He who loves father or mother more than Me is not
worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is
not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow
after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and
he who loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 10:34-39).
* * * * * * * * * *
Consider with me what Jesus is claiming about Himself in these
words. Pretend, for a moment, that you never heard these words
before; and that you were drawing your very first conclusions about
Jesus from what He says in them.
Look at how He begins. He says, "Do not think that I came . . ." He
talks about His entry into this world in a way that is quite
remarkable. He didn't say that He was "born" into this world; but
rather that He "came". To say that He "came" suggests that He
existed before He was in this world.
Then, look at how He makes clear that His "coming" was for a
reason. He says that we are not to think that He came for the reason
that we might have been thinking that He came; but tells us that He

came for something that we might not have expected at all. He's
letting us know that He existed before He came into this world; and
that His coming into this world was intentional; and that it brings
about certain surprising and unexpected results.
Now tell me; what kind of a mere man would ever talk about himself
in this way? What kind of man would claim to have pre-existed, and
to have come into this world from outside of it in the fulfillment of a
predetermined purpose?
And then, look at the kind of demands He makes for Himself. He
demands to be loved by His followers more than they would love
even the most dearest people in their lives - more than father or
mother; more than son or daughter. He dares to say that if they
don't love Him more than even these, then they're not even worthy
of Him. In fact, He says that if they don't love Him so much that
they are willing die to self - as expressed in the idea of taking up the
cross as an instrument of execution, claiming it as their own, and
follow after Him - then they're not worthy of Him.
Again I ask; what kind of mere man would dare to demand that
level of devotion of us? What mere man would think Himself worthy
of the supreme love of our hearts - even a greater love than that for
our own family? Even over our own lives?
And then, consider the kind of centrality He places upon Himself.
He says that "life" itself hinges upon Him. He claims that - in the
context of following Him - the man or woman who willingly lets go
of life in order to follow Him will find that very life; and that
whoever refuses the high demands of following Him, and chooses
instead to hang on to their own life, will lose the very thing that they
seek to hang on to.

Once again; what kind of mere man makes Himself the 'hinge-point'
of life itself? What kind of man says that, if we willingly give up life
for Him, we will truly gain it; and that if we stubbornly cling to life
against Him, we will lose it?
Dear brothers and sisters; only someone who presented Himself as
the Son of God would make claims like this! Only He would have
the authority to demand so much of us. And the Bible teaches us
that the One who spoke these words was, indeed, the "Word" who
was in the beginning with God the Father (John 1:1); that He was
"the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the
world" (v. 9). The Bible tells us that this very Man who spoke these
words is Himself "the Word" of God which "became flesh and dwelt
among us" (v. 14). It tells us that "as many as received Him, to them
He gave the right to become children of God" (v. 12).
Only One who is the Son of God would have the right to say such
things. And that's who He is. No wonder He demands so much of
those who would follow Him.
* * * * * * * * * *
And I ask you to also consider why He is saying these things to His
disciples. He is speaking these words in order to warn them - in
advance - of what it costs to follow Him. He is urging them to count
the cost of being one of His followers.
In a similar passage - in Luke 14:26-33 - He saw that a great
multitude of people were following Him. Jesus was not concerned
for popularity with the masses. He was not in a big hurry to gather a
great number of followers around Himself. If He was only interested
in having lots of followers, He never would have said to them the

things He said! The Bible tells us that He turned to the multitude
following after Him and said,
"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother,
wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he
cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and
come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to
build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he
has enough to finish it - lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is
not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This
man began to build and was not able to finish'? Or what king, going
to make war against another king, does not sit down first and
consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who
comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is
still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of
peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has
cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:26-33).
Someone might be tempted to read that and say, "Well yes; Jesus
certainly demands a great deal . . . of those who would be His
missionaries, or His preachers, or His evangelists! But I don't feel
called to be any of those things. I just want to be one of His simple,
humble, little quiet disciples and then go peacefully to heaven." But
Jesus doesn't even give us that kind of an option.
He doesn't say, "Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has
cannot be My missionary, or My preacher, or My evangelist." He
says that you cannot even BE one of His disciples - not at all - if you
do not, from the heart, forsake all that you have, and place Him
above all other loves in your life, and bear up your cross and follow
Him. Those are not my words; those are His!

That's why He tells us in advance to "count the cost" before we take
up to follow Him. He gives us fair warning. I believe that that's what
He is doing in this morning's passage as well. No one else demands
as much as Jesus does of His followers.
But then, no one is who He is. And no one else gives us as much as
He gives.
* * * * * * * * * *
Brothers and sisters; I didn't feel ready to preach from this passage
last week. And now, here we are a week later; and I still don't feel
ready! This passage puts me to shame. It reveals that I don't yet love
Jesus as much as He demands that I love Him. I'm suspecting that
every one of us here this morning feels convicted by His words in the
same way.
And so, that being the case, then let's agree this morning to admit
before Him that we are not yet were we should be with Him. Let's
admit that we are falling short of His demands of love. But let's also
agree together to this one life-changing desire: that we want Him to
change us. Let's resolve together that we will look to this passage,
and allow the Holy Spirit to strip away from us the things that we
love too much. Let's resolve together to be taught by the Spirit to set
the Lord Jesus apart the supreme love of our lives.
I don't believe He is looking for perfection in our love. He knows us
too well to look for that in us. But I do believe that He is expecting
from us a whole-hearted willingness to be changed by Him into the
people He wants us to be. We really have no right to claim to be His
followers, unless we are willing to be made into a people who love
Him above every other love in our lives.

