CHAPTER XII. _Christ preaches to his disciples against hypocrisy; and against_ _timidity in publishing the Gospel_, 1-5. _Excites them to have confidence in Divine providence_, 6, 7. _Warns them against denying him, or betraying his cause_, 8, 9. _Of the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost_, 10.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:2. _THERE IS NOTHING COVERED_] See the notes on Matthew 5:15; Matthew 10:26, Matthew 10:27; Mark 4:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:4. _KILL THE BODY_] Matthew 10:28, Matthew 10:28.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:5. _FEAR HIM_] Even the _friends_ of God are commanded to fear God, as a being who has authority to _send both body and soul into_ _hell_. Therefore it is proper even for the most holy persons to maintain a fear of God, as the punisher of all unrighteousness. A man has but one life to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:6. _ARE NOT FIVE SPARROWS SOLD FOR TWO FARTHINGS?_] See this explained on Matthew 10:29, from which place we learn that two sparrows were sold for one farthing, and here; that _five_ were sold for two farthings: thus we find a certain proportion-for _one_ _farthing_ you could get but _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:7. _FEAR NOT THEREFORE_] Want of faith in the providence and goodness of God is the source of all human inquietudes and fears. He has undertaken to save and defend those to the uttermost who trust in him. His _wisdom_ cannot be surprised, his _power_ cannot be _forced_, his _love_ cann... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:8. _SHALL CONFESS_] See on Matthew 10:32; Matthew 10:33.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:10. _HIM THAT BLASPHEMETH_] See the _sin against the Holy_ _Ghost_ explained, Matthew 12:32.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:11. _UNTO MAGISTRATES AND POWERS_] See Matthew 10:17. _TAKE YE NO THOUGHT_] See Matthew 6:25; Matthew 10:19.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:13. _SPEAK TO MY BROTHER, THAT HE DIVIDE_] Among the Jews, the children had the inheritance of their fathers divided among them; the eldest had a double portion, but all the rest had equal parts. It is likely the person complained of in the text was the elder brother; and he wished to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:14. _A JUDGE_] Without some judgment given in the case, no division could be made; therefore Jesus added the word _judge_. PEARCE. A minister of Christ ought not to concern himself with _secular_ affairs, any farther than charity and the order of discipline require it. Our Lord could... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:15. _BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS_] Or rather, _Beware of all_ _inordinate desires_. I add πασης, _all_, on the authority of ABDKLM-Q, _twenty-three_ others, both the _Syriac_, all the _Persic_, all the _Arabic, Coptic, AEthiopic, Armenian, Vulgate_, all the _Itala_, and several of the _prim... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:16. _THE GROUND OF A CERTAIN RICH MAN_, c.] He had generally what is called good luck in his farm, and this was a remarkably plentiful year.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:17. _HE THOUGHT WITHIN HIMSELF_] Began to be puzzled in consequence of the increase of his goods. _Riches_, though ever so well acquired, produce nothing but vexation and embarrassment.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:18. _I WILL PULL DOWN_, c.] The rich are full of _designs_ concerning this life, but in general take no thought about eternity till the time that their _goods_ and their _lives_ are both taken away.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:19. _SOUL, THOU HAST MUCH GOODS_] Great possessions are generally accompanied with _pride, idleness_, and _luxury_; and these are the greatest enemies to salvation. Moderate poverty, as one justly observes, is a great talent in order to salvation; but it is one which nobody desires. _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:20. THOU _FOOL!_] To imagine that a man's comfort and peace can depend upon _temporal_ things; or to suppose that these can satisfy the wishes of an immortal spirit! _THIS NIGHT_] How awful was this saying! He had just made the necessary arrangements for the gratification of his sens... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:21. _SO_ IS _HE_] That is, _thus will it be_. This is not an individual case; all who make this life their portion, and who are destitute of the peace and salvation of God, shall, sooner or later, be _surprised_ in the same way. _LAYETH UP TREASURE FOR HIMSELF_] This is the essential... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:22. _TAKE NO THOUGHT_] _Be not anxiously careful_. Matthew 6:25, Matthew 6:25.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 25. _TO HIS STATURE ONE CUBIT?_] Matthew 6:27, Matthew 6:27.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 28. _INTO THE OVEN_] Matthew 6:30, Matthew 6:30.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _NEITHER BE YE OF DOUBTFUL MIND._] Or, _in anxious_ _suspense_, μη μετεωριζεσθε. Raphelius gives several examples to prove that the meaning of the word is, _to have the mind agitated_ _with useless thoughts, and vain imaginations concerning food,_ _raiment, and riches, accompanied with per... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. _THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD SEEK AFTER_] Or, _earnestly_ _seek_, επιζητει from επι _above, over_, and ζητεω, _I_ _seek_; to seek one thing after another, to be continually and eagerly coveting. This is the employment of the nations of this world, utterly regardless of God and eternity! It is... