Jesus sets people against each other
The Lord Jesus says he came to set people at odds against each other. What does this mean?
INTRODUCTION
If you are a disciple of the Lord Jesus, you might be misunderstood even by other people. You might even be ostracized from your own family.
In some contries and cultures, and at various times in history, Christians were persecuted. Or imprisoned or tortured or executed.
Sometimes Christians bring it upon themselves.
They argue with non-Christians and complain, inciting people to act against them. This is not meritorious.
Conversely, some Christians interpret the words of the Lord Jesus as an excuse to persecute non-Christians.
Other Christians use those words as an excuse to treat the Jewish people terribly. And to be anti-Semites.
Still other Christians use those words as an excuse for racism within the Christian community.
Those problems are far worse than anything non-Christians might do to us. We Christians are meant to be agents of unity. But instead, we are the bad guys.
BIBLE VERSES
Micah 7:6. For son treats father contemptuously, Daughter rises up against her mother, Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; A man’s enemies are the men of his own household. (NASB translation)
Matthew 10:21. Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.
Matthew 10:35. For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
Luke 12:52. For from now on, there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
Luke 12:53. They will be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
SEE ALSO
Jesus sets people against each other. The Lord Jesus says he came to set people at odds against each other. What does this mean?
Our relationship with the Jewish people. We Christians have great admiration for the Jewish people. Yet we have a proven history of treating them terribly. What is the right way forward?
In the Bible, Racists are the bad guys. A racist believes one particular race is superior to others. Some Christians tolerate and even celebrate racism. But the Bible forbids racism.
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.