Let's consider, then, the high demand of His love in the key areas of
our lives, as that demand is laid out for us in this passage. And as we
do, let's ask Him to move us closer to the place we should be.
* * * * * * * * * *
First, notice that He demands to be loved by us . . .
1. OVER THE LOVE OF PEACE (vv. 34-36).
When I began to follow Jesus many years ago, I sincerely thought
that it would mean peace. I fully expected a life of peace and
tranquility. To this day, I can still remember when I first read these
words: "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth" - and
realizing that it explained why I hadn't experienced that idyllic life
of peace - and will not so long as I am on this earth as His
representative.
Do you remember what the angels announced to the world
concerning Jesus' birth? They said, "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 214). In fact, the
Old Testament tells us that He will be called - among other things -
"Prince of peace" (Isaiah 9:6). So, what does He mean here, when
He tells us not to suppose that He came to bring peace on the earth?
I believe that He is speaking in the context in which we are to follow
Him in everyday experience in this world. It's true that His coming
into this world will result in ultimate peace; but that peace will come
in the long-term - when He returns. Here, however, He is speaking
in the short-term of our experience as His ambassadors to the
unsaved people of this world; and that experience will not be
peaceful. In fact, He says it will be characterized by conflict. He

says, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did
not come to bring peace but a sword."
When He speaks of what He "brings", a word is used (ballõ) that
basically means to 'throw' something. It suggests something
"sudden" and "unexpected" - and perhaps even a bit intrusive. He's
saying, "When you go out into this world to proclaim Me to people
who do not yet know Me or follow Me, don't go out with the notion
in your mind that that I have come into this world to throw 'peace'
into the mix. That's not the case at all. Far from it! I have come, in
fact, to throw something unexpected and unwelcome into the mix - a
'sword'. My coming brings about conflict!"
* * * * * * * * * *
Now, I trust that you know this: Jesus is not giving His followers
justification for taking up the sword against unbelievers. Sadly,
some in church history have misinterpreted His words to suggest the
aggressive advancement of His kingdom through the use of violence.
But that's not at all what He means. In fact, when Peter took up a
literal sword to defend Him, Jesus rebuked Him and said, "Put your
sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the
sword" (Matthew 26:52). Jesus isn't speaking of a literal sword
being handed over to His followers. Rather, He is using a sword as a
figure of conflict - a symbol of that which divides His followers from
other people that they would have otherwise been connected to.
And look at the level to which that "division" extends. He says that
His coming brings about division at the most fundamental level of
human relationships. He quotes Micah 7:6; and says, "For 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'; and 'a
man's enemies will be those of his own household.'"
As you might remember, Jesus experienced this first hand. Even His
own brothers did not believe in Him and opposed Him (John 7:2-9).
And even His own people thought He was out of His mind, and
sought to lay hold of Him (Mark 3:21). Some of you have
experienced this first hand as well; as have I. It's a very painful
reality.
In the pagan households of Jesus' day, the life of the family centered
around the worship of false gods. Every member of the family had a
part in that worship. Can you imagine how divisive it was when one
of the members became a follower of Jesus Christ? Such a person,
out of devotion to the Savior, would have to denounce any
relationship to the worship of that false god. They would have to
declare that they are following the true God; and in doing so, they
would be declaring that the whole family was following a false god.
In many ancient households, this was tantamount to severing one's
self from the family, and setting one's self up as an enemy! To follow
Jesus in such a situation is to experience the kind of division He is
talking about. This is even true of some who follow Jesus in various
cultures of the world today.
But it can happen in another sense. When a man or woman comes to
Jesus Christ, they are immediately motivated by love to share Him
with others in the family. A follower of Jesus wants other members
of the family to become followers of Jesus. They themselves no
longer follow the path of the rest of the family; and they want to call
their loved ones out of the life of sin to which they are accustomed,
and to become devoted to the Savior as they themselves have

