Peace - part 2

Post 195

Peace: 1. A pact or agreement to end hostilities. 2. A state of tranquility or quiet; especially: a. Freedom from civil disturbance or war. b. Public order or security, as provided by law; as, a breach of the peace. 3. Harmony in personal relations; mutual concord. 4. Freedom from fears, agitating passions, moral conflict, etc. 5. One who or that which makes or maintains peace. - Webster's Collegiate Dictionary 5th edition 1948
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Question:

A reader asked a very legitimate question in the comments to the last post by simply including a reference from scripture:

Matthew 10:34 "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword."

This verse appears to fly in the face of the many references of my entire last post. I declared that Jehovah is the God of peace yet here Jesus is declaring he came not to send peace. How is this reconciled?
We cannot take one verse out of context of scripture and make a case of what was intended, we must understand the context of the whole scripture to validate an understanding of Jesus meaning.
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Lets start with examining the entire context of scripture:

If Jesus did not intend to provide peace as the verse suggests, how could he have said:
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
In this verse the topic is peace, and is further defined as used to alleviate fear and calm a troubled heart. Jesus also includes a caveat *1 that this peace is not like that which the world offers.
What peace does the world offer? We showed by definition it was: “A pact or agreement to end hostilities.”,”Freedom from civil disturbance or war.” Negotiations and pacts are the tools the world uses to acquire peace, but these are not the tools Jesus was offering to establish the peace he was specifically giving.

The Apostle Paul gives further instruction on how to acquire this peace:
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 (promised by following the instructions of the previous verses:) “Rejoice in the Lord always… Let your moderation be known unto all men… be careful for nothing: but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Philippians 4:4-6
None of these things are negotiations with your adversaries. These are personal “negotiations” to acquire personal or internal peace. (corrupted by the concept of Jihad)

And now we begin to comprehend the meaning and power behind Jesus instruction:
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father (God) which is in heaven:…” Matthew 5:43-45a
Is this instruction intended to create a guaranteed international peace? No.
This instruction is a twofold tool;
First to create a personal internal peace that is not contingent on reciprocation by others,
and Second to create the “ground” on which your adversary might find unexpected agreement by which interrelational peace may be established.

This is not some new and mystical peace that is contrary to the dictionary definition we used; but a one sided established peace that is not a negotiation; It is a choice without strings. The only thing left for the establishment of mutual peace is for the adversary to make the same internal choice! Therefore peace between opposing ideologies is wholly in the hands of the adversary to make or not.
When two sides are fighting and one side stops. The other side has two options: continue or stop.
The miracle peace that Jesus said he gives is a peace that is not contingent on the choice of the other side. Don’t misunderstand; it does not eliminate the woeful consequences if the other side does not choose to stop. Rockets and bombs still kill, but there is now internal peace that cannot be explained even while the rockets fall and people die. This is the peace that Jesus said he gives, this is the peace Israel is diligently striving to maintain, even without accepting the Prince of Peace.
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7
(Israeli's problem has an additional complexity when we explore: Jehovah the God of Peace, and Messiah the Prince of Peace. Which we will not do here.)
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Now lets examine the verse in question in its historical application:

For thousands of years the Jews had been looking for God to send them a Messiah to set up a kingdom of peace. (Genesis 49:10)
In the time of Jesus, Rome was the new oppressor in a long line of oppressors, and the people suffered under the lack of freedom and peace.
Since Jesus himself claimed to be THAT Messiah, those that followed him expected him to set up his kingdom of peace and drive out the Roman oppressors. (Daniel 9:25)
In our verse of question, Jesus spoke clearly that he did not come to do this:

"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." Matthew 10:34

We will explore what he DID mean by this, but in our historical context of the verse we know that indeed Jesus’ coming and his message actually resulted in much blood though not by his direction. The blood came and remains as a result of rejecting his coming and message.
Jesus was killed in 33AD and 37 years later Jerusalem was destroyed and Israel was scattered by the Romans.(Daniel 9:26-27) Jesus did not send peace on the earth…But he DID provide peace to the earth.
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Lets explore that concept by examining the verse itself:

