I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. (Luke 12:49-51)

Jesus Came To Divide

The Prince of Peace came to bring war. As the Lamb of God, Jesus came to bring division. God sent His Son into the world to separate men from one another. The teachings of Jesus were radical. He taught with authority, and the people marveled. When the Jewish leaders challenged Jesus, they acknowledged He was honest and showed no partiality to any man. The character of Jesus was unlike what the people had seen of their leaders. His teaching was bold, accusatory, controversial, demanding, and firm. No one could doubt where Jesus stood on a matter.

An innumerable crowd assembled to hear the teachings of Jesus. He warned them of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the need to fear God above all. If any man would follow the Son of God, he must be willing to confess Him as Lord. Many would not confess Jesus for fear of being ostracized by their fellow countrymen and being cast out of the synagogue. Jesus warned the crowd of covetousness and the constant fear of how to provide things in life. Everything pointed toward the coming of the Lord when none of those things would matter. It takes a faithful heart to follow Jesus, and discipleship is not for the faint of heart.

One of the remarkable teachings of Jesus was to tell the multitudes His mission was to bring fire on the earth. He tells them He did not come to bring peace on earth but rather division. Jesus explains that His teaching is so radical that it will divide families. Father will be divided against son and son against father. A mother will be in conflict with her daughter, and the daughter will be against her mother. The teachings of Jesus would divide families against one another. How could the Prince of Peace suggest He was coming to bring division, causing families to be divided against one another?

The teachings of Jesus were not radical because they were against God’s will but against men’s wisdom. God’s word has always been at odds with the carnal mind. Noah was told to build an ark, and the world scoffed. The Hebrew writer says Noah condemned the world through his preaching. His telling the world of the impending flood was met with ridicule. Noah’s three sons were married. What became of their families? What became of Noah and his wife’s relatives? Only eight were saved, and the rest perished. The preaching of Noah brought division.

When a man follows Christ, he walks away from the world. Worldly gain is no longer important, the carnal flesh is unsatisfied with the pleasures of an evil world, and the spirit of a follower of Christ will not be conformed to the world. Sometimes, the impact of a Christian walk of life will spill over into relationships. Husbands and wives can be at odds because one walks with God and the other does not. Parents can argue about how best to teach their children. Friends that were once near and dear may change because of the influence of an ungodly world. Fathers and sons may no longer speak, and mothers and daughters may be estranged. The price that is paid for holiness is high.

Jesus warns those who choose to follow Him that to do so comes at a high price. The Son of God often told His followers that to follow Him was to take up a cross. There is nothing joyful about bearing a cross. Some bear a heavier cross than others, but all must bear one. There are times when a son must stand up against his father because of righteousness. A daughter may have to end a relationship with a mother who condemns her life in Christ. Families are torn apart. The word of God can divide families, which can be the cost of serving Christ.

God hates division and strife. He wants His people to be at peace with all men as much as possible. Sadly, there can come a time when that peace is broken because someone takes up a cross to follow Jesus at the ridicule of his family. Jesus reminds His disciples that if a man loves his father or mother more than Him, he will not be saved. If a man loves his family more than Jesus, he will not be saved. An old expression says, “Blood is thicker than water.” The inference is that family (blood) comes first before religion (water). Jesus says that is an eternal mistake. Obedience to God is above all things, including parents, siblings, grandparents, and friends.

Jesus came to divide so that He could join together the faithful in the body of Christ. Family relationships are important, but they can never be more important than the relationship shared in Christ. Tough choices may have to be made. Family cannot be first above Christ. Jesus came to divide the righteous from the unrighteous. There will come a day when God divides the saved from the lost. Who will be important then?