The Sword in Family Life

“Do you think that I have come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, no, but rather division. For from now on, there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. They will be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” Luke 12:49-54.

These were statements made by the Son of God when He walked on earth which contained such deep cutting truths that we have all, in some degree, shrunk from them as beyond our understanding. But in reality, we have shrunk from them because of their possible application to ourselves, and we did not want to let them search us.

Among these keen knife-like statements, the passage quoted above stands as one of the sharpest and, consequently, one of those most shrunk from, or forgotten, by the Lord’s people. Gladly and joyfully, we say to each other, “Christ has come to give peace—to unite and not to divide,” but here the Lord’s words say the opposite. He declares that He has come to make division—and division in family life so sharp that the closest ties are wrenched by His claims. In the preceding verse in Luke, He says “I came to cast fire on the earth . . .” The cost He foresees is bound to come. Either the cost of loss and the “beating with many stripes” for not doing His will and making ready; or the possible cost of loss of home and family ties if obedience to the known will of God is carried out in entirety.

In Luke 1:38, we have a glimpse into the character of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as one fully surrendered to do the will of God. In Luke 2:22, we see the eight-day-old babe taken to the temple by His parents, and we are given the first warning of what it was going to cost Mary to be the mother of the Son of God.

And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, His mother, “Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against. Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” Luke 2:34-35.

The child in her arms was going to be a “sign” to be “spoken against,” and instead of glory for her on earth, a “sword” would pierce her “soul”—or affections. Moreover, the sword which would pierce her would test the true thoughts of others about her son. In brief, her child was going to be, in God’s dealing with men, a “touchstone,” so to speak to all who came in contact with Him.

Mary was thus being prepared for the suffering she would meet with in after years, and her first (recorded) lesson came when He was but twelve years old. When He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. . . . After three days they found Him in the temple . . . and His mother said to Him,

Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I were anxiously looking for You.” He said to them, why were you looking for Me? Didn’t you know that I must be in My Father’s house? Luke 2:42-50.

The Lord Jesus did not ask His parents if He might stay behind in Jerusalem, but simply tarried at the command of His Father in heaven. “Son, why?” said His mother. But His reply was: “Why were you looking for Me?” Could they not understand what He was doing? “Didn’t you know,” He said. They should have known, but they had forgotten the Divine claim upon Him. He did not say “I am sorry. I ought not to have done it.” But, “How is it that you do not understand My call, and the nature of it, and that the hour must come when My Father’s will must have first claim upon Me.”

In this sharp lesson to the Lord’s earthly parents there is a word to the earthly parents of the children of God to-day, for the Church of Jesus Christ suffers from the claims of parents who keep their children from the Mission Field, or from the service of God at home—or from doing the revealed will of God in any form. It is here that the claims of Christ will bring a sword in the family life of believers.

In Cana of Galilee, we find another hint of the sword which was to pierce the soul of Mary as her Son only went forward in obedience to His Father’s will.

The mother of Jesus said to Him; “They have no wine. And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what have I to do with you? My hour has not yet come.’” John 2:3-4.

In brief, why do you intervene? I can now only obey My Father in heaven. He must direct Me, then I can move. “What is His will?” must be my question. When is His time for me to exercise my power. It was a sharp “sword” to the soul of Mary, but her recognition of the truth of the Master’s words can be seen in her quick turning to the servants, with the words, “whatever He says . . . do it!”

“His mother and His brothers came and, standing outside, they sent to Him, calling Him. A multitude was sitting around Him, and they told Him, ‘Behold, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside looking for You’ He answered them, ‘Who are My mother and My brothers?’ Looking around at those who sat around Him, He said, ‘Behold, My mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother, My sister, and mother.’” Mark 3:31-35.

This is truly “hard dealing” for the flesh, and the “sword” pierced deeper into Mary’s soul. The keen words, undoubtedly spoken in tender tone, in Cana were probably only heard by her alone, but now the words are spoken in the ears of the multitude. “Who is My mother,” He said, but they who do the will of God! The Lord describes the filial bond between Him and His Father in heaven, and all who are children of the Father doing the will of the Father. His mother seems again to have understood, for she was afterwards found to have followed Him even to the Cross. But the brethren appear to have never forgotten or forgiven these words, for He could no longer walk in His native province of Judea because His countrymen “sought to kill Him.” We find His “brethren” urging Him to “show Himself to the world” and not do His work “in secret,” for “even His brethren did not believe in Him . . .” (John 7:5.) It is enough for us to know that the Son of God did not have the understanding and support of His family “after the flesh”—and that it was out of His own experience. He said, “a prophet is not without honour, save in his own country and in his own house.” (Matt. 13:57).

In “His own country” (Matt. 13:54) they said, “Is not this the carpenter’s son?” They could not forget they had seen Him in their midst as one of themselves. Did they not know His brethren and His sisters? “Are not they all with us?” they said. Then how can He be anything different to them? And so, their vision, of His Divine birth and ministry was veiled so that He could not do “many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.” Did He explain? Did He cease doing His Father’s work? Did He endeavour to convince His friends? No, He went on in the will of His Father. When His brothers urged Him to act, He only said, “My time has not yet come. Your time is always ready . . . Go up . . . I go not up yet . . . My time is not yet fulfilled.” He could not move until God gave Him the word. They might act when they would. They could choose to do as they wish—but He could not.

It is evident His mother went with Him all the way, though the sword pierced her soul in ever deeper measure, until she stood by His Cross, and saw Him die. She had been faithful.

What had happened to other members of His family? We only know that by some means the Spirit of God reached the brothers at last, and they were found with Mary, His mother, among the company waiting at Pentecost. They believed at last—but not until He was risen from the dead—not until their opportunity of ministering to Him in the suffering of His ministry on earth was o’er. But all this concerns the path the Son of God had to take—the One Who was the Only-Begotten. The question arises whether the children of God, begotten by faith in Him, are to follow in His steps and expect the same sore division in their family life if they are to be true to Him.