Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth?

This study is the first of several on the topic of peace.   

In Matthew 10:34, Jesus said: "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth.  I did not come to bring peace but a sword."  What is Jesus saying?  Is he advocating violence?  How do we reconcile Matthew 10:34 with the following texts?

Luke 2:14 NKJV – Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!

John 14:27 NKJV – Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Is Jesus contradicting himself?  It certainly looks like it with just a casual reading of these texts.  Do we get a clearer picture if we dig a little deeper?  Perhaps the second part of John 16:33 is a clue— "In the world you will have tribulation."  Let's look Matthew 10:34 again in context; we will also look at Luke 12:51, which is a similar text.

Matt 10:34 NKJV – 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.”

Luke 12:51 NKJV – Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. 52 For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. 53 Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

The alternative description of the same saying in Luke using the word division rather than sword suggests that Jesus is talking about disagreement rather than violence.  The verses that follow make it very clear that it Jesus is saying that those who follow him will encounter conflict from their families.  Jesus predicted that his followers would be persecuted; see Matthew 5:10-12, 5:44, 10:23; John 15:20.  Notice in the following texts that Jesus is speaking against the violent use of a sword.

Matt 26:51 And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 52 But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

John 18:10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”

The alternative reading in Luke, the familial context and the specific anti-violence statements in Matthew 26:52 and John 18:11 are all strong evidence against a violent interpretation of these texts.  What are we to make, however, of the apparent contradiction with these texts and "on earth peace, goodwill" and "my peace I give to you?"

The Aramaic text of the Peshitta may offer us a solution to the apparent contradiction between these verses.  Let's look at these texts again focusing on the word peace and the words used in Greek, Aramaic and a modern Hebrew translation.  Notice that the Aramaic word used in Matthew 10:34 and Luke 12:51 is shayna and not the word shlama used in 14:27.  The word shayna means quietness and tranquility.  The Hebrew word used to translate shayna is shalvah; it means quietness, ease, prosperity.  These meanings are consistent with what Jesus said elsewhere: he did not offer a life of ease to his followers, rather, he offered a life of hardship (See Matthew 8:20 and Luke 9:58).

Matt 10:34 NKJV – Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth.  I did not come to bring peace but a sword.
(Greek: G1515 – ειρηνην – eirēnēn)
(Aramaic Peshitta: שינא – shayna)
(Peshitta Translation, Modern Hebrew: H7962 – שלוה – shalvah – quietness, ease, prosperity)
(James Murdock Peshitta Translation: Think not that I have come to sow quietness on the earth: I have not come to sow quietness, but conflict.)

Luke 12:51 NKJV – Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division.
(Greek: G1515 – ειρηνην – eirēnēn)
(Aramaic Peshitta: דשינא – d'shayna)
(Peshitta Translation, Modern Hebrew: H7962 – שלוה – shalvah – quietness, ease, prosperity)
(James Murdock Peshitta Translation: Suppose ye, that I have come to produce tranquillity on the earth ? I tell you, No: but division.)

John 14:27 NKJV – Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
(Greek: G1515 – ειρηνην – eirēnēn)
(Aramaic Peshitta: שלמא – shlama)
(Peshitta Translation, Modern Hebrew: H7965 – שלום – shalom)
(James Murdock Peshitta Translation: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. It is not as the world giveth, that I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor be afraid.)

We can see in John 14:27 that Jesus is offering us peace— the shalom that means completeness, soundness and health.  I will have more to say about shalom in a future study.

The Hebrew word shalvah is used several times in the Old Testament.  The context is often negative.  These are examples of what of what Jesus did not come to bring: prosperity and abundance of idleness.

Prov 1:32 NKJV – For the turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
(Hebrew: ‏ H7962 – שלות – shalvat)

Jer 22:21 NKJV – I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, “I will not hear.” this has been your manner from your youth, that you did not obey My voice.
(Hebrew: ‏ H7962 – ‏בשלותיך – b'shalotayikh)

Ezek 16:49 NKJV – Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
(Hebrew: H7962 H8252 – ‏ושלות השקט – v'shalvat hashqet)

Dan 8:25 NKJV – Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; and he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without human means.
(Hebrew: H7962 – ‏ובשלוה – uvshalvah)
(NASB: he will destroy many while they are at ease)
(Darby Bible Translation: and by prosperity will corrupt many)
(Young's Literal Translation: and by ease he destroyeth many)

Dan 11:21 NKJV – And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue.
(Hebrew: H7962 – ‏בשלוה – b'shalvah)
(NASB: but he will come in a time of tranquility)

Dan 11:24 NKJV – He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time.
(Hebrew: H7962 – ‏בשלוה – b'shalvah)
(NASB: In a time of tranquility)

Let's try paraphrasing Matthew 10:34 with the insights from these texts:

Do not think that I came to bring ease and tranquility on earth. I did not come to bring ease and tranquility but conflict and hardship.