“It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?” (Matthew 10:25)
We can read in the Bible how Jesus was received. Isaiah in prophesying about the Messiah calls Him “despised and rejected of men.” (Isaiah 53:3) He was rejected in His birth town, Nazareth. “And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust Him out of the city, and led Him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast Him down headlong. But He passing through the midst of them went His way,” (Luke 4:16-30). His disciples were few. Although He drew multitudes, not all followed Him. They went where He was out of curiosity, to spy on Him and to get what they could from Him. Not all believed, but all heard His Words and all saw the evidence of signs and wonders. The Samaritans didn’t receive Him because He favored the temple of the Jews. (Luke 9:51-56) He was rejected by the people of Gergesenes or Gadara (same place called by different names) where he healed two men with a demon. (Matthew 8:28-34, Luke 8:26-39, Mark 5:1-20) The Girgashites were believed to be Gentiles who practiced wickedness. They were descendants of Ham and were included in the people to be driven out by the Jews as God told Abraham. (Genesis 15:18-21) He was called the “master of the house of Beelzebub” by the Pharisees when Jesus healed a man who was blind and mute. (Matthew 12:24) And in the end, the people turned on Him, yelling “Crucify Him” and choosing Barabas over Jesus. (Matthew 27:15-23)
The question asked in Matthew is “...how much more shall they call them of His household?” Will people accept and welcome those of His family? His family is those of us who have received Jesus as Lord and Savior. We are His brethren. (Matthew 28:10) Will we be received who spend time with Him (another meaning of the word “household” used in Matthew 10:25)? Jesus said, “It is enough for the disciple (follower) that he be as his master...” In other words, we won’t get treated any better than Jesus. Don’t expect any acceptance or acknowledgement from the world. What they truly think of believers we may never know, but as an example, I will share one man’s words uttered truthfully. Once when I was witnessing to a man suffering from bi-polar and schizophrenia, his father yelled at me, “Don’t make him anymore crazy than he already is!” He saw believers as “crazy people.” This was just one man’s opinion, but I don’t think he’s alone in his thinking.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) Don’t for a second that unbelievers will think highly of us when we do good works. They glorify God and that is good. But that doesn’t change their opinion of us. They love the benefits and blessings of God, but don’t want anything to do with Him. They watch us like hawks ready to pounce on us when our words or actions don’t line up with the meek believer, they think a Christian should be. They are ready to pronounce us a hypocrite if we fail to measure up to what we preach. “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” (1Peter 2:11-12) And if they have an opportunity, they will turn others against us. But don’t take it personally. It’s not us they are coming against, but God, His Word and His Truth. This happened to Paul and Barnabas at Iconium. “And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.” (Acts 14:1-2)
They persecuted and crucified Jesus. Don’t be surprised that you don’t get better treatment. If your life exemplifies the teachings of Jesus, if your words are His Words and you refuse to partake of their evil works, expect the same treatment as Jesus.
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