2BeLikeChrist Bible Commentary - Luke Chapter 12
Commentary - Luke Chapter 12
Luke 12:1-3
Luk 12:1 In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
Luk 12:2 Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
Luk 12:3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.
Make sure not to detach the opening of chapter 12 from the end of chapter 11.
The other gospels make it clear these passages are connected.
In the last chapter, the Pharisees accused Jesus of casting out demons with Satan’s power and Jesus responded by pronouncing a series of woes on the scribes and Pharisees.
Large crowds gathered to hear Jesus as He told His disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.
Jesus made a similar statement using the illustration of leaven in Matthew 16.
In that text, the leaven is said to represent the “teaching of the Pharisees…”
Jesus wanted the disciples to beware of what the Pharisees taught.
Not necessarily what they taught out of their mouths.
But what they taught with their actions/lives.
Jesus bluntly described their teaching as “hypocrisy.”
By their example, they taught people it was ok to be hypocrites.
If you remember the “woes” in chapter 11, you’ll remember hypocrisy was one of the major problems Jesus had with the Jewish religious leaders.
This may seem like a “duh” statement to most modern Bible readers, of course the disciples should avoid the teaching of the Pharisees, but it is important to read this with a 1st Century Jewish perspective.
Many of the Jews respected the Pharisees and scribes.
They may have read to them in their synagogues on Sabbath.
The Jews probably went to them with questions of the Law.
Their positions weren’t far from our modern concepts of a priest, pastor, elder, or preacher.
The Jews may have believed them to be honorable and godly men. 355
And only in Jesus were they beginning to see that they had been misled and misguided by individuals who perhaps didn’t know God as well as they had believed.
To help understand this better, think of how difficult it can be to get a long-standing member of a church (say the Mormon church) to see they’ve been misled.
They trust their leaders.
They believe their leaders are guiding them correctly.
They believe their leaders are honest men.
And it isn’t easy for them to relinquish their confidence in those leaders even when shown the truth about God.
In addition, the Jewish religious hierarchy had significant pull with the people (as we will see during Jesus’ crucifixion when they turned the people against Christ).
Why did Jesus use leaven to illustrate the teaching of the Pharisees?
A small amount of leaven, when put in dough, has a big impact on how the bread turns out.
Although the Pharisees were fewer in number than the common Jews, their teaching had the power to influence the nation.
Those who were influenced by the Pharisees would turn out vastly different than those who were influenced by Jesus.
Students of the Pharisees would turn into hypocrites, like their teachers.
Mat 23:15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.
Students of Jesus would turn into genuine children of God.
Joh 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
Luke 12:2-3
Luk 12:2 Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
Luk 12:3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops
Hypocrites pretend they are something they aren’t and hope they won’t get caught.
Jesus wanted His disciples to know that nobody is going to get away with anything in the end.
Someone may be able to escape the consequences of their hypocrisy while on the earth, but nothing gets past God’s judgement.
Everything hidden will be revealed.
Everything will be exposed.
Heb 4:13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
A person’s hidden sins are as clear to God as if someone was shouting them from a rooftop in the middle of town.
What a person keeps hidden in the dark, God will expose with His light.
APPLICATION:
What sins are you hiding?
What are you keeping hidden?
You can only keep them hidden so long.
It is better to live an upright life.
Admit what you’ve done wrong and dedicate yourself to living a godly life.
Your conscience will feel better.
You can fix the wrongs you’ve done to others.
You can get help and support from other Christians.
APPLICATION:
Confession is the route through which we bring the hidden things to the light to make them right with God and others.
We should not look down on someone who confesses doing something wrong.
That moment is a time for grace and a time to be proud of the confessor, the time for shame is past.
APPLICATION:
Confession is for the courageous.
Anyone can hide in the dark.
It takes strength and trust in God to let Him help you right your wrongs.
Luke 12:4-7
Luk 12:4 “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.
