Luke 12
12
A Warning Against Hypocrisy
1#Jas 3:17; 1Co 5:7–8Meanwhile, when thousands of the crowd were assembled, so as to trample on one another, He began to say to His disciples first, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2#Mk 4:22; Lk 8:17For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 3#Mt 10:27Therefore what you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. And what you have whispered in the ear in private rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
Whom to Fear
Mt 10:28–31
4#Jer 1:8; 1Pe 3:14“I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that can do no more. 5#Ps 9:17; Mt 10:28But I will warn you whom you shall fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell. Yes, I say to you, fear Him. 6#Mt 10:29Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies#Gk. 2 assaria. An assarion was worth 1/16 of a denarius, which was a day’s wage.? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7#1Sa 14:45; Mt 6:26Indeed, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore do not fear. You are more valuable than many sparrows.
Confessing Christ Before Men
Mt 10:19–20, 32–33; 12:32
8#Lk 15:10; Ro 10:9–10“I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him will the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God. 9#Mk 8:38; 2Ti 2:12But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10#Mt 12:31–32; 1Jn 5:16; 1Ti 1:13And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11#Mt 23:34“When they bring you to the synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not be anxious how you will answer or what you will say. 12#Lk 21:15; Mt 10:20For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”
The Parable of the Rich Fool
13Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14#Ro 2:1; 2:3Jesus said to him, “Man, who appointed Me a judge or an arbitrator between you?” 15#1Ti 6:6–10; Heb 13:5Then He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness. For a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
16And He told a parable to them, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully. 17He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have no room to store my crops?’
18“Then he said, ‘This I will do: I will pull down my barns and build greater ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19#Ecc 11:9; Pr 27:1And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take rest. Eat, drink, and be merry.’
20#Jer 17:11; Job 27:8; Ps 39:6“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This night your soul will be required of you. Then whose will those things be which you have provided?’
21#Lk 12:33; Mt 6:19–20“So is he who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Care and Anxiety
Mt 6:25–34, 19–21
22#Lk 12:29; 1Co 7:32Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor for your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes. 24#Job 38:41; Ps 147:9Consider the ravens: They neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouses nor barns. Yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds? 25Who of you by worrying can add one cubit#A cubit is about half a meter. to his height? 26If you then cannot do what is least, why are you anxious about the other things?
27“Consider how the lilies grow. They neither spin nor weave. Yet I say to you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28#Mt 8:26; 14:31If God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? 29#Mt 6:31And do not seek what you will eat or what you will drink, nor be of an anxious mind. 30#Mt 6:8; 6:32For the nations of the world seek all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31#1Ki 3:11–13; Mt 6:33But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be given to you.
32#Isa 40:11; 41:14“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33#Mt 19:21; Lk 16:9Sell your possessions and give alms. Provide yourselves purses that do not grow old, an unfailing treasure in the heavens, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34#Mt 6:21For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Watchful Servants
Mt 24:45–51
35#Eph 6:14; 1Pe 1:13“Let your waist be girded and your lights be burning, 36#Rev 3:20and you be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door immediately for him when he comes and knocks. 37#Mt 24:42Blessed are those servants whom the master will find watching when he comes. Truly I say to you, he will dress himself and have them sit down to dine, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes in the second watch, or comes in the third watch, and finds them so, blessed are those servants. 39#Mt 24:43–44; 2Pe 3:10But know this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched and not have allowed his house to be broken into. 40Therefore be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
41#Mk 13:37Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”
42#Mt 24:45–46; Lk 19:15–19The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his house servants, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44Truly, I say to you, he will appoint him over all his possessions. 45But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master delays his coming,’ and begins to beat the house servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46#Lk 12:40the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not look for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him to pieces and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
47#Jas 4:17; Dt 25:2–3“That servant who knew his master’s will, but did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48#Lev 5:17; 1Ti 1:13But he who unknowingly committed acts worthy of punishment shall be beaten with few stripes. For to whom much is given, of him much shall be required. And from him to whom much was entrusted, much will be asked.
Jesus the Cause of Division
Mt 10:34–36
49“I have come to send fire upon the earth and wish that it were already kindled! 50#Jn 19:30But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how pressed I am until it is accomplished! 51#Mt 10:34–36Do you suppose that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52For there will be from now on five divided in one house, three against two and two against three. 53#Mic 7:6They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, and mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
Discerning the Appointed Time
Mt 16:2–3
54Then He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rise out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it is. 55And when a south wind blows, you say, ‘There will be heat,’ and it happens. 56#Mt 16:3You hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth. But why do you not know how to discern this time?
Settling With Your Accuser
Mt 5:25–26
57“Why even among yourselves do you not judge what is right? 58#Mt 5:23–26; 18:30When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, as you are on the way, diligently try to settle matters with him, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the officer, and the officer will throw you into prison. 59#Mk 12:42; Mt 18:34I tell you, you shall not come out from there until you have paid the very last penny.”#Gk. lepton, the smallest coin circulated, means “small” or “thin.”
