Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 12:51
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
51 . Suppose ye ] as they were far too much inclined to suppose, Luk 19:11
that I am come to give peace on earth ] It is only in His ultimate kingdom that Christ will be fully the Prince of Peace, as was understood even by Simeon, Luk 2:34-35; see too Joh 9:39.
Nay; but rather division ] “I came not to send peace but a sword,” Mat 10:34. “Near me, near the sword” (unwritten saying of Christ). “There was a division among the people because of him,” Joh 7:43.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
See the notes at Mat 10:34-36.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Luk 12:51-53
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth?
—
Strife engendered by the gospel
We try to soften this terrible prophecy by our comments. As if we could explain facts which are notorious to every reader of history, to every one who has had experience of what is passing in his own time I As if we could convince any reasonable persons that there have not been, that there are not, these strifes in families; that the gospel of Christ has not provoked them, and does not provoke them still t Or as if our Lord, supposing He is the Prince of Peace, as we say He is, wanted our help to vindicate Him from the charge of being the Author of war t Surely we may trust Him with His own character. All that is required of us is, that we should let His words come to us in the fulness of their power and their condemnation. Goodness and gentleness do stir up what is opposed to them in us; we know that they do. Our sectarian animosities are kindled by the message of Gods goodwill to men; we know that they are. Can we not understand then, how, coming among a set of hostile factions, which abhorred one another, but observed a conventional decency in their strife, Christ stirred up their rage to its very depths? Cannot we understand how the fury of both burned for awhile against Him–a hollow truce being established between them by the presence of a common enemy? Did it not revenge itself for that restraint afterwards? Did not every hearth and household become a battle-field in that war? This was the state of Jerusalem, as its own historian describes it in the latter days. He can give us the narrative calmly, Jew though He was. When Jesus looked forward to it, He was straitened with agony. He felt in every fibre of His own being what was coming upon His land. There may have been moments when the evil spirit thrust the thought full upon Him: Would it not be better to shrink from Thy task? If this is the effect of the peace which Thou proclaimest, why not let them welter on without any announcement of Gods kingdom? Such suggestions have been continually made to His followers, when they have spoken of peace, and when those to whom they have spoken have made them ready for the battle. If He was tempted in all points like them, He cannot have been free from this kind of anguish, Nor will He have overcome the tempter with any other weapons than those with which He has furnished them. He must have said, for Himself and for them, My work is with the Lord, and My judgment with My God. In His own time My Father will accomplish His purpose. The hollow alliances of sects will end in more fierce and frantic war. But through that war wilt come the discovery of the peace which passeth understanding, the peace which lasts in the midst of the worlds tribulations; that peace will be established through the whole creation. (F. D. Maurice, M. A.)
Religious divisions
I. Let us inquire, then, into THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE WITH REGARD TO THE EFFECTS OR CONSEQUENCES OF THE MISSION OF CHRIST, Christs mission into our world has two sets of effects. There are its effects upon the Christian believer, and its effects upon human society.
1. There are its effects upon the true believer of the gospel. These are manifold and great.
(1) Let us take, in the first place, the effect upon the believer in respect of his relation to God. That effect is peace. Our text was never meant to deny it. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. But such as are in Him have peace from God the Father. He gives them that peace.
Peace, He has said, I leave with you; My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
(2) Consider, in the second place, the effect upon the believer as regards his own dispositions and feelings. Here also it is peace. The fruit of the Spirit is peace. The kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Christ came to take the bitterness and enmity out of our hearts, and to reconcile us to God.
(3) In the third place, attend to the effect upon the believer with reference to his fellow-believers. Again the effect is peace. He is united to them in love.
(4) Notice, lastly, the effect upon the believer with reference to them that are without. True it is that Christ came to draw a people for Himself out of the world. Come out from among them, and be ye separate, is indeed His call to every sinner to whom the gospel is preached. Let us go on to consider its effects upon human society.
2. The effects, or consequences upon human society may be divided into ultimate and immediate.
(1) Those that are ultimate. They are of the happiest kind. The description in the passage from which our text is taken does not suit them at all. Scripture pourtrays them in most attractive terms. The mountains, we are told, shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass; as showers that water the earth. In His days shall the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace, so long as the moon endureth (Psa_72:3; Psa_72:6-7; Psa_72:10-11; Psa_72:17; Isa_2:4; Isa_11:6-10). The prediction of the angels shall be verified, and on earth there shall be peace.
(2) The immediate consequences. When we look into these, far different scenes present themselves. But we must distinguish.