Luk 12:5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!
Luk 12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God.
Luk 12:7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Placing oneself in an adversarial position against the Pharisees and scribes was dangerous.
Jesus reassured the disciples they didn’t need to fear any earthly enemy because God had the power to preserve their soul no matter what violence they encounter at the hands of persecutors.
The only being (human or otherwise) they needed to fear was God.
The only being we need to fear is God.
If you are living in sin, you should fear God because His holiness and justice require Him to punish sinners.
If you are living in harmony with God, you have nothing to fear because God promises your eternal security.
If you are living in sin, you should be afraid of everything.
If you are living for God, you don’t need to fear anything.
When difficult times come, our minds are tempted to think God has forgotten about us.
Jesus reassured the disciples God doesn’t forget about anything.
The smallest details of everything in the universe are known at every second.
The life events of every sparrow are known to Him.
The number of hairs on each person’s head is known by God.
If God keeps track of the smallest details relating to creatures that don’t bear His image, we who are made in His image have no reason to worry we are forgotten.
Luke 12:8-10
Luk 12:8 “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God,
Luk 12:9 but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
Luk 12:10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
The world tempts disciples to avoid acknowledging Jesus as the one-and-only Savior.
Claiming Christ too loudly, especially claiming Him as the only way to heaven, can have a damaging impact on your career opportunities.
My father works for a large university and was recently told if he didn’t sign a paper affirming all sexual orientations, he would no longer be considered for promotion.
I have a YouTube channel documenting my wife and I’s travels. I recently put up a post stating I didn’t support LGBTQ+ Pride Month and lost a lot of support from local businesses.
Yesterday, I spoke to a woman who owns a small bakery about how nervous she was to start including Bible verses in her business marketing.
Institutions of higher education mock the Bible and imply that those who believe in it are poorly educated.
Organizations of all kinds are not welcoming to the expression of firm religious conviction.
Many people have friends, acquaintances, and relatives who are openly critical of the person of Jesus.
Our society has tried to make discussion of Jesus “taboo” in every situation outside a church building.
We live in a world where it is easier in almost every occasion to remain silent about Jesus than it is to acknowledge Him and His importance.
This is exactly what the devil wants.
But Jesus told the disciples, if they wanted Him to claim them on Judgement Day, they needed to acknowledge Him before men on the earth.
If the disciples denied Jesus (which could include remaining silent about Him), He would deny them on Judgement Day.
Jesus plainly laid out the options before the disciples:
Acknowledge Me before men… I will acknowledge you before God
Deny Me before men… I will deny you before God.
You’ve probably seen a movie where one friend denies they know the other friend because they are in some way embarrassed by them, even though the friend they are embarrassed by has always been faithful to them.
If we deny Christ, we deny our most faithful friend.
We won’t want to look at Jesus on Judgement Day and tell Him we were embarrassed by Him (The world has done a good job at making us feel embarrassed about spiritual things).
While we would never verbally affirm we are embarrassed by Jesus, we often communicate it through our lives and actions.
Jesus’ statement about blaspheming the Holy Ghost in verse 10 has been the focus of countless religious discussions, and a huge number of interpretations have been proffered by studied and not-so-studied Bible students over the years.
I definitely encourage you to read Matthew 12.
In that chapter, Jesus makes an almost identical statement.
The context surrounding the statement helps us understand its meaning.
A word of warning:
Don’t try to interpret this verse as if it exists in a vacuum.
Many people pull this statement out of its context, which allows them to come up with all kinds of wild interpretations.
Just as context is important to properly interpret a modern conversation, it is equally important when trying to interpret ancient conversation.
In Luke 11 and Matthew 12, Jesus cast out a demon and the Pharisees accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Satan (Beelzebul).
Jesus proceeded to show how ridiculous that suggestion was.
But it was on the heels of that miracle that Jesus made this statement.
Every sin will be forgiven men except the blasphemy of the Spirit.
