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 a person’s enemies will be those of his 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 his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
11 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.
Section Overview
Matthew 10:34–11:1 wraps up Jesus’ discourse on mission. This segment clarifies what Jesus’ kingdom brings. Contrary to expectations, the Messiah does not immediately inaugurate an era of peace, prosperity, and faithfulness (Isaiah 11; 60–66; Joel 3:18; Amos 9:13). A blessed age does await, but first Jesus brings a sword, not peace. Here the sword represents choice, not judgment. Decision leads to division, even in families, as one chooses Christ while another chooses darkness (Matt. 6:22–24). This text establishes that to choose Christ is to offer him a love supreme. The passage also returns to the beginning of the teaching. At the start, Jesus told his disciples to go first to Israel and seek a welcome city by city (10:5–6, 11–13). Now Jesus names a reward for all who welcome them (10:40–42).
Section Outline
IV.B. The Second Discourse: The Disciples Follow Jesus into Mission (10:1–11:1) . . .
8. Disciples Love Christ More Than Family, Life Itself (10:34–39)
9. Jesus Honors His Servants (10:40–42)
10. Transition to Ongoing Ministry (11:1)
Like most of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew, 10:34–42 is highly structured. The interpreter will recognize progressions and poetic parallelism. The passage has three paragraphs: the first announces the divisive mission of Jesus (10:34–36); the second describes the absolute loyalty of Jesus’ disciples (10:37–39);173 the third names the reward for Jesus’ supporters (10:40–42).
In more detail, the passage begins with three statements about Jesus’ goals. He says (1) he did not come to bring peace, (2) he did come to bring a sword, and (3) he came to divide families. He illustrates this division in three ways: son against father, daughter against mother, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. So a disciple will have enemies in “his own household” (10:34–37).
Grammatically, a series of substantival participles (and one relative pronoun) governs a string of parallel statements with three themes. The first covers loyalty to Christ over family. The second describes loyalty to Christ over personal comfort. The third describes Jesus’ loyalty to his servants, shown in the rewards he grants.
Jesus brings division: Loyalty to Jesus over family
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.
Jesus claims supreme love: Loyalty to Jesus over personal comfort
The one who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
The one who finds his life will lose it.
The one who loses his life for my sake will find it.
Jesus honors his servant: Loyalty of Jesus, shown in his rewards
The one who receives you receives me.
The one who receives me receives the one who sent me.
The one who receives a prophet . . . will receive a prophet’s reward.
The one who receives a righteous person . . . will receive a righteous person’s reward.
Whoever gives a cup of cold water to a little one will receive a reward.
Response
One might think that Jesus displays his deity in his miracles and his humanity or wisdom as he teaches, but Jesus’ teaching also summons faith in Lord Jesus. Matthew 10:34–42 asserts his preexistence and his saving purpose: he “came to” do certain things. He claims exclusive loyalty, surpassing family loyalties, and assumes one should love him more than life itself, for in him one finds life. Finally, he is the judge who sees and rewards every good work.
The imperative to “take his cross and follow me” is perhaps the most striking, but it has lost its punch in the contemporary church. Because the church loves the cross, it has tamed and prettified it. Church crosses are glossy. They float above the ground and hang from necks and ears. The horror, shame, and dread of the cross are lost. The cross is rarely an instrument for execution today, but millions of Christians face the threat of physical harm daily, so believers should revive the cross as a symbol of the will to suffer with Jesus.
Jesus demands great sacrifices of his disciples. In 10:40–42, he promises that he sees and rewards each one great or small, and this is a valid motivator.