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The Gospel of Luke Chapter 12:1-34 Open Witness 12:1 Meanwhile, when many thousands of the crowd had gathered so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. A very large crowd had gathered to hear Jesus and so large was the crowd that the people were in danger of being crushed. Even so, Jesus attention was on matters of a more spiritual nature. He was intent on teaching his disciples to ‘Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy’. He wanted his disciples faith and religion to be heartfelt and genuine – not a pretense. Much later, there would be those among the professing early Christians who would in fact only pretend to believe in order to cause trouble and problems for the young church (Gal. 2:4; Jude 1:4). 12:2-3 Nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing is secret that will not be made known. So then whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms will be proclaimed from the housetops. Yet Christ is confident that truth will always prevail. The reality of what is in the hearts of men cannot be hidden forever. Even what is said and done in secret will not be covered forever. Matthew’s version of this Jesus saying reads: ‘Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops’ (Matt. 10:27 NKJVTM). It may be that Christ used the parable in different ways to emphasise two different things which actually go together. The reality of sin and hypocrisy is disclosed to the human heart by the sincere proclamation of truth. So Jesus tells his disciples to persist in making known publicly those things which he had revealed to them and said to them. It is only through the thorough preaching of the gospel that people can be brought out of darkness into light (John 20:19 and Acts 2:1-14). 12:4-7 I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do. But I will warn you whom you should fear: Fear the one who, after the killing, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Aren't five sparrows sold for two pennies?
Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. In fact, even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows. Here, as in John 15:15, Jesus calls his disciples friends. As such we are of more value to God than the rest of his creation. He who takes care of the sparrows cares for us so completely that even our hairs are numbered. So we are not to fear the ways in which men might try to harm us, for all they can do is kill the body (Psalm 118:6). There is only one who has the power to destroy both body and soul and has the power to cast into hell, and he is to be feared. Yet if he is caring for us, that fear becomes a grateful and awesome reverence. 12:8-9 I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before God's angels. But the one who denies me before men will be denied before God's angels. A man or woman who openly gives witness to Jesus Christ and confesses before others that Jesus Christ is his/her Lord will similarly be openly acknowledged by Christ as his own when he/she stands before the angels of God. On the other hand, those who deny or disown Jesus before the world of humanity will be disowned before the angels of God. Here Christ makes plain that the position we take in the future judgment will depend entirely on where we stand in relation to him during time. 12:10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. It is possible for those who reject and speak evil of Christ to find forgiveness through conversion to him. Yet those who stubbornly refuse his salvation – resisting his Holy Spirit – are not able to enter forgiveness and peace, for there is no other way to be right with God. The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which Jesus had warned the Pharisees about, arises as the result of such an unrepentant attitude to Christ. 12:11-12 But when they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how you should make your defense or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you must say. Jesus clearly foresees that whenever his disciples broadcast the message of salvation, they will be persecuted. When charges are made against them for proclaiming the words and teachings of Jesus and they are brought before the synagogues, magistrates or authorities they are not to worry or prepare what they will say to answer to the charges. The Holy Spirit will teach them in that very hour of need what to say.
Covetousness 12:13-14 Then someone from the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." But Jesus said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator between you two?" A man in the crowd wanted Jesus to arbitrate with his brother about his share in the family inheritance. Clearly their father had died and the older brother had taken it all. But the Lord Jesus Christ is neither an arbitrator nor a financial adviser – his affairs are far more serious and important than earthly affairs.
