Luca 12:51

51 Pensate voi ch’io sia venuto a metter pace in terra? No, vi dico; ma piuttosto divisione;

Luca 12:51 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 12:51

Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth?
&c.] 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.

Luca 12:51 In-Context

49 Io son venuto a gettare un fuoco sulla terra; e che mi resta a desiderare, se già è acceso?

50 Ma v’è un battesimo del quale ho da esser battezzato; e come sono angustiato finché non sia compiuto!

51 Pensate voi ch’io sia venuto a metter pace in terra? No, vi dico; ma piuttosto divisione;

52 perché, da ora innanzi, se vi sono cinque persone in una casa, saranno divise tre contro due, e due contro tre;

53 saranno divisi il padre contro il figliuolo, e il figliuolo contro li padre; la madre contro la figliuola, e la figliuola contro la madre; la suocera contro la nuora, e la nuora contro la suocera.