CHAPTER 12
Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” Luke 12:1
Here we see Jesus once more with a very large crowd of people around him. This reminds us of the peak of his Galilee ministry when large crowds were also present. His Galilee ministry is now closed out and he is now in Judea or perhaps in Perea on the eastern side of the Jordan River. The word used for thousands is the Greek myrias. It properly means ten thousand but it can be indefinite and mean a very large crowd.1 This crowd was so large that some people got trampled. It was large enough that, had the Romans known about it, they would have been greatly concerned that it was some sort of rebellion.2 It might well have been the largest crowd Jesus ever had.
This whole section of scripture is an example of a popular Jewish way of teaching. It is called charaz, which means “stringing pearls.” With this manner of teaching the rabbis strung passages and scriptures together which did not have close connection but in which there were certain dominant ideas.3
The Lord has just come from his great time of conflict with the Pharisees and no doubt their hypocrisy is much on his mind. So here he warns his disciples first that they should beware of the Pharisees yeast. Yeast or leaven (Gk. zumē) is a common ingredient in baking today just as it was in the ancient world. At that time leaven or yeast was not something bought at the grocery store but it was a fermented remnant of yesterday’s baking that was used in a new batch. My wife still occasionally bakes this way when she makes sourdough bread. She keeps a small batch of the old and mixes it with the new dough. The leaven then permeates the new loaf.
Leaven in the spiritual sense is that secret, unseen ingredient in our lives that affects others. Generally leaven is used to speak of evil but it can at times represent something good, like the spread of Christ’s kingdom (Matt. 13:33). It only takes a small amount of leaven to affect a great mass of dough or people. In an evil sense leaven puffs people up with pride. It can sour a whole church when it is allowed to spread. The antidote for leaven is to believe only in the truth and live the truth in our lives.
The leaven of the Pharisees, who were the religions leaders, is very much akin to the leaven sometimes seen in ministers of the gospel today. Guzik tells of an unnamed Christian leader in the US who was a nationally televised hypocrite. He had actually written a book in 1985 condemning sexual sin in the country, especially the sin of pornography. Later, he was found guilty of these very sins. He tearfully and publicly repented. However, it was only a short time later that he was arrested again for similar crimes.4 What this leader did in secret was then shouted from the housetops, to one TV antenna and then to another.
Hypocrisy is defined by Merriam-Webster as: “a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not.” The Greek word for hypocrisy (hupocrisis) was originally a word from the stage. Actors could put on a mask and pretend to be someone they were not. 5 Hypocrites were thus “play-actors.”
We might ask, “Why do people become hypocrites?” They do so to impress others, so hidden in hypocrisy is a secret and ugly pride. Caird says, “The hypocrite is one who, consciously or unconsciously, has sacrificed truth to appearance….” 6
“There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs” (12:2-3). Hidden things provide a wonderful ground for Satan’s work. When we bring things into the light we deprive the devil of the medium for his evil occupation. Also, as Christians we know that all our secret things are already known by the Lord, who sees in secret. David said of the Lord: “You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely” (Psa. 139:1-4). Bock says, “We may divide our activities into public and private, visible and unseen, but there is no such division with God’s vision.” 7
The Lord here promises to reveal all secret things. This happens often in this life but it will certainly happen in the next life and at the judgment. Most of our secrets are at least suspected by others so we might as well go ahead and confess them. Confession is a great weapon for the Christian because it totally defeats Satan, who does his best work in the secret and in the dark.
In the houses of the wealthy there were inner rooms and sometimes the dark secrets were whispered there. Jesus promises that what is whispered there will be announced openly. In Bible times people would shout news and sometimes gossip from the flat rooftops, where people relaxed at night and in the cool of the day.8 This is a picture of our deepest secrets being broadcast from housetop to housetop.
WHOM TO FEAR
I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” Luke 12:4-5
A basic cause of hypocrisy is the fear of man.9 We are told in scripture that the fear of man brings a snare (Prov. 29:25). When we fear people we do not act as ourselves but we pretend to be something we are not. The end of that approach is always trouble. It is important that we see ourselves as we really are, as sons and daughters of God. We believers are children of the Great King. Someday we will be clothed in glory and will rule with Christ in unspeakable majesty on this earth (Rev. 5:10).
