The Church Fathers on this verse
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Luke 12:53Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The father shall be divided against the son and the son against his father: the mother against the daughter and the daughter against her mother: the mother-in-law against the daughter-in-law and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

Douay-Rheims

διαμερισθησεται πατηρ επι υιω και υιος επι πατρι μητηρ επι θυγατρι και θυγατηρ επι μητρι πενθερα επι την νυμφην αυτης και νυμφη επι την πενθεραν αυτης

Greek (Byzantine text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

13 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 22 commentaries

John Chrysostom

4th centuryChurch Father

For by the earth He now means not that which we tread under our feet, but that which was fashioned by His hands, namely, man, upon whom the Lord pours out fire for the consuming of sins, and the renewing of souls.

Now hereby He declared a future event, for it so happened in the same house that there have been believers whose fathers wished to bring them to unbelief; but the power of Christ’s doctrines has so prevailed, that fathers were left by sons, mothers by daughters, and children by parents. For the faithful in Christ were content not only to despise their own, but at the same time also to suffer all things as long as they were not without the worship of their faith. But if He were mere man, how would it have occurred to Him to conceive it possible that He should be more loved by fathers than their children were, by children than their fathers, by husbands than their wives, and they too not in one house or a hundred, but throughout the world? And not only did he predict this, but accomplish it in deed.

Theophylact of Bulgaria

11th centuryChurch Father

How did He state that five in a household would be divided, yet mentioned ‘six’ individuals in His account? We clarify: one individual is counted twice; the daughter and the daughter-in-law refer to the same person. In relation to her mother, she is identified as the daughter, while in relation to her mother-in-law, she is referred to as the daughter-in-law. Consequently, the three—the father, the mother, and the mother-in-law—will oppose the two, the son and the daughter. The daughter, as previously stated, represents one person but occupies two distinct relations, thus appearing as two individuals. The father, mother, and mother-in-law can symbolize the old, while the son and daughter represent the new.

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The Lord aims for His new divine commandments and teachings to triumph over our old sinful behaviors and beliefs.

Consider this: the father symbolizes the mind, while the son symbolizes intellect. A division exists within the dwelling, representing the inner man. To clarify, the mind of Dionysius the Areopagite was enlightened and embraced the message. His mind, which accepted faith without evidence, was challenged by the pagan intellect that sought to validate through reason and adhered to dialectical reasoning. This illustrates the conflict between the father and son, opposed to one another for Christ and His message.

The mother and mother-in-law may be likened to thought, while the daughter and daughter-in-law can be equated to feeling. A struggle arises between these two for the sake of Christ. There exists a rivalry between thought and feeling when thought urges us to regard the eternal over the temporal, the unseen over the seen, supported by substantial evidence. Simultaneously, feeling often contests thought. Sensation, buoyed by faith in miracles and tangible signs, resists the rational arguments of thought, rejecting pagan reasoning that seeks to disprove the divine nature of Christ or the virgin birth. Such arguments from pagans who worship nature are quite misguided. Nevertheless, feeling, through visible miracles, can lead one to a deeper understanding of God than any rational proof.

Thus, not all peace and harmony are beneficial; sometimes, division and conflict may serve a divine purpose. Therefore, one should not ally with the wicked. If father and mother challenge the Law of Christ, opposition to them, as adversaries of the truth, is warranted.

Cyrill of Alexandria

5th centuryChurch Father

Now it is the way of holy Scripture to use sometimes the term fire, of holy and divine words. For as they who know how to purify gold and silver, destroy the dross by fire, so the Saviour by the teaching of the Gospel in the power of the Spirit cleanses the minds of those who believe in Him. This then is that wholesome and useful fire by which the inhabitants of earth, in a manner cold and dead through sin, revive to a life of piety.

But our Lord was hastening the kindling of the fire, and hence it follows, And what will I, save that it be kindleda? (nisi ut accendatur) For already some of the Jews believed, of whom the first were the holy Apostles, but the fire once lighted in Judæa was about to take possession of the whole world, yet not till after the dispensation of His Passion had been accomplished. Hence it follows, But I have a baptism to be baptized with. For before the holy cross and His resurrection from the dead, in Judæa only was the news told of His preaching and miracles; but after that the Jews in their rage had slain the Prince of life, then commanded He His Apostles, saying, Go and teach all nations. (Matt. 28:19.)

