Luke 12

1 So many thousands of people had gathered that they were stepping on each other. Jesus spoke first to his followers, saying, "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, because they are hypocrites.

2 Everything that is hidden will be shown, and everything that is secret will be made known.

3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in an inner room will be shouted from the housetops.

4 "I tell you, my friends, don't be afraid of people who can kill the body but after that can do nothing more to hurt you.

5 I will show you the one to fear. Fear the one who has the power to kill you and also to throw you into hell. Yes, this is the one you should fear.

6 "Five sparrows are sold for only two pennies, and God does not forget any of them.

7 But God even knows how many hairs you have on your head. Don't be afraid. You are worth much more than many sparrows.

8 "I tell you, all those who stand before others and say they believe in me, I, the Son of Man, will say before the angels of God that they belong to me.

9 But all who stand before others and say they do not believe in me, I will say before the angels of God that they do not belong to me.

10 "Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

11 "When you are brought into the synagogues before the leaders and other powerful people, don't worry about how to defend yourself or what to say.

12 At that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you must say."

13 Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide with me the property our father left us."

14 But Jesus said to him, "Who said I should judge or decide between you?"

15 Then Jesus said to them, "Be careful and guard against all kinds of greed. Life is not measured by how much one owns."

16 Then Jesus told this story: "There was a rich man who had some land, which grew a good crop.

17 He thought to himself, 'What will I do? I have no place to keep all my crops.'

18 Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and other goods.

19 Then I can say to myself, "I have enough good things stored to last for many years. Rest, eat, drink, and enjoy life!"'

20 "But God said to him, 'Foolish man! Tonight your life will be taken from you. So who will get those things you have prepared for yourself?'

21 "This is how it will be for those who store up things for themselves and are not rich toward God."

22 Jesus said to his followers, "So I tell you, don't worry about the food you need to live, or about the clothes you need for your body.

23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes.

24 Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest, they don't have storerooms or barns, but God feeds them. And you are worth much more than birds.

25 You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it.

26 If you cannot do even the little things, then why worry about the big things?

27 Consider how the lilies grow; they don't work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that even Solomon with his riches was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers.

28 God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today but tomorrow is thrown into the fire. So how much more will God clothe you? Don't have so little faith!

29 Don't always think about what you will eat or what you will drink, and don't keep worrying.

30 All the people in the world are trying to get these things, and your Father knows you need them.

31 But seek God's kingdom, and all the other things you need will be given to you.

32 "Don't fear, little flock, because your Father wants to give you the kingdom.

33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Get for yourselves purses that will not wear out, the treasure in heaven that never runs out, where thieves can't steal and moths can't destroy.

34 Your heart will be where your treasure is.

35 "Be dressed, ready for service, and have your lamps shining.

36 Be like servants who are waiting for their master to come home from a wedding party. When he comes and knocks, the servants immediately open the door for him.

37 They will be blessed when their master comes home, because he sees that they were watching for him. I tell you the truth, the master will dress himself to serve and tell the servants to sit at the table, and he will serve them.

38 Those servants will be happy when he comes in and finds them still waiting, even if it is midnight or later.

39 "Remember this: If the owner of the house knew what time a thief was coming, he would not allow the thief to enter his house.

40 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at a time when you don't expect him!"

41 Peter said, "Lord, did you tell this story to us or to all people?"

42 The Lord said, "Who is the wise and trusted servant that the master trusts to give the other servants their food at the right time?

43 When the master comes and finds the servant doing his work, the servant will be blessed.

44 I tell you the truth, the master will choose that servant to take care of everything he owns.

45 But suppose the servant thinks to himself, 'My master will not come back soon,' and he begins to beat the other servants, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk.

46 The master will come when that servant is not ready and is not expecting him. Then the master will cut him in pieces and send him away to be with the others who don't obey.

47 "The servant who knows what his master wants but is not ready, or who does not do what the master wants, will be beaten with many blows!

48 But the servant who does not know what his master wants and does things that should be punished will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded. And from the one trusted with much, much more will be expected.

49 "I came to set fire to the world, and I wish it were already burning!

50 I have a baptismn to suffer through, and I feel very troubled until it is over.

51 Do you think I came to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, I came to divide it.

52 From now on, a family with five people will be divided, three against two, and two against three.

53 They will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

54 Then Jesus said to the people, "When you see clouds coming up in the west, you say, 'It's going to rain,' and it happens.

55 When you feel the wind begin to blow from the south, you say, 'It will be a hot day,' and it happens.

56 Hypocrites! You know how to understand the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don't you understand what is happening now?

57 "Why can't you decide for yourselves what is right?

58 If your enemy is taking you to court, try hard to settle it on the way. If you don't, your enemy might take you to the judge, and the judge might turn you over to the officer, and the officer might throw you into jail.

59 I tell you, you will not get out of there until you have paid everything you owe."

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.