Matthew 10

Matthew 10 is about full-on, 100% commitment to being a disciple of Jesus.  It is filled with stark contrasts about that commitment. Verses 32-33 state emphatically if we confess Jesus before men, He will confess us before the Father. But if we deny Him before men, then He will deny us before the Father.  That is a no-holds barred discipleship demand.   In verse 37-38 is another one that slaps us awake if we are slipping into complacency.  

“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.”

If this wasn’t already difficult enough, compare the parallel passage in Luke14:26-27.

“If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”

Matthew’s version is easier to swallow, Luke’s seems harsh and in your face.  We can assume one of two things about the change of wording:  EitherJesus said similar things on two different occasions orone of the Gospel writers changed the wording for the purposes of his audience. I think that latter is the case. Jesus loved to use hyperbole (i.e., exaggeration) to make his point.  Luke is probably the original saying of Jesus but Matthew interpreted the hyperbole for his readers (“hate your parents” means “don’t love them more than me”).  However you chose to interpret the difficulty of these verses, it demonstrates for us that our devotion to Jesus must be substantially greater than our devotion to any human being. 

Following Jesus (i.e., discipleship) is a high and sometimes difficult calling.  It demands our all!

What are your thoughts?