INSTRUCTION TO HIS DISCIPLES ABOUT LIVING IN THE LIGHT OF ETERNITY (12:1-12). Approaching the detail of the section the first thing that Jesus wants to do is make His disciples think in the light of eternity. So He warns them to beware of the hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees, as illustrated i... [ Continue Reading ]
‘In the mean time, when the many thousands of the multitude were gathered together, insomuch that they trod one on another, he began to say to his disciples first of all, “Beware you of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” ' Great crowds continued to gather (‘thousands of them') so muc... [ Continue Reading ]
SECTION 5 (12:1-14:35). We commence here a new section of Luke. As we shall see this section centres around a mighty act of Jesus in delivering a woman bound by Satan, and thus doubled up and unable to straighten. By this He made clear why He had come. He had come to make the crooked straight (Luke... [ Continue Reading ]
“But there is nothing covered up, that will not be revealed, and hid, that will not be known.” And one good reason for this is that one day all will be revealed and laid bare at the judgment. Anything covered up will be revealed. Anything hidden will be brought to light. All hypocrisy will be unmas... [ Continue Reading ]
“Wherefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in the inner chambers will be proclaimed on the housetops.” The same is true of their words. Things spoken under cloak of the night will be brought into the light, things whispered in th... [ Continue Reading ]
“And I say to you my friends, Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.” This is the only place in the first three Gospels where Jesus calls His disciples His ‘friends', but compare also John 15:13, where we learn that those are His friends who obey H... [ Continue Reading ]
“But I will warn you whom you shall fear. Fear him, who after he has killed has power to cast into hell. Yes, I say to you, Fear him.” The One they should rather go in awe of is the One Who after He has killed the body has power to cast the person into Gehenna, the eternal rubbish dump, the place of... [ Continue Reading ]
“And I say to you, Every one who shall confess me before men, him will the Son of man also confess before the angels of God, but he who denies me in the presence of men will be denied in the presence of the angels of God.” He has been speaking about how they should live generally, but now He turns... [ Continue Reading ]
“And every one who shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him, but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit it will not be forgiven.” Some of those who are called for judgment (such as Paul) may look back to a time when they had not believed, and had even blasphemed ag... [ Continue Reading ]
“And when they bring you before the synagogues, and the rulers, and the authorities, do not be anxious how or what you shall answer, or what you shall say, for the Holy Spirit shall teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” Having made clear that death might await some of His disciples (Lu... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And one out of the crowd said to him, “Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.” ' The passage opens with a man coming to Jesus in order to have the problem of his inheritance situation sorted out. It was commonplace in those days for such matters to be dealt with by religious teach... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DANGER OF RICHES (12:13-21). We now come to the first of a series of parables in this section. It is the first demonstration of how distorted Israel (and the world) is and how it needs to be made straight (Luke 13:10). This passage results from the approach of a man who, while being among His au... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?” Jesus' reply is indicative of how He saw His position. He had not been sent to sort out petty worldly affairs, especially not when the motives were so poor. Possibly because He has been speaking about the last Judgment the man h... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he said to them, “Take careful note, and keep yourselves from all covetousness, for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of the things which he possesses.” Then Jesus turned to His disciples, and to the crowd, and gave them a strong caution. They were to keep themselves from covetous... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully, and he reasoned within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have not where to bestow my fruits?” He then backed up His words with a parable which demonstrated the total futility of riches to... [ Continue Reading ]
“And he said, This will I do, I will pull down my barns, and build greater, and there will I bestow all my grain and my goods.” And he resolved his problem by deciding that he would build larger barns so that he could store it all up in order to secure his own future and enable himself to retire. N... [ Continue Reading ]
“And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have much goods laid up for many years, take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.” And he would tell his own inner heart, his spirit within, that now he had secured his future. He had plenty laid up for it, and he could now retire and enjoy the fruit of all his pas... [ Continue Reading ]
“But God said to him, You foolish one, this night is your soul required of you, and the things which you have prepared, whose shall they be?” But that night God told him what a fool he was. For far from enjoying many years of luxury while others starved, that night his inner spirit, his ‘soul', was... [ Continue Reading ]
“So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” And Jesus then delivered the punch line. That is what happens to those who use their riches for themselves, and are not rich towards God. They end up with nothing but a cold, dark grave, which however splendid men may make it... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARDS FOOD AND CLOTHING, THE THINGS THAT MEN SEEK AFTER ‘And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I say to you, Do not be anxious for your life (soul), what you shall eat, nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. For the life (soul) is more than the food, and the body than the... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS DISCIPLES SHOULD HAVE THEIR MINDS SET ON HEAVENLY AFFAIRS NOT EARTHLY AFFAIRS (12:22-34). Having made clear His position concerning wealth and its use Jesus now turns to those who have little wealth. They can be just as tied up with wealth as a result of having none and being anxious about it,... [ Continue Reading ]
