Jesus' Teachings on Diversity and Brokenness in Society
Jesus frequently addressed the brokenness and diversity within society, often through parables and direct teachings that emphasized community, reconciliation, and the dangers of division. He taught that "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand" [1, 3]. This principle highlights the destructive nature of internal conflict within any societal structure.
Jesus's teachings on community life, particularly in Matthew 18, focus on how followers should respond to one another amidst growing societal polarization [4]. He instructed his disciples to live with humility, sensitivity, compassion, discipline, and forgiveness [4]. For instance, welcoming a humble follower of Jesus is equated with welcoming Jesus himself, underscoring the importance of solidarity within the community [7].
Jesus also recognized the diverse challenges individuals faced, such as the difficulty for the wealthy to humble themselves and trust in God [5]. He warned against the "worries of this life" and the "lure of wealth," which can divert individuals from faithful obedience [8]. Instead, God desires faith, obedience, and a willingness to help those in need [8].
His compassion for the multitudes, whom he saw as "sheep without a shepherd," indicates his awareness of societal brokenness and his desire to teach and guide them [2]. Jesus's parables often illustrated the presence of both good and bad within the visible community, such as the parable of the wheat and the tares, or the net gathering both good and bad fish [6]. These parables acknowledge the mixed nature of society and the eventual separation that will occur [6].
Furthermore, Jesus prepared his disciples for persecution and suffering, recognizing that following him might lead to being separated from their church or society [9, 10]. This demonstrates an understanding that adherence to his teachings could create divisions and challenges within existing social structures.
Sources
- Matthew “Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. -- Matthew 12:25”
- Mark “Jesus came out, saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things. -- Mark 6:34”
- Luke “Luke 11:17 (BSB) — Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and a house divided against a house will fall.”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 18:1: 18:1-35 This fourth major discourse in Matthew (see study note on Matt 5:1–7:29) focuses on responses to the Messiah—acceptance by the disciples and rejection by the Jewish leaders and most of the populace. In light of this growing polarization, Jesus began to instruct his followers on the nature of community life. For a community to live according to Jesus’ standards, it must live with humility (18:1-5), sensitivity (18:6-9), compassion (18:10-14), discipline (18:15-18), and forgiveness (18:21-35). As with the other discourses, a concluding formula (19:1-2) brid”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 19:23: 19:23 Jesus draws a lesson for discipleship from the rich man’s tragic denial. It is hard for the rich to humble themselves, admit their need, and trust in God (see 5:3; Luke 6:24; 1 Tim 6:9-10). • Kingdom of Heaven is equivalent here to eternal life (Matt 19:16-17, 29) or to salvation as the result of God’s regenerating work (19:25-26).”
- Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 13:49: So shall it be at the end of the world, &c.--(See on Mat 13:42). We have said that each of these two parables holds forth the same truth under a slight diversity of aspect. What is that diversity? First, the bad, in the former parable, are represented as vile seed sown among the wheat by the enemy of souls; in the latter, as foul fish drawn forth out of the great sea of human beings by the Gospel net itself. Both are important truths--that the Gospel draws within its pale, and into the communion of the visible Church, multitudes who are Christians on”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 18:5: 18:5 Jesus moved the discussion toward solidarity within the community; to welcome a humble follower of Jesus is to welcome Jesus himself (see 10:40-42).”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 13:22: 13:22 Jesus spoke of competing demands in life, (see also 8:18-22). The worries of this life can become so great that they divert one from the path of faithful obedience (see 6:19-34). The lure of wealth, particularly in its ability to deceive, appears often in Matthew (e.g., 4:8-10; 6:24; 13:44-45). God does not desire that his people have wealth as much as that they have faith, obey him, and willingly help those in need (e.g., 19:21; 25:31-46).”
- Luke (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Luke 6:22: separate you--whether from their Church, by excommunication, or from their society; both hard to flesh and blood. for the Son of man's sake--Compare Mat 5:11, "for MY SAKE"; and immediately before, "for righteousness' sake" (Luk 6:10). Christ thus binds up the cause of righteousness in the world with the reception of Himself.”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 16:23: Then said Jesus unto his disciples,.... Knowing that they had all imbibed the same notion of a temporal kingdom, and were in expectation of worldly riches, honour, and pleasure; he took this opportunity of preaching the doctrine of the cross to them, and of letting them know, that they must prepare for persecutions, sufferings, and death; which they must expect to endure, as well as he, if they would be his disciples: if any man will come after me: that is, be a disciple and follower of him, it being usual for the master to go before, and the disciple to follow af”