Blasphemy: “the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God.”
Is there a greater blasphemy than to attribute the works of God to the power of Satan?
The Pharisees, in accusing Jesus were showing their contempt for the 360 work of God.
They were mocking it.
They were suggesting it was actually Satan’s work.
They were saying they would never join sides with Jesus because He was working for the devil.
As long as they persisted in mocking and rejecting the power of the Spirit of God, they would never be able to find forgiveness.
Why? Because forgiveness is only available through God the Father, and through the work of Jesus, and through the power of the Spirit.
Jesus mentioned His critics could speak “a word against the Son of Man” (Jesus was the Son of Man) and be forgiven, but those who spoke against the Holy Spirit could not be forgiven.
What did He mean by that?
Jesus’ work was not yet complete.
He still needed to die on the cross, resurrect from the dead, and ascend into heaven.
When that work was accomplished, He would send the Spirit of God to the world.
The Spirit would guide men into the truth.
He would testify to the truth taught by Jesus.
He would explain to men and women what they needed to do to be saved by Jesus’ blood.
We know that many Jews who mocked Jesus while He was on earth turned in repentance when the Spirit spoke through Peter on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2).
They were forgiven the words they spoke against Christ (namely, “Crucify Him!”)
But those who rejected Christ during His life, and continued to mock the truths revealed by the Holy Spirit after Christ’s resurrection, had no way to be forgiven until they left off their blasphemy.
There is only one route to receive forgiveness of sin.
You either receive forgiveness through Christ and the Holy Spirit, or you never receive forgiveness.
If we insult the Spirit of grace and count the blood of Jesus a common and unholy thing, we cannot be forgiven until we stop persisting in blasphemy.
Luke 12:11-12
Luk 12:11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say,
Luk 12:12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
As we’ve observed through our study, the enemies of Jesus included the Jewish religious elite (Pharisees, Scribes, Sadducees, ect).
Jesus’ disciples were not religious scholars, and so, naturally, there would have existed some anxiety on their part as to how they would defend their beliefs against their more educated opponents.
Jesus anticipated this anxiety and gave them the solution before they had a chance to express their concerns.
They were told not to worry about their debate skills.
God’s Spirit would speak through them and give them the words they would need to represent Jesus well.
Luke 12:13-15
Luk 12:13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
Luk 12:14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?”
Luk 12:15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
An inheritance was a portion of a father’s property given to his children upon his death.
In the Jewish culture, at least in the ancient days, the inheritance was divided between the male children with the eldest son getting a double portion.
We don’t know the exact nature of the dispute between the man in verse 13 and his brother, but evidently, they were quarrelling over the division of property.
The fact that the man asked Jesus to solve the dispute may suggest the man had no legal right to the property he desired.
If the man had a legal right, he could have taken the issue to the court and had it resolved.
Jesus’ warning against covetousness also suggests the man didn’t have a rightful claim.
Jesus’ purpose on earth was not to arbitrate petty financial disagreements.
He chose not to speak specifically to the man’s disagreement with his brother, but He did speak to the bigger issue of the condition of the heart that led to the disagreement.
Jesus warned the man to guard his heart from covetousness.
Covetous – “marked by inordinate desire for wealth or possessions or for another's possessions; having a craving for possession (Webster).
Being fixated on acquiring something that doesn’t belong to you.
Or an obsession with obtaining something you don’t currently possess.
It is dangerous when our hearts/affections are guided by an obsession with a physical possession.
Our hearts need to be guided by God’s will.
Fixation on a possession will distract our lives from their true purpose.
It may cause us to do things out of line with the will of God in pursuit of our desire.
Physical possessions turn our attention from God because they offer an illusion of satisfaction and protection.
God is the only real source of satisfaction and protection.
“one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
A person’s life is not sustained or secured by his affluence.
This will be observed in the parable Jesus told in verses 16-21.