12:15 Then he said to them, "Watch out and guard yourself from all types of greed, because one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Jesus takes this opportunity the listening crowds about greed. This intrusive evil comes about when one centers one’s heart and mind on earthly rather than spiritual things. The most important thing in life is not having a lot of material possessions, but spiritual possessions. 12:16 He then told them a parable: "The land of a certain rich man produced an abundant crop. To illustrate his point Jesus tells a parable about a rich man whose fields had produced an abundant harvest. 12:17-18 So he thought to himself, 'What should I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' Then he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. The point of the story is that when the man’s goods increased, he set his heart upon them rather than God (Psalm 62:10). A full barn was taken by the Jews as an indicator of God’s blessing (Proverbs 3:9-10), and indeed it can be so. One might expect a godly person to give thanks for the harvest, to make offerings and to share his wealth generously with his workers or with the poor (Gal. 2:10; Heb. 13:16). But Jesus’ emphasis is on the fact that the man sought only to save the wealth of the harvest for himself. Since he didn't have big enough barns in which to store his crops, he built bigger ones. 12:19 And I will say to myself, "You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate!" ' In the pride of his heart the man told himself that he now had enough wealth—a guaranteed income to last for many years. So he planned to take it easy, spending the rest of his life in leisure. Jesus’ point here is both that he was relying on his wealth rather than God’s provision, and that he failed to appreciate the brevity of life – he thought he had long to enjoy his retirement, but in reality, none of us can know this (Psalm 90:5-7). 12:20 But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded back from you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' God calls a person who thinks that life is only a matter of earthly pleasures, a fool. God spoke to this man and told him that he would die that very night (Job 27:8 and James 4:14). After he has gone who get all the wealth that he has left behind (1 Tim. 6:7)? 12:21 So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself, but is not rich toward God." Jesus notes that this is how it is for everyone who—living for this life alone—hoards up wealth but neglects God and their relationship with Him. Since we are all going to die and meet God (Heb. 9:27) it makes sense to make preparation for the next life, even more than it does for the present.
God Knows and Cares 12:22-23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For there is more to life than food, and more to the body than clothing. Jesus’ instructions come in the context of the parable he has just given. He counsels his disciples not set their hearts to seek the things of this world or worry about whether they will have enough food to eat or clothes to wear. These things are important – but they are not the most important. Life is more than that (Deut. 8:3). 12:24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds! The ravens—like all birds—neither sow seeds nor reap a harvest; they do not have barns to store their food in and yet God provides for them. How much more will he provide for his own people who are of much greater value are Gods people. To put this in a modern context, birds do not have a job or bank account yet God provides for them. The emphasis here is not on the means by which God provides but on the God who provides. The New Testament clearly commends employment and sensible financial management, yet it is not these which protect us from poverty but God alone (Gen. 22:14). 12:25-26 And which of you by worrying can add an hour to his life? So if you cannot do such a very little thing as this, why do you worry about the rest? No one can add one inch to their height by worrying. If we cannot do even this little thing what's the point of worrying about the bigger things? What difference does worry make? 12:27 Consider how the flowers grow; they do not work or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! The flowers in the meadow do not have to work in order to grow, nor make clothes to look beautiful; yet Solomon in all his greatness was not dressed as beautiful as they are. 12:28 And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, how much more will he clothe you, you people of little faith! If God cares so much for flowers that he clothes them so beautifully, even though they last only a short time, how much more will God clothe and provide for his own; even if they have little faith. 12:29-30 So do not be overly concerned about what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about such things. For all the nations of the world pursue these things, and your Father knows that you need them. It is not for those who have been born from above, and who have tasted of the heavenly gift (Heb. 6:4) to be overly concerned about even the basic necessities of this life. The unsaved nations who have no knowledge of God set their minds on these things, but God’s children have a father in heaven to provide for them and who knows everything we need. 12:31 Instead, pursue his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
Jesus tells us to put first things first – if we desire and seek after the things of God, then God shall make sure we also have the things we need for this life. But be warned! It doesn’t work the other way round! If you seek after the things of this world, you will truly miss out on the things of God, and probably lose out materially as well. 12:32 Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well pleased to give you the kingdom. The flock of God’s people must not be filled with alarm about where their next meal will come from or where they will sleep. They have a Good Shepherd, and God has given them a spiritual kingdom and all that pertains to it, as well as ‘a hundred times as much — homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, fields, all with persecutions — and in the age to come, eternal life.’ (Mark 10:30) 12:33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out — a treasure in heaven that never decreases, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. If you have more than you need, then you are able to share with those who are poor; and the sale of property or possessions can be used to relive them rather than merely enrich yourself (Acts 4:34). This will store up eternal treasure for you in the purse of heaven which never wears out and is safe from theft or deterioration. Heaven’s bank is moth, rust and burglar proof! 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. If our hearts desire is to seek and obtain the treasure of heaven then this is where our hearts will be centered (Col. 3:1-2), and we will be able to draw spiritual blessings freely from the bank of heaven. © Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett 2015. Bible Studies Online UK www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk You may copy, print or distribute our studies freely in any form, just so long as you make no charges. Sign up today for our FREE monthly Bible study magazine “Living Word” Scriptures taken from the NET Bible www.bible.org