become. And that kind of zealous love for the salvation of others
often brings about resentment and bitterness and division.
The fact is that the kind of peace that Jesus will ultimately bring
about first requires conflict. It requires a decision from us; and
decision results in division. It will even result in division from those
who are closest to us and mean the most to us.
Following Jesus will take away our peace. He offers us eternal peace
in the long-term; but it will cost us our peace in the short-term. He
demands that we love Him more than we love that peace; and calls
us to make a decision.
If He holds out His hand to you and says, "Will you follow Me?
Then give Me your love for peace, and then follow"; will you obey?
* * * * * * * * * *
Another thing He demands is that we love Him . . .
2. OVER THE LOVE OF FAMILY (v. 37).
He says, "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not
worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than me is
not worthy of Me." This is a very high demand of love!
I think of these words as describing the closest human relationship
of family bond that we can imagine. Looking backward, we
naturally feel a bond of devotion to the father and mother who gave
life to us - and by implication, our grandfather and grandmother.
Looking forward, we naturally feel a bond of devotion to our sons
and our daughters - and by implication, their sons and daughters.
We even feel a devotion to these family relationships over any other

earthly thing - even earth itself. We rightly say, "Blood is thicker
than mud".
But we can let our devotion to our family supercede our devotion to
Jesus. If we do - as Jesus Himself says - we are not "worthy" of Him.
* * * * * * * * * *
Elsewhere, Jesus said, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his
father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and
even his own life also, he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:26). And
whenever I quote that, I always fear someone might be thinking to
themselves, "Well what do you know? I've been obeying the Bible
all along! I can't stand my family!" But of course, Jesus isn't
commanding us to "hate" our family members.
What He is telling us is that, when it comes to a choice being made -
if we are forced into a position in which we must choose between
following Jesus or appeasing the objections of our family - we must
choose Jesus every time. Our love for Him must be so complete and
supreme that it makes any other love look like "hate" - even the
natural love we would feel toward our father or mother, or son or
daughter.
I can think of two biblical examples of this. There was that man who
came to Jesus - wanting to be one of His disciples. He told Jesus,
"Lord, let me first go and bury my father." It may not be that his
father was even dead yet; but the man felt a tie to his father that was
stronger than his tie to Jesus. And Jesus said something that, to
those who place family above all else, sounds unspeakable! He said,
"Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead" (Matthew 8:21-
22). Jesus was, in effect, telling the man, "Listen; you are still
placing your concern for your father over Me. And until you make

your love for your father secondary to your love for Me, you cannot
be a follower of Mine. I am the Lord of life! Your father and your
family may object; but You follow Me; and let those who do not
follow after life take care of lesser things!" Following Jesus comes
first above all else - even above our commitment to our earthly
fathers.
Another example is in Paul's letter to the Corinthians. He was
writing to give them instructions about marriage; and he wrote to
them about situations in which a man or woman becomes a follower
of Jesus Christ from out of a pagan culture, but their spouse does
not. What happens when the unbelieving spouse refuses to follow
Jesus and demands that the believer choose between them or
Christ? Paul wrote, "But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a
brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has
called us to peace" (1 Corinthians 7:15-16). In other words, the
believer is not to try to hang on to an unwilling, unbelieving spouse
at all costs. If it comes down to a choice between even a spouse and
the Lord, the follower of Jesus is to choose the love of the Lord over
even the love of the spouse.
These are hard words, aren't they? But Jesus is letting us know in
advance that He demands to hold the first place in our love - even
above family relations.
And so again, I ask: If He holds out His hand to you and says, "Will
you follow Me? Then to do so, you must love Me more than all else.
You must give Me first place over even the love and devotion you
have to your closest family relationships; and then follow"; will you
obey Him? Will you love Him that much?
* * * * * * * * * *

It's hard to imagine that level of love. But that's what He demands.
And I have come to believe that, if we can love Him to the degree He
speaks of next, then He will truly have our hearts in every other
area. Notice that, finally, He even demands to hold first place in our
affections and devotion . . .
3. OVER THE LOVE OF SELF (vv. 38-39).
He says, "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is
not worthy of Me."
In understanding Jesus' words, we should not think of the "cross"
in the same way that we are accustomed to thinking of it in the
history of Christendom. We tend to look upon it as a symbol of
God's redeeming love and atoning sacrifice. But when Jesus spoke
these words, there was not yet any such idea associated with the
cross.
In His day, the "cross" would be understood as that wooden
construction on which a crucifixion occurred; and crucifixions were
something that people in Roman cultures saw often. They were the
most grotesque and most humiliating form of execution imaginable.
When a particularly notorious criminal was condemned to die, they
were condemned to be executed by the miserable, inhumane method
of crucifixion. And as a visible symbol of their shame, they were
even made to carry their own cross to the place of execution.
Whenever someone "took up" the cross and began to walk up the
hill, everyone knew that they weren't coming back. Taking it up
meant death. And that's the way Jesus means for us to understand
these words. Whoever does not take up their own cross - that is, the
instrument of their own death to self - and follow after Him; then
they are not worthy of Him.