APPLICATION:
Is there anything in your life that you want so much you are willing to discard God’s directions to get it?
Anything you find your heart loving more than God?
Covetousness can apply to more than money.
Luke 12:16-21
Luk 12:16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully,
Luk 12:17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’
Luk 12:18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
Luk 12:19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’
Luk 12:20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
Luk 12:21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Jesus wanted to drive home the point that a man’s life didn’t consist of physical possessions, so He told the people a parable about a rich man.
One particular year, the rich man’s harvest was so plentiful he couldn’t fit it all into his barns.
He determined to build bigger barns to store his crops and goods.
He thought the outcome of this building would be a life of plenty and ease.
“And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’
He assumed he had amassed enough to secure himself comfort and ease for many years.
He thought his possessions ensured a good future.
His error was not in building bigger barns.
His error was in believing the things in those barns were a guarantee of a future he envisioned.
As he inventoried his supplies, he determined there was enough for “many years.”
But God came to Him and told him he would die that very night.
His possessions were meaningless.
They were a lie and a false sense of security.
APPLICATION:
People still have a hard time learning the lesson taught in this parable.
We would be wise to account for all the times tragedy strikes the rich or terminal illness takes the wealthy.
Their money can’t save them.
All the preparations will never be enough.
Whether rich or poor, real security from the tragedies of life is only found in God.
The “fool” of verse 20 is the man “who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God.”
The one who lays up treasure for himself is one who lives to amass and enjoy riches which terminate on himself (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown).
The one who is rich towards God is the one who lives with God as his highest affection and whose life, possessions, and energy terminate on the glory of God.
Riches in the world guarantee nothing.
Riches in Christ, God, and the Holy Spirit guarantee everything.
Luke 12:22-29
Luk 12:22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.
Luk 12:23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.
Luk 12:24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!
Luk 12:25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
Luk 12:26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?
Luk 12:27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Luk 12:28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!
Luk 12:29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried.
The story of the rich man teaches us wealth doesn’t guarantee our future and doesn’t protect from uncertainty.
Continuing the lesson, Jesus told His disciples not to be anxious about their lives.
How could they do that?
How could they live lives without anxiety?
Jesus spoke to them about a God whose providential care could be observed all around them.
They could observe the ravens.
The ravens didn’t have nice houses, barns to store food, or bank accounts.
Yet, God gave them enough food every day.
They knew the lilies.
The lilies were beautifully clothed.
But they never saw the lilies toiling in the field to gather wool so they could take it home and spin it at the spinning wheel.
They were dressed by God.
Even something as fleeting as a flower wasn’t overlooked by God.
God didn’t let the ravens go hungry and He adorned the flowers with clothing better than that of Solomon (the richest king of Israel).
Jesus asked the people, “Are you not of more value than they?”
The answer was obviously, “Yes.”
God made humans in His own image.
If God didn’t forget about the birds and the flowers, He wasn’t going to forget about them.
As long as they were in His care, they wouldn’t lack any of the necessities of life.
In verse 27, Jesus encouraged them to put their trust in God because of human inability.
Humans can’t even control how tall they are and worrying about our height makes no difference in how tall/short we’ll ultimately end up being.
In a similar way, anxiety about the future and worrying about “having enough” doesn’t change the events of the future.
Humans have a tendency to worry about things like food and shelter.
They have a tendency to believe money will remove their anxieties (like the rich man).
Jesus was telling His audience, “God is where you need to put your trust.”
The only one capable of controlling the future is God. Who else would you put your trust in?
If He dresses the grass of the field with beauty, knowing it will be gone in a matter of days, how much more will He care for us?
Until the day you look out and see the birds dying of starvation and all the flowers losing their color, know God will provide for you.
APPLICATION:
This principle requires child-like faith.
Most little children don’t worry about whether or not they are going to have food, how they are going to pay the bills, etc…
They just know their parents will provide them with what they need.
