EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries
Luke 12:1-59
Luke’s Good News
Luke
Hilda Bright
Chapter 12
Jesus warns and encourages his *disciples 12:1-12
1 Warning about the false lives of the *Pharisees 12:1-3
v1 Thousands of people had gathered. There were so many people, that they were walking on each other’s feet. Jesus spoke to his *disciples first. ‘Be careful, avoid the *yeast of the *Pharisees. v2 God will lift the cover from everything that people want to hide. He will display every secret. v3 Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark, people will hear in the light. Whatever you have whispered in a private room, people will shout from the roofs of houses’.
Verse 1 ‘*yeast’ or ‘*leaven’ is a substance that cooks use to make bread rise. Jesus used the word to describe the *hypocrisy of the *Pharisees. *Hypocrisy means ‘acting a part’. The *Pharisees pretended to be good, but they were hiding their true character. Their false behaviour could spread to other people, as *yeast spreads in flour. Therefore the *disciples must not believe what the *Pharisees taught. They must always be sincere in what they say and do.
Verse 2 *Hypocrisy is foolish. On the day of judgement God will show the hidden wicked thoughts of people like the *Pharisees.
Verse 3 There are two ways to say that the truth cannot remain hidden. People will hear in the daytime whatever anyone has said at night. People may whisper a secret in a private room in a house. But other people will shout it from the roofs.
Houses had flat roofs. As most houses were very close together, it was easy to shout from one roof to another.
2 The *disciples need not fear people 12:4-7
v4 ‘I tell you this, my friends. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body. After that, they cannot do any more. v5 I will show you whom to fear. Fear God. He has the power to kill people and to throw them into hell. Believe me, he is the one whom you should fear! v6 People sell five sparrows (little birds) for two pennies. But God cares for every one of the sparrows. v7 God even counts the hairs on your head. So, do not be afraid. You are more valuable to God than many sparrows’.
Verse 4 When a person’s physical body dies no one can kill them again.
Verse 5 However, God has power after a person’s physical body dies. God judges everyone. He can punish them and send them into hell. The *Greek word for ‘hell’ is ‘Gehenna’. This refers to the valley of Hinnom, just outside Jerusalem. The people burned all their rubbish there. People thought that it was like the place of final punishment.
Verse 6 Jesus spoke of God’s power to punish. Then Jesus reminded the *disciples of God’s loving care. It cost only two pennies to buy five small birds.
People used to cook and eat them. They cost a penny for two, with an extra one free. But God does not forget any of these cheap and common little birds. He even remembers the free one.
Verse 7 *Disciples need not be afraid. They are worth much more than a great many little birds. God knows everything about those who follow Jesus. He even counts the hairs on their heads. That shows that he cares about everything and nothing is too small.
3 To confess or to deny Christ 12:8-12
v8 ‘You may tell other people that you belong to the *Son of Man. Then he will tell God’s *angels that you are his loyal *disciple. v9 But you might tell other people that you do not know me. Then the *Son of Man will tell God’s *angels that he does not know you. v10 God will forgive anyone who says something bad about the *Son of Man. But God will not forgive anyone who says evil things against the Holy Spirit. v11 The people with authority will accuse you in the *synagogues and to rulers. But do not worry about what to say or how you will defend yourself. v12 The Holy Spirit will teach you what you ought to say at that time’.
Verse 8 Our attitude to Jesus is very important. On judgement day he will declare to the *angels in heaven who his true *disciples are. They are those who are willing to say that they follow him. The people who deny Jesus on earth refuse to accept his claim on their lives. In heaven, Jesus will say that they do not belong to him.
Verse 10 God cannot forgive anyone who *sins against the Holy Spirit. Some people said that good things were evil. They were guilty of this *sin. They said that when Jesus *healed people, he was helping the devil. Such people refuse to recognise their own *sin. They continue to oppose God. Therefore, God will not forgive them. Their attitude has become so hard. They do not even realise that they need God to forgive them.
Verse 11 The *disciples would have trouble because of their *faith. But Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would help them. They might have to go to a *synagogue court. Maybe the chief *Jewish court, the *Sanhedrin, would judge them. Later, *Gentile rulers might oppose them too. They need not worry about what to say in court. John 14:16 calls the Holy Spirit the ‘Paraclete’. That word means ‘he who is at one’s side to help’. He will give the *disciples the right words to say.
The *parable of the rich fool 12:13-21
v13 A man in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to share the property that we received when our father died’. v14 Jesus answered him, ‘Man, I do not have the right. I cannot decide how your brother should divide the property with you’. v15 Jesus went on to say, ‘Do not be greedy! A person’s true life is not made up of the things that he owns, however great his wealth’.
v16 Then Jesus told them this *parable. ‘There was a rich man whose land gave him a great harvest. v17 He thought to himself, “I do not have room for all my crops. What shall I do? v18 I know!” he told himself. “I shall pull down my sheds and build bigger ones. There I can store all my grain and my goods. v19 Then I shall say to myself, ‘You are a lucky man. You have plenty of all that you need for many years. Eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!’ ” v20 But God said to him, “You fool! This very night you will die. Then who will get all those things that you have kept for yourself?” ’ v21 Jesus ended, ‘This is what happens to someone who stores up riches for himself. But he remains a poor man in the sight of God’.