“Consider the ravens, that they sow not, neither reap, which have no store-chamber nor barn, and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!” In considering such things let them think about the birds, even unclean birds like the ravens (or crows) - Leviticus 11:15. They do not so... [ Continue Reading ]
“And which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to the measure of his life?” The word used here may mean ‘to his measure of life', for while ‘cubit' may seem to suggest the length of an object, outside sources do in fact speak of a ‘cubit of time'; and we can compare with this Psalms 39:5 where ‘... [ Continue Reading ]
“If then you are not able to do even that which is least, why are you anxious concerning the rest?” So as they cannot do even what is least, add a tiny amount to their length of life (or to their height), why should they spend all their lives worrying about the rest, like the rich fool did, even th... [ Continue Reading ]
“Consider the flowers, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin, yet I say to you, Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” A second illustration is given as to clothing. The gorgeous flowers of the field grow beautiful without a lot of toiling and spinning, and y... [ Continue Reading ]
“But if God so clothes the growth in the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith?” And God supplies such beauty to what grows in the fields in spite of how temporary their lives are. (For ‘today and tomorrow' compare Luke 13... [ Continue Reading ]
“And seek not you what you shall eat, and what you shall drink, neither be you of doubtful mind, for all these things do the nations of the world seek after, but your Father knows that you have need of these things.” The conclusion is therefore that as everything is transient we should not be worri... [ Continue Reading ]
“But seek you his Kingly Rule, and these things will be added to you.” So what they should putting all their attention to is rather seeking the Kingly Rule of God. That should take up their full concentration. And then all the remainder will be added to them. Their attention should be on hearing Hi... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THEY SEEK THE KINGLY RULE OF GOD AND ITS ESTABLISHMENT AMONG MEN THEY MUST RECOGNISE THAT IT IS NOT ALL JUST A MATTER OF NUMBERS. “Fear not, little flock; for your Father was pleased to give you the Kingly Rule.” Jesus saw their thoughts and realised that they were puzzled about how the Kingly... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RESOURCES THAT THEY WILL NOT NEED (12:33-34). “Sell what you have, and give alms. Make for yourselves purses which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens which does not fail, where no thief draws near, nor moth destroys.” But what will they require in order to fulfil their task? What resou... [ Continue Reading ]
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” And the reason for this attitude is made clear. It is because where their treasure is, that is where their hearts will be. Jesus had in mind that those will only really live for Heavenly things who have stored up all their wealth in Heave... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FIRST PARABLE - THE SERVANTS IN READINESS (12:35-38). In this parable Jesus is dealing with the responsibility that all who claim to be His servants have for the whole world (the lord's house), although those who originally heard it probably thought in terms of the people of Israel. The emphasi... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT THE ATTITUDE OF HIS DISCIPLES SHOULD BE (12:35-40). The parable that follows confirms that Jesus will have been previously laying out the background to them (we know so little of the much that He taught them). He had certainly told them that He would die, and rise again (Luke 9:22; Luke 9:31; L... [ Continue Reading ]
“Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning,” The parable begins with a description of what is required of the Lord's servants. In modern terms we would say that they have to have their sleeves rolled up and the lights switched on so that they can go about their tasks with all their mig... [ Continue Reading ]
“And be you yourselves like to men looking for their lord, when he shall return from the marriage feast, that, when he comes and knocks, they may open to him straight away.” And the servants themselves had to be like men who were waiting for the return of their lord who could arrive at any moment.... [ Continue Reading ]
“Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he comes will find watching.” Jesus then points out that those servants who are found ready and watching when the lord returns will be truly blessed. Not that they were doing anything special. It was one of the main duties of servants to be at readine... [ Continue Reading ]
“And if he shall come in the second watch, and if in the third, and find them so, blessed are those servants.” And they must be in a state of readiness whenever he returns, whether in the second watch or the third. The Jews had three ‘watches' to the night (as against the Romans with four), at whic... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SECOND PARABLE - THE THIEF BREAKING IN (12:39). “But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not have left his house to be broken through.” The second illustration is of the arrival of a thief. No one knows when it will... [ Continue Reading ]
“You be also ready, for in an hour that you think not the Son of man comes.” The lesson of both parables is then made clear. All are to be ready because the Son of Man will come in the very hour that He is not expected. Many in the crowd would be thinking in terms of the coming Messiah. Others migh... [ Continue Reading ]