We have to revert to a similar trust in our spiritual Father (God).
Luke 12:30-31
Luk 12:30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.
Luk 12:31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
The entire world, then and now, was pursuing their physical needs/wants.
They were pursing material possessions to ensure their necessities and pleasures in the future.
They were employed in the gathering of wealth, just like the rich man.
Jesus wanted to give His disciples a new employment.
He wanted them to stop chasing the uncertainty of riches and work with Him to build the Kingdom of God.
Why was that a better investment of a person’s time?
1. When a man spends his life obtaining material possessions, he loses everything when he dies (12:20). When a man invests his time into the Kingdom of God, his investment is eternal.
2. There are certain factors which cannot be manipulated no matter how much money you have. God controls everything and promised His disciples they would have everything they would need for this life and the next.
APPLICATION:
We are faced with the same choice.
Will our aim be the accumulation of physical things in an attempt to secure our earthly lives?
Or will we put our trust in God, allow Him to care for us, and build something more lasting?
The rich man thought he found his security in the barn he built.
He should have spent more time looking at the ravens and lilies outside in the world God built.
Luke 12:32-34
Luk 12:32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Luk 12:33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
Luk 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
There was no reason to fear for life’s necessities.
God was happy to give His disciples a place in His Kingdom.
If such a privilege was so graciously given, was there any reason to worry about something as small as food and clothing?
Those who had previously employed themselves in the pursuits of the rich man, could sell their possessions, give to the needy, and discard their anxieties.
APPLICATION:
Is there anything you are holding on to “just in case”?
Can you think of anyone who might be in need of such a thing?
Why not sell the “just in case” thing and give it to the person who has an immediate need?
APPLICATION:
God uses us as we submit to His word.
How does God provide the needs of life to His people?
In part, He does it when His disciples read a text like this and put it into application.
There are needy Christians in the world right now who will praise God for keeping His promises when their needs are met by another disciple applying verse 33.
That is one way we bring glory to God.
In those days, it was a dangerous thing to have an old moneybag.
An old bag was more susceptible to tearing and spilling a person’s money all over the ground.
Jesus encouraged the people to store up money in their heavenly moneybag.
The things of heaven never grow old, which is a striking contrast to things on earth.
Many material things lose value over time:
Electronics
Cars
Boats
Cell phones
Furniture
Appliances
Sometimes material things fail to work properly.
Sometimes they are destroyed in fires.
Sometimes a thief comes and steals them.
The point being, physical stuff will let you down.
If your heart is tied up with your physical stuff, if physical stuff is what you really treasure, your heart is going to be disappointed you.
Your stuff is going to fail you.
Your stuff is going to get stolen.
You’re going to lose all your stuff when you die.
But if your heart is given to God, if the success of God’s Kingdom is what you treasure, your heart is going to be able to rejoice, both here and in heaven.
God’s Kingdom will never be destroyed.
You will reign with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in heaven (2 Timothy 2:12).
Luke 12:35-36
Luk 12:35 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning,
Luk 12:36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.
Jesus encouraged His disciples to constant readiness.
They were the servants of God and like the servants of a great man, they were to be alert and ready for His arrival at any time.
In those days, if the master of a house went to a wedding, there was no way of telling when he would return (they didn’t have cell phones and gps).
The servants had to stay up all night with the lamps lit so the master could be welcomed home at any time.
It would be super bad if the servants fell asleep and accidently kept their master waiting at the door.
Spiritually speaking, the arrival of the master is a picture of when God comes to judge the world at the end of time.
Christians are to be prepared at any moment.
It also has application to the end of our individual lives.
Our lives may end at any moment so we must be prepared at any moment to meet the Lord and give an answer for our actions.
Luke 12:37-38
Luk 12:37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.
Luk 12:38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!
These two verses are incredible because they give us a picture of a Master honoring His servants.
If the master returned to his house and found his servants doing their jobs, He would sit them down at his table and serve them.
