by jimwalton » Wed Jul 17, 2013 12:02 pm
Mt. 10.34 lies in the middle of a text where Jesus is sending his followers out as preachers of righteousness in a hostile world. Though there will be some who are receptive to the message, there will be hostile opposition and persecution as a backlash. He refers to and actually quotes from Micah 7.6-7, where the godlessness of the people has wrought societal upheaval and family chaos. In verse 34, he takes a prophetic stance similar to Elijah: he has come as a preacher of righteousness to a spiritually wandering people. He has come to restore, and the way to do that is confront the prophets of sin (as with Elijah, or to bring the sword of the Lord, as with Gideon). This coming of his would not be the restoration of Zion peace (Isa. 2.4), but the stirring of God against a disobedient people. In v. 35-36 Jesus quotes from Micah to make the connection: he has come in righteousness to confront sin, to preach restoration to a people in exile, but the people will not hear or turn, just as in the days of Isaiah (6.9-13). Jesus' own family turns against him (Mk. 3.21), as do his friends and townspeople (Lk. 4.14-30). He stirs up conflict only as Elijah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and the other prophets did. In this case, it's not an abomination (Prov. 6.19), but the word of the Lord.
The verse from Isaiah that you quoted (Isa. 2.4) is about the last days, and you are right that Jesus did not fulfill that when he came to earth. When he was on earth it wasn't the last days. The New Testament promises that when he comes back, though, the end days will come, and the prophecy of Isaiah will be fulfilled. But that is still future.
Mt. 10.34 lies in the middle of a text where Jesus is sending his followers out as preachers of righteousness in a hostile world. Though there will be some who are receptive to the message, there will be hostile opposition and persecution as a backlash. He refers to and actually quotes from Micah 7.6-7, where the godlessness of the people has wrought societal upheaval and family chaos. In verse 34, he takes a prophetic stance similar to Elijah: he has come as a preacher of righteousness to a spiritually wandering people. He has come to restore, and the way to do that is confront the prophets of sin (as with Elijah, or to bring the sword of the Lord, as with Gideon). This coming of his would not be the restoration of Zion peace (Isa. 2.4), but the stirring of God against a disobedient people. In v. 35-36 Jesus quotes from Micah to make the connection: he has come in righteousness to confront sin, to preach restoration to a people in exile, but the people will not hear or turn, just as in the days of Isaiah (6.9-13). Jesus' own family turns against him (Mk. 3.21), as do his friends and townspeople (Lk. 4.14-30). He stirs up conflict only as Elijah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and the other prophets did. In this case, it's not an abomination (Prov. 6.19), but the word of the Lord.
The verse from Isaiah that you quoted (Isa. 2.4) is about the last days, and you are right that Jesus did not fulfill that when he came to earth. When he was on earth it wasn't the last days. The New Testament promises that when he comes back, though, the end days will come, and the prophecy of Isaiah will be fulfilled. But that is still future.