Luk 12:49-50 | RWP | e4.org | I came to cast fire ( Πυρ ηλθον βαλειν ). Suddenly Jesus lets the volcano in his own heart burst forth. The fire was already burning. "Christ came to set the world on fire, and the conflagration had already begun" (Plummer). The very passion in Christ's heart would set his friends on fire and his foes in opposition as we have just seen ( .). It is like the saying of Jesus that he came to bring not peace, but a sword, to bring cleavage among men ( ). And what will I, if it is already kindled? ( κα τ θελω ε ηδη ανηφθη; ). It is not clear what this passage means. Probably τ is be taken in the sense of "how" ( πως ). How I wish. Then ε can be taken as equal to οτ . How I wish that it were already kindled. Ανηφθη is first aorist passive of αναπτω , to set fire to, to kindle, to make blaze. Probably Luke means the conflagration to come by his death on the Cross for he changes the figure and refers to that more plainly.

‏ Luke 12:49-50

I came to cast fire ( Πυρ ηλθον βαλειν ). Suddenly Jesus lets the volcano in his own heart burst forth. The fire was already burning. "Christ came to set the world on fire, and the conflagration had already begun" (Plummer). The very passion in Christ's heart would set his friends on fire and his foes in opposition as we have just seen (Lu 11:53f.). It is like the saying of Jesus that he came to bring not peace, but a sword, to bring cleavage among men (Mt 10:34-36).

And what will I, if it is already kindled? ( κα τ θελω ε ηδη ανηφθη; ). It is not clear what this passage means. Probably τ is be taken in the sense of "how" ( πως ). How I wish. Then ε can be taken as equal to οτ. How I wish that it were already kindled. Ανηφθη is first aorist passive of αναπτω, to set fire to, to kindle, to make blaze. Probably Luke means the conflagration to come by his death on the Cross for he changes the figure and refers to that more plainly.

I have a baptism ( βαπτισμα δε εχω ). Once again Jesus will call his baptism the baptism of blood and will challenge James and John to it (Mr 10:32f.; Mt 20:22f.). So here. "Having used the metaphor of fire, Christ now uses the metaphor of water. The one sets forth the result of his coming as it affects the world, the other as it affects himself. The world is lit up with flames and Christ is bathed in blood" (Plummer).

And how I am straitened ( κα πως συνεχομα ). See this same vivid verb συνεχομα in Lu 8:37; Ac 18:5; Php 1:23 where Paul uses it of his desire for death just as Jesus does here. The urge of the Cross is upon Jesus at the moment of these words. We catch a glimpse of the tremendous passion in his soul that drove him on.

Till it be accomplished ( εως οτου τελεσθη ). First aorist passive subjunctive of τελεω with εως οτου (until which time), the common construction for the future with this conjunction.