We are not to fear people even if they are determined to kill us. They can only kill the body. That is also true of Satan. Despite all his threats he can only kill our bodies. Our fear is to be toward God and him only. The fear of God is not some trembling terror but a deep respect and reverence for the Lord and his work. The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is pure and that it endures forever (Psa. 19:9). The fear of the devil is dark, evil and impure.
When I used to read this passage I probably thought like a lot of people, that we should fear Satan since he can kill the body. Commentators tell us that our fear is to be directed to God and to him only.10 In the Old Testament all things were attributed to God. The Bible says, “See now that I myself am he! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand” (Deut. 32:39). All causality is attributed to him.11 Therefore, it is only God that we should fear. Oswald Chambers says: “The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else.”
God alone has the authority and power to cast into hell.12 Someday, he will even cast Satan there and he will be tormented forever (Rev. 20:10). The picture of hell is taken from the Hinnom Valley which lies to the immediate south of the Old City of Jerusalem. It was in this valley that the ancient Israelites offered their children in sacrifice to the false god Molech (2 Chron. 28:3; Jer. 7:30-31; 32:35). Finally that awful child sacrifice was stopped by good King Josiah (2 Ki. 23:10). The whole valley then became a garbage dump, always smoldering with fire and giving up its stench.13 Hell then became a contraction of the Valley of Hinnom (Heb. Ge-henna). What a picture of the utter loss, the waste of life, the destruction and disgrace that hell brings. It is God’s eternal garbage dump.
“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.” (12:6). Sparrows were not used in sacrifice but rather were eaten by poor people. They were so cheap that when two sparrows were purchased and extra one was thrown in free.14 Matthew says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care” (Matt. 10:29). Since an almost worthless sparrow cannot fall to the ground without the Father’s notice, we can be certain that the Father knows about our smallest needs.
“Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (12:7). Barclay informs us that a person with a blonde head of hair has about 145,000 hairs; while a dark haired person has 120,000. A red-headed person has only 90,000.15 We would think all that would keep the Lord pretty busy. Some of us do not cause the Lord so much trouble keeping track of our hairs. Scripture is saying here that the Lord is intimately concerned with each of us. Nothing can happen to us without the Loving God allowing it (cf. 1 Sam. 14:45; 2 Sam. 14:11).16
OUR WITNESS FOR THE LORD
I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God.” Luke 12:8-9
We are told that less than a quarter of today’s Christians evangelize or witness to the lost. 17 Sometimes we do not witness because we are concerned only about ourselves and our needs. That would come under the heading of selfishness. At other times we may have allowed ourselves to become fearful, critical or depressed. Sybil Morial says, “You can’t hoot with owls and soar with the eagles.” 18
Of course, acknowledging Christ before men is primarily a lifestyle. We should be found with other Christians because “saints” are plural in the New Testament and need to be together. This in itself is a way of acknowledging the Lord. In addition we should be living for Christ before the world. When we acknowledge him he will someday acknowledge us before the angels in heaven.
If we disown him he will disown us. Peter had a narrow escape in this area. He disowned Christ three times and with curses. It was a very serious offense but the Lord chose to forgive him, knowing that his heart was right.
“And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven” (12:10). Here we have reference to what is called “the unpardonable sin.” It is not that God is unwilling to pardon a person, but that the person has cut off all avenues of approach to God. Caird says, “This is the unpardonable sin, not because God is ever unwilling to pardon a penitent, but because an inner dishonesty makes a man incapable of that honest appraisal of himself which is repentance.” 19
The Bible says we are born again by the Spirit (Jn. 3:5). If we deny the Spirit’s work and blaspheme the Spirit, there remains no way for us to enter into the kingdom. We read about this sin in Matthew 12:31-32 and Mark 3:28-29. In these gospel passages the unpardonable sin is called blasphemy against the Holy Spirit of God.