PETER'S COMMENT (12:41). Peter may well have heard the mutterings in the crowd as different interpretations were suggested, and have recognised that the crowds did not really have the background (which the disciples had) in order to understand the parable. Perhaps that was what Peter was trying to... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Peter said, “Lord, do you speak this parable to us, or even to all?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall set over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?” Jesus replies to Peter's question with a question. In other words He... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PARABLE OF THE SERVANTS GOOD AND BAD (12:42-48). In reply to Peter's question Jesus tells a parable about an individual steward (although it expands to cover all level of servants at the end). It should be noted that again the parable is open to varied interpretation. The crowd could see the me... [ Continue Reading ]
“Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he comes shall find so doing. Of a truth I say to you, that he will set him over all that he has.” He now points out that the steward is a slave. He is not there to better himself but to serve. If the slave faithfully carries out his function he will be b... [ Continue Reading ]
“But if that servant shall say in his heart, ‘My lord delays his coming,' and shall begin to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken.” But far from being blessed is that slave if he takes advantage of his lord's absence to maltreat his master's property. H... [ Continue Reading ]
“The lord of that servant will come in a day when he does not expect, and in an hour when he does not know, and will cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the unfaithful.” But the slave is so foolish that he has forgotten that his lord might come at any time. And when suddenly his lord does... [ Continue Reading ]
“And that servant, who knew his lord's will, and did not make ready, nor did according to his will, will be beaten with many stripes,” The question here is whether this is the same slave or another one. If the steward was decapitated it would certainly suggest that this is another one. This tagging... [ Continue Reading ]
“But he who did not know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes.” On the other hand the servant who did not know in depth what his lord required, presumably because he was a lower level servant, (although still required to be faithful), but who was still not as well beha... [ Continue Reading ]
“I have come to cast fire on the earth, and how I wish it was already kindled.” Apart from the problem of translating the last part of the verse, which probably does not affect the meaning of the whole, the main question here is as to the significance of the ‘casting of fire on the earth'. The gene... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FUTURE WILL NOT ALL BE ROSY (12:49-53). As Jesus contemplates the thought of the punishments which will be inflicted on the various unfaithful servants, it carries His thought forward on to what now awaits the world in terms of the severe treatment that is coming on those who called themselves H... [ Continue Reading ]
“But I have a baptism (‘an overwhelming') to be baptised with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!” However, if that fire is to be effective redeemingly something extraordinary will be required, the baptism of suffering of Jesus, that is, the experience for Jesus of being ‘overwhelmed'... [ Continue Reading ]
“Do you think that I am come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, No, but rather division.” Having spoken of the fire that He is casting on the earth He now stresses what its result will be, that rather than His coming and His suffering as the Messiah uniting the people of Israel and leading the... [ Continue Reading ]
“For there shall be from now on five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.” Indeed it will even divide families. For from now on houses will be divided. (The dissension apparent in the house (Luke 12:45) will continue). In houses where there are five, three will be divided... [ Continue Reading ]
“They will be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother in law against her daughter in law, and daughter in law against her mother in law.” The division will occur where it might be least expected, for it will even disturb t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he said to the crowds also, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, straight away you say, ‘There comes a shower,' and so it happens.” Jesus has now turned His concentration back on the crowds who have been drinking in His words, even if they have failed to fully understand them. He draws th... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CROWDS SHOULD THEREFORE TAKE HEED. THEY MUST RECOGNISE THAT NOW IS THE TIME THEY HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR AND THAT THEY SHOULD THEREFORE AGREE WITH THEIR ADVERSARY (JESUS AND HIS WORDS) WHILE THERE IS YET TIME (12:54-59). Having spoken His momentous words Jesus now turns to the crowds and takes up... [ Continue Reading ]
“And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be a scorching heat,' and it happens.” The south wind comes up from the hot wilderness warmth of the Negeb and beyond, and thus will inevitably bring scorching heat as the wind blows the heat of the wilderness into the land. In the condit... [ Continue Reading ]
“You hypocrites, you know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heaven, but how is it that you do not know how to interpret this time?” But Jesus considers that if they can take the trouble to note the signs of changing weather, they might also have taken the time to note the signs occurri... [ Continue Reading ]
“And why even of yourselves do you not judge what is right?” And their failure to observe the signs that reveal the presence of the time of opportunity explains why they do not see what is the right course for them to take in view of His coming. They are failing to recognise the urgency of the situ... [ Continue Reading ]
“For as you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, on the way give diligence to be quit of him, lest haply he drag you to the judge, and the judge shall deliver you to the officer, and the officer shall cast you into prison.” He depicts their response to Him in terms of debtors who are... [ Continue Reading ]
“I say to you, You will by no means come out from there, until you have paid the very last penny.” For if they do not come to agreement with Him let them be sure that every sin will have to be accounted for, they will be made liable for their whole debt. This is not an indication that eventually th... [ Continue Reading ]