{"id":17447,"date":"2022-08-14T09:05:59","date_gmt":"2022-08-14T13:05:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.splendoroftruth.com\/curtjester\/?p=17447"},"modified":"2022-08-14T09:06:00","modified_gmt":"2022-08-14T13:06:00","slug":"my-reflection-on-sundays-gospel-luke-1249-53","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.splendoroftruth.com\/curtjester\/2022\/08\/my-reflection-on-sundays-gospel-luke-1249-53\/","title":{"rendered":"My Reflection on Sunday’s Gospel Luke 12:49-53"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Luke 12:49\u201353 ESV – Bible Gateway<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This Gospel passage is short and packed with meaning, alluding to the Old Testament and other Jewish writing. It can cause some cognitive dissonance with the culturally peaceful non-judgemental Jesus. Or that this is just a form of rabbinical hyperbole to make a point. There is undoubtedly an aspect of that when it seems Jesus is saying that his mission is to bring division.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first two lines involve casting fire and a baptism that Jesus is to receive. We have the imagery of fire and water. As Brant Pitre refers, this is \u201ca pretty standard Jewish theme in apocalyptic Jewish writings (prophetic writings)\u201d[1]<\/a> along with outside the Bible. That the earth was destroyed the first time through water and later destroyed through fire, this destruction by fire is also a New Testament theme such as in 2 Peter 3, saying \u201cthe heavens and the earth will be dissolved with fire\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Brant Pitre:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So this image of water and fire, of destruction by flood and then destruction by fire, is not just standard Jewish eschatology, it\u2019s also the teaching of the New Testament. It\u2019s standard Christian Eschatology that in the Second Coming the world will be cleansed by fire and not by flood.[1]<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Jesus uses baptism as referring to his crucifixion and death in other places, such as when James and John request that they will be placed on his left and right side when he comes into glory. Jesus replies, \u2018You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?\u2019 There is a connective thread between baptism and fire when John the Baptist predicts, “he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.\u201d Both are used for cleansing and purification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paragraph 696 of the Catechism says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While water signifies birth and the fruitfulness of life given in the Holy Spirit, fire symbolizes the transforming energy of the Holy Spirit\u2019s actions. The prayer of the prophet Elijah, who \u201carose like fire\u201d and whose \u201cword burned like a torch,\u201d brought down fire from heaven on the sacrifice on Mount Carmel. This event was a \u201cfigure\u201d of the fire of the Holy Spirit, who transforms what he touches. John the Baptist, who goes \u201cbefore [the Lord] in the spirit and power of Elijah,\u201d proclaims Christ as the one who \u201cwill baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.\u201d Jesus will say of the Spirit: \u201cI came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled!\u201d In the form of tongues \u201cas of fire,\u201d the Holy Spirit rests on the disciples on the morning of Pentecost and fills them with himself. The spiritual tradition has retained this symbolism of fire as one of the most expressive images of the Holy Spirit\u2019s actions. \u201cDo not quench the Spirit.\u201d[2]<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Chapter 12 of Luke goes into the details of what discipleship means. That there will be persecution, and you will be accountable and must remain vigilant. In this passage, Jesus warns that discipleship is not a cakewalk. That following him will mean that there will be division among family members. \u201cSalvation history is full of familial conflict that has its origins in differing relationships to God.\u201d[3]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As John Bergsma notes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus\u2019s primary mission was not to establish social peace in this world and in this life. If that had been his mission\u2014and many think it was!\u2014he obviously has failed. Instead, Jesus\u2019s mission was to reveal, to those who desire it, the \u201cnarrow gate\u201d that leads to salvation (Matt 7:13\u201314, RSV2CE), the Way that is himself (John 14:6). There is a price too high to pay for peace. And that price is infidelity to Christ. [3]<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What Jesus is saying can be seen as a reference to Micah 7:6\u20137:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man\u2019s enemies are the men of his own house. But as for me, I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Peter Kreeft describes this concretely:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus came to bring peace with God, not the devil; with ourselves, our true selves, not our foolish flesh; and with our neighbors, not with the world order that so often pits us against our neighbors. Jesus came to make war against the devil because the devil is at war with God. Jesus came to make war against the flesh because the flesh is at war with the Spirit, the Holy Spirit (not with the soul; the soul is part of the flesh). And Jesus came to make war against the world because the world is at war with the Church, which is the communion of saints. So much so that in every culture saints are martyred, whether in red or in black and white, whether in blood or in print.[4]<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Elsewhere Jesus tells us to pick up the cross daily. He never downplays the cost of discipleship. Following Christ can mean that our self-inflicted wounds can be healed, where we are suffering because of our sins. To love others is to enter into suffering. This suffering-love is why the Father sent Jesus and the Holy Spirit to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus is telling us that our problems will not go away and that there will be dissension even within our own families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In John 16:33 Jesus says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

I know I was somewhat naive on my journey and conversion to Christ. I believed a host of problems would disappear, but instead, some of the most challenging parts of my life immediately followed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Brant Pitre puts it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s not going to be any salvation without tribulation first. There\u2019s not going to be any kingdom of peace without a time of division first. I have to cast a fire of judgment upon the world and go through the waters of the cross before we can reach the resurrection.\u201d Does that make sense? There\u2019s no resurrection without a cross. There\u2019s no kingdom without tribulation. There\u2019s no restoration without division. He\u2019s correcting an overly optimistic eschatology, or expectation that his disciple might be thinking.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

References Used<\/h2>\n\n\n\n