This account is covered in all three synoptic gospels, which provides us plenty of material to refer to when studying this passage. As we use Scripture to interpret Scripture, we would do well to note and study these additional passages: Mark 8:34-38; Luke 12:51-53; 14:25-33
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth” is expressed as a question in Luke’s account (12:51): “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth?”
Almost as important as the question, “Who do you say I am?” is the question, why do you think Jesus came?
There are many who would read different meanings into the “why” of Jesus’ earthly ministry (such as to be a political revolutionary who came to challenge and upend the existing power structure), but the only proper interpretation will come from what the Scripture has to say about Christ, and ultimately, what Christ had to say about himself in the gospels.
Whatever we think about Jesus today, must be informed by Scripture, for if we are following a Jesus of our own construct, we may find that we do not know him at all, and may even hear those damning words on Judgment Day, “I never knew you; depart from me.” (Matt. 7:23)
I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. Not a sword of war or vengeance, but a sword of division (disunion of opinion and conduct) (Luke 12:51). Luke’s account in the CEV says it so clearly, “I came to make people choose sides.”
This is not a new concept that is introduced in the New Testament.
Just before his death, Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel and charged them: “Choose this day whom you will serve…” (Josh. 24:15).
The call to men to repent from their sins and turn to Christ is a command which echoes the words of Joshua.
There is no neutrality when it comes to the things of God; there is no neutrality when it comes to Christ. We are not born into this world in a neutral state; we are born in sin (Ps. 51:8); we are by nature children of wrath like the rest of mankind (Eph. 2:3). No one is born believing, which makes us condemned already (John 3:18) and under the wrath of God (John 3:36). When we are saved, we are delivered from the wrath of God (Rom. 5:9; 1 Thess. 1:10).
If we are waiting to let God decide our eternal fate when we die, it will be too late.
For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.
Following Christ will cause divisions, even among families.
This does not mean we stop honoring and loving our parents. Jesus affirms this command in the gospels, even while calling out the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and scribes who invalidated the command through their tradition (Exod. 20:12; Matt. 15:4-9; Mark 7:9-13).
We are also commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 19:19); we are also commanded to love our enemies (Matt. 5:43-48). There is no contradiction here.
We are not given license to hate unbelievers. The unbelieving world is at enmity with God (Rom 5.10), just as we were before we were reconciled to God through Christ. Once we are reconciled to God and adopted as sons through Christ, division is created between us and the unbelieving world.
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
While we love our families, neighbors and even our enemies, we love Christ first and most.
What is the greatest commandment?
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deut. 6:5), which Jesus affirms in the gospels (Matt. 22:35-40).
Jesus demonstrated this truth in his own life. First as a boy, when he remained in the temple after the Passover (Luke 2:41-51) while his parents journeyed home, and again by calling those who do the will of God his brother and sister and mother (Matt. 12:46-50). Jesus did not disown his earthly family, nor did he try to win their approval; he continued to honor them, while placing the Father first in all things. Jesus continued to honor his mother from the cross, placing her in the care of the disciple he loved (John 19:26-27).
Jesus will be second to no one. In asserting himself as the primary object of our love, Jesus is asserting his divinity (John 14:9). Seeing him is seeing the Father; he and the Father are one. (John 10:30).
What we are seeing here is an application of Exod. 20:3: “You shall have no other gods before me” and Deut. 6:5: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
And whoever does not take his cross [daily] and follow me is not worthy of me.
Jesus goes on to say that we must deny ourselves. This is a much different mindset than the world would have us follow in their pursuit of self-love. The disciples understood the cross to mean only one thing: death. We would be foolish to apply any other meaning to it.
The saints who conquered Satan in Rev. 12:11, did so by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. It is said of them that they loved not their lives even unto death.
Christ demands that we place him first above all else – even our own lives. It is a matter of priority that we must exercise daily. (Luke 9:23)
Luke 14:25-33 summarizes what we have just covered:
“You cannot be my disciple, unless you love me more than you love your father and mother, your wife and children, and your brothers and sisters. You cannot come with me unless you love me more than you love your own life. You cannot be my disciple unless you carry your own cross and come with me… you cannot be my disciple unless you give away everything you own.”
The Lord is unambiguous about his requirements for discipleship. He expects us to put him first – above family, self, and possessions.
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
This is a tremendous encouragement for the Christian who would take Christ at his word and put him first in all things.
What does he mean? The world in its present form is passing away; it will soon be gone (1 Cor. 7:30); if we try to hang on to our build on the things of earth, we will lose them; they are passing away.
Our reality is that we are new creations in Christ; the old has passed away, and the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17). We have died, and our lives are now hidden with Christ in God. (Col 3:1-4). That is why we must stop trying to preserve that which is perishing.
While it is true that our earthly relationships will change, it is also true that we gain much more in the process.
When we put Christ first, we can love as he does, that is, unconditionally. Our focus narrows, but out capacity grows.
We can properly love one another as Jesus commands (John 13:34), and the Scripture instructs throughout the writings of the apostles; we can love our brothers and sisters – people with whom we would not give a second thought to apart from Christ; we can lay down our lives for one another (John 15:13); we can love our neighbors, as the Samaritan loved the man who had been robbed on the road to Jericho (Luke 10:25-37); husbands can love their wives as Christ loved the church (Eph. 5:25); we can love our enemies – praying for those who persecute us and blessing when we are cursed (Matt. 5:43-48).
“Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. (Mark 10:29)
We gain the fellowship of saints. Jesus is speaking of the Church, which we see vividly recorded for us in Acts 2:42-47; 4:32,34a:
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. There was not a needy person among them…”
God has promised to provide for our material needs that we may be wholly concerned for and engaged with the things of the kingdom (Matt. 6:25-33). He has also assured us that the relationships we gain will be far greater that those we lose – and the relationships we gain in Christ will carry over into eternal life, and the glory to be revealed in us (Rom:8:18).
Jesus demands and is worthy of our all, but we can be encouraged by the words of the Lord himself: “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)
Let us put Christ first in all things, for we have so much more to gain. Amen.
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