Verse 13 It is possible that the man was the second son. He should have received less than his brother. This is what the law of Moses says (Deuteronomy 21:17). Perhaps he wanted an equal share. He may have felt that his brother was cheating him in some way.
Verse 14 Jesus said that he did not have the authority to judge. It was not his work. His work was to bring people to know God.
Verse 15 Jesus took the opportunity to give a serious warning about being greedy.
To be greedy is to have the desire for more and more things. It is like salt water. If a person drinks salt water, he feels that he still wants more to drink. Real life does not depend on how much a person owns in this world.
Verses 19-20 The man was a fool because he spoke of ‘many years’. He did not think about his death. Moreover, he could not know when he would die. Neither could all his possessions satisfy his *soul. He was also selfish. He used the words ‘I’ and ‘my’ 12 times. He thought only about using his wealth for himself. He did not think about helping other people. He planned to live a life of luxury. He believed that he was in control of the future. He did not realise that God gave him everything, including his life. He was stupid to depend on material things. He could not take those things with him when he died (1 Timothy 6:7).
*Disciples must not worry 12:22-34
v22 Then Jesus said to his *disciples, ‘And so I tell you, do not worry about food to eat or clothes to wear. v23 Life is much more important than food and clothes.
v24 Think about the birds. They do not plant or harvest. They do not have rooms or sheds in which to store things. Yet God feeds them. You are worth so much more than birds. v25 You can not live longer because you worry. v26 If you cannot do even such a small thing, then do not worry about the other things. v27 Look how the wild flowers grow. They do not work or make clothes for themselves. But this is what I tell you. Even Solomon with all his splendid wealth did not wear clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers. v28 It is God who gives ‘clothes’ to the wild plants. These plants are in the field today, and the next day people burn them in their ovens. God will certainly give you clothes to wear. How little you trust God! v29 So do not worry about what you will eat and drink. v30 People who do not trust God worry about such things. Your Father knows that you need them. v31 Instead, put the work of God’s *kingdom first. Then God will provide these things as well.
v32 Do not be afraid, my little group of sheep. Your Father wants to give you the *kingdom.
v33 Sell all your possessions and give to the poor. Have purses that never wear out. Save your riches in heaven. They will never disappear, because no thief can get near them. No insect can destroy them.
v34 For your love will always be in the place where your wealth is’.
Verse 22 Jesus had just spoken of the danger of riches. Then he spoke to his *disciples, who had few possessions. They must not worry about what their body needed, like food and clothes. There are more important things in life than these things. Jesus was not telling them to forget their responsibilities and not to think about the future. He was warning them not to worry.
Verse 24 Birds, such as ravens, do not farm or store food. Ravens were among the ‘*unclean’ birds in the *Old Testament list (Leviticus 11:15). But God takes care even of them. Christians are far more valuable than any birds.
Verse 25 Worry achieves nothing. A person who worries cannot make his life longer. Worry may even make life shorter.
Verse 26 If *disciples cannot do these things, they need not worry about the rest.
Verse 27-28 Wild flowers are more beautiful than rich King Solomon in his splendid clothes. Yet, flowers live for only a short time. People then burn them as fuel to heat their ovens. If God ‘clothes’ flowers that have such short lives, then he will certainly give clothes to his children.
Verse 29-30 People worry because they do not trust God. He is the Father who knows what his children need. The people who do not know God worry about things like food and drink.
Verse 31 They should give honour to God as they do what he wants. They should try to bring more people into his *kingdom. If they put his work first, then he will supply what they need each day.
Verse 32 Jesus spoke as a *shepherd. He compared his *disciples with a small number of sheep. Although they were few, their *shepherd cared for them. Jesus had just told them to put the work of God’s *kingdom first. Now he says that the *kingdom is a gift from God. God is happy to welcome them into his *kingdom. This is not in the future, at the end of time. It belongs to them now. They work to spread the good news of the *kingdom. God gives them the power that they need to do his work.
Verse 33 Jesus was not asking his *disciples to give everything away. That would make them a nuisance to society. He was urging them not to be like the selfish ‘rich fool’ in the story. Jesus wanted them to be generous with their goods. Their real wealth is *spiritual. This wealth lasts. It is like a purse that never wears out. It is completely safe. Thieves can steal valuable possessions on earth. Insects can destroy expensive clothes. A person concentrates all his time and effort on whatever he thinks is most valuable. Riches on earth will make him worry, but they do not last. Wealth in heaven means that he obeys God. Then he has joy and feels safe. A person’s life with God lasts even after death.
The *Son of Man will return to earth 12:35-40
v35 ‘Always be ready. Dress ready for action. Keep your lamps lit. v36 Be ready, like servants who are waiting for their master to come back from a wedding party. They will be able to open the door as soon as he comes back and knocks. v37 Some servants are awake when their master returns. Those servants are happy. I tell you that the master will get ready. He will make the servants sit down. Then the master will serve them at the table. v38 If the master comes at midnight, or even later, those servants are happy! v39 But understand this: If the owner knew when the thief was coming, he would make sure that his house was safe. v40 You too must be ready. For the *Son of Man will come when you do not expect him’.
Verse 35 Jesus teaches about the time when he will return to earth. People must always be ready for Jesus to return at any time. He will come suddenly. Then there will be no time to get ready for him.