For those who think they have committed this unpardonable sin, we have good news. If we think we have committed this sin and are worried and concerned about our condition, this is all probably proof that we have not committed it. It is proof that there is still within our lives a deep desire for God and a concern about our own sinfulness. It is proof that we still have a conscience; that we are still responsive to the Holy Spirit, whose function is to convict us of sin (Jn. 16:8-11). All this is a sure sign of hope. The day of salvation has not passed us by. We can still call upon the Lord and have our sins forgiven by the saving work of Jesus, who shed his blood on the cross for each one of us.
“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say” (12:11-12). Jesus said that his followers would stand before synagogues, rulers and authorities and that very thing happened often in the Book of Acts. On many occasions Jesus’ followers were under threat of severe punishment and death. They were not to worry about what to say on such occasions. The Holy Spirit would give them wisdom.
The word for defending oneself is the Greek apologeomai, from which we get “apology” and “apologetics.” 20 The Greek merimnasate is the aorist subjunctive with a negative particle and it means that we should “not even start to be worried” when such events come upon us.21
THE PERIL OF COVETOUSNESS
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Luke 12:13
Apparently this young man interrupted Jesus with what he felt was an urgent family problem. It was normal for legal questions to be asked of rabbis. The Mosaic code included all areas of life and distinctions were not made between criminal, civil, ecclesiastical and moral questions. Rabbis were expected to deal with all these areas.22 According to Mosaic Law, the eldest son was to receive double the inheritance of what the other sons received.23 Obviously, the eldest son was not sharing with the other brothers as he was required to do in this situation.
“Jesus replied, ‘Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?’” (12:14). Meyer comments: “Our Lord did not come into our world as an earthly judge, adjusting differences between man and man. He lays down great principles, obedience to which will bring heaven into human lives…Not what you have but what you are!…Goods are not good! The soul cannot live on corn!” 24 Morris says of Jesus, “He came to bring people to God, not to bring property to people.” 25
“Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions’” (12:15). There can be no doubting that greed and its close cousin covetousness are running rampant in our western societies today. Jesus says that we are to “watch out!” and “guard ourselves” from all types of greed. The scripture even says that greed is a form of idolatry (Col. 3:5). For the most part the greed and covetousness of our time are well hidden and camouflaged. St. Francis of Assisi is reported to have said, “Men have confessed to me every known sin except the sin of covetousness.” 26
There is a “sanctified form” of greed and covetousness which now is popping up in our western church doctrine. This form of greed tells us that Christians should be wealthy. If they are not wealthy then they do not have enough faith. We need to deal frankly and swiftly with this idea.
In the Old Testament, where the saints of God lived mostly in the natural world, riches were considered to be a blessing of God and the lot of all who would be faithful. In the New Testament we have a sort of paradigm shift in this understanding. New Testament saints are now living in a spiritual existence related to the kingdom of God. Despite what some preachers proclaim, the New Testament saints are not guaranteed riches. In fact, riches are now to be considered as a positive hindrance to the kingdom (Matt. 19:24; Jas. 5:1). Some Christians are wealthy but they have probably learned to keep their wealth in perspective. The Christian life is a blessed life but there is no promise of physical wealth in the New Testament. We are promised that the Lord will care for us.
The same rules apply to food and other seeming necessities of life. We remember that Jesus did not have a place to lay his head (Matt. 8:20). His provision came from a common purse that was shared with at least twelve other people. We remember that the Apostle Paul suffered hunger, thirst, nakedness and cold (2 Cor. 11:27). The New Testament does not promise us an easy road but one with difficulty and persecution (Acts 14:22).
Some of the greatest saints in the past have overcome covetousness and have lived in an exemplary manner. John Wesley while he was at Oxford had an income of 30 British pounds a year. He managed to live on 28 pounds and gave two pounds away. Later when his income increased to 60 and even to 120 pounds he still lived on 28 pounds and gave all the rest away. 27 It was Corrie Ten Boom who once said, “The measure of a life is not its duration but its donation.”
THE STORY OF THE RICH FOOL
And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’” Luke 12:16-17
This man was obviously a picture of prosperity. However, we note immediately that he had a bad case of “I” disease. He was totally absorbed with “I,” “me” and “my.” There was no thought in his mind about God or others. His problem could have been greatly alleviated by sharing his abundance with the poor of his community, but he had no such thought. He rather hit upon the idea of building bigger barns for himself and his goods.
