(- did Jesus really say that?)
The writer of Matthew states in chapter 10:35,36 that Jesus did not come to bring peace, eluding to a passage very similar to Micah 7:6, yet the gospel promotes Jesus as the prophesied messiah, that according to Jewish Scripture will bring peace to the world. Was this passage in Micah a messianic prophecy? Was it talking abut the end of time? Is it contrary to other messianic Scripture in the Tanach?1
The book of Micah is part a group of prophetic books in the Tanach known as “The Twelve Prophets”. What is the setting around this passage, and its context? To answer these questions we need to know a little about Micah, to help us understand whats going on when he gave several statements similar to this one. Micah was a prophet during the same time as Isaiah, Amos, and Hosea2. He prophesied during the reigns of three of the Kings of Judah; Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (739 – 693 BCE)3. He was born in a Judal town close to the Philistine border called, Moresheth-Gath4. His prophesies were directed toward Jerusalem, during a time of idol worship. Keep in mind he was a prophet before the exile.
Micah’s book of prophecy is divided into three sections5.
They are:
- Chapters 1-3
- denunciation of sin and proclamations of approaching punishment
- Chapters 4-5
- words of hope and cheer
- Chapters 6-7
- a combination of both
Chapter 7 is in three parts, consisting of verses;
- 1-6
- The corruption of the Judian society
- 7-13
- Israel confesses and expresses his faith in Gods ultimate vindication
- 14-20.
- a prayer for the return of Divine favor and praise of God’s mercy
Using the above outline from The Soncino Press we can get a general idea of the Scripture we are reviewing.
For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
Micah 7:6, (JPS)
According to our outline this is the last verse of part 1 of chapter 7. To place it into context we need to view the first six verses of this chapter.
Woe is me! for I am as the last of the summer fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage; there is no cluster to eat; nor first-ripe fig which my soul desireth. The godly man is perished out of the earth, and the upright among men is no more; they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently; the Prince asketh, and the judge is ready for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together. The best of them is as a brier; the most upright is worse than a thorn hedge; the day of thy watchmen, even thy visitation, is come; now shall be their perplexity. Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a familiar friend; keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
Micah 7:1-6 (JPS)
As stated in the outline Micah is prophesying about the extent of the corruption in the Israeli society.
- Woe is me! for I am as the last of the summer fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage; there is no cluster to eat; nor first-ripe fig which my soul desireth.
- A comparison of the people of Israel to that of fruit. The fig is sweeter than those that ripen later.
- The godly man is perished out of the earth, and the upright among men is no more; they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.
- Taking what verse 1 is inferring to and elaborating on it.
- The verse begins with the Hebrew word “HaChasid” translated as “the godly man”. The Chasid has perished from “the earth” or “the land”. The godly man has departed from Israel.
- They hunt every man his brother for scheming. Scheming is referred to as, “with a net”.6
- Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently; the prince asketh, and the judge is ready for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together.
- According to Soncino this is referring to bribery, involving the prince, the judge, and great men or men of high ranking in society.
- Using bribery the great men or the wealthy men make known to the judges what they desire as a result.7
- Thus they were weaved together, is stating that the rulers, judges, and wealthy were working together.
- The best of them is as a brier; the most upright is worse than a thorn hedge; the day of thy watchmen, even thy visitation, is come; now shall be their perplexity.
- Soncino tells us, brier and thorn hedge represents prickly, painful and ensnaring.
- “thy watchman” is speaking of the prophets, and “visitation” is speaking of Gods judgement.
- “perplexity” or bewilderment they will experience.8
- Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a familiar friend; keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.
- Who not to trust ………notice the progression; friend, familiar friend, her (person) that lies at your bosom.
- For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
- Son’s and daughters will rise up against their fathers and mothers, in-law children will rise up against in-law parents. Your enemies will be family members in your own home.
I believe it is clear that the writer of Matthew chapter 10:35 & 36 is inferring to this passage in Micah. As well the NKJ (New King James) translation refers to the Micah passage in the respective margin.
“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to
‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’
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. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
Matthew 10:34-39 (NKJ)
A couple of points stand out to me when reviewing these verses in Matthew; either Jesus didn’t understand the context of Micah, or the writer of Matthew didn’t understand the Micah passages. I believe the latter is true. These verses are a part of Jesus’s charge to his disciples as they are being sent out as apostles or representatives his group of students. We don’t know how accurate the writer of Matthew recorded what Jesus actually said. However in Luke chapter 9:3-5 the same event is recorded by the writer of Luke. The charge is very much shorter, and leaves this inference to Micah totally out.
Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. And He said to them,
“Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”
So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
Luke 9:1-6 (NKJ)
It is my opinion that the objective of Jesus’s teaching was centered abound “The Kingdom of God/The Kingdom of Heaven”. In addition he always did good and promoted the doing of good in his teachings. I feel relatively sure that he prayed for the sick and they could have been healed, perhaps their were miraculous healings from his prayers (hopefully there were). All we have to go by is what the writers recorded in the Gospels, and these recordings don’t always support each other.
If Jesus believed that he was the messiah or as Ezekiel states “the Prince”, he would not have stated that he was bringing division. As well he would not have used a passage from the Tanach that has nothing to do with the messianic era.
by,
Jim Behnke
1 The Tanach is the Jewish Scriptures, refered to by Christians as the Old Testament.
2 The Twelve Prophets, A Cohen, The Soncino Books of The Bible, The Soncino Press, 1961, page 153
3 Ibd
4 Ibd
5 Ibd The record of prophesies are not in chronological order, but rather recorded in order of significance.
6 The Twelve Prophets, A Cohen, The Soncino Books of The Bible, The Soncino Press, 1961, page 153
7 Ibid
8 Ibid
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