(a) An immediate consequence of the mission of Jesus is the very opposite of division. Wicked confederacies are occasioned by it. The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His Anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. Pharisees and Sadducees cry together, Away with Him; crucify Him. Herod and Pontius Pilate join hands over His grave.
(b) But, secondly, and to come at last to the doctrine of the text, division and strife among men are also immediate results of the mission of our Lord.
II. Having thus arrived at the subject which the text brings before us, and having ascertained what place, among the effects of Christs mission, belongs to that particular effect of it which we have now to consider, we go on to advert to SOME SCRIPTURE EXAMPLES OF THE FEUDS AND BROILS WHICH JESUS FORETOLD, The schisms and dissentions which our Lord sends on the earth may be classified.
1. In families. An example is furnished in the family circle of Jesus Himself. His brethren, we are told, did not believe in Him (Joh 7:1-10). His own kinsmen took umbrage at His doctrine and claims. An instance of alienation in its earliest stage occurs in the case of the man who was born blind (Joh 9:1-41.).
2. Christ makes strife among friends and companions. An instance occurred in the case of Himself and His disciples (Joh 6:60-66). Then, again, what a breach did Christ make between Saul of Tarsus and the allies at Damascus, to whom the former had letters from the authorities in Jerusalem. We are told that they took counsel to kill Him, watching the gates day and night (Act 9:19-24).
3. Christ makes strife in the general community. There are many examples of this. Pauls preaching at Antioch in Pisidia (Act 13:42-50; Act 18:12-17; Act 19:23-34).
4. Christ sends division into the visible Church. Take the following practical illustrations of the fact.
(1) There is the controversy which arose at the time of the feast of tabernacles, as recorded (Joh 7:40-53).
(2) We have the history of the labours of Paul and Barnabas at Iconium Act 14:1-7).
(3) Next, let us attend the great apostle to Corinth, and consider his eventful sojourn there. The record is in Act 18:1; Act 18:4-8, After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. And he departed thence, and entered into a certain mans house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. What was it that fell out at Corinth on this occasion? There was a disruption of the Church. Paul, as his manner ever was, began by addressing himself to those to whom belonged ,, the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises. A disruption ensued, as we have said.
(4) Let us attend the Apostle of the Gentiles once more, and consider what befel during his ministry at Ephesus:–And it came to pass, that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts, came to Ephesus. And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing dally in the school of one Tyrannus. And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks (Act 19:1; Act 19:8-12; Act 19:18-20).
III. Thus have we examined the successive schisms and feuds that sacred history shows to have arisen from the mission of our Lord. It is now time that we shortly advert to THE PROPER CAUSES TO WHICH THESE ARE TO BE TRACED. We have just said that Paul was not blameworthy in regard to the divisions with which he had to do. Although, however, Paul did not do wrong, it by no means follows that wrong was not done. Strife and separation, especially in the worship and service of God, are not good, and blame must lie somewhere on account of them. Where, then, ought the blame to be laid? We shall specify some causes which reason and Scripture point to, as lying at the foundation of all religious strife, and you will then be better able to judge in the distribution of the blame.
1. There is the existence of sin. From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? The first, the greatest, and the worst division of all, was produced by sin. It was sin that set God and man at variance. Next came division between man and his fellow, and this was the native effect of sin. The fatal schism between Cain and his brother, had sin at the root of it. Sin must create discord. There never will be peace in the world or in the Church, until it is cast out.
2. There is Satans rule in the world. Satan, my brethren, has his dark kingdom amongst us. And is he the friend of peace? Delighting in strife tot its own sake, he delights in it also as an instrument of gratifying his malice against Christ, and of injuring the kingdom of Christ. We say, then, that the rule of the crafty god of this world is a cause, and a prime one, of the divisions that take place.
3. There is the enmity of the wicked. Is it not true that the Church of God everywhere is hated by the world? This hatred is not unfruitful. It has raised persecutions of every form; and its emissaries have gone forth, alas! too seldom in vain, to create envyings, strifes, heresies, schisms in the Church 1
IV. It remains to say somewhat on THE RELATION BETWEEN THE DIVISIONS WHICH ARE FOUND TO BE IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCES OF CHRISTS MISSION ON EARTH, AND THOSE ULTIMATE RESULTS WHICH HAVE BEEN PROMISED. We have already adverted to the nature of the latter, and given specimens of the glowing language of Scripture concerning them. To the former they bear no resemblance–they are not only different–they are contrary. But God, who makes all things helpful to His designs, and the very mischiefs that flow from sin, the world, and the devil, and are meant to thwart Him, conducive to the execution of His plans, has established an important relation between the two.
1. Present divisions will enhance the enjoyment of the final unity and peace. The sweetness of pleasure is increased by the recollection of pain that preceded it. The memory of disease heightens the relish of health.