“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry’” (12:18-19). McGee reminds us of that little selfish poem that so expresses this man’s thoughts:
I had a little tea party this afternoon at three.
‘Twas very small, three guests in all,
Just I, myself and me.
‘Twas I who ate the sandwiches
And I drank up the tea.
‘Twas also I who ate the pie
And passed the cake to me.28
Pfeiffer and Harrison note of this rich man: “He made several false assumptions: that the soul could be satisfied with goods; that the goods would last for many years; and that he would live to enjoy them.” 29
This man was speaking to his soul and was convinced that his soul would be satisfied with all the abundance he is laying up. Soul is the Greek term psuchē, and it reflects the earlier Hebrew term of nephesh. Soul is an expression of our true being, our real self and our personhood (cf. Ezek. 18:20).30 Obviously, our true self has little interest in bigger barns and great amounts of goods.
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’” (12:20). Barnes comments: “What an awful sentence to a man who, as he thought, had just got ready to live and enjoy himself! In a single moment all his hopes were blasted, and his soul summoned to the bar of his long-forgotten God.” 31 Geldenhuys says, “Poorer than the poorest beggar he had to leave this world.” 32
This ancient story so reminds us of one modern version that was just as tragic. Armand Hammer was the billionaire magnate of Occidental Petroleum Company. It was only at his death that his real story came out. He had gained much of his wealth by laundering money for the Soviet Union and then he hired ghostwriters to write fictitious autobiographies of his life. He gained more fortunes through a string of broken marriages and allowed his father to go to prison for a crime he himself had committed. He neglected his only son and hid an illegitimate daughter from the public. At Occidental, he fired top executives as if they were errand boys. He was guilty of many more atrocities. The employees despised him.
When he died his son did not come to his funeral, neither did other members of his family. There was almost no one else there. His pallbearers were made up of his chauffeur, along with his male nurse and other personal employees. He never concentrated on people but only on bigger barns, so to speak. After his death his own Occidental Petroleum even distanced itself from him.33
“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God” (12:21). The true believer is rich in many ways. He or she is rich in precious faith (2 Pet. 1:1; Jas. 2:5), in the riches of good works (1 Tim. 6:18), and is rich in the wisdom of God which is better than rubies (Prov. 3:15; Rom. 11:33). This saint is wealthy in all the true riches (Rev. 2:9; 3:18).34 The expression “rich toward God” should be the goal of every believer’s life.
THE WOES OF WORRY
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 life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.” Luke 12:22-23
Bock says, “In fact, anxiety should have a surgeon general’s or health minister’s warning attached to it: ‘Warning: anxiety may be harmful to your health…’” 35 Wiersbe reminds us that our word “worry” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word that has the meaning “to strangle.” 36 The philosopher, theologian and apologist, J. P. Moreland, reports: “…scientists have done studies of the brains of people who worried a lot, and they found that this mental state of worry changed their brain chemistry.” 37
The three items that Jesus mentions – worry about life, about what we will eat or about what we will wear takes up most of the energy of people in our western world. So worry is a physical problem as well as a sin against God. We stop owning things and they begin to own us. Wiersbe also comments: “Worry convinces us that life is made up of what we eat and what we wear…There is a great difference between making a living and making a life…” 38
What a difference it is when we can invest our lives in God, in his word and in his work. What a difference it makes, now and in the hereafter, when we can invest ourselves in other people!
“Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” (12:24). The raven is an unclean bird (Lev. 11:15) but God still cares for ravens. All the birds of the air are provided for by their Father. This does not mean that they can relax and do nothing. We occasionally see robins pulling with all their might to get the worm out of the ground. The bird parents with little ones often work together in an almost unceasing fashion to gather enough food for them. Yet, that food is bountifully made available by the Lord. They really do not have to worry themselves about that supply.
“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” (12:25-26). The idea behind “hour” or “span” here is the Greek word pechus. Literally it means a cubit, or about 18 inches, the distance from one’s elbow to the tip of the longest finger.39 However, the NIV and several other translations (NAS, NRS, RSV) see this as a time measurement. Caird reminds us that “the Psalmist speaks of his whole life as ‘a few handbreadths’ (Ps 39:5)” 40 Literally, a person cannot add an hour to life by worrying about it.
