Matthew 10:34 - What?

[mouse]

Matthew 10:34
King James Version (KJV)
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

I must have skipped over this one in Sunday School. What does this mean? I'm afraid I don't quite understand this one.
Thank you for your help.
-Cameron

[Liberty_Agent]

Jesus is referencing what will happen due to his message. And he also speaks of the division he will make between good and evil.

[North_Star]

My wife and I were reading 2 Nephi 20 tonight.......seems to fit here. imo.

[freedomforall]

Matthew 10:34
King James Version (KJV)
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

I must have skipped over this one in Sunday School. What does this mean? I'm afraid I don't quite understand this one.
Thank you for your help.
-Cameron

The answer is in John
John 7:43
So there was a division among the people because of him.

He awoke some people to their righteouness, yet others to their wickedness, thus a division, which caused turmoil and not peace.

Sword = causing division.

Make sense?

[alexoyarzun]

This same statement is also in Luke 12:51-53. The answer is very simple if you understand the context of this verse. In Matthew Chapter 10, preceding this statement, Jesus is giving instruction to the 12 apostles as to how to preach the gospel. In verses 12-14 he says: "And when you go into a household greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feat." In verse 16 he states: "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."
This certainly doesn't look like a call to arms...
In verses 18-22: "You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the spirit of your Father who speaks in you. Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved." In verse 32,33: "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whosoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven."

As we can clearly see, the call to arms that Jesus appealing to in his disciples is the word of God, which is the sword of God.

Then the next 5 verses: "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 his 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 does not take his cross and 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."

Jesus is making it clear to his disciples that the Gospel of Jesus Christ will bring upon them many enemies, since the Gospel is so controversial. Of course, loving of enemies is very controversial. Clearly those who use Matthew 10:34 as a call to arms (including Gordon B. Hinckley in a speech titled 'War and Peace' in 2003) have completely missed the point. Read my photo essay on YouTube titled "Can a Christian be a soldier?" for more details.

[freedomforall]

"Can a Christian be a soldier?"

This is an ambiguous question to begin with. In short, yes, with answers.

1) we can be a soldier for the Lord in declaring His gospel, and professing Christ even if it means our life is lost in he process.
2) we can be a military soldier when called upon to serve our country.
3) we can be a soldier in the sense of defending and upholding the Constitution, knowing it came from God and gives us inalienable rights, of which, we have the responsibility to preserve.

[Silas]

Read it in context, it is referring to the divisions that will be caused even in families because of the choice to follow the Savior. It is not an endorsement of war.

[freedomforall]

Read it in context, it is referring to the divisions that will be caused even in families because of the choice to follow the Savior. It is not an endorsement of war.

This is completely understood. So what does it have to do with becoming a soldier as alexoyarzun suggests? His question is "Can a Christian be a Soldier? This has nothing to do with a division of righteous and wicked people.

As pertaining to Matthew 10:34, I found the answer in John 7:43, a reference given from the word "peace" in the Matthew verse. There is no reference to the term soldier so I don't know why the term was even introduced in the first place. My answer was because of the question/exclamation in the thread title.

Did I miss something here?

[LukeAir2008]

It has nothing to do whatsoever with becoming a soldier, at least not in the wordly sense. It is telling you what becoming a true believer in Christ entails. You really need to read the whole of Chapter 10.

The price of discipleship is to be hated and despised by the world. If you really believe that being a disciple of Christ is to be popular and accepted and successful then you are far, far from the truth.

When Christ says he is not come to send peace but a sword - he is speaking of division and separation. Christ brings a sword. He's not handing swords out.

He says in Verse 36 that a man's foes will be those of his own household. Thats probably a totally strange concept to those of you born into the Church.

[alexoyarzun]

Hey freedomfighter, according to the teachings of Jesus Christ in the Gospels and in the Book of Mormon, you are wrong on all 3 of your statements. Show me one teaching from the mouth of Jesus where he condones violence against another human being. You won't be able to find one because there are none. But, there are hundreds of quotes that say quite the opposite, which can be summarized in the idea of love for enemies. It is a simple concept: You can't defeat darkness with darkness, only with light. You can defeat hate with hate, only with love.

I know that you can find hundreds of quotes from different prophets that condone violence, but none from Jesus Christ, founder, CEO. We gotta go back to the basics!

[freedomforall]

Hey freedomfighter, according to the teachings of Jesus Christ in the Gospels and in the Book of Mormon, you are wrong on all 3 of your statements. Show me one teaching from the mouth of Jesus where he condones violence against another human being. You won't be able to find one because there are none. But, there are hundreds of quotes that say quite the opposite, which can be summarized in the idea of love for enemies. It is a simple concept: You can't defeat darkness with darkness, only with light. You can defeat hate with hate, only with love.