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 32. _FEAR NOT, LITTLE FLOCK_] Or, _very little flock_, το μικρον ποιμνιον. This is what some term a double diminutive, and, literally translated, is, _little little flock_. Though this refers solely to the apostles and first believers, of whom it was _literally_ true, yet we may say that the n... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 33. _SELL THAT YE HAVE_] Dispose of _your goods_. Be not like the foolish man already mentioned, who _laid up_ the produce of his fields, without permitting the poor to partake of God's bounty: turn the fruits of your fields (which are beyond what you need for your own support) into money, and... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 34. _WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS_] Men fix their hearts on their treasures, and often resort to the _place_ where they have deposited them, to see that all is safe and secure. Let God be the treasure of your soul, and let your heart go frequently to the place where his honour dwelleth. There is a c... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 35. _LET YOUR LOINS_] Be active, diligent, determined ready; let all hinderances be removed out of the way; and let the candle of the Lord be always found burning brightly in your hand. Luke 12:37, Luke 12:37.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 36. _THAT WAIT FOR THEIR LORD_] Matthew 25:1, c. _THE WEDDING_] How the Jewish weddings were celebrated, see in the notes on Matthew 8:12; Matthew 22:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 37. _HE SHALL GIRD HIMSELF_] Alluding to the long garments which were worn in the eastern countries; and which, in _travelling_ and _serving_, were _tucked up_ in their _belts_. That those among the Romans who waited on the company at table were _girded_, and had their clothes _tucked up_, ap... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 38. _IF HE SHALL COME IN THE SECOND WATCH_] Matthew 14:25, Matthew 14:25.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 40. _BE YE THEREFORE READY ALSO_] It is pretty evident that what is related here, from verse Luke 12:35 to Luke 12:49, Luke 12:35 was spoken by our Lord at another time. See Matthew 24:42, c., and the notes there.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 42. _FAITHFUL AND WISE STEWARD_] Matthew 24:45, Matthew 24:45; where the several parts of the steward's office are mentioned and explained. Those appear to have been stewards among the Jews, whose business it was to provide all the members of a family, not only with food, but with raiment.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 45. _BEGIN TO BEAT_, c.] See the different parts of this bad minister's conduct pointed out on Matthew 24:48-40.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 46. _WITH THE UNBELIEVERS._] Or, rather, _the unfaithful_; των σπιστων. Persons who had the light and knowledge of God's word, but made an improper use of the privileges they received. The persons mentioned here differ widely from _unbelievers_ or _infidels_, viz. those who were in a state of... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 47. _SHALL BE BEATEN WITH MANY STRIPES._] Criminals among the Jews could not be beaten with more than forty stripes; and as this was the sum of the severity to which a whipping could extend, it may be all that our Lord here means. But, in some cases, a man was adjudged to receive fourscore str... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 48. _SHALL BE BEATEN WITH FEW_] For petty offences the Jews in many cases inflicted so few as _four, five_, and _six_ stripes. See examples in _Lightfoot_. From this and the preceding verse we find that it is a crime to be ignorant of God's will; because to every one God has given less or mor... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 49. _I AM COME TO SEND FIRE_] See this subject largely explained on Matthew 10:34, c. From the connection in which these words stand, both in this place and in Matthew, it appears as if our Lord intended by the word _fire_, not only the consuming influence of the Roman _sword_, but also the in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 50. _BUT I HAVE A BAPTISM_] The fire, though already kindled, cannot _burn up_ till after the Jews have put me to death: then the Roman _sword_ shall come, and the _Spirit_ of judgment, burning, and purification shall be poured out.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 51. _TO GIVE PEACE_] See Matthew 10:34.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 52. _FIVE IN ONE HOUSE DIVIDED_] See on Matthew 10:35; Matthew 10:36.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 54. _A CLOUD RISE_] See on Matthew 16:2; Matthew 16:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:56. _THIS TIME?_] Can ye not discover from the writings of the prophets, and from the events which now take place, that this is the time of the Messiah, and that I am the very person foretold by them?... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:57. _AND WHY - JUDGE YE_] Even without the express declarations of the prophets, ye might, from what ye _see_ and _hear_ yourselves, _discern_ that God has now visited his people in such a manner as he never did before.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:58. _WHEN THOU GOEST WITH THINE ADVERSARY_] This and the next verse are a part of our Lord's sermon upon the mount. See them explained Matthew 5:25. St. Luke is very particular in collecting and relating every word and action of our blessed Lord, but seldom gives them in the order of t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 12:59. _TILL THOU HAST PAID THE VERY LAST MITE._] And when can this be, if we understand the text spiritually? Can weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, pay to Divine justice the debt a sinner has contracted? This is impossible: let him who readeth understand. THE subject of the 47th... [ Continue Reading ]