What sayest thou, O Lord? Didst thou not come to give peace, Who art made peace for us? (Eph. 2:14.) making peace by Thy cross with things in earth and things in heaven; (Col. 1:20.) Who saidst, My peace I give unto you. (John 14:27.) But it is plain that peace is indeed a good, but sometimes hurtful, and separating us from the love of God, that is, when by it we unite with those who keep away from God. And for this reason we teach the faithful to avoid earthly bonds. Hence it follows, For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, &c.

Ambrose of Milan

4th centuryChurch Father

To stewards, that is, to Priests, the preceding words seem to have been addressed, that they may thereby know that hereafter a heavier punishment awaits them, if, intent upon the world’s pleasures, they have neglected the charge of their Lord’s household, and the people entrusted to their care. But as it profiteth little to be recalled from error by the fear of punishment, and far greater is the privilege of charity and love, our Lord therefore kindles in men the desire of acquiring the divine nature, saying, I came to send fire on earth, not indeed that He is the Consumer of good men, but the Author of good will, who purifies the golden vessels of the Lord’s house, but burns up the straw and stubble.

But so great was our Lord’s condescension, that He tells us He has a desire of inspiring us with devotion, of accomplishing perfection in us, and of hastening His passion for us; as it follows, And how am I straitened till it be accomplished?

Though the connexion would seem to be of six persons, father and son, mother and daughter, mother in law and daughter in law, yet are they five, for the mother and the mother in law may be taken as the same, since she who is the mother of the son, is the mother in law of his wife.

Now in a mystical sense the one house is one man, but by two we often mean the soul and the body. But if two things meet together, each one has its part; there is one which obeys, another which rules. But there are three conditions of the soul, one concerned with reason, another with desire, the third with anger. Two then are divided against three, and three against two. For by the coming of Christ, man who was material became rational. We were carnal and earthly, God sent His Spirit into our hearts, and we became spiritual children. (Gal. 4:6.) We may also say, that in the house there are five others, that is, smell, touch, taste, sight, and hearing.

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If then with respect to those things which we hear or see, separating the sense of sight and hearing, we shut out the worthless pleasures of the body which we take in by our taste, touch, and smell, we divide two against three, because the mind is not carried away by the allurements of vice. Or if we understand the five bodily senses, already are the vices and sins of the body divided among themselves. The flesh and the soul may also seem separated from the smell, touch, and taste of pleasure, for while the stronger sex of reason is impelled, as it were, to manly affections, the flesh strives to keep the reason more effeminate. Out of these then there spring up the motions of different desires, but when the soul returns to itself it renounces the degenerate offspring. The flesh also bewails that it is fastened down by its desires (which it has borne to itself,) as by the thorns of the world. But pleasure is a kind of daughter in law of the body and soul, and is wedded to the motions of foul desire. As long then as there remained in one house the vices conspiring together with one consent, there seemed to be no division; but when Christ sent fire upon the earth which should burn out the offences of the heart, or the sword which should pierce the very secrets of the heart, then the flesh and the soul renewed by the mysteries of regeneration cast off the bond of connection with their offspring. So that parents are divided against their children, while the intemperate man gets rid of his intemperate desires, and the soul has no more fellowship with crime. Children also are divided against parents when men having become regenerate renounce their old vices, and younger pleasure flies from the rule of piety, as from the discipline of a strict house.

Titus of Bostra

4th centuryChurch Father

And we must here believe that Christ came down from heaven. For if He had come from earth to earth, He would not say, I came to send fire upon the earth.

Gregory the Great

6th centuryChurch Father

Or else, fire is sent upon the earth, when by the fiery breath of the Holy Spirit, the earthly mind has all its carnal desires burnt up, but inflamed with spiritual love, bewails the evil it has done; and so the earth is burnt, when the conscience accusing itself, the heart of the sinner is consumed in the sorrow of repentance.

Beda Venerabilis

8th centuryChurch Father

But He adds, I have a baptism to be baptized with, that is, I have first to be sprinkled with the drops of My own Blood, and then to inflame the hearts of believers by the fire of the Spirit.

Some manuscripts have, “And how am I anguished,” (coangor) that is, grieved. For though He had in Himself nothing to grieve Him, yet was He afflicted by our woes, and at the time of death He betrayed the anguish which He underwent not from the fear of His death, but from the delay of our redemption. For he who is troubled until he reaches perfection, is secure of perfection, for the condition of bodily affections not the dread of death offends him. For ho who has put on the body must suffer all things which are of the body, hunger, thirst, vexation, sorrow; but the Divine nature knows no change from such feelings. At the same time He also shews, that in the conflict of suffering consists the death of the body, peace of mind has no struggle with grief.

But the manner in which after the baptism of His passion and the coming of the spiritual fire the earth will be burnt, He declares as follows, Suppose ye that I am to give peace, &c.

