Logion 16

16. Jesus said, “Men think, perhaps, that I am come to cast peace upon the world. They know not that I am come to bring division upon the earth: fire, sword, and war. For there be five in a house: three will be against two, and two against three, the father against the son, the son against the father. And they will be alone (each for himself).”
Lk 12:51-53:
“Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on the earth? I tell you, ‘Nay;’ but rather division: for from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. 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.”
Mt 10:34, 35:
“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.”
Micah 7:6
…For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.

This is a particularly hard doctrine, especially in light of the message of the herald angels in Luke 2:14. Against that, one might cite the story of Harod’s infanticide in Matthew’s version (Mt 2:16). Yet here we have family members divided against one another! Is this to be the result of Jesus’ message to the world?

Nor can He be speaking here of the results of natural disasters. These have always been with us. For that matter, so have fire, sword, and war. Matthew has given us the clue. Jesus has come to uproot the human social order as the means of salvation. Salvation comes not to a nation, nor to a family, but to each person as an individual. In the end each person must stand alone on his own merits.

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