Peace on earth, maybe

2 Chronicles
2 Chronicles seems to be fairly similar to 2 Kings.  They both gave a brief synopsis of each king and mentioned whether or not they obeyed the law.  I did notice one difference in the last chapter today.  2 Chronicles ends with a message of hope for Israel because Cyrus of Persia announces that he will rebuild the temple in Jerusalem and let anyone who desires go back to Jerusalem.  This announcement leads nicely into the next book of Ezra.  2 Kings didn't go over that, and just ended with Jehoiachin living in prison.

Luke
Luke 12:50-51 caught my attention.  Jesus said "But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!  Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division."
First of all, the fact that Jesus was distressed until he completed his 'baptism' which I think refers to his death and resurrection.  He doesn't always let us into his feelings about his task on earth.  Usually, we just hear about all the wonderful things he did in ushering in the kingdom of God.  But in this sentence, we find out just how much of an impact his ultimate goal had on him.  It was truly difficult for him to follow through with the plan.  We are privy to this struggle at one other point in scripture - his time in Gethsemane where he asks that God take 'this cup' from him, but also that God would have His will done.  When we're struggling with a difficult task that God has given us, we can run to Jesus, because he certainly knows what we're dealing with.
Verse 51 is also interesting because it makes me think of another verse about peace.  Luke 2:14 says "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests."  Jesus' birth seems to usher in peace on earth, and yet later in his ministry, Jesus says that he didn't come to bring peace.  Seems like somewhat of a paradox.
However, after reading Gill's Exposition on the Bible, I have found somewhat of an answer.  God came to bring peace to men (as happened with Jesus' birth), but Jesus was not going to set up a political kingdom and solve the world's problems of peace or war.  So these two different verses are really talking about two different kinds of peace - God's and man's.  I think God's peace toward us is much more desirable and much longer lasting!