Luke 12

The Leaven of the Pharisees

1 In the meantime, a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling one another. Jesus began to speak first to His disciples: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ¹

2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known.

3 What you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the housetops.

Fear God Alone

4 I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. ²

5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear the One who, after you have been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. ^[a] Yes, I tell you, fear Him!

6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? ^[b] Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.

7 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Confessing Christ

8 I tell you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will also confess him before the angels of God. ³

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

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

11 When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say.

12 For at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.”

The Parable of the Rich Fool

13 Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

14 But Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed Me judge or executor between you?”

15 And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

16 Then He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance.

17 So he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, since I have nowhere to store my crops?’

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

19 Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’

21 This is how it will be for anyone who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.”

Do Not Worry

22 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. ⁴

23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.

24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!

25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? ^[c]

26 So if you cannot do such a small thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27 Consider how the lilies grow: They do not labor or spin. ^[d] Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these.

28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith!

29 And do not be concerned about what you will eat or drink. Do not worry about it.

30 For the Gentiles of the world strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

31 But seek His ^[e] kingdom, and these things will be added unto you.

Treasures in Heaven

32 Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. ⁵

33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

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

Readiness at Any Hour

35 Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning. ⁶

36 Then you will be like servants waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once.

37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them.

38 Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night ^[f] and finds them alert, those servants will be blessed.

39 But understand this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, ^[g] he would not have let his house be broken into.

40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.”

41 “Lord,” said Peter, “are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?”

42 And the Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their portion at the proper time?

43 Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.

44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

45 But suppose that servant says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and he begins to beat the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk.

46 The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate. Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

47 That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows.

48 But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded.

Not Peace but Division

49 I have come to ignite a fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! ⁷

50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!

51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but 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 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. ^[h]”

Interpreting the Present Time

54 Then Jesus said to the crowds, “As soon as you see a cloud rising in the west, you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and that is what happens. ⁸

55 And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It will be hot,’ and it is.

56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don’t you know how to interpret the present time?

Reconciling with an Adversary

57 And why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? ⁹

58 Make every effort to reconcile with your adversary while you are on your way to the magistrate. Otherwise, he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and the officer may throw you into prison.

59 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the very last penny. ^[i]”

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.

Cross References

• 1. (Matthew 16:5–12; Mark 8:14–21)
• 2. (Matthew 10:26–31)
• 3. (Matthew 10:32–33)
• 4. (Matthew 6:25–34)
• 5. (Matthew 6:19–21)
• 6. (Matthew 24:36–51; Mark 13:32–37)
• 7. (Micah 7:1–6; Matthew 10:34–39)
• 8. (Matthew 16:1–4; Mark 8:11–13)
• 9. (Matthew 5:21–26)

Footnotes

• [a]. Greek Gehenna
• [b]. Greek two assaria; an assarion was a Roman copper coin worth about 1/16 of a denarius.
• [c]. Or a single cubit to his height; a cubit was approximately 18 inches or 45 centimeters.
• [d]. NE and Tischendorf Consider the lilies: They do not spin or weave.
• [e]. BYZ and TR God’s; see Matthew 6:33.
• [f]. That is, between nine at night and three in the morning
• [g]. BYZ and TR include he would have stayed awake, and
• [h]. See Micah 7:6.
• [i]. Greek lepton; that is, a Jewish coin of bronze or copper worth about 1/128 of a denarius