As servants got ready for work, they would pull up their long clothes over their belt. People need to care for lamps so that they continue to burn. The *disciples should prepare themselves too.
Verse 36 Jesus wants his people to be like servants who stay awake. They will then be ready when their master returns from a wedding party.
Verses 37-38 The servants do not know when the wedding party will end. They need to wait for their master all night. The servants, who keep awake and ready, even in the early hours of the morning, will receive a surprise. Their master will get ready to serve them himself. Jesus himself acted as a servant to his *disciples (John 13:4). God’s rewards are always more than a *disciple ever expects.
Verses 39-40 *Disciples must be like the owner of a house. He prevents a thief who tries to break into his house. They must always be ready for the *Son of Man to return to earth. Jesus will return when they are not expecting him.
The responsibilities of servants 12:41-48
v41 Peter said, ‘*Lord, are you telling this *parable for us or for everyone?’
v42 The *Lord answered, ‘Who is a loyal and wise servant? He is the one whom the master will choose to look after his house and servants. He will have to give the other servants their food at the proper time. v43 The master may return and find that he has carried out his duties. Then that servant will be happy. v44 I am telling you the truth. The master will ask the servant to look after all his property. v45 But that servant may think, “My master is taking a long time to come back”. And the servant begins to beat the other servants, both men and women. He eats and drinks, and drinks too much wine. v46 Then the master will come back one day when the servant does not expect him. He will give the servant a severe punishment. The servant will have the same fate as those servants who were not loyal. v47 A servant who knows what his master wants may take no notice of it. The master will hit him with many blows. v48 But another servant may not know what his master wants. That servant may do something wrong that deserves punishment. But the master will hit him with only a few blows. God requires much from the person to whom he gives much. He will expect much more from the person to whom he has given more’.
Verse 41 Peter asked the question, because he was worried about Jesus’ warning. Jesus had said that he would return to earth. He seemed to suggest that some of his *disciples would not be ready.
Verse 42 *Disciples are the *Lord’s servants, to whom God has given great responsibility. They are like the servant who looks after his master’s house.
Verses 43-44 The *disciples should wait for the *Lord to return. While they wait, they should be active and work for him and for other people. When the *Lord returns, he will reward those people who have served him and been loyal.
Verse 45 Nobody has the right to be lazy. Nobody should live and just satisfy his own desires.
Verses 47-48 Some *disciples know more and have more opportunities. Therefore, they should be more responsible. As a *disciple learns and knows more, God expects him to become more responsible. God will be fair when he punishes people who do wrong. God has been more generous to us than we deserve. He will expect us to serve him much better.
Jesus divides people 12:49-53
v49 ‘I came to make the earth on fire. How I wish that the fire had already started!
v50 I have a *baptism to receive. How unhappy and upset I am until it is over! v51 Do you think that I came to bring peace to the world? No, I do not bring peace. Instead, I divide people. v52 From now a family of five will divide. Three people in the family will be against the other two. And two people in the family will be against the other three. v53 Fathers and sons will be against each other. Mothers and daughters will oppose each other. A wife and her husband’s mother will oppose each other’.
Verse 49 Jesus had come to bring God’s judgement. It was like fire that destroys things that have no value. This judgement would take place at the cross, where God would judge people’s *sin. Jesus came to rescue people from *sin. He wished that his work had already begun.
Verse 50 He referred to his death as a ‘*baptism’. The word *baptism sometimes means suffering. (Look at Mark 10:39.) Jesus knew that he would suffer and die. He felt great strain as he thought about it. He wanted it to happen soon.
Verses 51-53 Jesus did bring peace. He made people at peace with God. However, his message also divided people. Some people accepted his message. Other people refused to obey him. This would even divide some families. Jesus used words like those in Micah 7:6. He said that in one family there would be three people on his side and two people against him. Or it would be the other way round. A father will decide one way, a son another way. Mother and daughter will not agree. In a family, people must be loyal to Jesus first. Their family must take the second place.
The evidence of the times 12:54-56
v54 Jesus also said to the crowds, ‘When a cloud rises in the west, you know at once that it will rain. And it does rain. v55 When the south wind blows, you say, “It is going to get hot”. And it does. v56 You *hypocrites! You can look at the earth and the sky. Then you know what the weather is going to be like. Then why do you not know what the present time means?’
Verse 54 Jesus said that people could understand the weather. They saw the evidence that it would change. Sometimes the clouds came from the Mediterranean Sea. Then they knew that it would rain.
Verse 55 The south wind from the desert would bring extremely hot weather.
Verse 56 They were *hypocrites. They knew how to judge the evidence of future weather. But they refused to understand the ‘signs’ that Jesus was talking about. The *Greek word for ‘time’ here is ‘kairos’, which means ‘the right time’. People were not deciding to follow Jesus while they had the opportunity.
Making peace with God 12:57-59
v57 ‘You should decide what is the right thing to do. Why are you not willing to decide? v58 If someone accuses you, you should try hard to be at peace with him. Do this while you are on the way to the court. If you do not, he will drag you to the judge. The judge will order the police to put you in prison. v59 Then you will stay there until you pay the very last tiny coin of your debt’.
Verse 57 Jesus asked why people did not think for themselves. They should not let people like the *Pharisees guide them.
Verses 58-59 A man is in debt. He should pay the person who is taking him to the court. If he does not, he could go to prison. He will not get out until he has paid every single coin, even the very last small coin. Every man is in debt to God because he or she has failed to love and obey him. He should ask for God’s *mercy, before God judges him.
