Families Divided - Luke 12:53

The beloved physician Luke wrote how Jesus said, “Suppose you that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, No; but rather division. For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three”, and in chapter twelve and verse fifty-three of his book Luke shared how Jesus said, “the father, son, mother, daughter, mother in law and daughter in law” would be divided where we read:

The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

The verse reads, “The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother;” Luke began with the words “the father” or “the immediate male progenitor and ancestor” “shall be divided” which means “will be cleaved asunder, at variance, in dissension and cloven” “against the son” or “in opposition to the male progeny and offspring”, “and the son” which means “and the male progeny and offspring” “against the father” or “in opposition to the immediate male progenitor and ancestor”; “the mother” which means “the immediate female progenitor and ancestor”“against the daughter” or “in opposition to the female progeny and ancestor”, “and the daughter” which means “and the female progeny and ancestor” “against the mother” or “in opposition to the immediate female progenitor and ancestor”. Luke shared how Jesus told the people belief in Him would cause parents to be in opposition to their children and children to be in opposition to their parents.

The verse goes on to say, “the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.” Luke began with the words, “the mother in law” or “the husband's mother” “against her daughter in law” which means “in opposition to her son's wife”, “and the daughter in law” or “and the son's wife” “against her mother in law” which means “in opposition to her husbands mother”. Luke shared how Jesus said belief and trust in Him would cause “in-laws” to be in opposition to one another.

When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the “gospel of the Kingdom” often does not bring “peace” into households, but rather, brings opposition. Believers and non-believers in Jesus may live in the same home, and this causes great divides. There is a cost for following Jesus, and sometimes that cost is personal relationships with family members. Those who are wise will understand there is no relationship greater than the one a person may have with Jesus, and though there may be a “division” because of it, all who consider these things should remember they would have no relationships at all if it were not for Almighty God.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus says, “When you see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway you say, There comes a shower; and so it is”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".