Day 64

Luke 12:49–53 (NIV)

⁴⁹ “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! ⁵¹ Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. ⁵² From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. ⁵³ They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Pray for God to show you something to use from the passage

Read the Passage

Who is in the passage?

What action verbs do you see?

What other words stick out in your mind

Questions

What do these verses tell you about Jesus and how he looks at the cross?

How does Jesus bring division on earth?

Family is important. So what does it say to us if following Jesus causes your family to be divided?

Notes

vs 49- Jesus bringing fire- Fire can represent two things one could be the Holy Spirit, the other could be the idea of judgment. based on the rest of the passage I think he is talking about judgment. It also goes along with what he has just talked about with the servants and them being judged.

on earth- The judgment is for here, not heaven- everyone will have to make a decision.

wish already happening- Jesus does not look forward to His suffering- That doesn't mean He doesn't want to do it, it just He is saying it will be hard. But Jesus is the kindling of the fire of judgment. He is the basis of how people of earth will be judge

vs 50- what does baptism mean- many of the commentaries talk about it meaning being deluged or inundated. Baptism means to dunk. This idea fits with the previous verse. It will be a hard task that Jesus does. To become the sacrifice for sin. It is why Jesus came but it does not mean it is easy- it distresses him (see 22:41-44)

While it is distressing it is to be completed. And Jesus knows it is worth wide to go through because of what it will accomplished.

vs 51- Question Didn't Jesus come to bring peace? Think of the angels at His birth. Take a look at 2:14- He does come to bring peace but it is peace with God when you accept Him- That acceptance of Jesus does not necessarily bring peace with men. We already see with the anger that the Pharisees have for Jesus. That is why they kill Him.

Jesus being the kindling of judgment will cause division. Earthly families will be divided as the heavenly family is created. See 8:19-21

vs 52-53 Jesus then turns to a particular example of how that will play out, probably using the reference point of Micah 7:6.

As Jesus has to suffer so may his followers have to suffer, even family (strongest point of Jewish life) may be divided as each individual has to decide what they do about who Jesus is!