“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” MATTHEW 10:34
What an astonishing statement! This is our second direct, personal statement from Jesus about why He came into the world. What does it mean?
Jesus, the master teacher, anticipates a common misunderstanding: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth.” His point is that it would be entirely natural for those who believe in Jesus to think that He had come for the purpose of bringing peace.
God had promised a day when Messiah would come: “To us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6).
When Jesus was born into the world, angels filled the skies and said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace” (Luke 2:14). So, it would be natural for believers then and now to think that the coming of Jesus into the world should mean peace on earth. But Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth.” Don’t expect this.
We need to hear these words. Two thousand violent, war- torn years have passed since Jesus was born. And when we sing Christmas carols about peace on earth, someone might reasonably think, “These are nice sentiments, but peace on earth is a long way from the world we live in.”
If Jesus came to bring peace to the earth, the last 2,000 years have been a spectacular failure.
God has promised that one day there will be peace. The day will come when crime and violence and wars will give way to a world of love. But that day has not yet come.
Did you include this in your top three reasons why Jesus came? Why or why not?
Written by Colin Smith
Read by Sue McLeish
www.openthebible.org.uk