I know that you can find hundreds of quotes from different prophets that condone violence, but none from Jesus Christ, founder, CEO. We gotta go back to the basics!

1) Nephi killed Laban...God's orders
2) Moroni had men killed that would not stand up for freedom. I didn't hear God complaining.

It all depends on what parts of scripture you missed or didn't understand. I'm sure there are other instances.

Actually here is a whole list: http://www.lds.org/scriptures/search?la ... ed&x=0&y=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[alexoyarzun]

Hi freedomfighter, (great name by the way)
Why do we resist the holiest teachings of Jesus on the sermon on the mount? Why do we quote every other book in the Bible, but never the words of Jesus when condoning violence? Why do we think that we are not capable of living by the higher law of charity and love to all? Why do we still cling to our guns and our constitution when the only law that Jesus preached was the law of love?

I think it is because we are afraid. We are afraid to think of what we will do if a thief comes in the night and wants to do harm to our loved ones. We can't bear to think of the thought of somehow allowing this to happen by following the law of loving our enemies. And this is the same question that always comes up, inevitably... what would you do if?

In the face of fear, we must look toward Jesus for answers, and we must stare fear in the face and proclaim our loyalty to our only master, for we can only serve one master. And we love, like Jesus did, independent of the consequences... for in love we will find the truth, and the truth will set us free... Free of fear, free of tyranny, free of worry, free of the darkness. And this, my friend, will get you to the celestial kingdom where you will live as a being of light with your loved ones for all eternity. This is the great promise, and so we live in faith, until we can see with out own eyes the righteousness and purity of the one and only commandment. Peace out my brother....

[freedomforall]

Hi freedomfighter, (great name by the way)
Why do we resist the holiest teachings of Jesus on the sermon on the mount? Why do we quote every other book in the Bible, but never the words of Jesus when condoning violence? Why do we think that we are not capable of living by the higher law of charity and love to all? Why do we still cling to our guns and our constitution when the only law that Jesus preached was the law of love?

I think it is because we are afraid. We are afraid to think of what we will do if a thief comes in the night and wants to do harm to our loved ones. We can't bear to think of the thought of somehow allowing this to happen by following the law of loving our enemies. And this is the same question that always comes up, inevitably... what would you do if?

In the face of fear, we must look toward Jesus for answers, and we must stare fear in the face and proclaim our loyalty to our only master, for we can only serve one master. And we love, like Jesus did, independent of the consequences... for in love we will find the truth, and the truth will set us free... Free of fear, free of tyranny, free of worry, free of the darkness. And this, my friend, will get you to the celestial kingdom where you will live as a being of light with your loved ones for all eternity. This is the great promise, and so we live in faith, until we can see with out own eyes the righteousness and purity of the one and only commandment. Peace out my brother....

Thanks for your comment about my pseudonym.

What you said is ideal, but not the real world today. Read what Nephi, the Son of Helaman had to say. Here is our reality right now.

Helaman Chapter 7:4,5,9
Nephi is rejected in the north and returns to Zarahemla—He prays upon his garden tower and then calls upon the people to repent or perish. About 23–21 B.C.

4 And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and those Gadianton robbers filling the judgment-seats—having usurped the power and authority of the land; laying aside the commandments of God, and not in the least aright before him; doing no justice unto the children of men;
5 Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do according to their own wills—
9 But behold, I am consigned that these are my days, and that my soul shall be filled with sorrow because of this the wickedness of my brethren.

1 Nephi 4:13
13 Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.

D&C 98:32 (31–32)
31 Nevertheless, thine enemy is in thine hands; and if thou rewardest him according to his works thou art justified; if he has sought thy life, and thy life is endangered by him, thine enemy is in thine hands and thou art justified.
32 Behold, this is the law I gave unto my servant Nephi, and thy fathers, Joseph, and Jacob, and Isaac, and Abraham, and all mine ancient prophets and apostles.

IMO, we are not supposed to simply lay down and allow tyranny to run amok consigning us to enslavement to a wicked government.

This is our hope:

1 Ne. 17:37 (33–38)
33 And now, do ye suppose that the children of this land, who were in the land of promise, who were driven out by our fathers, do ye suppose that they were righteous? Behold, I say unto you, Nay.
34 Do ye suppose that our fathers would have been more choice than they if they had been righteous? I say unto you, Nay.
35 Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God. But behold, this people had rejected every word of God, and they were ripe in iniquity; and the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them; and the Lord did curse the land against them, and bless it unto our fathers; yea, he did curse it against them unto their destruction, and he did bless it unto our fathers unto their obtaining power over it.
36 Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should possess it.
37 And he raiseth up a righteous nation, and destroyeth the nations of the wicked.
38 And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands, and the wicked he destroyeth, and curseth the land unto them for their sakes.

[mouse]

Thank you for all your thoughtful replays. Your responses were very helpful.