This publication is written in EasyEnglish Level B (2800 words)
disciple ~ one who follows another and learns from him; a person who believes in Jesus; a person who follows the things that he teaches.Pharisees ~ group of Jews who were very strict about the law of Moses.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
yeast ~ substance that you put in bread to make it rise.
leaven ~ see yeast.
yeast ~ substance that you put in bread to make it rise.
hypocrisy ~ pretending to be better than you are.
hypocrisy ~ pretending to be better than you are.
Greek ~ language of the *New Testament. Many people spoke Greek in *New Testament times.
disciple ~ one who follows another and learns from him; a person who believes in Jesus; a person who follows the things that he teaches.'Son of Man ~ special name that Jesus used of himself.
angel ~ God’s servant and messenger in heaven.
messenger ~ person who gives a message.
synagogue ~ a building where Jews gather to pray and to study the *Old Testament.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.'sin/sinner ~ when people do things against God or other people.
heal ~ cure; make completely well.
faith ~ trust.
Jewish ~ a word that describes a Jew or anything to do with a Jew.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
Sanhedrin ~ the group of Jewish priests and other leaders.
Jewish ~ a word that describes a Jew or anything to do with a Jew.
priest ~ a man that gave gifts and burned animals as a sacrifice to God for the Jews; a man that God chose to serve him.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
sacrifice ~ a gift to God to ask him to forgive sins; or to thank him for something.
Gentiles ~ people who are not Jews.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
parable ~ a story with a moral meaning.
soul ~ the part of a person that we cannot see, that is in us during our life on earth. It continues to live after the body dies.
kingdom ~ land that a king rules.
unclean ~ (1) not pure in a religious meaning. (2) dirty.
religious ~ leaders belonging to a religion.
shepherd ~ one who cares for sheep.
spiritual ~ belonging to the spirit.
spirit ~ the part of a person which is alive, which we cannot see. It can speak to other spirits and the soul.
soul ~ the part of a person that we cannot see, that is in us during our life on earth. It continues to live after the body dies.
Lord ~ name for God in the Bible; name that we use for Jesus when we obey him.'baptise/baptism ~ to put a person into water to show that he wants to obey God.
hypocrites ~ persons who pretend to be better than they are.
mercy ~ be kind to and help a person who does wrong.
Luke: The Man Christ Jesus
Jesus on his way from Galilee to Jerusalem
Ian Mackervoy
Chapter 12
Jesus teaches the people – Luke 12:1-59
Jesus warns against *hypocrisy – Luke 12:1-3
v1 Thousands of people crowded together, so that they were stepping on each other’s feet. Jesus began to speak to his *disciples first. He said, ‘Be cautious about the *yeast of the *Pharisees. By this, I mean their *hypocrisy. v2 Everything that people hide, the *Lord will show. Every secret, the *Lord will make public. v3 What you have said in the dark, people will hear in the light. What you whisper to an ear in a private room will be like a shout from the roof.’
Verses 1 The word for thousands really means more than 10 thousand. Here it does not mean that actual number. Luke used the word to mean a very large crowd. The whole crowd pushed in to hear Jesus. But Jesus spoke first to his *disciples.
Jesus told his *disciples to be cautious about the *yeast of the *Pharisees. He warns them not to let this kind of *yeast affect their lives. Most people in those days baked their own bread. They knew that a small amount of *yeast would affect the whole lump of the bread. In the same way, *hypocrisy can affect a person or a church. The effect of *yeast is good in bread but the effect of *hypocrisy is bad for people or the church.
Many *Pharisees did not do what they taught. This was their *hypocrisy. And they preferred to teach their traditions rather than the word of God.
Verses 2-3 We may try to keep secrets but in the end, nothing will be secret. The *Lord knows even the thoughts that we have. We can hide nothing from the *Lord. The *Lord will show in public all that people try to hide (1 Corinthians 4:5).
Houses were often of one floor, with a flat roof. A flat roof made a good platform from which to speak to a crowd.
Be loyal to the *Lord – Luke 12:4-12
v4 ‘My friends, do not be afraid of those who can kill the body. After they have killed the body, they can do nothing more. v5 But I will show you of whom you should be afraid. Be afraid of God, who after your death has the power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you: be afraid of him.
v6 You can buy 5 *sparrows for two *assaria but God does not forget any of the *sparrows. v7 God has counted all the hairs on your head. So, do not be afraid. You are worth more than many *sparrows.
v8 Declare to other people that you belong to me. And I, the Son of Man will tell God’s *angels that you are mine. v9 But if a person denies me to other people, I will deny that person to God’s *angels. v10 If you speak against the Son of Man, the *Lord can forgive you. But if you speak *blasphemy against the *Holy Spirit, the *Lord will not forgive you.
v11 People will accuse you in *synagogues, in front of rulers or other judges. Do not worry about how you will defend yourselves. Do not worry about what you will say. v12 At that time the *Holy Spirit will teach you what you ought to say.’
Verses 4-5 It is natural to be afraid of those who can kill the body. Jesus tells his friends not to be afraid of them. They can do nothing more after they have killed the body. The death of the body is not the end of the person. Beyond death, there is heaven and hell. God has the authority to send a person to heaven or to hell. God controls the final fate of all people. Therefore, it is important to be afraid of God. So, Jesus tells his friends to be afraid of God rather than men.