2. Divisions now prepare the way for the peace and unity that are to come. Divisions testify of the existence of evils of which they are the natural fruits. By their means the attention of the Church is turned to these evils and fixed down upon them. And believers will err much if they seek to heal divisions in any other way. Let them beware of patching up a premature peace. The outward form of unity is a mockery, and the maintenance of it a hypocrisy and a sin, when unity of heart and principle does not exist. It is only a pernicious semblance of peace that can be reached, so long as the roots of discord and schism are not pulled up. (A. Gray.)
Variance caused by the gospel
Among a low caste people at Ellenpur near Gondah in Northern India, there has been a great struggle to draw the converts back into heathenism. The following case, as described by Mr. B.
H. Badeley, an American missionary, we give as an illustration. In the jungle lived a man and his wife who had several children, and a young girl eighteen years of age. This uneducated village girl was very brave in her endurance of persecution for Christs sake. She had learned to love the Saviour by attending the services at the house of the native preacher and noticing the conduct of his wife. Several months before her baptism she told her relatives that it was her purpose to become a Christian; but they would not hear of it, and threatened to kill her if she dared to take such a step. She continued, however, to attend the preaching, and the Lord Jesus drew her towards Himself. One Sunday after the service, her relatives came in a body to take her away. Her infuriated mother fell upon her, and made several attempts to harm her, but was prevented. The native teacher told the people that if the girl wished to go with them they could take her, but if she chose to stay among the Christian families she was at liberty to do so. They then used every effort to make her willing to go, promising her fine clothes, jewels, presents, and rich food, but in vain. They besought her not to disgrace them by becoming a Christian, but she only answered that she had become a Christian in heart and could not change. At last, on their promising not to do her any harm, the native preacher, fearing a disturbance, let her go. Then they carried her to another village some miles away, shut her up, threatened to kill her, endeavoured to change her purpose by incantations; but all in vain: she remained firm. At last they decided to give her up, and brought her to the native preacher, saying: Here, take her; we can do nothing with her. Shortly after this we had the pleasure of baptizing her.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 51. To give peace] See Mt 10:34.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
See Poole on “Mat 10:34-35“. Our Saviour in these words doth but pursue the same argument which began Luk 12:49, to show what would be the consequences of the doctrine of the gospel. And hereby they might have understood a design in our Saviour to convince them, that the business of the Messiah whom they expect was not to exercise a temporal but a spiritual kingdom and power, not to restore to their nation a civil peace, but to purchase their peace with God, and to bring them to that joy and peace which is consequent to believing. For as to the external state of things, it would be much more troubled than it was before; our Lord foresaw how tenacious both the Jews and pagans, and in succeeding ages Christians also, would be of their idolatries and superstitious rites and usages, with whom their believing relations not complying, there would be greater feuds and animosities arise than ever were before; the father would hate the son, the son the father, &c. Before the gospel came amongst the heathens, they were entirely the devils kingdom, which is not divided against itself. But when by Christ those who belonged to the election of grace should be separated, through the devils rage and mens lusts, there would be continual feuds and divisions.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
51. peace . . . ? Nay, c.thereverse of peace, in the first instance. (See on Mt10:34-36.) The connection of all this with the foregoing warningsabout hypocrisy, covetousness, and watchfulness, is deeply solemn:”My conflict hasten apace Mine over, yours begins; and then, letthe servants tread in their Master’s steps, uttering their testimonyentire and fearless, neither loving nor dreading the world,anticipating awful wrenches of the dearest ties in life, but lookingforward, as I do, to the completion of their testimony, when,reaching the haven after the tempest, they shall enter into the joyof their Lord.”
Lu12:54-59. NOTDISCERNING THE SIGNSOF THE TIME.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth?…. To set up a temporal kingdom, in great pomp, and outward peace and tranquility? Christ came to make peace with God for men, and to give the Gospel of peace, and spiritual and eternal peace to men; but not external peace, especially that, which is not consistent with the preservation of truth:
I tell you, nay; whatever suppositions you have made, or whatever notions you have entertained, I solemnly affirm, and you may depend upon it, I am not come into the world on any such account, as to establish outward peace among men;
but rather division; so he calls the Gospel, which in Matthew is styled a “sword”; and the Ethiopic version seems to have read both here, since it renders it, “but a sword that I may divide”: the Gospel is the sword of the Spirit, which divides asunder soul and Spirit, and separates a man from his former principles and practices; and sets men apart from one another, even the nearest relations, at the greatest distance; and is, through the sin of man, the occasion of great contention, discord, and division.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But rather division (‘ ). Peace at any price is not the purpose of Christ. It is a pity for family jars to come, but loyalty to Christ counts more than all else. These ringing words (Lu 12:51-53) occur in Mt 10:34-36 in the address to the Twelve for the Galilean tour. See discussion of details there. These family feuds are inevitable where only part cleave to Christ. In Matthew we have with the genitive whereas in Luke it is with the dative (and accusative once).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Suppose ye that I came,” (dokeite hot! paregenomen) “Do you all think (or suppose) that I came,” to the earth at this time.