He would honor them for their faithfulness.
This is a truth we find written all over the New Testament.
Jesus will return at the end of time and He will reward those who have been faithful to Him.
We will be seated at our Master’s table in heaven and receive God’s blessings.
It isn’t a blessing we deserve, but one given by a generous Master.
APPLICATION:
Many people bulk at the idea of being a servant to anyone, including God.
But the Bible doesn’t present it as if we have the right to object.
By the nature of our relationship with God as Creator, all men owe their allegiance and service to Him.
We are either faithful servants doing our job or unfaithful servants neglecting our duties.
We should be thankful the God we get to serve is a generous one.
Luke 12:39-40
Luk 12:39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into.
Luk 12:40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Jesus compared His second coming to the surprise arrival of a thief in the night.
A homeowner doesn’t know when a thief is going to show up at his house.
The thief doesn’t announce his coming or give a 7-day notice before arrival.
The Son of Man (Jesus) is going to appear at the end of time without a announcement.
It will be sudden and surprising.
We remember to lock our doors at night just in case a robber shows up.
In a similar way, we need to be diligent about being ready for the Lord’s return.
Luke 12:41
Luk 12:41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?”
Peter wasn’t exactly sure who Jesus was addressing.
All of this discussion about servants being prepared for the Lord’s coming, was it meant just for the 12 Apostles, all the disciples, or everyone?
Luke 12:42-44
Luk 12:42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?
Luk 12:43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
Luk 12:44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
There are a few different interpretations of Jesus’ answer:
Interpretation 1:
Jesus asks Peter a question in response to his question.
“Who is the faithful servant who the Lord will trust and bless?”
“To who will the Lord entrust His house and the care of those He loves?”
The faithful and trustworthy servant is the one who cares about his master’s affairs and cares for those he loves.
God’s faithful servants are those who care about God’s affairs and care about those He loves?
Who ought that to be?
Everyone, right?!
The parable was widely applicable.
It addressed those who faithfully served God.
It addressed those who were negligent.
Interpretation 2:
In a rich man’s house, one of the most trusted servants was put in charge of the master’s household.
This servant was responsible for feeding, clothing, and caring for the master’s immediate family.
Jesus may have been telling Peter the parable was spoken generally to the multitudes but specifically to the Apostles, sense they were going to be entrusted with caring for God’s children (the early Church).
A faithful servant is happy to hear news of his master’s return, because he knows the master will be proud of his work.
APPLICATION:
Have you ever had a job where you dreaded the boss dropping by to inspect your work?
Maybe you didn’t have any passion for your work or maybe you didn’t work as hard as you could have.
You can probably remember the dread of seeing your boss walking down the hallway to check up on your progress.
You don’t want to have that same feeling when God comes to evaluate the life you are living.
In contrast, have you ever had a job where you did great work and you couldn’t wait for your supervisor to stop by to see your progress because you knew they would be proud of you?
Spiritually speaking, we need to live lives that welcome Jesus’ return.
We want to live in a way that makes Jesus proud of us.
Luke 12:45-48
Luk 12:45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk,
Luk 12:46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful.
Luk 12:47 And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating.
Luk 12:48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
The servant in verse 45 had the attitude, “My master hasn’t come yet, so he must not be coming any time soon.”
When examining that logic, it doesn’t take long to realize it is a faulty way of thinking.
There is as good a chance Jesus will come back in the next hour as there was any of the last hours of the past 1,000 years.
But even though most people mentally acknowledge that, their lives don’t.
Many people continue in sin because they assume God isn’t coming back anytime soon.
They assume they have time to get their lives right.
They are gambling with their souls.
The servant in verse 45 began misbehaving.
He assumed the master wasn’t coming back any time soon, so he engaged in all kinds of mischief.
Day after day, he operated on the assumption his master wasn’t returning, until one day, his luck ran out.
The master returned to discover his bad behavior.