Hell comes from the *Greek word: Gehenna. Gehenna was another name for the Valley of Hinnom. The Valley of Hinnom is outside Jerusalem city. In *New Testament times, this was the place where people burned their rubbish. It seems that a fire burned there at all times. So, it began to mean a place of *eternal punishment.
The Valley of Hinnom had been the place where people *sacrificed children to false gods (Jeremiah 7:31; 2 Chronicles 28:3). King Josiah stopped that practice (2 Kings 23:10). But the *Jews continued to consider that valley as an evil place.
Verses 6-7 Jesus tells them that God cares about his people. He speaks about the *sparrows. A person could buy these common little birds. Poor people bought small birds for food. They cost very little: just two *sparrows for one *assaria or 5 *sparrows for two *assaria (see Matthew 10:29). And God cares about each one of those little birds.
An *assaria was a very small *Roman coin. It was worth a 16th of a *denarius. A *denarius was equal to a day’s wage for a farm worker.
God knows each hair on the head of each of his people. He has such knowledge of each person. He knows more about us than we can know about ourselves. Therefore, his *disciples should not be afraid. They are worth more than many *sparrows to God. They can trust God to take care of them.
Verses 8-9 Our attitude to Jesus is very important. A Christian must not be afraid to say that he belongs to Christ. Then Jesus will tell the *angels that this person belongs to him. If a person denies Christ now, Christ will deny him in the future.
Verse 10 There is a *sin that is too serious for God to forgive. God will forgive all other *sins if we *repent of them. But this *sin, he will never forgive.
We cannot talk of one *sin as less bad than another *sin. *Sin is *sin and all *sins are bad. God can forgive us even if we *sin against Jesus. But God will not forgive the *sin of *blasphemy against the *Holy Spirit. It is important for us to understand what that *sin is.
The enemies of Jesus said that he did good deeds by the power of the devil (Mark 3:29-30). They called evil good and good evil. People who say these things have chosen on purpose to oppose God. They deny that God is good. If they continue with this attitude, they are guilty of the final *sin. These persons are not able to *repent because they will never change their minds. They cannot believe in the *Lord Jesus for *salvation because their final choice is to be God’s enemies.
God can forgive all kinds of *sin if people *repent. He can even forgive the *sin of *blasphemy. But it is possible for a person to continue with *sin until he is completely unwilling to *repent. Because that person will not *repent, God will never forgive that person.
Verses 11-12 However, the *Holy Spirit is with those who believe in Jesus. Their enemies will accuse them in front of rulers and judges. These enemies may be in the *synagogues or in the courts of law. When this happens, the Christians should not worry about it. They do not need to prepare to defend themselves. They can depend on the *Holy Spirit to teach them what to say. He will teach them at the right time when they need it.
He does not promise to free them from the situation. But in their defence, they will serve the purposes of God. They will declare the truth.
The rich fool – Luke 12:13-21
v13 Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to give me my share of my father’s property.’
v14 But Jesus replied to him, ‘Man, nobody has appointed me to be a judge in this matter. It is not my work to divide the property between you and your brother.’ v15 He told the people, ‘Be careful. Do not be greedy for material things. A person’s life does not consist in how much he possesses.’
v16 Jesus told them this story, ‘The land of a certain rich man produced a good harvest. v17 He thought to himself, “I must do something. I do not have enough room to store my harvest.”
v18 Then he said, “I know what to do. I will tear down my sheds. I will build bigger sheds. And there I will store all my grain and my other good things. v19 Then I will say to myself, 'I have stored up many good things. They will last for many years. Life will be easy. I will eat and I will drink. I will enjoy myself.’ ”
v20 However, God said to him, “You are a fool. You will die tonight. Someone else will get what you have stored up."
v21 Some people store up wealth for themselves but they are not rich in their relationship with God. They will suffer the same fate as the man in this story.’
Verses 13-15 A person in the crowd had a problem with his brother. Their father had died and the brother had taken the father’s property. He asked Jesus to tell his brother to share the property with him. The person asked for a decision for his own benefit. Perhaps he expected the brother to hand over the property if Jesus told him to that.
There are rules in the *Old Testament about what the first son in a family should receive (Deuteronomy 21:17). These rules gave the first son twice as much as the other sons. A father had to give the first son his proper share. Maybe the brother here was the first son; if so, he had the right to a larger share of the property. However, he should not take everything. It seems that he had acted unfairly.
Jesus refused to make a decision in this personal matter. Nobody had appointed him to act as a judge of such matters. He warned the people to be careful about greedy attitudes. They must not be greedy for material things. Many people constantly worry about their possessions. But our life does not depend on what we own.
Verses 16-21 Then Jesus told a story to show what he meant. The story was about a wealthy farmer. The farmer had a very good harvest. His sheds were full and he had nowhere to store his harvest. So, he decided to replace his sheds with bigger sheds. Then he could relax and enjoy his wealth. He had enough for many years.
In all of this, there was no thought about other people or about God. He thought only about himself. He supposed that he would live for many years. He thought that he would live in luxury.
God called this man a fool. The man was stupid to think that he had control of his future. No man can know how many years he will live on this earth. God told this man that he would die that night. Then the man would have to give an account of his life to God. And all his wealth would belong to someone else. The man who depends on his wealth alone is a fool.