WHY WORRY ABOUT CLOTHES, FOOD OR ANYTHING ELSE?
Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you— you of little faith!” Luke 12:27-28
Pfeiffer and Harrison feel that the wild flowers mentioned here were the anemones, or windflowers.41 In the early spring these little scarlet flowers cover the Galilee fields. Although there are multiplied millions of them, God clothes each one. They are more delicately clothed than was King Solomon at the height of his glory. God clothes these but their lifespan is very short. Once the dry weather begins around March they all wither, dry up and fade away. Barker and Kohlenberger say, “God’s meticulous and lavish care for mere perishing flowers assures us of his unfailing care for his own people.” 42 The flowers do not have to do anything for that care. They do not have to spin or weave clothing for themselves. It is all gloriously provided.
“And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them” (12:29-30). We should not worry or be of doubtful mind about what we will eat or drink. The Greek word for being worried or anxious is meteōrizesthe. This word is from an old verb that has to do with meteors.43 We get the picture here of a meteor streaking across the sky, that can leave us anxious or distressed. We should realize that God has all things that pertain to us under his full control (Matt. 5:45; 6:32).
“But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (12:31). As Matthew has it, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness…” (Matt. 6:33). This is where our primary focus should be, and not on our needs in this world. Morris says, “His servants may not grow wealthy as the world understands riches, but they will not lack.” 44
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys” (12:32-33). Guzik comments concerning the little flock: “The original uses a double diminutive, as in little, little flock (Trapp, Clarke). It was to this small and unlikely flock that the Father would give the kingdom. It was a little flock, but it was his flock.” 45
The instruction to sell all our possessions in no way excludes private ownership of property. God does not want his people to be penniless and homeless because he has commanded us to give to the poor and to entertain in our houses. The Lord is rather emphasizing that we should not be dominated by these things.46 When we feel the least bit dominated it may be time to sell or give away.
Purses that will not wear out and treasures that will never fail are speaking of the heavenly treasures. Purses and clothing here are subject to moths and a lot of other damaging things. I remember on one of our early trips to Israel my wife and I bought a nice tapestry to hang on the wall. Soon, we began to notice a lot of fragments on our floor. The beautiful tapestry was being eaten by moths so we had to toss it into the trash.
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (12:34). On a tour at the excavations at Beth Shean in Israel I remember seeing a great pillar that was thrown down in an ancient earthquake. Our son Yoni, who is a licensed Israel tour guide, told us that under the pillar the archaeologists found the skeleton of a man who was still clutching a bag filled with money.47 That is an example of having our treasure in the wrong place. The poor man could possibly have sent his treasure ahead by sharing his loot with others in need as his Bible commanded.
BEING WATCHFUL
Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. Luke 12:35-36
The picture here is a wedding cerebration in Bible times. Some months (about a year) after the betrothal the Oriental groom would go to the house of his prospective bride in order to claim her. The return procession took place at night and the servants of the groom were expected to be dressed, ready for work, and have their lamps lighted as they awaited the procession.48 In such a manner the servants of the Lord should be ready and waiting for their Lord to return. The marriage would then be consummated and the wedding feast would take place.
To be dressed required that the servants would have tucked their flowing outer robes under their belts or sash. This was always done to prepare for work, travel or fighting (e.g. 2 Ki. 4:29; 9:1; Jer. 1:17; Acts 12:8; 1 Pet. 1:13).49 This was a little like the practice of “rolling up our sleeves” today when we are getting ready for action.50
Obviously, the subject here is watchfulness. This subject was so aptly illustrated by the story of a British schoolgirl named Tilly Smith. She and her family happened to be in Thailand vacationing when the awful 2004 Tsunami struck. Fortunately for her and others, she had just studied in her school about Tsunamis. She had learned how to spot them and what to do to protect herself. Here is what happened to her and her family, as reported by Jack Graham:
Soon… she saw the eerie symptoms she and her classmates had just studied –frothy bubbles on the surface of the sea, dramatically receding waters in a phenomenon known as “disappearing sea” – and immediately alerted her parents. They in turn alerted the staff at the beachfront hotel where they were staying, who alerted the more than one hundred other tourists who were playing and sunning on the beach. That beach was one of the few beaches across the region that reported no casualties as a result of the tsunami that did, in fact, overwhelm the area. And it was all because a little blond eleven-year-old chose to speak up when the stakes were high.51
The servants in our story had to be ready for whatever came. They had to be dressed and have their lamps lit. The reason for lamps was that biblical marriage celebrations happened at night, as we have said. They not only had to stay awake and watchful but they had to have an adequate supply of oil (Matt. 25:3-10).