The master severely punished the man.
“Cut him in pieces” doesn’t sound like He let the servant off easy, does it?
There will be people who believe in God, who are caught sinning when the Lord returns, because they will assume Jesus isn’t coming back that day.
We need to know God is aware of this attitude in us and in others.
He knows when people turn their back on Him assuming He won’t return in that moment.
And in all of those cases up to the present moment, God has refrained from returning.
But don’t think the God who knows your heart doesn’t recognize what you are doing.
He takes it extremely serious, and in this text, we see Jesus sternly warning us not to be like the assuming servant.
In verse 47, Jesus told the people that all men are expected to and will be held responsible for doing God’s work, but among those who fail to do so, there are distinct categories.
Those who fail to serve the Lord will all be punished, but to varying degrees.
Those who fail to do God’s work because they are ignorant of God’s will, “will receive a light beating.”
Those who know God’s will and choose to ignore it, “will receive a severe beating.”
These verses seem to suggest everyone who isn’t a faithful servant of God will be punished but the severity of the punishment will depend on their knowledge of God’s will and their individual circumstances.
“Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.”
A person’s individual responsibility as a servant of God will vary depending on how much the person was given.
“the more knowledge a man has, the more practice is expected from him; and the greater his gifts are, the more useful he ought to be, and diligent in the improvement of them” (John Gill).
God has selected certain people for certain gifts and privileges.
Those gifts are blessings and responsibilities.
They are gifts to use to bring honor to God.
They are responsibilities to help those in need.
APPLICATION:
The older I get, the more I suspect I fall into the “much is required category.”
I was raised by Christian parents.
I’ve heard the story of Jesus from the cradle.
I have 2 Christian brothers.
I have a Christian wife.
I have good health.
I have a good mind.
I am materially blessed.
Received a college education.
Studied the Bible at school for 2 years.
Live in the age of the internet and have endless resources at my fingertips.
For what?
Why do I have all these things?
Why were they given to me?
Is it just so I can sit back and thank God for how blessed I am?
No, it’s because I’m meant to use them.
These things enable me in unique ways to accomplish certain tasks God has designed for me in the Kingdom.
They are blessings and responsibilities.
Is it reasonable to believe I will be judged by God in the same way as a person who didn’t hear the name “Jesus” until they were decades into their lives?
Is it reasonable to believe I will be held to the same standard as those who grew up in Hindu, Shinto, or Islamic households?
No!
I’ve been given certain jumpstarts in life so that I can reach those who are starting from behind.
We are making a mistake if we recognize our blessings but don’t recognize the responsibility that comes with them.
APPLICATION:
What privileges, gifts, talents, strengths, unique traits, have you been given?
How can you use those to help others know Jesus?
Luke 12:49-50
Luk 12:49 “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!
Luk 12:50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!
Verse 49 is a tough one to interpret.
Various ideas exist as to the proper interpretation of the “fire on earth.”
What does the fire represent?
When exactly will the fire arrive?
Let me present 2 interpretations I find plausible:
Interpretation 1:
The fire is a reference to the Holy Spirit and His purifying work on earth.
The Holy Spirit is often associated with fire.
In Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit was sent to the Apostles, tongues of fire appeared above their heads (Acts 2:4).
John the Baptist coupled the Holy Spirit with fire when describing Jesus’ baptism.
Mat 3:11-12 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
When Jesus spoke the words in Luke 12:49, the Holy Spirit had not yet arrived.
When He did arrive, He would give mankind the knowledge they needed to be faithful servants of God.
Through their acceptance or rejection of the Holy Spirit’s message, the human race would be purified.
Those who serve God will be given eternal life.
Those who refuse to serve God will be destroyed (“burn with unquenchable fire,” Matthew 3:12).
Interpretation 2:
The fire is a reference to the persecution Christians will face for their faith.
This interpretation fits with the “division” Jesus described in verses 51-53.