It is foolish to store up wealth on earth without God. What really matters is our relationship with God. We must store up wealth in heaven rather than on earth (Matthew 6:19-21).
Do not worry – Luke 12:22-34
v22 Jesus said to his *disciples, ‘I tell you this. Do not worry about the food that you need to live. Do not worry about the clothes that you need for your body. v23 Life is more than food and the body is more than clothes. v24 Think about the *ravens. They do not sow and they do not harvest grain. They do not have buildings to store grain. They do not put the harvest into sheds. However, God feeds them. And you are much more valuable than birds. v25 You cannot add any time to your life even if you worry about it. v26 Because you cannot do a small thing like that, do not worry about other things.
v27 Think about how the *lilies grow. They do not work. They do not make their own clothes. I tell you that Solomon’s magnificent clothes were not as beautiful as one of these flowers. v28 That is how God dresses the grass. The grass is in the field today and tomorrow people burn it in the fire. If he dresses the grass like that, he will certainly provide clothes for you. Your *faith is so small. v29 Do not worry about what you will eat. And do not worry about what you will drink. Do not be anxious about these things. v30 People in every nation across the world try to get these things. But your Father knows that you need them. v31 But look for God’s *kingdom and he will give these things to you.
v32 I consider you as my little group of sheep. So do not be afraid. It pleased your Father to give the *kingdom to you. v33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor people. Get for yourselves purses that will not wear out. Make sure that your wealth is safe in heaven. There thieves cannot approach to steal it and *moths cannot destroy it. v34 Where your wealth is, there your heart will be also.’
Verses 22-26 Jesus told the story in Luke 12:16-20 to the crowd. Now he spoke to his *disciples. What he said to them follows from that story. The greedy person can never get enough to satisfy his own desires. Other people worry that they may not have enough. The *disciples of Jesus should not be greedy for possessions on earth. And they should not be anxious that they might not have enough. It is important in all circumstances to trust the *Lord. The *Lord knows that his people need food and clothes.
Birds like ravens do not farm for their food. Ravens are large black birds. God has provided for the birds. People are of more value to God than birds. He will take care of those people who trust him.
People cannot extend their life. The rich farmer (in Luke 12:16-20) could not change the time of his death even by one hour. It is not certain whether verse 25 refers to time or height. The verse could be, ‘You cannot add one cubit to your height even if you worry about it.’ A cubit was about 18 inches. Either way it shows that worry is of no use. These things are beyond the control of men. They are small things to God but they are impossible for men.
Verses 27-28 Jesus had used the birds as an example. Now he talks about the plants in the field. *Lilies grew in the grass. We do not know anything about these flowers, except that they were beautiful flowers. The word ‘lilies’ could mean flowers in general rather than one type of flower. Flowers do not have to work to be beautiful. They do not make their clothes as people do. They do nothing to achieve their own beauty. God gives to them their beauty. The skill of people made magnificent clothes for King Solomon. But they could not make anything as beautiful as a flower.
Flowers do not last long. They are in the grass. People cut the grass and they burn it. These flowers are so temporary. They are alive one day and they are in the fire the next day. God does so much for the flowers that last for such a short time. Certainly, he will give clothes to his own people. They are worth much more to him than the flowers. The *disciples do not need to be anxious about clothes. They need to have *faith in God.
Verses 29-31 Jesus commands his *disciples not to be anxious about food or drink. Life is so much more important than these things. They should give their attention to the *kingdom of God. God is their Father. And he knows what they need. God will take care of his people and he will provide these things for them.
Verses 32-34 Jesus calls his *disciples his ‘little group of sheep’. He is their *shepherd and the *shepherd takes care of his sheep. They do not need to be afraid because he will protect them. He has told them to look for the *kingdom of God. God their Father is happy to give that *kingdom to them.
We do need some possessions. Jesus does not say that his *disciples should have no possessions. He was speaking about our attitude to material possessions. They are not the most important things in life. It is better to sell our possessions than that we should allow them to take control of our lives. Trust in material wealth prevents trust in God.
What we possess on earth cannot last. We cannot have the benefit of such things permanently. Thieves can steal our possessions. *Moths are insects that fly. Some *moths eat clothes. *Moths spoil clothes when they make holes in them. In those days, clothes were valuable. When we die, we cannot take anything with us. Our true wealth is what we have with Jesus. God’s people have a new life now and a safe home in heaven. God is giving to them his *kingdom.
Where our wealth is will be the centre of (the most important thing in) our life. Our attitude to wealth governs our desires and thoughts. Our wealth can be the material things on earth that will fail. Or, our wealth can be the *kingdom of God in our life now and for the future in heaven.
