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Luke 12 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
“I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!
Luke 12:49 NASB
Jesus would send fire upon in the Earth in a few ways. First, He is the judge of all humanity. He will be there to cast final judgment upon the Earth and those who oppose him. A supporting indication that Jesus could be speaking of judgment here is because there are many examples in Scripture where fire is associated with judgment. Jesus also cast fire upon the Earth when He sent the Holy Spirit. Both of those are only small sparks at the time He speaks of them but they would soon be kindled into devouring flames. A third interpretation of kindling the fire is the backlash that would come from the Roman government even after Christ’s death.
“But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!
Luke 12:50 NASB
The baptism Jesus spoke of was His death on the cross. It’s a reminder that His death and suffering were not small doses of agony, but the complete immersion of baptism. Jesus knew that his baptism had to come before the fire would be cast upon the Earth.
“Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division;
Luke 12:51 NASB
To understand the division Jesus is speaking of, we need to consider His audience. The Jews were under the impression that Jesus was coming to make all things right from a secular and spiritual perspective. Of course, we know that Jesus was coming to defeat sin, so spiritually speaking, this was true. However, it was not going to happen how they expected. From a temporal standpoint, the whirlwind was just beginning. As Jesus himself said, the fire was kindling. All we need to do to understand this verse is look at the turmoil that surrounded first century Christians as they followed after Christ.
for from now on five members in one household will be divided, 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.”
Luke 12:52-53 NASB
This phrase is meant in its truest form. It wasn’t that His intention was to pit family members against each other, but rather, their spirits would naturally mix together like oil and water if they were differing. A child filled with the Holy Spirit and a mother who was not would be at odds with each other in the most absolute way.
When you put all these phrases together – the kindling of fire, the baptism, the division, and the spirits at odds with one another – you see an amazing foreshadowing that Jesus gave to these people. Although they may not have understood completely then, all of these things have come true. Division will continue just like the wheat and the tares growing together until the final harvest is brought in.