JESUS:PRINCE OF PEACE?

Hi Mahdi,

Quote: Jesus, Prince of peace.
Matthew 10: 34 �Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 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�; 36 and �a man�s enemies will be those of his own household.�

Response: --- While this looks like a contradiction, to the peaceful nature of Jesus, --- His coming caused division. --- And that is just the way it is.

--- When Jesus came with the Message of the Gospel, it set the religious leaders against Him. Because of the hypocrisy and greed of the Pharisees, who were the religious leaders, --- Jesus said in Matthew 5:
20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

--- But let�s go back to Abraham and his father in Surah 6:
74 (Remember) when Abraham said unto his father Azar: Takest thou idols for gods? Lo! I see thee and thy folk in error manifest.

And Muhammad was a well respected business man,who had gained the title of "The trustworthy" (From the intro to the Pickthall translation), --- and really, he was from the tribe of Qureysh, was he not? --- And later, the armies of the Qureysh wanted to kill him.

--- But God called him to a life of dedication, and used him to destroy idolatry in Arabia.
--- And his calling, set a sword between Muhammad and his relatives as well as bringing division and persecution against all who followed him, did it not?

When one member in a family decides to follow God�s will in their life, --- it brings a division, does it not? --- So the sword is not a weapon of war, but, in this case, a dividing of those who seek God, --- and those who don�t.
--- This doesn�t have to generate bad feelings, but it often does. --- The believer starts going to Church and develops new friendships, and they simply drop out of the old circles. --- (Often in trying to explain their faith, it creates more tension.)

--- Are there not also family divisions among Muslims?


Placid