Matthew 10:36

Matthew 10:36

And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

a. NLT: Your enemies will be right in your own household!

b. NIV: a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

c. Young’s Literal translation: and the enemies of a man are those of his household.

d. Amplified Bible: And a man’s foes will be they of his own household.

e. Worrell Translation: and the man’s foes will be those of his own household.

1. “And a man’s foes…”

a. and [2532 * kai] [Strong: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. man’s [444 * anthropos] [Strong: from 435 and ops (the countenance; from 3700); man-faced, i.e. a human being:--certain, man.]

c. foes [2190 * echthros] [Strong: from a primary echtho (to hate); hateful (passively, odious, or actively, hostile); usually as a noun, an adversary (especially Satan):--enemy, foe.] [Zodhiates: hatred, enmity, hostile, inimical.] [Thayer: hated, odious, hateful hostile, hating, and opposing another, used of men as at enmity with God by their sin, opposing (God) in the mind, a man that is hostile, a certain enemy, the hostile one, the devil who is the most bitter enemy of the divine government.]

1). Accoring to Blue Letter Bible this word is used 32 times in the New Testament, 30 times it is translated “ememy” and twice it is translated “foe”.

2). In the following examples it is used of carnal believers.

a). James 4:4   Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

b). Philippians 3:17-19 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

2. “…shall be they of his own household.”

a. they of his own [846 * autos] [Strong: from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

b. household [3615 * oikiakos] [Strong: from 3614; familiar, i.e. (as noun) relatives:--they (them) of (his own) household.]

1). Jesus was quoting from Micah in this context.

a). Micah 7:5, 6  Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.

7:6 For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.

2). The prophet Jeremiah experienced this in his early years, after he began to utter in obedience the words the Lord was giving him. It resulted in the alienation of his family from him because of his faithfulness to God.

a). Unger’s Bible Dictionary: “He (Jeremiah) appears to have remained in his native city until he was obliged to leave in order to escape the persecution of his fellow-townsmen and even of his own family.

b). Jeremiah 12:5, 6   If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?

12:6 or even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.