* * * * * * * * * *
A love for self - a love for one's own life - is the hardest love of all for
sinful people to place into the hand of Jesus. And yet, Jesus demands
to be loved by us even more than we love our own lives. And our
decision to place our love for Him over our love for our own lives is
the most determinative decision we will ever make.
Jesus expresses this in words that are the most repeated of His
phrases in all the Bible. He says, "He who finds his life will lose it,
and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." This very phrase
is cited a total of six times in the Gospels1. He used it on different
occasions. In Matthew 16:24-27, when Petertried to convince Him
that He would not suffer the cross, we read,
Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after
Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For
whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life
for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the
whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in
exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of
His Father with His angels and then He will reward each according
to his works" (Matthew 16:24-27).
In Luke 9:22-26, when He warned them clearly that He was going to
go to the cross, He told them,
"The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the
elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the
third day."
Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let
him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his
life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains
the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is
ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be
ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and
of the holy angels" (Luke 9:22-26).
In Luke 17:31-33, in teaching His disciples about what would
happen in the end times, He told them,
"In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the
house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the
one who is in the field, let him not turn back. Remember Lot's wife.
Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life
will preserve it" (Luke 17:31-33).
And in John 12:23-26, just before He went to the cross, Jesus said,
"The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most
assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground
and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He
who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world
will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me;
and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me,
him My Father will honor" (John 12:23-26).
Surely, this was a point that Jesus meant to have made clear to those
who would be His followers. He means for it to sink into our hearts
deeply. He means by it to show how great our love is to be for Him.
It is to be even above our love for our own lives.
We can be sure that He means for us to see, by these words, that if
we are made to choose between denying Him and living, or

confessing Him and dying, we are to choose to love Him and die. But
I believe it is also meant to be understand in terms of practical
every-day experiences.
If we make it our ambition to pursue the advancement of our own
brief life on this earth - our own pleasure, our own comfort, our own
desires - and we place that ambition above the cost of following
Jesus, then by that very act, we loose the very life we are seeking to
hang on to! We may have an extension of a natural life, and it may
be made into a very comfortable life. But we loose eternity. What a
bad exchange!
But if, on the other hand, we make it our ambition to pursue the
kingdom of Jesus Christ above all else, and we place our love for our
Savior above the love of even a comfortable life on earth, we gain
the very thing we give up - life! In fact, we gain life eternal! And
whoever lays down a temporal life FOR Jesus, in order to gain life
eternal WITH Jesus, has made the wisest possible choice!
* * * * * * * * * *
In all of this, Jesus shows us how much He demands of us if we
would follow Him. He demands to be the first love of our lives -
above our own peaceful relationships and circumstances, above our
devotion to family, even above our own lives. So it's true - following
Jesus is no easy road.
And yet, I suggest that it's not too great a thing to ask of us when we
consider what He gave up for us. Didn't He give up the peace and
tranquility of heaven in order to come to this earth to save us from
our sins? Didn't He experience the distress of having His own Father
turn from Him as He bore our sins on the cross - causing Him to cry
out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew

27:46)? And didn't He love us above His own life; to the point of
submitting Himself to death on our behalf - "even the death of the
cross" (Phil. 2:8)?
When we see who He is and how much He has loved us, is it
unreasonable that He would demand that we love Him in the same
way? How could we not follow such a Savior, and give Him first
place in our heart's love?
1Matthew 10:39; 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; 17:33; John 12:25.
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Copyright © 2006 Bethany Bible Church, All Rights Reserved
WILLIAM BARCLAY
THE WARFARE OF THE KING'S MESSENGER(Matthew 10:34-39)
10:34-39 "Do not think that I came to send peace on earth: I did not come to
send peace, but a sword. I came to seta man at variance againsthis father,
and a daughter againsther mother, and a daughter-in-law againsther
mother-in-law; and a man's enemies shall be the members of his own
household. He that loves father or mother more than he loves me is not
worthy of me; and he who does not take up his cross and follow after me is not
worthy of me: He who finds his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my
sake shallfind it."
Nowhere is the sheerhonesty of Jesus more vividly displayed than it is here.
Here he sets the Christian demand at its most demanding and at its most

uncompromising. He tells his men exactly what they may expect, if they accept
the commissionto be messengersofthe King. Here in this passageJesus offers
four things.
(i) He offers a warfare;and in that warfare it will often be true that a man's
foes will be those of his own household.
It so happens that Jesus was using language whichwas perfectly familiar to
the Jew. The Jews believedthat one of the features of the Day of the Lord, the
day when God would break into history, would be the division of families. The
Rabbis said: "In the period when the Son of David shall come, a daughter will
rise up againsther mother, a daughter-in-law againsther mother-in-law."
"The son despises his father, the daughter rebels againstthe mother, the
daughter-in-law againsther mother-in-law, and the man's enemies are they of
his ownhousehold." It is as if Jesus said, "The end you have always been
waiting for has come;and the intervention of God in history is splitting homes
and groups and families into two."
When some greatcause emerges, it is bound to divide people; there are bound
to be those who answer, and those who refuse, the challenge. To be confronted
with Jesus is necessarilyto be confrontedwith the choice whetherto accept
him or to reject him; and the world is always divided into those who have
acceptedChrist and those who have not.
The bitterest thing about this warfare was that a man's foes would be those of
his ownhousehold. It can happen that a man loves his wife and his family so
much that he may refuse some greatadventure, some avenue of service, some
call to sacrifice, either because he does not wish to leave them, or because to
acceptit would involve them in danger.
T. R. Gloverquotes a letter from Oliver Cromwellto Lord Wharton. The date
is 1st January, 1649, and Cromwellhad in the back of his mind that Wharton
might be so attachedto his home and to his wife that he might refuse to hear
the callto adventure and to battle, and might choose to stay at home: "My
service to the dear little lady; I wish you make her not a greatertemptation
than she is. Take heed of all relations. Mercies should not be temptations; yet
we too often make them so.