Be ready – Luke 12:35-48
v35 ‘Dress ready for action. And light your lamps. v36 Be like servants who wait for their master to come home from a wedding party. When he comes, he knocks at the door. The servants immediately open the door for him. v37 It will be good for those servants whom the master finds ready for him. I tell you the truth, the master will dress himself to serve. He will tell the servants to sit at the table. And he will come to serve them. v38 The master may come in the second or third part of the night. It will be good for those servants whom the master finds ready at that time.
v39 You can be sure about this. If the house owner knew when to expect the thief, he would not let the thief break into his house. v40 So, be ready. The Son of Man will come at a time when you do not expect him.’
v41 Peter asked, ‘*Lord, did you tell this story to us, or to everyone?’
v42 The *Lord answered, ‘This is the loyal servant and the wise manager. He is the person that the master makes responsible for his servants. He will give them their share of food at the proper time. v43 The master will return. And it will be good for that servant who is doing his work properly. v44 I tell you the truth. The master will appoint that servant to take care of everything that he owns. v45 But the servant may be less loyal. He thinks, “My master will not come back soon.” That servant starts to hit the other male and female servants. He eats and he drinks a lot. And he drinks too much alcohol. v46 The master of that servant will come at a time when the servant does not expect him. The servant will not know the day or the hour in which the master will come. The master will cut him in pieces. The master will cause him to suffer with those people who do not believe.
v47 The servant knew what his master wanted. But he did not get ready. And he did not do what his master wanted. So, the master will strike him with many blows. v48 However, a servant may not know what his master wants. And he may do things that deserve punishment. But the master will strike him with few blows. From everyone who has received much, the master will demand much. And from the one to whom people have given much, they will demand much more.’
Verses 35-40 People wore long clothes that were not good for physical work. To dress ready for action, they would lift the skirts of the clothes into their belts. This would free their legs for easier movement. Their lamps burned oil. To be ready, they would need to light their lamps. We too need to be ready. In particular, we need to be ready for the time when Jesus will come again.
To show what he meant, Jesus told a story. The good servants were ready for the master to return home. As soon as he knocked on the door, they were ready to open it. It pleased the master very much to find that his servants were ready for his return. This master did something that was not usual. Most masters would expect the servants to prepare the master’s meal first. Then the servants could get their own meal. But this master changed his clothes. And he prepared a meal for his servants.
The servants did not know when the master would come. The *Jews divided the night into three parts. The first part was from sunset to about 10 o’clock in the night. The second part was until 2 o’clock in the morning. And the third part was until sunrise. The master may come very late, even after midnight. The good servants will be ready for him at all times. They would stay awake all night if necessary, because they did not know when to expect him.
Jesus spoke about a house owner. If he knew when to expect the thief, he would be able to stop the thief. If he did not know, he would have to be ready to defend his house at all times.
The *disciples do not know when Jesus will come again. The fact that he will come again is certain. So, we need to be ready for when he does come. We should live as if we expect him to come at any time.
Verses 41-46 Peter wanted to know if the story referred to the *disciples or to everybody. Jesus did not give Peter a direct answer. Instead, Jesus answered him with two examples.
In both examples, the servant was the manager of his master’s house. He was responsible for the other servants. And he had control of the house while the master was away.
The loyal servant was a wise manager. He took care of the other servants. And he did all that the master wanted him to do. The master came back home. He found that the servant had done a good job. So, he rewarded that servant.
The other servant was not a wise and good manager. The master was away for a long time. So, the manager could do what he wanted. He beat the other servants and he did not do his job. He ate too much and he drank too much. The master came back home when the servant did not expect him. The master saw what the servant had done. So, he punished that wicked servant. The wicked servant would suffer a terrible punishment. He would suffer as one who did not have *faith in Jesus.
Jesus was talking about the people who followed him. The story refers especially to those people who are leaders. But the same principles are true for all who follow Jesus.
We cannot know when Jesus will come back again. But we must look for his return, and we must be ready for him to come.
Verses 47-48 Punishment is certain for those people who do not do their duty. Here the punishment is not because of wrong deeds. It is because of failure to do what is right. A master expects much of those servants who have received much. They will receive the greater punishment for their failure. Those people who did not know will receive less punishment. A servant should try to find out what his duties are. That is why these servants deserve punishment. But their punishment is not as severe as if they had acted on purpose.
In those days, the punishment for a serious crime was up to 40 blows with a whip. For a smaller crime, the punishment may be just a few blows with a whip. Jesus uses this to express the idea of different levels of punishment. He does not mean that God will use a whip. So the answer to Peter’s question (verse 41) was this. Everyone should be ready for Christ’s return. But people who know more about it have greater responsibility. If someone with knowledge refuses to be ready for Christ’s return, that is a very severe matter. When we understand Christ’s message, it is very important to obey him.
Jesus separates people – Luke 12:49-53
v49 ‘I have come to bring fire on the earth. And I desire that it were already on fire. v50 But I must go through a *baptism. And I suffer much until I have completed it. v51 Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. No, I did not. Rather I came to separate people. v52 From now on there may be five people in one house. Three of these will be against the other two. And two will be against the other three. v53 A father will be against his son and a son against his father. A mother will be against her daughter and a daughter against her mother. A son’s mother will be against his wife and his wife will be against his mother.’
Verses 49-50 Jesus came to bring fire on earth. It is not clear what this means. Fire may mean to make pure or it may mean punishment. In a sense, it could mean both. Jesus came to die for the *sins of the world. In his death, he took the punishment for our *sins. Through his death and by *faith, God can make us pure. In other words, he can forgive us and he can give us a right relationship with him. But those people who refuse to believe will suffer the punishment because of their own *sins.
The water in *baptism is a picture of death (Romans 6:3). People rise from the water to live a new life (Romans 6:4). So, Jesus uses *baptism as a word-picture here. The *baptism that Jesus talks about means his death and his life beyond death. He looks forward to the time when that *baptism will be complete. Until that time, Jesus suffered with the knowledge of what was to come. He knew the awful and painful death that he would go through.