"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." Matthew 10:34

We know that this bold statement must be in unification with his other statements, and the very nature of his existence and message, if we are to believe he was not a schizophrenic.
So beginning with the conviction that we know Jesus intends to give us peace, we need to resolve the apparent conflict with his statements.
The simple question we want to begin with is: Did Jesus intend to provide global peace?
Because the answer needs a lot of background understanding to comprehend it, I am going to leave that question for last.
Lets start with his strange wording: “I am not come to send…” You cannot send something where you are. If I come to provide something; I give it. I provide it. I distribute it. I share it. But Jesus did not use this angle, Why did he combine his coming with the concept of sending?
Clearly because he is discussing a place where he was not; “I am here, I send or don’t send something there.”
So where is there? He tells us; it is the earth: “I am not come to send peace on the earth.”
So where is here? THAT is the question!

We find the answer in his trial and inquiry of him:
As recorded in Matthew 27:11 Jesus confessed to being the King of the Jews.
As recorded in Mark 14:62 Jesus confessed to being the Christ, the Son of the Blessed.
As recorded in Luke 22:70 Jesus confessed to being the Son of God.
As recorded in John 18:36 Jesus replied: "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight…But now is my kingdom not from hence.”
But Pilot was not satisfied and so asked further:
“Art thou a king then?
Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world,…” Why? To be a king? Well yes, but not of this world at that time.
Jesus continued his explanation:
“…that I should bear witness unto the truth, Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” John 18:37
Jesus is saying he is the king in the realm of truth.

How does all that fit the question?
Jesus came to the earth. Yes. He came as a King, a King of the Jews. Yes.
But his kingdom is not of this world even though he was actually here on this planet.
Jesus came to give peace. Yes. (John 14:27)
But he did not come to send it anywhere he was not. Not because he was being exclusive but because the peace he offered is contingent upon his presence. He IS Peace.
Jesus came to give peace to his people, but knowing that his enemy the Devil hates him and his people, he knew that his peace would really rub the Christless world wrong...Including Jews.
Jesus was not surprised that the Jews rejected him as the Christ of peace, and that by rejecting him they were rejecting peace. And so although he came to give peace to the faithful of God, he also came to send a sword to the rejecting world. But again, note the words: He did not bring a sword when he came, he sent one after he arrived. Since he was here on the earth when he sent it on the earth, we understand that this was not a personal delivery but a consequence of his coming.
This is confirmed by the fact that His people choose by instruction not to revenge but to forgive.
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Romans 12:19
It is God’s to provide vengeance, which he declares he will when the time is full. But that is another topic. The point here is that Jesus people have the Spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation.
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Now lets explore the context around the verse itself:

Matthew 10 is a chapter showing Jesus’ instructions to his disciples before sending them through the land with his message.
In verses 5-15 He tells them where to go and where not to go, and what to do, what to take, and how to act. Then beginning in verse :16 until arriving at our verse of question in :34, Jesus goes into a lengthy preparation of the resistance they will face: “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves:”
“For they will deliver you up…”
“And ye shall be brought…”
“And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death…”
“And ye shall be hated of all men…”
“But when they persecute you…”
“Fear them not therefore…”
“And fear not them which kill the body…”

So what in the world is the message they were supposed to deliver that would elicit such a violent response?!

The answer is found in Jesus own example to them while they were in training: the entire four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John as well as Acts are the revelation of the message, but we find the simple version in the verses of the preceding chapter of topic:
“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people…
Then said he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:35-38
And so Jesus prepared his disciples to continue the work themselves:
“And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease… These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them saying…(the instructions of conduct we just referred to)” Matthew 10:1-5.

So we see, that Jesus sent his disciples out into the land to deliver the Gospel of his kingdom; peace and comfort and relief and healing, but he warned them that the message would be rejected with violence!
How insane is that?

