The messages the Nazarene brought—of the first being last, of loving enemies, of caring for the poor, of breaking down walls between insiders and outsiders—threatened the entire system. He’s warning of social upheaval that comes from embracing this narrow way of radical reform. It’s a message that’s true in any culture. Choosing to stand for the vulnerable and challenge injustice will sometimes mean being rejected by people close to us. Jesus is brutally honest that living by these principles will sometimes cost something.
