Scripture Daily

Context No. 1572 of 4322 · Luke

Context · Reflection

Luke 12:49-53: in context

49“I came to throw fire on the earth. I wish it were already kindled. 50But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! 51Do you think that I have come to give peace on the earth? I tell you, no, but rather division. 52For from now on, there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. 53They will be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

Jesus speaks words that unsettle any comfortable picture of him. I came to cast fire on the earth, he says, and how I wish it were already kindled. He speaks of a baptism of suffering he must undergo, and his distress until it is accomplished. And then a hard saying: do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on households will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter, in-law against in-law, over him.

This is a hard saying, and it corrects a sentimental picture of Jesus as one who brings only comfort and harmony. He says plainly that he came to bring not peace but division, and that the division would run through the closest of relationships, even families set against one another over him. This does not contradict his being the Prince of Peace, but it names a costly truth: allegiance to Christ can divide, because not everyone will follow him, and following him can set us at odds with those closest to us who do not. The peace Christ gives is real, but it is not the false peace of everyone agreeing, of never taking a stand that others reject, of keeping harmony by compromising our allegiance to him. When following Christ means going a way that those we love will not go, division results, and Jesus does not pretend otherwise. There is an honesty in this that we need. We are sometimes tempted to soften the gospel into something that will keep everyone comfortable and agreed, to avoid the division that genuine allegiance to Christ can bring, choosing the false peace of not standing out over the costly loyalty that may set us at odds even with family. Jesus warns that his coming brings division, and that following him faithfully may cost us the easy peace of going along. It is a sober word, but a clarifying one: to follow Christ is to choose him even when it divides, even from those we love, rather than to keep a false peace by compromising our allegiance to him.

Am I tempted to soften my allegiance to Christ to keep a false peace with those who do not follow him, avoiding the division his coming can bring, or am I willing to choose him even when it sets me at odds, even with those closest to me, rather than compromise my loyalty for the sake of easy harmony?

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