2) “To give peace on earth?” (eiremen dounai en te ge) “To give or dole out peace in the earth?” in a worldly sense of peace? It is apparent that this was uppermost in their minds, even after His death and resurrection, Act 1:6; Act 1:8.
3) I tell you, Nay; but rather division” (ouchi lego humin air e diamerismon) “I tell you, no, but rather and instead division,” or an occasion for division; Mat 10:34 uses the term “a sword,” Mic 7:6; Joh 7:43; Joh 9:16.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Luk 12:51
. Do you suppose that I came to send peace on the earth? What Christ has now demanded from his disciples any one of them would reckon it an easy matter to give, if the whole world, with one consent, embraced the doctrine of the Gospel. But as a considerable part of the world not only opposes but fights keenly against it, we cannot confess Christ without encountering the resistance and hatred of many. Christ therefore warns his followers to prepare for battle, for they must necessarily fight for the testimony of truth. And here he meets two stumbling-blocks, which otherwise would greatly have distressed weak minds. The prophets everywhere promise that there will be peace and tranquillity under the reign of Christ. What then were his disciples entitled to expect but that, wherever they went, all would instantly be at peace? Now as Christ is called our peace, (Eph 2:14,) and as the Gospel reconciles us to God, it follows, that he also establishes a brotherly harmony amongst us. The kindling of wars and contentions in the world where the Gospel is preached, does not seem to agree with the predictions of the prophets, and still less with the office of Christ, and with the nature of the Gospel.
But that peace which the prophets describe in lofty terms, is associated with faith, and has no existence but among the sincere worshippers of God, and in the consciences of the godly. To unbelievers it does not come, though it is offered to them; nay, they cannot endure to be reconciled to God: and the consequence is, that the message of peace excites in them a greater tumult than before. As Satan, who holds a kingly power over the reprobate, is furious against the name of Christ, as soon as the doctrine of the Gospel is proclaimed to them, their impiety, which formerly lay asleep, acquires fresh vigor. Thus Christ, who properly speaking, is the author of peace, becomes the occasion of disturbances in consequence of the wickedness of men.
Let us hence learn how great is the depravity of corrupt nature, which not only soils a gift so inestimable, but changes it into a most destructive evil. Meanwhile, if tumults arise at the commencement of the reign of Christ, let us not be alarmed at it, as if it were strange or unusual: for he compares his Gospel to a sword, and says that it is διαμερισμὸς, separation Some think that this is intended to describe the punishment which was inflicted on the despisers of the Gospel, by their rising in hostility against each other. But the context shows, that Christ is here exhorting his disciples to perseverance, though a good part of the world should be at variance with them, and though their voice should be like a war-trumpet to call innumerable enemies to arms.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(51-53) Suppose ye that I am come to give peace?See Notes on Mat. 10:34-35. The chief variations are division for sword, and, in Luk. 12:53, the doubled statement of reciprocated enmity in each relationship.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
“Do you think that I am come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, No, but rather division.”
Having spoken of the fire that He is casting on the earth He now stresses what its result will be, that rather than His coming and His suffering as the Messiah uniting the people of Israel and leading them into a period of peace and plenty, (while they simply stood by and waited, which is what they were expecting), it will rather disturb and divide them, causing harsh divisions between them, a situation brought out quite clearly in the Book of Acts where there is continual division caused by the preaching of the word. His truth is open to all, but because it will only be received by the few (although often called ‘many’ e.g. Mar 10:45) and will be rejected by the majority it will cause dissension and disagreement.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 12:51. Suppose ye, &c. By subduing all the nations of the world into one great monarchy, under the Jews? I tell you nay. There are so many prophesies of the peaceful state of the Messiah’s kingdom, that it is hard to say how Christ could completely answer the character of the Messiah, if he should never give peace on earth. But the error of the Jews lay in supposing that he was immediately to accomplish it; whereas the prophesies of the New Testament, especially in the book of the Revelation, shew, and those of the Old Testament most plainly intimate, that this prosperous state of his kingdom was not only to be preceded by his own sufferings, but by a variety of persecutions, trials, and sufferings, which should in different degrees attend his followers, before the kingdoms of the earth became, by a general conversion, the kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Christ. See Rev 11:15.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Luk 12:51-53 . See on Mat 10:34 f., where the representation is partly simplified , partly, on the model of Mic 7:6 , enriched .
