Luke 12

Beware of Religious Hypocrisy

1 In these circumstances,^[a] a crowd of many thousands came together, so that they were trampling on one another. He began to say to His disciples first: "Be on your guard against the yeast ^[b] of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

2 There is nothing covered that won't be uncovered, nothing hidden that won't be made known.

3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in an ear in private rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

Fear God

4 "And I say to you, My friends, don't fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more.

5 But I will show you the One to fear: Fear Him who has authority to throw [people] into hell after death. Yes, I say to you, this is the One to fear!

6 Aren't five sparrows sold for two pennies? ^[c] Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight.

7 Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows!

Acknowledging Christ

8 "And I say to you, anyone who acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God,

9 but whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

10 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

11 Whenever they bring you before synagogues and rulers and authorities, don't worry about how you should defend yourselves or what you should say.

12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what must be said."

The Parable of the Rich Fool

13 Someone from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."

14 "Friend," ^[d] He said to him, "who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?"

15 He then told them, "Watch out and be on guard against all greed because one's life is not in the abundance of his possessions."

16 Then He told them a parable: "A rich man's land was very productive.

17 He thought to himself, 'What should I do, since I don't have anywhere to store my crops?

18 I will do this,' he said. 'I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there.

19 Then I'll say to myself, "You ^[e] have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself." '

20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared-whose will they be?'

21 "That's how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."

The Cure for Anxiety

22 Then He said to His disciples: "Therefore I tell you, don't worry about your life, what you will eat; or about the body, what you will wear.

23 For life is more than food and the body more than clothing.

24 Consider the ravens: they don't sow or reap; they don't have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them. Aren't you worth much more than the birds?

25 Can any of you add a cubit to his height ^[f] by worrying?

26 If then you're not able to do even a little thing, why worry about the rest?

27 "Consider how the wildflowers grow: they don't labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these!

28 If that's how God clothes the grass, which is in the field today and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will He do for you-you of little faith?

29 Don't keep striving for what you should eat and what you should drink, and don't be anxious.

30 For the Gentile world eagerly seeks all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

31 "But seek His kingdom, and these things will be provided for you.

32 Don't be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom.

33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Make money-bags for yourselves that won't grow old, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Ready for the Master's Return

35 "Be ready for service ^[g] and have your lamps lit.

36 You must be like people waiting for their master to return ^[h] from the wedding banquet so that when he comes and knocks, they can open [the door] for him at once.

37 Those slaves the master will find alert when he comes will be blessed. I assure you: He will get ready, ^[i] have them recline at the table, then come and serve them.

38 If he comes in the middle of the night, or even near dawn, ^[j] and finds them alert, those slaves are blessed.

39 But know this: if the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.

40 You also be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect."

Rewards and Punishment

41 "Lord," Peter asked, "are You telling this parable to us or to everyone?"

42 The Lord said: "Who then is the faithful and sensible manager his master will put in charge of his household servants to give them their allotted food at the proper time?

43 That slave whose master finds him working when he comes will be rewarded.

44 I tell you the truth: he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

45 But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and starts to beat the male and female slaves, and to eat and drink and get drunk,

46 that slave's master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. He will cut him to pieces ^[k] and assign him a place with the unbelievers. ^[l]

47 And that slave who knew his master's will and didn't prepare himself or do it ^[m] will be severely beaten.

48 But the one who did not know and did things deserving of blows will be beaten lightly. Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more. ^[n]

Not Peace but Division

49 "I came to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already set ablaze!

50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how it consumes Me until it is finished!

51 Do you think that I came here to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!

52 From now on, five in one household will be divided: three against two, and two against three.

53 They will be divided, father against son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. " ^[o]

Interpreting the Time

54 He also said to the crowds: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, right away you say, 'A storm is coming,' and so it does.

55 And when the south wind is blowing, you say, 'It's going to be a scorcher!' and it is.

56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why don't you know how to interpret this time?

Settling Accounts

57 "Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?

58 As you are going with your adversary to the ruler, make an effort to settle with him on the way. Then he won't drag you before the judge, the judge hand you over to the bailiff, and the bailiff throw you into prison.

59 I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last cent." ^[p]

Luke 12 Commentary

Chapter 12

Christ reproves the interpreters of the law. (1-12) A caution against covetousness The parable of the rich man. (13-21) Worldly care reproved. (22-40) Watchfulness enforced. (41-53) A warning to be reconciled to God. (54-59)

Verses 1-12 A firm belief of the doctrine of God's universal providence, and the extent of it, would satisfy us when in peril, and encourage us to trust God in the way of duty. Providence takes notice of the meanest creatures, even of the sparrows, and therefore of the smallest interests of the disciples of Christ. Those who confess Christ now, shall be owned by him in the great day, before the angels of God. To deter us from denying Christ, and deserting his truths and ways, we are here assured that those who deny Christ, though they may thus save life itself, and though they may gain a kingdom by it, will be great losers at last; for Christ will not know them, will not own them, nor show them favour. But let no trembling, penitent backslider doubt of obtaining forgiveness. This is far different from the determined enmity that is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall never be forgiven, because it will never be repented of.

