Luke 12

1 As ther gadered together an innumerable multitude of people (in so moche that they trood one another) he began to saye vnto his disciples: Fyrst of all beware of the leve of the Pharises which is ypocrisy.

2 For ther is no thinge covered that shall not be vncovered: nether hyd that shall not be knowen.

3 For whatsoever ye have spoken in in darknes: that same shalbe hearde in light. And that which ye have spoken in the the eare eve in secret places shalbe preached even on the toppe of the housses.

4 I saye vnto you my fredes: Be not afrayde of them that kyll the body and after that have no moare that they can do.

5 But I will shewe you whom ye shall feare. Feare him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell. Ye I saye vnto you him feare.

6 Are not five sparowes bought for two farthinges? And yet not one of them is forgotten of God.

7 Also even the very heres of youre heedes are nombred. Feare not therfore: ye are moare of value then many sparowes.

8 I saye vnto you: Whosoever confesseth me before men eve him shall ye sonne of man confesse also before ye angels of God.

9 And he that denyeth me before men: shalbe denyed before ye angels of God.

10 And whosoever speaketh a worde agaynst ye sonne of ma it shalbe forgeven him. But vnto him yt blasphemeth the holy goost it shall not be forgeven.

11 When they bringe you vnto the synagoges and vnto the rulers and officers take no thought how or what thinge ye shall answer or what ye shall speake.

12 For the holy goost shall teache you in the same houre what ye ought to saye.

13 One of the company sayde vnto hym: Master byd my brother devide the enheritauce with me.

14 And he sayde vnto him: Man who made me a iudge or a devider over you?

15 Wherfore he sayde vnto them: take hede and beware of covetousnes. For no mannes lyfe stondeth in the aboundaunce of the thinges which he possesseth.

16 And he put forth a similitude vnto them sayinge: The groude of a certayne riche ma brought forth frutes plenteously

17 and he thought in himsilfe sayinge: what shall I do? because I have noo roume where to bestowe my frutes?

18 And he sayde: This will I do. I will destroye my barnes and bilde greater and therin will I gadder all my frutes and my goodes:

19 and I will saye to my soule: Soule thou hast moch goodes layde vp in stoore for many yeares take thyne ease: eate drinke and be mery.

20 But God sayde vnto him: Thou fole this night will they fetche awaye thy soule agayne from the. Then whose shall thoose thinges be which thou hast provyded?

21 So is it with him that gadereth ryches and is not ryche in God.

22 And he spake vnto his disciples: Therfore I saye vnto you: take no thought for youre lyfe what ye shall eate nether for youre body what ye shall put on.

23 The lyfe is moare then meate and the bodye is moare then rayment.

24 Considre the ravens for they nether sowe nor repe which nether have stoorehousse ner barne and yet God fedeth them. How moche are ye better then the foules.

25 Which of you with takynge thought can adde to his stature one cubit?

26 Yf ye then be not able to do that thinge which is least: why take ye thought for the remmaunt?

27 Considre the lylies how they growe: They laboure not: they spyn not: and yet I saye vnto you that Salomon in all this royalte was not clothed lyke to one of these.

28 Yf the grasse which is todaye in the felde and tomorowe shalbe cast into the fornace God so clothe: how moche moore will he clothe you o ye endued wt litell faith?

29 And axe not what ye shall eate or what ye shall drinke nether clyme ye vp an hye

30 for all suche thinges the hethen people of the worlde seke for. Youre father knoweth that ye have nede of suche thinges.

31 Wherfore seke ye after the kyngedome of God and all these thinges shalbe ministred vnto you.

32 Feare not litell floocke for it is youre fathers pleasure to geve you a kingdome.

33 Sell that ye have and geve almes. And make you bagges which wexe not olde and treasure that fayleth not in heaven where noo these commeth nether moth corrupteth.

34 For where youre treasure is there will youre hertes be also.

35 Let youre loynes be gerdde about and youre lightes brennynge

36 and ye youre selves lyke vnto men that wayte for their master when he will returne fro a weddinge: that assone as he cometh and knocketh they maye ope vnto him.

37 Happy are those servauntes which the Lorde when he cometh shall fynde wakynge. Verely I saye vnto you he will gerdde him selfe about and make them sit doune to meate and walke by and minister vnto them.

38 And yf he come in the seconde watche ye if he come in the thyrde watche and shall fynde them soo happy are those servauntes.

39 This vnderstonde that yf the good man of the housse knewe what houre ye these wolde come he wolde suerly watche: and not suffer his housse to be broken vp.

40 Be ye prepared therfore: for the sonne of man will come at an houre when ye thinke not.

41 Then Peter sayde vnto him: Master tellest thou this similitude vnto vs or to all men?

42 And the Lorde sayde: If there be any faith full servaut and wise whom his Lorde shall make ruler over his housholde to geve them their duetie of meate at due season:

43 happy is that servaunt whom his master when he cometh shall finde soo doinge.

44 Of a trueth I saye vnto you: that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.

45 But and yf the evyll servaunt shall saye in his hert: My master wyll differre his cominge and shall beginne to smyte the servauntes and maydens and to eate and drinke and to be dronken:

46 the Lorde of that servaunt will come in a daye when he thinketh not and at an houre when he is not ware and will devyde him and will geve him his rewarde with the vnbelevers.

47 The servaut that knewe his masters will and prepared not him selfe nether dyd accordinge to his will shalbe bete with many strypes.

48 But he that knewe not and yet dyd committe thinges worthy of strypes shalbe beaten with feawe strypes. For vnto whom moche is geven of him shalbe moche requyred. And to whom men moche commyt the moare of him will they axe.

49 I am come to sende fyre on erth: and what is my dysyre but that it were all redy kyndled?

50 Not with stondinge I must de baptised with a baptyme: and how am I payned till it be ended?

51 Suppose ye that I am come to sende peace on erth? I tell you naye: but rather debate.

52 For fro hence forthe ther shalbe five in one housse devided thre agaynst two and two agaynst thre.

53 The father shalbe devided agaynst the sonne and the sonne agaynst the father. The mother agaynst the doughter and the doughter agaynst the mother. The motereleawe agaynst hir doughterelawe and the doughterelawe agaynst hir motherelawe.

54 Then sayde he to the people: when ye se a cloude ryse out of the west strayght waye ye saye: we shall have a shower and soo it is.

55 And when ye se the south wynde blow ye saye: we shall have heet and it cometh to passe.

56 Ypocrites ye can skyll of the fassion of the erth and of the skye: but what is ye cause that ye canot skyll of this time?

57 Ye and why iudge ye not of youre selves what is righte?

58 Whill thou goest with thyne adversary to the ruler: as thou arte in the waye geve diligence that thou mayst be delivered fro him least he bringe the to the iudge and the iudge delyver the to the iaylar and the iaylar cast the in to preson.

59 I tell ye thou departest not thence tyll thou have made good ye vtmost myte.

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.