It has happened that a man has refused God's call to some adventurous bit of
service, because he allowedpersonalattachments to immobilize him.
Lovelace, the cavalierpoet, writes to his Lucasta, Going to the Wars:
"Tellme not (Sweet)I am unkind,
That from the nunnery
Of thy chaste breast, and quiet mind,
To war and arms I fly.
True; a new mistress now I chase,
The first foe in the field;
And with a strongerfaith embrace
A sword, a horse, a shield.
Yet this inconstancyis such,
As you too shall adore.
I could not love thee (Dear) so much,
Loved I not honour more."
It is very seldom that any man is confrontedwith this choice;he may well go
through life and never face it; but the fact remains that it is possible for a
man's loved ones to become in effecthis enemies, if the thought of them keeps
him from doing what he knows Godwants him to do.
(ii) He offers a choice;and a man has to choosesometimes betweenthe closest
ties of earth and loyalty to Jesus Christ.
Bunyan knew all about that choice. The thing which troubled him most about
his imprisonment was the effectit would have upon his wife and children.
What was to happen to them, bereft of his support? "The parting with my
wife and poor children hath often been to me in this place, as the pulling the
flesh from my bones;and that not only because I am somewhattoo fond of
these greatmercies, but also because I should have often brought to my mind

the many hardships, miseries, and wants that my poor family was like to meet
with, should I be takenfrom them, especiallymy poor blind child, who lay
nearer my heart than all I had besides. O the thought of the hardship I
thought my blind one might go under, would break up my heart to pieces....
But yet, recalling myself, thought I, I must venture you all with God, though it
goethto the quick to leave you; O I saw in this condition, I was a man who
was pulling down his house upon the head of his wife and children; yet
thought I, I must do it, I must do it."
Once again, this terrible choice will come very seldom; in God's mercy to
many of us it may never come;but the factremains that all loyalties must give
place to loyalty to god.
THE COST OF BEING A MESSENGER OF THE KING (Matthew 10:34-39
continued)
(iii) Jesus offers a cross. People in Galilee wellknew what a cross was. When
the Romangeneral, Varus, had brokenthe revolt of Judas of Galilee, he
crucified two thousand Jews, and placedthe crossesby the wayside along the
roads to Galilee. In the ancient days the criminal did actually carry the
crossbeamof his cross to the place of crucifixion, and the men to whom Jesus
spoke had seenpeople staggering under the weight of their crossesand dying
in agony upon them.
The greatmen, whose names are on the honour roll of faith, well knew what
they were doing. After his trial in ScarboroughCastle, GeorgeFoxwrote,
"And the officers would often be threatening me, that I should be hanged over
the wall... they talkedmuch then of hanging me. But I told them, 'If that was
it they desired, and it was permitted them, I was ready.'" When Bunyan was
brought before the magistrate, he said, "Sir, the law (the law of Christ) hath
provided two ways of obeying: The one to do that which I in my conscience do
believe that I am bound to do, actively; and where I cannot obey it actively,
there I am willing to lie down and to suffer what they shall do unto me."
The Christian may have to sacrifice his personalambitions, the ease and the
comfort that he might have enjoyed, the careerthat he might have achieved;
he may have to lay aside his dreams, to realize that shining things of which he

has caughta glimpse are not for him. He will certainly have to sacrifice his
will, for no Christian canever again do what he likes; he must do what Christ
likes. In Christianity there is always some cross, forit is the religion of the
Cross.
(iv) He offers adventure. He told them that the man who found his life would
lose it; and the man who lost his life would find it.
Again and againthat has been proved true in the most literal way. It has
always been true that many a man might easilyhave saved his life; but, if he
had savedit, he would have lostit, for no one would ever have heard of him,
and the place he holds in history would have been lostto him.
Epictetus says of Socrates:"Dying, he was saved, because he did not flee."
Socratescouldeasily have savedhis life, but, if he had done so, the real
Socrateswould have died, and no man would ever have heard of him.
When Bunyan was chargedwith refusing to come to public worship and with
running forbidden meetings of his own, he thought seriously whether it was
his duty to flee to safety, or to stand by what he believed to be true. As all the
world knows, he chose to take his stand. T. R. Glover closes his essayon
Bunyan thus: "And supposing he had been talked round and had agreedno
longer'devilishly and perniciously to abstain from coming to Church to hear
divine service,'and to be no longer'an upholder of severalunlawful meetings
and conventicles to the greatdisturbance and distraction of the goodsubjects
of the kingdom contrary to the laws of our sovereignlord the king'? Bedford
might have kept a tinker the more--and possibly none of the best at that, for
there is nothing to show that renegades make goodtinkers--andwhat would
England have lost?"
There is no place for a policy of safety first in the Christian life. The man who
seeks firstease and comfort and security and the fulfillment of personal
ambition may well get all these things--but he will not be a happy man; for he
was sent into this world to serve God and his fellow-men. A mall canhoard
life, if he wishes to do so. But that way he will lose all that makes life valuable
to others and worth living for himself. The way to serve others, the way to