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Luke 12: MEV
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Military Bible Association
Luke 12
12
Can’t Hide Behind a Religious Mask
1-3By this time the crowd, unwieldy and stepping on each other’s toes, numbered into the thousands. But Jesus’ primary concern was his disciples. He said to them, “Watch yourselves carefully so you don’t get contaminated with Pharisee yeast, Pharisee phoniness. You can’t keep your true self hidden forever; before long you’ll be exposed. You can’t hide behind a religious mask forever; sooner or later the mask will slip and your true face will be known. You can’t whisper one thing in private and preach the opposite in public; the day’s coming when those whispers will be repeated all over town.
4-5“I’m speaking to you as dear friends. Don’t be bluffed into silence or insincerity by the threats of religious bullies. True, they can kill you, but then what can they do? There’s nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life—body and soul—in his hands.
6-7“What’s the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don’t be intimidated by all this bully talk. You’re worth more than a million canaries.
8-9“Stand up for me among the people you meet and the Son of Man will stand up for you before all God’s angels. But if you pretend you don’t know me, do you think I’ll defend you before God’s angels?
10“If you bad-mouth the Son of Man out of misunderstanding or ignorance, that can be overlooked. But if you’re knowingly attacking God himself, taking aim at the Holy Spirit, that won’t be overlooked.
11-12“When they drag you into their meeting places, or into police courts and before judges, don’t worry about defending yourselves—what you’ll say or how you’ll say it. The right words will be there. The Holy Spirit will give you the right words when the time comes.”
The Story of the Greedy Farmer
13Someone out of the crowd said, “Teacher, order my brother to give me a fair share of the family inheritance.”
14He replied, “Mister, what makes you think it’s any of my business to be a judge or mediator for you?”
15Speaking to the people, he went on, “Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.”
16-19Then he told them this story: “The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. He talked to himself: ‘What can I do? My barn isn’t big enough for this harvest.’ Then he said, ‘Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll gather in all my grain and goods, and I’ll say to myself, Self, you’ve done well! You’ve got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!’
20“Just then God showed up and said, ‘Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods—who gets it?’
21“That’s what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God.”
Steep Yourself in God-Reality
22-24He continued this subject with his disciples. “Don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the ravens, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, carefree in the care of God. And you count far more.
25-28“Has anyone by fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can’t even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don’t fuss with their appearance—but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?
29-32“What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.
33-34“Be generous. Give to the poor. Get yourselves a bank that can’t go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bankrobbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
When the Master Shows Up
35-38“Keep your shirts on; keep the lights on! Be like house servants waiting for their master to come back from his honeymoon, awake and ready to open the door when he arrives and knocks. Lucky the servants whom the master finds on watch! He’ll put on an apron, sit them at the table, and serve them a meal, sharing his wedding feast with them. It doesn’t matter what time of the night he arrives; they’re awake—and so blessed!
39-40“You know that if the house owner had known what night the burglar was coming, he wouldn’t have stayed out late and left the place unlocked. So don’t you be lazy and careless. Just when you don’t expect him, the Son of Man will show up.”
41Peter said, “Master, are you telling this story just for us? Or is it for everybody?”
42-46The Master said, “Let me ask you: Who is the dependable manager, full of common sense, that the master puts in charge of his staff to feed them well and on time? He is a blessed man if when the master shows up he’s doing his job. But if he says to himself, ‘The master is certainly taking his time,’ begins beating up on the servants and maids, throws parties for his friends, and gets drunk, the master will walk in when he least expects it, give him the thrashing of his life, and put him back in the kitchen peeling potatoes.
47-48“The servant who knows what his master wants and ignores it, or insolently does whatever he pleases, will be thoroughly thrashed. But if he does a poor job through ignorance, he’ll get off with a slap on the hand. Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!
To Start a Fire
49-53“I’ve come to start a fire on this earth—how I wish it were blazing right now! I’ve come to change everything, turn everything rightside up—how I long for it to be finished! Do you think I came to smooth things over and make everything nice? Not so. I’ve come to disrupt and confront! From now on, when you find five in a house, it will be—
Three against two,
and two against three;
Father against son,
and son against father;
Mother against daughter,
and daughter against mother;
Mother-in-law against bride,
and bride against mother-in-law.”
54-56Then he turned to the crowd: “When you see clouds coming in from the west, you say, ‘Storm’s coming’—and you’re right. And when the wind comes out of the south, you say, ‘This’ll be a hot one’—and you’re right. Frauds! You know how to tell a change in the weather, so don’t tell me you can’t tell a change in the season, the God-season we’re in right now.
57-59“You don’t have to be a genius to understand these things. Just use your common sense, the kind you’d use if, while being taken to court, you decided to settle up with your accuser on the way, knowing that if the case went to the judge you’d probably go to jail and pay every last penny of the fine. That’s the kind of decision I’m asking you to make.”
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.