In addition to family division, Christians would face other forms of persecution.
Peter described the trials of the early church as a “fiery trial” (1 Peter 4:12).
Why would Jesus “wish” for the arrival of this fire?
Jesus looked forward to the spread of the news of salvation across the world.
He knew the bearers of the gospel message would always be accosted by people who hated them.
Jesus promised all believers they would face persecution.
Jesus was only wishing for the arrival of the persecution because it meant the gospel message was being preached and His disciples were at work.
“I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!”
This next statement is also a bit difficult.
Jesus told His hearers He needed to be baptized.
We know this is not a reference to His baptism by John the Baptist because that already happened (John 3:21-22).
To understand what Jesus was talking about we need to think about the term baptism in its purest sense.
Whelm – “engulf, submerge, or bury (someone or something),” (Oxford).
The word means to bury or immerse.
Jesus was going to be immersed in something and His soul would be in “distress” until it occurred.
I think it’s likely Jesus was referring to His death.
Jesus was going to be immersed in suffering, a fiery trial of His own.
His soul would be in “distress” until His death was accomplished.
Why?
1. We know there was a level of dread Jesus experienced knowing He was going to go to the cross (see Mark 14:32-33).
2. He could have also been referring to the distress He would experience until the work of God was accomplished.
Have you ever had a really important responsibility, or interview, or meeting, or school project?
So important that all of your attention was bent towards it?
So important that you couldn’t rest in your soul until whatever it is was was complete?
Jesus knew the importance of what He was doing.
He wasn’t going to be able to rest until His work of salvation was complete.
Part of accomplishing God’s work was enduring the distress put on Him by those who opposed Him.
Luke 12:51-53
Luk 12:51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.
Luk 12:52 For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three.
Luk 12:53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Jesus’ work is commonly paired with words like peace, love, and kindness, but Jesus described His work very differently to His audience on this occasion.
While becoming a disciple of Jesus will bring you peace with God, it most certainly will not bring you peace in every relationship in your life.
The gospel’s exclusive message will, guaranteed, drive a wedge between you and other people if your life mimics Jesus’.
It may alienate family members.
It may alienate friends.
It may distance you from coworkers.
The only way to avoid division is to avoid the gospel.
APPLICATION:
Unfortunately, many people, I included, are slow to share the good news because we want to avoid division or relationship strain.
And while I believe it is good to consider our tact, Jesus told us the result of teaching like Him would be division.
On some level, we are going to have to become comfortable with preaching a divisive message.
There isn’t a way to avoid it.
It isn’t pleasant, but if we want to see people saved from sin, we are going to have to teach the gospel widely, and if we are teaching the gospel widely, we are going to face division, and some of that division is going to be close to us.
It might make family gatherings awkward, but which would you rather have?
Awkward family gatherings?
Or more souls in hell?
That’s blunt… but Jesus wasn’t afraid of being blunt.
Luke 12:54-56
Luk 12:54 He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens.
Luk 12:55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens.
Luk 12:56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
This is a very similar condemnation to the one found in Matthew 16:1-3.
Jesus condemned the people for their inability to interpret their spiritual surroundings.
They could predict the weather based on the sky’s appearance, but they failed to accurately predict what God was doing in their world.
The Messiah had presented Himself to them.
God was presenting Himself to them.
But many of them were clueless.
They couldn’t put the pieces together to see God’s great work.
If they had known the scriptures half as well as they knew meteorology, they would have seen the evidence of fulfilled prophecy all around them.
This condemnation may relate back to Luke 11:16 where the people (probably the Jewish religious leaders) were asking Jesus for “sign” to test Him.
Luk 11:16 while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven.
Luk 11:29-30 When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
The pretended they wanted to see a sign so they could believe in Jesus.
But there was already a flood of evidence in front of them.
Their unbelief was the result of having ears that wouldn’t hear and eyes that wouldn’t see, not the result of insufficient evidence.