Now with this context of understanding, lets read the verses of his instruction to them that follow our verse in question:
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.” Matthew 10:34-36

OK, hold on!
By what means does he intend to create this conflict among families?
By his message of peace!
This is just getting more insane!

So lets make sure we are clear on this:
Jesus' entire personal example on earth was one of peace, and love, and forgiveness, hope and healing. It was this same message which he sent his 12 disciples with through the land. And it was this message that was going to create this reaction of violence? YES.
"I don’t get it" you say. Well frankly neither do I!
Such a message should not be received with such opposition. Not if temporal reality was the only factor. At worst the recipients would take advantage of the healing before running the messengers out of town because they didn’t like their haircut.
What in the world could possibly cause such an unlikely reaction of hatred and murder?

The answer can only be found in the spiritual realm. The realm in which Jesus claimed his kingdom was in. The realm in which is found the pure battle of Good vs. Evil.

What Jesus came to earth as a man to do, was to begin the identification of sheep and wolves by putting them all in the same room.

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And now we come full circle to the concept that Jesus did come to give peace, and offered it to the entire world, free for the acceptance. (John 3:16 *2)
But he also left full knowledge that he did not intend us to misapply that understanding it meant he was guaranteeing global cessation from conflict.
Jesus knew full well that his coming would result in great violence against his people by the world’s rejection of his peace, but that his peace would sustain his people through it. And so it has.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

So is Jesus the Prince of Peace if his message of peace results in a violent reaction?
This is the question before the world congress today. Is it the job of the Jews to figure out how to make the Muslims friendly?
What does Jesus have to do with the children of the Devil?
Jesus offers peace. The reaction is up to them.

But don't miss the personal application as well, that Christians are not to expect their faith will bring them peace with the world.
"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived." II Timothy 3:12-13

It is our job as messengers to offer the world this marvelous peace which we have been given. It is their job to reject it with violence.
The purpose is that in the process we will reach a few that will hear the message and turn to Jesus the Prince of Peace!

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." John 15:13-14 and so in obedience we lay down our lives for the friends who will join the family of God.

This is Peace.

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So how can any of this Mumbo-Jumbo religious jargon have any real application in a real world when real people try to really kill you...FOR REAL!
This is virtually impossible to reconcile from the other side of the fence. (I Corinthians 1:20-23) but shows very real and tangible application through history as rejoicing Christians face unspeakable deaths with confidence and joy. ("Foxes Book of Martyrs" and the Persecuted Church today)
Fearful Christians today should see their fear as an indication they mistakenly think this present world is the kingdom of heaven. This world is not our home, we are pilgrims passing through.

But does that perspective solve the world's problems?
Not in the simple version:
The world's problems like our own, cannot be solved without the God of Peace.
Reject the God of Peace and all other choices are infective...except for the illusion of peace which looks better than the unmasked face of Evil.
Enter; the Great Whore.
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Finally, I cannot end this post without noting the existence of differences between the personal application and the national application of peace.

What Israel faces today is a compound problem related to both realms.
What America faces today is a similar compound problem also related to both realms.
Where Israel has always with determination rejected the Prince of Peace, America once stood in glory as the representative of that Prince, but now has elected to reject Him also.
The nation that stands in the glory of that Prince, has the authority of that Prince to rule in peace. Just as Jesus sent the sword by giving his peace, so that nation must at times use the sword to maintain the peace.
This is confusion to those not found in peace. and it is wasted words to attempt to explain it.
And so says Islam, the Religion of Peace.
This is not a contest of comparisons, it is a battle of Good and Evil.


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*1 caveat: [Latin; let him beware.] 1. Law. A notice given by an interested party to some officer not to do a certain act until the party is heard in opposition; as, a caveat entered to stop the proving of a will. 2. A Caution; warning; admonition. - Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary 5th edition

*2 John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
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