Matthew 10:24-39
Okay, so what do you do with this passage? Major nighmare to interprete. It's all about not peace but a sword; If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household; For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother etc.
I suppose if you are out proclaiming the Good News, you ought to be aware of those things around you that will try and do you down. A wee bit of persicution isn't that bad for the church. No persicution and the church slips into some religious complacancy.
And this bit about dividing chidlren from their parents? Well, I suppose 'flogging and verbal abuse are far easier to bear that alienation from one's nearest kin' as my commentary suggests.
There is also the question about Jesus talking about the cross for his disciples. There is no evidence Jesus imagined his followers would be crucified so it may be a post-resurrection saying. Maybe it is authentic to Jesus, but he didn't mean it literally. You will be 'crucified' by your families, neighbourhoods, communities etc if you follow me.
So not much there then! And how to make sense of it in a contemporary world, and where is the good news for children!? So any ideas at all would be gratefully received. Or a hymn or two. Or a way of reading the passage. It's going to be a long thinking session on this one.
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