In Matthew 10:34, Jesus tells the 12 Apostles, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” Jesus is not referring solely to a sword of judgment, military action, or personal violence, but rather the Greek term used is “machairan”, which is often used to describe large knives used by fishermen. The main purpose of these knives was to separate different parts of a cut of meat, which is similar to how Scripture can separate truth and error. Later in Matthew 23, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees, telling them their interpretation of scripture was in error and that they didn’t understand the point of the law. Due to the hardness of their hearts, they needed the law to teach them but they didn’t understand.
Jesus tells us what the law was meant to teach in Matthew 12:30-31.
How to love.
30 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[a] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] There is no commandment greater than these.”
Latrell Castañón
One Voice for Jesus Ministries 