Matthew 10:24-39, ...do not be afraid... for June 25, 2023

Matthew 10:24-39  You received without payment; give without payment (Version: NRSV)

Matthew 10:24-39

 ²⁴   "A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; ²⁵   it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! ²⁶   "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. ²⁷   What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. ²⁸   Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.  ²⁹   Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. ³⁰   And even the hairs of your head are all counted. ³¹   So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. ³²   "Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; ³³   but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven. ³⁴   "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵   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; ³⁶   and one"s foes will be members of one"s own household. ³⁷   Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; ³⁸   and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹   Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

Alternative translation: Matthew 10:24-39... You received without payment; give without payment (Version: The Gospels for Hearers

24 A disciple is not above his teacher,

nor is a slave above his master.

It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher

and the slave like his master.

If they called the head of the household 'Beelzebul,'

how much more will they defame his household?

26 So, don't be afraid of them,

for nothing is hidden which will not be revealed,

or secret which will not be known.

What I tell you in the dark, speak out in the light;

and what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the rooftops.

Don't be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;

fear, rather, the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell

29 Aren't two sparrows sold for a cent?

And one of them will not fall to the ground 

without your Father knowing.

Even the hairs of your head are all numbered,

so don't be afraid:

you are worth more than many sparrows.

32 Everyone who acknowledges me before men -

I also will acknowledge him before my Father who is in heaven.

Everyone who denies me before men -

I also will deny him before my Father who is in heaven.

34 Don't think I came to bring peace on the earth;

I came not to bring peace - but a sword.

For I came 'to set a man against his father,

and a daughter against her mother,

and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

Jesus be

and a person's enemies

will be members of his own household.'

37 The one who loves father or mother more than me

is not worthy of me;

the one who loves son or daughter more than me

is not worthy of me.

And the one who does not take his cross and follow after me

is not worthy of me.

38 The one who finds his life will lose it,

and the one who loses his life for my sake will find it.

From “The Gospel of Matthew”, Chapter 10, verse 24 to Chapter 10, verse 39, in The Gospel for Hearers (Translated from the Koine Greek by Elizabeth B. Edwards, Formatted by the Rev William A. Johnston), 2013, Diangellia Press.

What are the serious issues raised by Matthew 10:24-39?

(An AI robot's response: Note that the robot here provides opinion, not fact and should not be taken as authoratative)

Matthew 10:24-39 is a passage from the Gospel of Matthew that contains several serious issues that are still relevant today. This passage is part of a larger section in which Jesus sends out his twelve disciples to preach the Good News and heal the sick. In this passage, Jesus warns the disciples that they will face persecution and opposition, and that their allegiance must be to him above all else. This raises several serious issues that are still relevant today.

The first issue raised by this passage is the issue of persecution. Jesus warns the disciples that they will face persecution and that they may face physical harm. This is still a serious issue today, as many Christians around the world face persecution for their faith. In some countries, Christians are not allowed to practice their religion openly, and they face discrimination and violence. The passage calls on Christians to be brave in the face of persecution and to continue to spread the Good News.

The second issue raised by this passage is the issue of loyalty. Jesus tells the disciples that they must love him more than their families, their possessions, and their own lives. This is still a difficult challenge for many Christians today. The passage is a reminder that our loyalty must be to God above all else, and that we must be willing to make sacrifices for our faith.

The third issue raised by this passage is the issue of peace. Jesus tells the disciples that he did not come to bring peace but a sword. This can be a difficult message for Christians who believe in peace and non-violence. The passage raises the question of whether peace can be achieved through violence and whether Christians should be involved in wars or conflicts.

The fourth issue raised by this passage is the issue of fear. Jesus tells the disciples not to fear those who can harm the body but to fear God who can destroy the soul. This is still a message that Christians need to hear today. Fear can hold us back from doing what we know is right, and this passage reminds us that we should not fear those who can harm us physically.

In conclusion, Matthew 10:24-39 raises several serious issues that are still relevant today. The passage calls on Christians to be brave in the face of persecution, to be loyal to God above all else, to question whether peace can be achieved through violence, and to overcome fear. These are all important issues that Christians must grapple with as they seek to follow Jesus and live out their faith in the world.

Some questions raised by the text:

• Who is Jesus talking to?
• Who was the evangelist talking to?
• Jesus tells his disciples not to be afraid -- certainly not of those who stand against His message. Fair enough! But Jesus then turns matters on their head and warns us against being too attached the the very ones we would normally develop the greatest attachment to. The Gospel therefore demands of us loyalty to higher things. It may turn out that family and neighbour can be distractions. This is a hard and demanding Gospel.
• Jesus (as Matthew presents him) will not stand for divided loyalties -- even putting at risk our relationships with our nearest and dearest.
• Of course we need to take care with our interpretation of this passage. There are some "brands" of Christianity that use this passage (and others like it) as a justification for the practice of "shunning" -- oo cutting oneself off from our nearest and dearest for the sake of the Gospel. For many Christians this seems to be totally justified by the text, while other Christians will remember that Jesus also stood for love and inclusiveness. That is something that St Paul also was regularly at pains to point out.
• Remember that preaching is an act of love, not judgement.