"These [in Berea] were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." - Acts 17:11
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(26) `If any one doth come unto me, and doth not hate his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and yet even his own life, he is not able to be my disciple; (27) and whoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, is not able to be my disciple. (28) `For who of you, willing to build a tower, doth not first, having sat down, count the expense, whether he have the things for completing? (29) lest that he having laid a foundation, and not being able to finish, all who are beholding may begin to mock him, (30) saying -- This man began to build, and was not able to finish. (31) `Or what king going on to engage with another king in war, doth not, having sat down, first consult if he be able with ten thousand to meet him who with twenty thousand is coming against him? (32) and if not so -- he being yet a long way off -- having sent an embassy, he doth ask the things for peace. (33) `So, then, every one of you who doth not take leave of all that he himself hath, is not able to be my disciple.


Jesus draws attention to the disciple's closest relatives, those a person would normally expect would be those most likely to give comfort and aid in a time of need. Yet, in this case, the irritants were differences regarding deeply held religious beliefs and practices. To many of the new converts, the realities of the pains to which the church was exposed came “home” in an uncomfortable way. Their unconverted family members sincerely believed that the Judaism they practiced, delivered to the Jews through the great Moses, was the only true, God-given religion on earth.

Many new converts' unconverted family members did not graciously accept the unexpected changes that had entered their relationship, and they reacted emotionally. The converts soon found themselves living with enemies in their households. As one can imagine, these family persecutions were quite personal. The converts, caught in divided families, may not have been treated violently, but they were considered traitors to what all the other family members believed the Temple, priesthood, and sacrificing stood for.

This reaction happened because the Jewish religion was, in reality, spiritually corrupt and almost thoroughly anti-God. Had not the Jewish religious leadership just proved that by sending God in the flesh to an agonizing death because they failed to recognize God when they saw and heard Him? The anti-God attitude that the Jewish religious leadership tapped into and stirred against Jesus as He was tried before Pilate was more widespread and deeper than it may have seemed on the surface. Animosity toward the converts spread quickly through the communities of Judea.

It was not long before the Jews excluded the converts from any activities that involved the revered Temple. Though most of the converts may not have had to endure violent persecution at the hands of someone like Saul, they did endure emotional persecutions within their own families—it must have felt as if they were living in an alien world. The personal, emotional cost to those in this situation may have been quite high.

— John W. Ritenbaugh

To learn more, see:
Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Four)



 

Topics:

Anti-God System

Corrupt Leadership

Corruption of Judah

Family Members as Enemies

Gentile Converts

Hebrews, Book of

Persecution

Persecution from Family Members

Priesthood, Failure of




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