Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 10:34-36

"Think not that I came to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law: and a man`s foes [shall be] they of his own household." — Matthew 10:34-36 (ASV)

St. Jerome: He had said before, What I say to you in darkness, you speak in the light. He now tells them what will follow from that preaching, saying, Do not think that I have come to send peace on earth; I have not come to send peace, but a sword.

Glossa Ordinaria: Or, connect it with what has gone before: just as the fear of death should not draw you away, so neither should carnal affection.¹

St. John Chrysostom: How then did He instruct them that when they enter any house they should say, Peace be to this house? And how could the Angels sing, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men (Luke 2:14)? That is the most perfect peace: when that which is diseased is cut off, and when that which causes strife is taken away. Only in this way is it possible for heaven to be joined to earth.

In this way a physician saves the rest of the body: by cutting off the part that cannot be healed. This is what happened at the tower of Babel, where a blessed discord broke up their wicked union. So also, Paul divided those who had conspired against him. For agreement is not always good; there is honor among thieves. This conflict is not of Christ's own making, but results from the world's plots.²

St. Jerome: For in the matter of belief in Christ, the whole world was divided against itself. Each house had its believers and its unbelievers, and therefore this holy war was sent so that an unholy peace might be broken.

St. John Chrysostom: He said this as if to comfort His disciples, as if to say, "Do not be troubled, as though these things were happening to you unexpectedly. I came for this reason: to send war on the earth." Indeed, He does not say "war," but what is even harder, "a sword." He sought to rouse their attention with such sharp language so that they would not fall away in times of trial and difficulty, or say that He had told them pleasant things and hidden the hardships.

It is better to encounter gentleness in deeds than in words. Therefore, He did not stop at words, but showed them the nature of their warfare, teaching them that it was more dangerous than a civil war by saying, I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. This warfare, then, will not be merely between acquaintances, but between the nearest and dearest relatives. This shows Christ's very great power, in that His disciples, even after hearing this, still undertook the mission and won others over.

Yet it was not Christ who made this division, but the evil nature of the people involved. When He says that He is the one doing it, He is speaking in the manner of Scripture, as it is written: God hath given them eyes that they should not see (Isaiah 6:10). This is also a great proof that the Old Testament is like the New. For among the Jews, a man was to put his neighbor to death if he found him making a calf or sacrificing to Baal-peor. So here, to show that it was the same God who ordained both the former and the latter precepts, He reminds them of the prophecy: A man's foes are they of his household.

This same thing happened among the Jews: there were prophets and false prophets, the multitude was divided, and households were set against themselves. Some believed one side, and some believed the other.

St. Jerome: These are almost the words of the prophet Micah (Micah 7:6). We should always take note when a passage is cited from the Old Testament whether only the sense is given, or the very words.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: Mystically, a sword is the sharpest of all weapons, and for that reason it is the emblem of the right of authority, the impartiality of justice, and the correction of offenders. The word of God, we may remember, is compared to a sword.ⁱ So here, the sword that is sent upon the earth is His preaching, poured into the heart of man. The five people inhabiting one house, whom He divides three against two and two against three, can be explained this way: The three are the parts of man—body, soul, and will.

For just as the soul is placed in the body, the will has the power to use both in any way it chooses, and for this reason, when a law is given, it is given to the will. But this is only found in those who were first formed by God. Through the sin and unbelief of the first parent, all subsequent generations of men have had sin for the father of their body and unbelief for the mother of their soul. Since each person has a will within, there are thus five in one house.

Therefore, when we are renewed in the waters of baptism, by the power of the Word we are set apart from our original guilt. We are severed, as it were, by the sword of God from the lusts of this father and mother of ours. Thus, great discord is created in one house; the new man, finding his foes within, seeks with joy to live in newness of spirit, while those parts derived from the old stock lust to remain in their old pleasures.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Alternatively, I have come to set a man against his father; for he renounces the Devil, who was his father. The daughter against her mother refers to the people of God against the city of the world—that is, the wicked society of mankind, which is spoken of in Scripture under names like Babylon, Egypt, and Sodom.³

The daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law refers to the Church against the Synagogue, which, according to the flesh, brought forth Christ, the spouse of the Church. They are severed by the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And a man's foes are they of his household refers to those with whom he previously lived as intimates.

Rabanus Maurus: For no other mutual rights can be preserved between those who are at war over their beliefs.

Glossa Ordinaria: Alternatively, He means, "I have not come among men to strengthen their carnal affections, but to cut them off with the sword of the Spirit." It is for this reason that it is rightly added, And a man's foes are they of his household.⁴

St. Gregory the Great: For when the subtle enemy sees himself driven from the hearts of the good, he seeks out those whom they love most. Speaking through the mouths of their dearest ones, he endeavors, while the heart is penetrated by love, to have the sword of temptation pierce the innermost defenses of virtue.⁵

1. interlin.
2. Hom. xxxv
3. Quaest in Matt., q.3
4. interlin.
5. Mor., iii, 8