Verses 13-21 Christ's kingdom is spiritual, and not of this world. Christianity does not meddle with politics; it obliges all to do justly, but wordly dominion is not founded in grace. It does not encourage expectations of worldly advantages by religion. The rewards of Christ's disciples are of another nature. Covetousness is a sin we need constantly to be warned against; for happiness and comfort do not depend on the wealth of this world. The things of the world will not satisfy the desires of a soul. Here is a parable, which shows the folly of carnal worldling while they live, and their misery when they die. The character drawn is exactly that of a prudent, worldly man, who has no grateful regard to the providence of God, nor any right thought of the uncertainty of human affairs, the worth of his soul, or the importance of eternity. How many, even among professed Christians, point out similar characters as models for imitation, and proper persons to form connexions with! We mistake if we think that thoughts are hid, and thoughts are free. When he saw a great crop upon his ground, instead of thanking God for it, or rejoicing to be able to do more good, he afflicts himself. What shall I do now? The poorest beggar in the country could not have said a more anxious word. The more men have, the more perplexity they have with it. It was folly for him to think of making no other use of his plenty, than to indulge the flesh and gratify the sensual appetites, without any thought of doing good to others. Carnal worldlings are fools; and the day is coming when God will call them by their own name, and they will call themselves so. The death of such persons is miserable in itself, and terrible to them. Thy soul shall be required. He is loth to part with it; but God shall require it, shall require an account of it, require it as a guilty soul to be punished without delay. It is the folly of most men, to mind and pursue that which is for the body and for time only, more than that for the soul and eternity.

Verses 22-40 Christ largely insisted upon this caution not to give way to disquieting, perplexing cares, ( Matthew 6:25-34 ) . The arguments here used are for our encouragement to cast our care upon God, which is the right way to get ease. As in our stature, so in our state, it is our wisdom to take it as it is. An eager, anxious pursuit of the things of this world, even necessary things, ill becomes the disciples of Christ. Fears must not prevail; when we frighten ourselves with thoughts of evil to come, and put ourselves upon needless cares how to avoid it. If we value the beauty of holiness, we shall not crave the luxuries of life. Let us then examine whether we belong to this little flock. Christ is our Master, and we are his servants; not only working servants, but waiting servants. We must be as men that wait for their lord, that sit up while he stays out late, to be ready to receive him. In this Christ alluded to his own ascension to heaven, his coming to call his people to him by death, and his return to judge the world. We are uncertain as to the time of his coming to us, we should therefore be always ready. If men thus take care of their houses, let us be thus wise for our souls. Be ye therefore ready also; as ready as the good man of the house would be, if he knew at what hour the thief would come.

Verses 41-53 All are to take to themselves what Christ says in his word, and to inquire concerning it. No one is left so ignorant as not to know many things to be wrong which he does, and many things to be right which he neglects; therefore all are without excuse in their sin. The bringing in the gospel dispensation would occasion desolations. Not that this would be the tendency of Christ's religion, which is pure, peaceable, and loving; but the effect of its being contrary to men's pride and lusts. There was to be a wide publication of the gospel. But before that took place, Christ had a baptism to be baptized with, far different from that of water and the Holy Spirit. He must endure sufferings and death. It agreed not with his plan to preach the gospel more widely, till this baptism was completed. We should be zealous in making known the truth, for though divisions will be stirred up, and a man's own household may be his foes, yet sinners will be converted, and God will be glorified.

Verses 54-59 Christ would have the people to be as wise in the concerns of their souls as they are in outward affairs. Let them hasten to obtain peace with God before it is too late. If any man has found that God has set himself against him concerning his sins, let him apply to him as God in Christ reconciling the world to himself. While we are alive, we are in the way, and now is our time.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or Meanwhile, or At this time, or During this period
• [b]. Or leaven
• [c]. Lit two assaria; the assarion (sg) was a small copper coin
• [d]. Lit Man
• [e]. Lit say to my soul, "Soul, you
• [f]. Or add one moment to his life-span
• [g]. Lit Let your loins be girded; an idiom for tying up loose outer clothing in preparation for action; Ex 12:11
• [h]. Lit master, when he should return
• [i]. Lit will gird himself
• [j]. Lit even in the second or third watch
• [k]. Lit him in two
• [l]. Or unfaithful, or untrustworthy
• [m]. Lit or do toward his will
• [n]. Or much
• [o]. Mc 7:6
• [p]. Gk lepton, the smallest and least valuable copper coin in use