Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 10:33

"But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven." — Matthew 10:33 (ASV)

In Mk 8:38, Jesus addressed words similar to these to the crowds, though he used the phrase “Son of Man.” Here, however, Jesus is addressing his disciples in an intimate gathering, and he does not hesitate to use “I” instead of “Son of Man.” This was one of the things Jesus said clearly to his disciples in secret and which they would one day shout from the housetops (v.27).

Though addressed to the Twelve (vv.1–5), like much of vv.17–42, this saying looks beyond the apostles to disciples at large (cf. “whoever”). A necessary criterion for being a disciple of Jesus is to acknowledge him publicly (cf. Romans 1:16; 10:9). This will vary in boldness, fluency, wisdom, sensitivity, and frequency from believer to believer, but consistently to “disown” Christ results in being disowned by Christ. Jesus now speaks not of “your Father” (as in v.29) but of “my Father.” In view is his special filial relationship with the Father, by which the final destiny of all humanity depends solely on his word .

b. Recognizing the Gospel (10:34–36) 34–36 Since many Jews in Jesus’ day thought the coming of Messiah would bring them political peace and material prosperity, so today many in the church think that Jesus’ presence will bring them a kind of tranquility. But Jesus insists that his mission entails strife and division. Prince of Peace though he is , the world will so violently reject him and his reign that men and women will divide over him (cf. Lk 12:49-53). Before the consummation of the kingdom, even the peace Jesus bequeaths his disciples will have its setting in the midst of a hostile world (16:33; cf. James 4:4).

The repeated statement “I have come” shows Jesus’ awareness of being the Messiah. Earlier he warned his disciples of the world’s hatred of his followers, a hatred extending even to close relatives (vv.21–22); now he ties this perspective to an OT analogy (Micah 7:6). Micah described the sinfulness and rebellion in the days of King Ahaz; but insofar as Jesus’ disciples by following him align themselves with the prophets (5:10–12), the situation in Micah’s time pointed to the greater division at Messiah’s coming. Even today the situation has not greatly eased. In the “liberal” West people who have become Christians have occasionally been disowned and disinherited by their families and have lost their jobs. And under totalitarian regimes of the right or the left there has been and still is untold suffering for Christ.