Verses 51-53 There is a way in which Jesus does bring peace. We can have peace (a right relationship) with God through *faith in Jesus. But that peace is not what he meant here.
The good news of Jesus Christ separates people. Some people accept the death of Jesus and they believe in him. Other people refuse to believe that Jesus died on their behalf. And the division often causes strong feelings. It can cause family members to fight against each other. Parents can turn against their children. Children can turn against their parents. There can be trouble between mothers and their sons’ wives.
You do not understand the time – Luke 12:54-59
v54 Then Jesus said this to the crowd. ‘You see a cloud come up in the west. Immediately you say, “It will rain.” And it does rain. v55 You feel the wind that blows from the south. You say, “It will be hot.” And it is hot. v56 You are *hypocrites. You can look at the earth and the sky and you know what weather to expect. But you do not understand this present time.
v57 You should decide for yourselves what is right. v58 Suppose that you have done something wrong to someone. That person may take you to the courts in front of a ruler. Try hard to settle with him before you get there. Otherwise, he will bring you in front of the judge. Then the judge will hand you over to the officer. And the officer will put you in prison. v59 I tell you, it will not be easy to get out of there. First, you will have to pay all that you owe.’
Verses 54-56 The people in *Israel had learned how to interpret the clouds and the wind. From these, they could tell what the weather would do. The clouds from the west came over the sea and they brought rain. The wind from the south came from hot dry regions and it brought hot weather.
Jesus calls them *hypocrites. They understood what the clouds and the wind meant. But they were not able to see what was happening on earth. They did not understand that Jesus had come from God. They did not realise that judgement would come upon them. They did not see that this was a time of opportunity and responsibility.
Verses 57-59 It is better to settle out of court than to lose in the court. The one who owes money would be wise to make an agreement rather than to go to court. The judge would send the guilty person to prison. There would be no escape unless someone paid the debt.
We have all *sinned against God. Therefore, we would be wise to come to him now, before the day of judgement. He has made an agreement for us in Jesus. In this agreement, Jesus has paid the debt because of *sin on behalf of us all. If we accept this agreement by *faith then, by his death, Jesus paid the debt on our behalf. But if we do not accept it, we will have to pay for our own *sins. That is an impossible task. God as our judge will declare that we are guilty. We will have to suffer the punishment because of our *sins.
hypocrisy ~ when a person pretends in order to give a false impression.disciple ~ a person who follows a leader, especially the 12 men that Jesus chose to be with him.
yeast ~ a substance that makes bread rise before someone bakes the bread.
Pharisees ~ a group of Jews who tried to obey all God’s rules. Many of them did not approve of Jesus.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the families of their children.
Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all people and things. In the Old Testament, LORD was a special name for God.
Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible; the holy things that the writers wrote before Jesus’ birth.
sparrow ~ a kind of small bird.
assaria ~ a very small Roman coin that was worth a 16th of a denarius.
Roman ~ Rome was the capital city of the rulers at that time. Anything that belonged to Rome was Roman.
denarius ~ a coin. The plural is denarii. A denarius was the amount that a workman would earn for one day’s work.
angel ~ a special servant of God from heaven. God made angels to serve him and to take his messages. So, angels are God’s servants from heaven. But there are evil angels who opposed God. These evil angels now serve the devil.
blasphemy ~ a very serious sin where a person chooses on purpose to oppose God.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
synagogue ~ a building where Jews gather for prayer; a meeting place for Jews.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the families of their children.
Greek ~ the language in which the authors wrote the New Testament.
New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on earth.
'New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on earth.eternal ~ something that will always be and will never end.
sacrifice ~ a gift to God to ask him to forgive sins or to thank him for something. To sacrifice means to make a sacrifice.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the families of their children.
Roman ~ Rome was the capital city of the rulers at that time. Anything that belonged to Rome was Roman.
denarius ~ a coin. The plural is denarii. A denarius was the amount that a workman would earn for one day’s work.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.'repent / repentance ~ to change one’s mind and heart. To turn away from sin and turn to God. To turn one’s mind and heart away from sin is to repent.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
salvation ~ the result when God saves us from sin and punishment; the new life that God gives to those people who believe in the Lord Jesus.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all people and things. In the Old Testament, LORD was a special name for God.
Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible; the holy things that the writers wrote before Jesus’ birth.
'Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible; the holy things that the writers wrote before Jesus’ birth.raven ~ a large black bird.
lily ~ a kind of flower that is very beautiful. The plural is lilies.
faith ~ trust in someone or something; belief and trust in God and in Jesus Christ his Son.
kingdom ~ the place or territory where a king rules. In the New Testament, this is nearly always the people over whom the king rules and not a territory on earth.
New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on earth.
moth ~ a kind of insect. Some moths eat clothes.
lily ~ a kind of flower that is very beautiful. The plural is lilies.
shepherd ~ someone who takes care of sheep.
moth ~ a kind of insect. Some moths eat clothes.
baptism ~ a ceremony that uses water to show that God has forgiven (washed away) a person’s sin. Jesus also used baptism as a word-picture for how he would suffer.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
hypocrite ~ someone who pretends in order to give a false impression.
Israel ~ the country of the Jews.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the families of their children.