Or in another way. By three are signified those who have faith in the Trinity, by two the unbelievers who depart from the unity of the faith. But the father is the devil, whose children we were by following him, but when that heavenly fire came down, it separated us from one another, and shewed us another Father who is in heaven. The mother is the Synagogue, the daughter is the Primitive Church, who had to bear the persecution of that same synagogue, from whom she derived her birth, and whom she did herself in the truth of the faith contradict. The mother in law is the Synagogue, the daughter in law the Gentile Church, for Christ the husband of the Church is the son of the Synagogue, according to the flesh.

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The Synagogue then was divided both against its daughter in law, and its daughter, persecuting believers of each people. But they also were divided against their mother in law and mother, because they wished to abolish the circumcision of the flesh.

Tichon of Zadonsk

18th centuryChurch Father

What connection exists between light and darkness, sweetness and bitterness, purity and impurity, straightness and crookedness? Do not seek peace or harmony between an ungodly wife and a righteous husband, or a righteous wife and an ungodly husband; between a wicked mother-in-law and a virtuous daughter-in-law, or a wicked daughter-in-law and a virtuous mother-in-law; between an unrighteous brother and a righteous brother, between an unrighteous sister and a righteous sister, between an evil neighbor and a good neighbor, and between any evil and good individual. There has never been and will never be peace or harmony among them. This is what the Lord declares: "Do you think that I have come to give peace to the earth?

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No, I say to you, but division; for henceforth five in one house shall be divided, three against two, and two against three: 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 her mother-in-law" (Luke 12:51-53). Indeed, division will arise as some choose to follow Christ - the Light, while others remain in darkness; while some aspire to heavenly matters, others will be focused on worldly concerns.

Alexander Gorsky

19th centuryCommentator

To enhance His disciples' awareness of the unique mission assigned to them, He focuses their attention on the reason for His incarnation and the fervor with which He dedicates Himself to this purpose. He speaks of the essential battle, a fierce and sacrificial struggle, of which He had previously only alluded.

Bogolepow D.P.

19th centuryCommentator

All scholars recognize the figurative phrase regarding baptism as referring to the afflictions that Jesus Christ had to endure for the salvation of humanity, as indicated in Matthew 20:22. However, interpretations of the phrase about fire vary: some scholars interpret fire as a symbol of purification and thus view it as a prophetic statement about Christ imparting the Holy Spirit's fire to believers. This interpretation connects to Christ's declaration, "I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!" Furthermore, He indicates a necessity for His own baptism before proceeding.

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In this context, those who have faith in Him may not find earthly blessings solely through their belief; instead, they might face persecution, even from those closest to them, including family members. Conversely, some scholars perceive fire as a representation of animosity and conflict among people, suggesting that verses 51-53 directly illustrate this concept. The essence of these final verses aligns with the message found in Matthew 10:34-36.

Gladkow B.I.

19th centuryCommentator

Anticipating the conflict that would emerge among the obstinate Gentiles against those embracing the new faith, and aware that within families some would receive the Apostles' message while others would revert to pagan beliefs, Christ understood the intensity of animosity that would arise. The bonds of family would not withstand it; a brother loyal to the new Gospel would be betrayed by his Gentile sibling, and a father would be turned over by his own son. Gentile offspring would even take the lives of their parents. Thus, Christ affirmed: “Think not that I am come to bring peace on earth; I am not come to bring peace, but a sword; for I am come to divide a man from his father, and a daughter from her mother, and a daughter-in-law from her mother-in-law.

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And a man's enemies are his household” (Matthew 10:34-36). He continued, “And a brother will betray his brother to death, and a father his son; and the children will rise up against their parents and kill them. And you will be hated by all for My name's sake; but do not be afraid of this, and do not cease your mission because of it; know that only he who perseveres until the end will be saved.”

To profess faith in Christ requires a love for Him that surpasses all other affections, even that of parents. His commandments must take precedence over any human will. While we are called to honor and care for our parents, support them in their old age, and obey them, should they compel us to violate His commandments, we must not yield. If your affection for your father leads you to disregard His teachings to demonstrate your love, you are unworthy of Him. If, as a disciple, you find yourself unable to endure the trials that God allows, and if you do not carry your cross in His footsteps, you are similarly unworthy. The truth, akin to light, separates individuals: some are drawn towards the light, while others choose to dwell in darkness. Therefore, the notion of a sword should not be interpreted in a strictly literal sense. Just as the force of a sword can sever the closest of ties, so do differing beliefs create divisions, often leading to strife and resentment. The message of the risen Christ that the Apostles preached incited such discord within many households.

