Divisions within Households, Interpreting the Times, Agreeing with One’s Accuser †

Matthew 10:34-36 *

Luke 12:49-53 *

34 "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

35 For I have come to set a man against his father,

and a daughter against her mother,

and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

36 and one's foes will be members of one's own household.

            49 "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! 51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 52 From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53 they will be divided:

father against son / and son against father,

mother against daughter /and daughter against mother,

mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law

and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world (kovsmoV [kosmos]), and behold, I guard it until it is ablaze” (GT 10 [i.e., Gospel of Thomas, transl. Bruce M. Metzger])

Jesus said: Men perhaps (tavca, [tacha]) think that I have come to cast peace (eijrhvnh [eirēnē]}upon the world (kovsmoV [kosmos]), and they do not know that I have come to cast divisions upon the earth, fire, sword, war (povlemoV [polemos]. For (gavr [gar]) there shall be five in a house; there will be three against two and two against three; the father against the son and the son against the father, and they will stand alone (or, as monks) (monacovV [monachos]). (GT 16)

Matthew 16:2-3 *

Luke 12:54-56 *

2 He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’

You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.”

            54 He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, 'It is going to rain'; and so it happens. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat'; and it happens. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

They said to him: Tell us who you are, so that we may believe (pisteuvein [pisteuein]) in you, He said to them: You test (peiravzein [peirazein]) the face of the heaven and the earth, and you have not known what is before you; and you do not know (how) to test (peiravzein [peirazein]) this time (kairovV [kairos]). (GT 91)

Matthew 5:25-26

Luke 12:57-59

25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

            “And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 Thus, when you go with your accuser before a magistrate, on the way make an effort to settle the case, or you may be dragged before the judge and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you in prison. I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.

† Cf. Kurt Aland, ed., Synopsis of the Four Gospels, rev. printing, 1985, secs. 204-206, pp. 186-187.

* NRSV