fulfil God's purpose for us, the wayto true happiness is to spend life selflessly,
for only thus will we find life, here and hereafter.
Matthew 10:27-42: “Jesus’HardestSayings On Discipleship”
by
Jim Bomkamp
Back Bible Studies Home Page
1. INTRO:
1.1. In this next sectionof the gospelof Matthew, we see that Jesus gives
His hardestteachings concerning what true discipleship means. Forinstance,
He teaches that for anyone who would follow Him, true discipleship means:
1.1.1. Speaking in the light the truth He speaks to us in darkness, and
proclaiming upon the rooftop what He teaches us in secret
1.1.2. Notfearing those who can kill the body, but instead doing all that we do
in a reverential fear of Him who is able to castbody and soul into hell
1.1.3. Confessing Him before men, which in turn causes Him to confess Him
before His father in heaven(instead of denying that He knows us)
1.1.4. Notallowing the love even for a father, mother, son, or daughter come
before our love for Him

1.1.5. Takingup our cross and following Him
1.2. In the midst of this very hard teaching concerning the meaning of
true discipleship, Jesus gives us the tremendous encouragementthat the
Father knows everyhair on our heads and thus we should know that we can
trust Him to do what is best for us in our life in all circumstances
2. VS 10:27 - “27 “WhatI tell you in the darkness, speak in the
light; and what you hear whisperedin your ear, proclaim upon the
housetops”” - Jesus tells His disciples that the things that He tells them they
are to proclaim in the most public way
2.1. It is really such a wonderful privilege that we share in as Christians
in that the Lord does speak to us about His truth in those quiet and peaceful
moments in our life, and especiallywhen we open up His word in our daily
quiet times and meditate upon it speaking with Him in prayer
2.1.1. His truth burns within our hearts
2.2. Truth that the Lord shares with us is not meant just to be
appreciatedby us perhaps the way we appreciate a fine meal over an average
or sub-par one, but rather we Christians have a responsibility and
stewardshipwith the truth that we have received
2.2.1. The truth that God speaks to us is not just for us, but we should be
willing as the Holy Spirit leads us, to share all that He speaks to us to everyone
we can
2.2.2. In Luke 12:48b, Jesus saidthe following which emphasizes the fact that
God holds us accountable for the light He has given us, “And from everyone
who has been given much shall much be required”
2.2.3. Whenwe were young it was pressure from our peers that we had to
combat if we were truly to stand for the truth, howeveras we have gotten

older it is still ‘the fear of man’ with which we must contend if we are to
follow Jesus
2.2.3.1.The scripture teaches us that “the fear of man brings a snare”, Prov.
29:25
2.2.3.2.WeChristians oftenhold back from standing for the truth because of
what we fearmay happen to us if we do so
2.2.3.2.1.Wecouldlose our job, career, marriage, children, etc.
2.2.3.3.Jesus wants us to use wisdom and common sense but also to stand for
the truth and leave the consequencesofdoing so to God
2.2.3.4.Godwants us to take a stand for what is written in His Word, to hold
to it, and follow the light of His Word where it leads us
2.2.3.4.1.Allof the greatmen of God and prophets in history-past have lived
their lives in this way
2.2.4. The church must beled and structured in such a way that it stands for
and responds to the truth of God’s Word, howeverit may cut, for if the
church doesn’tstand for the truth, who will?
2.2.4.1.Thoughthe church must be sensitive to the needs of people, tactful,
and gentle in its dealings, for this is what love does, it must also never do these
things so that it compromises the truth in doing so
2.2.5. Whatare you doing with what you know? Are you a goodstewardwith
the truth that the Lord has given you in your life?
3. VS 10:28 - “28 “And do not fearthose who kill the body, but are
unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul
and body in hell”” - Jesus teachesHis disciples that they are not to fear man
but rather God

