“Fire on the earth”

Read Luke 12:49-59

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John had said that Jesus would “baptise with fire” (Lk.3:16-18). Fire there refers to judgement and that’s the likely meaning here too (49), with the judgement of the cross in mind (Jn.12:31). Jesus knew that he could not avoid the agony of crucifixion, as that was the why he’d come (50; Jn.12:27; Mk.10:38). But the message of the cross is inevitably divisive as not everyone responds to it in the same way (51-53; Mt.10:34-36; 1 Cor.1:23-24).

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The saying about interpreting the times (54-56) is linked in Matthew with a request for Jesus to give “a sign from heaven” and followed by a further mention of “the sign of Jonah” – a reference to his death and resurrection (Mt.12:39; 16:1-4; Lk.11:29). It’s hypocritical to focus on superficialities of the weather whilst ignoring the storm-clouds hanging over the nation and not recognising how directly relevant Jesus is to that (Lk.13:34-35; 19:44; 21:20-24).

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So Jesus urges them to judge the situation aright (57). Just as people try hard to resolve human disputes prior to judicial involvement (58-59; Mt.5:25-26) so they (and we) should respond to the coming of Jesus by urgently making peace with God (2 Cor.5:20-6:2).