Our upbringing and culture influence all of us. These backgrounds determine how we understand certain words. This is true for Evangelical Christians. When we hear certain words, especially in the Bible, we have a strong tendency to understand them in a particular way.
When most Christians encounter the word fire in the Bible, they assume it means the lake of fire. When they hear the word peace, they often believe it refers to eternal salvation. Unbelievers are separated from God, but when they are saved, they have peace with Him. When we hear the word baptism, we automatically think of water baptism.
All three of these words occur in Luke 12:49-51. Looking at how they are used in these verses is a good reminder that we shouldn’t assume a word always means what we think it means.
The Lord, speaking to His disciples, says, “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division.”
If we tend to think that fire and peace in these verses mean hell and heaven respectively, even a casual reading will show that is not the case. The context shows that the Lord is talking about judgment (fire) and peace on this earth, not in eternity. He says “on earth” twice (49 and 50). In the following verses, He refers to the lack of peace as division, even within families (vv 52-53). Jesus’ earthly ministry brought chaos and division, not peace. People were divided regarding who He was and what His preaching meant.
Baptism in these verses obviously does not refer to water baptism. The Lord is talking about His own suffering, especially on the cross.
These three examples—fire, peace, and baptism—are reminders that we should consider the context of a word before assuming we know its meaning. We must not let our particular backgrounds determine what Bible verses and passages are saying.
No doubt many will say that the example I’ve given is simple. These three words obviously do not mean what Evangelicals usually think they mean. But I believe that in these verses there is a fourth word that may have a different meaning from what we initially think. It is a little harder to spot. It also reminds us of how tricky our traditions can be.
When we hear the word earth, we automatically think of the entire globe. Was Jesus saying that He brought division to the entire globe during His earthly ministry? Was His point that His teaching would divide families around the world? I don’t think so.
The Greek word translated “earth” can also be translated “land” or “nation.” The context strongly suggests that Jesus had the nation of Israel in mind. He came to offer Israel the kingdom. The people were called to believe in Him as the Christ and, as a nation, turn from their sin. If they did not, judgment would fall. The Romans would defeat them and remove them from the land.
In these three verses, four words challenge a traditional understanding of what they mean. If we allowed our backgrounds to determine our interpretation, we would certainly miss the point of what the Lord was saying. It is a reminder that we must allow the Scriptures to speak for themselves.