3.1. To understand this verse, we should first understand that Jesus
through His teachings was constantlytrying to get people to realize the
importance of the eternalthings over the temporal earthly things
3.1.1. The things of this world are going to pass away, and we cannot take
anything from this life with us when we die
3.1.2. There willbe an eternal life that every single personwill live, and they
will either spend eternity in heavenwith the Lord or they will spend it in the
torments of hell
3.1.3. Jesus tried to show how foolishit is to be short-sided and to live for the
things of this life, a life which is so short and whose goods and thrills can
satisfy for such a short season, whenyou will spend an eternity reaping the
fruit of the choices made in your life
3.1.4. In Luke 12:16-21, Jesustold His disciples a story about a foolish man
who soughtto build biggerbarns to store all of his crops but did not lay up
treasure in heaven, “16 And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a
certain rich man was very productive. 17 “And he beganreasoning to himself,
saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’18 “And he
said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build largerones,
and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 ‘And I will say to my soul,
“Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come;take your ease,
eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 “But God saidto him, ‘You fool! This very
night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have
prepared?’ 21 “So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich
toward God””
3.1.4.1.Howare you laying up treasures for heaven in your life?
3.1.4.2.Whattreasures willyou have for all eternity?
3.1.5. In Mark 8:36a, Jesus saidthat even if a persongained every treasure
and every pleasure that this world has to offer but was not laying up treasure
in heaven, he would end up being a fool and a total loser, “Forwhat does it
profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?”

3.2. We see here in these verses the fact that man has an eternal soul, and
that this soulwill live on when this body passes away, andthis soul shall have
an eternal destination and existence (oflife) as well
3.3. We Christians should not worry about dying or being killed because
of our faith in Christ because if we die will just go straight into the arms of
Jesus and spend eternity in paradise with Him, and for the icing on the cake,
if we died as a martyr for Him we will gain a martry’s crown and reward
3.4. Even though we Christians are ‘justified’ (made just as if we had
never sinned) as a result of receiving Christ as our Lord and Savior, and thus
we do not have to fear judgment for Christ took our judgment upon Himself,
none-the-less we still do need to have a healthy ‘fear’ of the Lord
3.5. The ‘fear’ that a Christian should have for the Lord is really just a
‘reverence’and ‘utmost respect’for the Lord because ofall that He is as well
as all of the wonderful things that He has done and does for us, His children
3.5.1. As a result we must desire to not do anything in our lives with which He
is not pleased, or anything which will bring disrepute upon His Name
3.6. We Christians must then not live in fear and trembling worrying
about what men may do to us, but rather we must respectand revere the Lord
so much that we want to please, obey, and glorify Him with every area of our
life
3.7. Non-Christians, however, should fear and tremble the impending
judgment that will occurfrom the Lord on the final day of judgment for the
world, calledthe “GreatWhite Throne Judgment”, where He will castthe
body and soul of every non-believer into the lake of fire that burns for eternity
(Rev. 20:11-15)
4. VS 10:28-31 - “29 “Are not two sparrows soldfor a cent? And yet
not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father, 30 “But the
very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 “Therefore do not fear; you are

of more value than many sparrows”” - Jesus teaches His disciples that they
are of greatvalue to God
4.1. The comparisonused by Jesus here is that of a child of God to a
‘sparrow’
4.1.1. The price of sparrows really has not gone up over time, for they have
never really been greatlyvalued as they are not used as a source reallyfor
anything that is useful
4.1.2. In Jesus’day a personcould buy sparrows dirt cheap, two sparrows
could be purchasedfor a single cent of money
4.1.3. Jesus teaches here that God watches overthe sparrows
4.1.4. Notone sparrow falls out of the sky and hits the ground ‘apart from the
Father’
4.1.4.1.Inusing the phrase ‘apart from the Father’, Jesus is teaching
something more than the fact that the Lord knows aboutthe injury to or
death of a sparrow. Rather, He watches overthem, protects them, and
provides for them
4.1.5. Jesus teaches here whatshould be obvious, we who are the only
creatures createdin God’s image, and who have now been redeemed and
adopted as sons and daughters into God’s family are of much greatervalue to
God than many sparrows
4.1.5.1.Ithas been very interesting to me how since the 60’s there have been
people who have tried to elevate animals to the status of people or sometimes
even greaterin their importance, howeverthis has never been the mindset of
God
4.2. Jesus teacheshere that God is concernedfor His children to the
degree that the very hairs on their heads are numbered
4.2.1. Evena human parent does not have this greatof a love for his child,
only God cares so greatlyfor His children

4.3. If you want to know how much you are worth to God, I can tell you.
You are worth so much that He bought you with the price of the blood of His
only and unique Son. That is how much you are worth. You are priceless to
God…
5. It is important for us to realize the context for this verse, for in the
midst of giving His discples some of His hardestteachings concerning ‘true
discipleship’ and taking a stand for Christ and the truth, Jesus teachesthat
we need not fear the consequencesofdoing so because ourvery hairs on your
head are numbered since our heavenly Father cares so much for us, and He
will watchout for us and do what is best for us in every circumstance
6. VS 10:32-33 - “32 “Everyone therefore who shall confess Me
before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33
“But whoevershall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My
Father who is in heaven”” - Jesus teacheshere that if we will own Him in this
life He will own us in the next
6.1. We are all calledto confess JesusChrist, confess that we know Him,
confess to others of who He is and how that they might be able to be saved
6.2. We candeny Him by
6.2.1. Notsaying anything at all to anyone about our being a Christian
6.2.2. Nottelling others the goodnews of the gospelofsalvation
6.3. The promise:
6.3.1. If we confess Him before men, He will confess us before His Father in
heaven
6.4. The warning:
6.4.1. If we deny him, He will likewise deny us before His Father in heaven