] but only , originated from and , without, however, its being required to write . See on this expression in general, Krger, de formula et affinium particul. etc. natura et usu , Brunsvig. 1834; Klotz, ad Devar . p. 31 ff. Comp. on 2Co 1:13 . Otherwise Stallbaum, ad Plat. Phaedr . p. 81 B.
] Jesus already realizes His approaching death . Comp. Luk 22:69 .
In Luk 12:53 are three hostile couples ; the description therefore is different from that at Luk 12:52 , not a more detailed statement of the circumstances mentioned in Luk 12:52 (Bleek).
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
Ver. 51. See Mat 10:34 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
51 53. ] The work of this fire , as it burns onward in the world, will not be peace, but division: see Mal 3:2-3 ; Mal 3:18 ; Mal 4:1 , where we have the separating effect of this fire in its completion at the great day: see also Mat 3:12 .
On the passage itself, see notes on Mat 10:35-36 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 12:51 . : instead of Mt.’s , an abstract prosaic term for a concrete pictorial one; exactly descriptive of the fact, however, and avoiding possible misapprehension as to Christ’s aim = Jesus not a patron of war .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
I am come = I became present, as in Act 21:18.
to give peace. This was the object of His coming (Isa 9:6, Isa 9:7): but the e f fect of His presence would bring war. He came not to judge (Joh 12:47) as to this object, but the effect of His coming was judgment (Joh 9:39).
on = in. Greek. en. App-104.
earth = the earth. App-129.
Nay. Greek. ouchi. See App-105.
division = disunion. Occurs only here.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
51-53.] The work of this fire, as it burns onward in the world, will not be peace, but division: see Mal 3:2-3; Mal 3:18; Mal 4:1, where we have the separating effect of this fire in its completion at the great day: see also Mat 3:12.
On the passage itself, see notes on Mat 10:35-36.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 12:51. ) Nay; not peace of such a kind as that which congregates together heterogeneous elements, the good and bad alike.-, division) The sword has the power of dividing, Heb 4:12. And the fire, of which Luk 12:49 treats, separates heterogeneous elements, and congregates together homogeneous ones.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Luk 12:49, Zec 11:7, Zec 11:8, Zec 11:10, Zec 11:11, Zec 11:14, Mat 10:34-36, Mat 24:7-10
Reciprocal: Son 1:6 – my mother’s Mat 10:21 – the brother shall Luk 21:31 – when Joh 7:43 – General Joh 10:19 – General Act 14:4 – the multitude Act 17:13 – stirred Act 19:9 – he departed Act 28:29 – great reasoning
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1
Jesus continues the same line of thought but is more literal or direct in his language. Not that his motive was to cause division just for the sake of division, but he did mean to put his teaching out among people although it was bound to bring division.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Luk 12:51-53. See on Mat 10:34-36, which however was probably spoken later than this.
Division is equivalent to a sword (Matthew). This would be the effect of the fire He would send. His own coming indeed resulted in antagonism, but the gift of the Holy Ghost increased it, and the measure of that antagonism has been the measure of the Spirits influence. In one sense the greatness of the strife is a proof of the greatness of the Lord whose coming caused it, as His prediction of it is a proof of His Divine knowledge.
Henceforth (Luk 12:52). Our Lord speaks of the state of things after His death as already present. But there is a hint that it has already begun.
Three against two, etc. A picture of varying conflict as well as of discord. Peculiar to Luke.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 51
The meaning is, that the kingdom of Christ was not to be at once and peacefully established. Its coming was to give rise to a long and obstinate struggle.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Evidently Jesus meant that He did not just come to bring peace on earth but also division. Jesus’ earthly ministry began this division. From the time Jesus appeared preaching publicly, even households, the tightest social units, began to experience division. The difference of opinion that divided people was their beliefs about Jesus’ person and work. This situation would continue. No physical relationship would escape the possibility of this division (cf. Mic 7:6). This situation posed a crisis for the future. Historically division in the Tribulation will precede peace in the Millennium.
"Since detachment from family is another repeated theme in Jesus’ teaching about discipleship (see Luk 9:57-62; Luk 11:27-28; Luk 14:26; Luk 18:28-30), the inclusion of Luk 12:51-53 helps to make Luke 12 a comprehensive discourse on central themes of Jesus’ teaching to his disciples." [Note: Tannehill, 1:252.]