Lopuchin A.P.

19th centuryCommentator

They are dispatched into a realm filled with conflict and hostility, which will intensify due to the world's denial of their message. Even those who are closest to them may abandon them in favor of worldly allegiances. However, anyone who desires to be a genuine disciple of Christ must relinquish all for His sake, take up their cross, and follow Him.

Paul Matwejewski

19th centuryCommentator

After emphasizing to His disciples the weight of the duty that rested on them, the Lord highlighted the self-giving example He was about to reveal and the inevitable separation between the old ways and the new that would arise as the Gospel was shared throughout the world. These closest companions of Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith who for the joy set before Him endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2), must prepare themselves to understand that their journey in the world would not be marked by glory and triumph at first, but instead by profound struggle, challenging labor, and significant suffering. He declared, “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already ablaze.” This fire, as explained by St.

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Philaret of Moscow, is not a destructive fire but rather a purifying, rejuvenating flame igniting the heart. St. Ephrem the Syrian referred to it as “an immaterial and Divine fire, illuminating and refining souls like pure gold in a furnace, and consuming vice like thorns and chaff.” This same fire that Jesus sought to ignite in human hearts became evident in the Apostles, as they spoke with fiery tongues to the crowd (Acts 2:3); it burned in the heart of the God-Man as its Source. This is apparent in His subsequent declaration: “But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!” This refers to the baptism of blood, a baptism of suffering that the Redeemer was destined to experience to fulfill God’s righteousness and secure human salvation (Matt. 20:22), which He awaited with deep yearning (John 12:27; Matt. 26:38-39). Then, partially revealing the future to His disciples, He asked, “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division,” which He also described as a sword (Matt. 10:34). St. John Chrysostom observed that He wished to prepare them for harsh realities so they would not falter in challenging times; from that point on, households would be divided: three against two and two against three. Fathers would be turned against sons, and sons against fathers; mothers against daughters, and daughters against mothers; mothers-in-law against brides and brides against mothers-in-law—their own families would become adversaries. Addressing the crowd, the Lord pointed out that the time of His coming has distinct signs, which many ignore even while they skillfully anticipate changes in the weather: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and it does; and when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It will be hot,’ and it is.” “Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it you do not know how to interpret this present time?” This moment is pivotal for those who fail to pay attention, as they will be held to a stricter account than a human court. Therefore, the Lord continued, “Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to settle the matter on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.

The original text

Greek text, 27 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.

  1. διαμερισθήσονται
    diameristhēsontai
    I divide up into parts
    G1266 · διαμερίζω
  2. πατὴρ
    patēr
    father
    G3962 · πατήρ
  3. ἐπὶ
    epi
    on
    G1909 · ἐπί
  4. υἱῷ
    huiō
    a son
    G5207 · υἱός
  5. καὶ
    kai
    and
    G2532 · καί
  6. υἱὸς
    huios
    a son
    G5207 · υἱός
  7. ἐπὶ
    epi
    on
    G1909 · ἐπί
  8. πατρί
    patri
    father
    G3962 · πατήρ
  9. μήτηρ
    mētēr
    a mother
    G3384 · μήτηρ
  10. ἐπὶ
    epi
    on
    G1909 · ἐπί
  11. τὴν
    tēn
    the
    G3588 · ὁ
  12. θυγατέρα
    thygatera
    a daughter
    G2364 · θυγάτηρ
  13. καὶ
    kai
    and
    G2532 · καί
  14. θυγάτηρ
    thygatēr
    a daughter
    G2364 · θυγάτηρ
  15. ἐπὶ
    epi
    on
    G1909 · ἐπί
  16. τὴν
    tēn
    the
    G3588 · ὁ
  17. μητέρα
    mētera
    a mother
    G3384 · μήτηρ
  18. πενθερὰ
    penthera
    a mother-in-law
    G3994 · πενθερά
  19. ἐπὶ
    epi
    on
    G1909 · ἐπί
  20. τὴν
    tēn
    the
    G3588 · ὁ
  21. νύμφην
    nymphēn
    a bride
    G3565 · νύμφη
  22. αὐτῆς
    autēs
    he
    G846 · αὐτός
  23. καὶ
    kai
    and
    G2532 · καί
  24. νύμφη
    nymphē
    a bride
    G3565 · νύμφη
  25. ἐπὶ
    epi
    on
    G1909 · ἐπί
  26. τὴν
    tēn
    the
    G3588 · ὁ
  27. πενθεράν
    pentheran
    a mother-in-law
    G3994 · πενθερά