6.5. In Mark 8:38, Jesus said these same things in a little different way,
“38 “Forwhoeveris ashamedof Me and My words in this adulterous and
sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamedof him when He comes
in the glory of His Fatherwith the holy angels.””
6.6. I love Paul’s words in the book of Romans when he writes, “I am not
ashamedof the gospelof Jesus Christ”, Rom. 1:16
6.6.1. Are you ashamedof Jesus? Ashamedto tell people that you belong to
and follow Jesus Christ?
7. VS 10:34-36 - “34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the
earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 “ForI came to seta man
againsthis father, and a daughter againsther mother, and a daughter-in-law
againsther mother-in-law; 36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his
household”” - Jesus teachesHis disciples here that He did not come to bring
peace on earth, but a sword
7.1. The gospelmessage divides people, and it always has done so, it
separates those who are under God’s punishment from those who are His
children
7.2. As I have mentioned before, in this world you as a Christian can talk
about so many topics, some even which are heated topics, howeverwhen you
bring up the Name of Jesus orsalvation through Him, it is the one topic that
will turn every conversationinto either an evangelistic opportunity (for those
open to hear the goodnews), greatfellowship (betweenChristians), or a
difficult experience (usually open hostility or heated argument)
7.2.1. The entire world is being divided up along lines, the gospelof Christ
does that, for you are either for Him or you are againstHim
7.3. This brings up the question, however, for didn’t the angelGabriel
announce to shepherds at Christ’s birth ‘peace on earth among men of good
will?’

7.3.1. Yes, absolutelyHe did. However, the peace He is talking about is only
experiencedamong men of goodwill, which means men and women who have
likewise giventheir lives to Christ and receivedHim as their Lord and Savior
7.3.2. As I have mentioned previously there will be in this world persecution
that occurs within a person’s own family
7.3.2.1.Historyhas revealedover and over the truth in this promise of Jesus’
here that Christian people have been turned over to authorities for
persecution, torture, and martyrdom by the members of their own family
7.3.2.2.Insome cultures today, families will actually have a funeral and count
as dead a family member who has turned to Christ for salvation
8. VS 10:37 - “37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is
not worthy of Me;and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not
worthy of Me”” - Jesus teachesthat we must love Him above even our family
members
8.1. Jesus says here that we are not ‘worthy’ of Him if we love our father,
mother, or sonmore than Him
8.2. Jesus must be our greatestlove, our one passion, and our very lives if
we are to be His people
8.2.1. In 2 Cor. 5:14-16, Paul wrote about how our love for Christ because of
all that He has in love done for us controls or constrains us and causes us to be
willing to live our life for Him and be willing to do anything that He wants us
to do, “14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one
died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, that they who live
should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose againon
their behalf. 16 Therefore from now on we recognize no man according to the
flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we
know Him thus no longer”.

8.2.2. Seeing how awesomeand greatHe is and how small and insignificant
that we are it is only right and our due that we have this kind of greatlove for
the Lord
8.2.3. A question then to as ask ourselves is whether or not we are allowing
any other person or thing come inbetween us and the Lord and what He
wants us to do in our life on any given day?
8.2.4. Are you willing to go againstparents or children if to do so would be to
disobey the Lord and not do anything He has shownyou to do?
9. VS 10:38-39 - “38 “And he who does not take his cross and follow
after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 “He who has found his life shall lose it, and
he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it”” - Jesus teachesthat we
must be willing to take up our cross and follow Him
9.1. This saying by Jesus immediately brought to His disciples minds the
visual image of death by crucifixion
9.1.1. At the point in time when Jesus taught this, crucifixion was a horribly
cruel and painful form of punishment used by Rome on those notorious
prisoners whose capitalpunishment would serve as a stern reminder to all
that Rome was a force to be dealt with if one found himself on the wrong side
of Rome
9.1.2. Bysaying this Jesus’disciples knew that Jesus meantthat a disciple of
His must die to himself and serve and follow Christ with all of his life and that
He must even be willing to die for Jesus if he should be called upon to do so
9.2. Jesus does not sayhere that a disciple of His must be willing to have
someone nail him upon a cross, ratherthat a disciple of Jesus must be will to
take up his own cross and carry to the place of crucifixion
9.2.1. We must of our own free will offer up our lives to Christ as a holy
sacrifice unto Him if we desire to be called one of His people

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