DR PAUL KARIAMADOM VC
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"I came to bring fire to the earth... Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!"
These words of Jesus in Luke 12:49-53 surprise and puzzle a good many people. There are chiefly three ideas contained in this passage.
1. Jesus came to bring fire to the earth. It is his wish that it were already kindled (cf 12:49)
2. He has a baptism with which to be baptised, and he is under great stress until it is accomplished. (cf 12:50)
3. The coming of Jesus causes causes division rather than peace. "From now on five in one household will be divided... father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law" (cf 12:53)
All these three ideas are inter-connected. The fire that Jesus came to cast on this earth (cf 12:49) is the fire of the Holy Spirit. The Pentecost and the descent of the Holy Spirit are the completion of the mistery of Christ, specially the paschal mystery. Jesus yearns ardently for the completion of the mistery.
St John's Gospel states that the advocate will come towards the close of Jesus' life (cf 16:7). When the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of God himself, came, the world was renewed and the Apostles, filled with the Spirit, kindled the world with their proclamation of the Gospel. Fire is a symbol of the Spirit of God both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. God appeared to Moses in fire (cf Ex 3:3). God's power is seen as a pillar of fire in Ex 13:21. The Prophets describe fire and wind as the symbols of God's power (cf Is 6:6; 66:15; Ez 37:9-10). The Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles on Pentecost day in the form of fire. The Baptist states that Jesus will baptize with the fire of the Holy Spirit. (cf Lk 3:16). It is, therefore, clear that the fire Jesus has cast on this earth, is the Holy Spirit. When the fire of the Holy Spirit falls on the earth, it gives man the grace of repentance and purifies and judges him. Fire has two effects. It purifies certain things (cf Lev 13:52; Num 31:23). Secondly, it destroys some other things (cf Gen 19:24; Ex 9:23).
On the other hand, the Holy Spirit judges and punishes those who rebel against the word of God. On the other, the Spirit purifies and sanctifies those who live according to the word of God. "Divisions" may occure when, inspired by the Spirit of Jesus, one stands for the crucified Lord. Those who are filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit, are full of joy with the fire of love, because the Spirit gives courage to the disciples in their suffering (cf Lk 12:12).
If there should be a fire on this earth that Jesus wished to kindle and fan into flame, it was necessary for him to receive a Baptism (cf Lk 12:50). This baptism was an entry into glory through suffering and death. The disciples of Jesus will receive this fire which is the Holy Spirit as the fulfilment and completion of the paschal mystery. There are references to the Baptism which Jesus was to receive and the cup he was to drink in the Gospel of Mark also (cf 10:38-39). What Jesus sees before him is a Baptism through suffering. He also see it as being in accordance with God's Holy will.
We read the verses about the "division" after the mention of the Baptism of suffering (cf Lk 12:51-53). We see the same ideas in the Gospel of St Mathew as well (cf 10:34-39). In this Gospel the word "sword" is used instead of "division". Both the words "division" and "sword" have the same meaning. The usage of the word "sword" is to be understood symbolically. It is used ofter in this symbolic manner in the Bible (for example cf Is 49:2; Ez 14:17; Lk 2:35; Heb 4:12; Eph 6:17; Rev 1:16; 2:12, 16; 19:15, 21). We cannot consider Jesus as a revolutionary basing our assumption on Mt 10:34, as some people do.
Jesus fulfilled his life-mission through suffering and the Cross (cf Lk 12:50). The verse Lk 12:51 about "divisions" has been written to show that the disciple of Jesus should also go through the path of suffering and self-denial. The peace that Jesus promises is not the peace of this world (cf 12:51). There is a parallel passage in John's Gospel (cf Jn 14:27). Jesus' kingdom is not of this world. Jesus gives total liberation to man through spiritual and inner peace. Luke presents Jesus in this manner as a king of peace at his birth (cf 2:14) and before his passion (cf 19:38). The Jews expected a wordly happiness and satisfaction with the coming of Jesus. But Jesus makes it clear that it is not so in Lk 12:51-53. He predicts that when we stand for the suffering Jesus, there will be natural divisions in the same family. It is disgraceful to follow someone ridiculed as a crucified man. Family members themselves object to this. There were several instances in St Luke's time when the family members of Jesus' disciples were against them. In Mt 10:34-39, it is clearly stated that we should not love our parents more than Jesus. This is said in the context of the "divisions" brought about by Jesus. St Luke also gives the same idea (9:59-62; 14:25-27). Even today there are cases where those who set out to follow Jesus closely, are at times hated by their own kinsfolk. Specially when non-Christians become Christians, such experiences are not rare. At his very birth, Jesus, the Prince of peace, is seen as a sign of contradiction. Simeon prophesied that Jesus was destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel. And a sword would pierce the soul of Mary, the supreme example of faith (cf Lk 2:34-35). This sword can be considered as the sum total of the afflictions Mary suffered (specially those she endured at the foot of the cross). The first prophecy about the passion of Jesus is embodied in this verse.
The very relatives of Jesus reject him (cf Mk 6:4; Jn 7:5). When we speak of division, we see the words of prophet Micah (cf 7:1-7) reflected in Lk 12:52-53. The prophet is speaking of the evils prevalent before the Messianic age and the divisions in families. The opposition of the parents against the prophet is also seen in Zechariah (cf 13:3). (Ideas similar to Lk 12:53-53 can be seen in the Apocryphal book, the Gospel of Thomas, verse 16). Until the time when a new heaven and a new earth become a reality, the conflict between good and evil will continue. We should not be surprised that the righteous man is often rejected. The world is not worthy to calim such a man as its own (cf Heb 11:38).
Luke 12:51 indicates that, when we accept Jesus as our Saviour, there will be revolutionary changes in our life. It is clear that even if we have to sever our human relationships with our dear ones, we should never give up our relationship with Jesus. Our love for Christ must rise above our love for individuals or material things. It is only in the furnace of suffering that the fidelity of a disciple of Christ is tested and proved.
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