What does Luke 12:51 Mean?

Context Summary

As Prometheus, in the old Greek fable, brought fire from above in a reed, so Christ brought the fire of the Holy Spirit in the frail lantern of His humanity. But, first, He had to pass through a baptism of tears and blood. He was under pressure to enter it, because impatient to get through with it. Here was the prelude of Calvary. And what was true of our Lord must be true of His Church. Always the sword, always strife, always division, where the gospel begins to ferment like leaven in human hearts.

The signs of the time pointed to a climax of Hebrew history, for which most of His contemporaries were unprepared. The sands in God's hour-glass were running out. This was the great requirement of the hour-get right with God. The warning is applicable to us all, but it was specially spoken of the brief interval which, like the silence that precedes a thunder storm, preceded the fall of Jerusalem. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 12

¹  Jesus preaches to his apostles to avoid hypocrisy
¹³  and warns against covetousness, by the parable of the man who set up greater barns
²²  We must not worry about earthly things,
³¹  but seek the kingdom of God;
³³  give alms;
³⁵  be ready at a knock to open to our Lord whensoever he comes
⁴¹  Jesus' disciples are to see to their charges,
⁴⁹  and look for persecution
⁵⁴  The people must take this time of grace;
⁵⁷  because it is a fearful thing to die without reconciliation