The groom and his party would come to the door and knock, expecting the servants to be awake and ready to open the door. Keener says, “Well-to-do householders often had a special slave or slaves in charge of keeping the door; these slave-porters would keep unwanted persons out but admit members of the household.” 52
“It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak” (12:37-38). We have an astounding thing here in that the master comes and serves the watching servants. Such a thing was unknown in the ancient world. Keener tells us “Although a few philosophers argued that slaves were the moral equals of their masters…masters’ serving slaves was unheard of.” 53 At the Lord’s first coming he appeared in the form of a servant (Phil. 2:7) and ministered to the Jews and to others. The amazing thing here is the Returning Lord will serve those servants whom he finds watching for him.
In Bible times the Jewish groom was treated like a king and the bride was treated like a queen during the days of the wedding festivities. Everyone served the couple and honored them. But in this picture we see the groom bowing and serving the servants.
Ancient Jewish weddings took place at night, but we cannot tell here whether Luke is describing a three-watch Jewish division, or a four-watch Roman division of the night. The one thing that is clear is that the coming happens at “deep night” or between midnight and 2:00 a.m.54
“But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (12:39-40). Here Jesus switches images and describes the entry of a thief. Anyone expecting a thief would be very watchful for his coming. He would not allow the thief to break through. The expression “broken into” is the original language means “to dig through.” While some walls were of stone, others were built of dried mud and thieves had to dig through these walls.55
Jesus is not a thief since he is coming for his own. The picture of a thief is used to illustrate the element of surprise, that Jesus could come at any moment (cf. 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 3:3; 16:15). He could come at the most unexpected hour so it behooves his servants to be ready and watching.
THE FAITHFUL AND WISE MANAGER
Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?” Luke 12:41
Modern interpreters have the same problem Peter was having here. They do not always know to whom a teaching is directed. Is it directed only to the disciples or is it directed to every one of his followers? 56 We know that Jesus was expecting all of his followers to watch (Mk. 13:27-29). Jesus was probably speaking to all those who were living their lives in readiness as faithful and wise stewards.57
“The Lord answered, ‘Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time?’” (12:42). “Many well-to-do householders had a slave called a ‘steward,’ a sort of business manager who managed the estate.” 58 That person was in charge of all domestic affairs while the master was away (16:1; 1 Cor. 4:4-5). The steward’s responsibility was to care for the other servants and provide them with food. The steward’s job was to serve all the others but not to exercise power.59
“It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions” (12:43-44). Keener says of this steward, “Upward mobility existed among household servants; indeed, many such servants outranked free peasants in terms of real power or status, and even earned more money (which they could later use to buy their freedom).” 60
THE SLOTHFUL SERVANT
But suppose the servant says to himself, “My master is taking a long time in coming,” and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. Luke 12:45
For several years I was the director of volunteers and projects for a large Christian evangelical organization in Israel. We often managed 30 or more Christian volunteers from all over the world. We also ran a large food distribution center where we helped new immigrants and the needy. I often thought of this passage as I made my decisions about the care of the Lord’s special people. Also, I made sure that our volunteers were supplied with plentiful free food from the facility. In Israel there were some organizations that preyed upon volunteers, merely using them as slaves, even holding their passports for security. How angry the Lord would be for such actions. I learned to walk very softly and prayerfully in this whole area, making sure that the Lord’s servants were cared for adequately.
When we feel that our Lord is taking a long time to return there is the temptation to slack-off in our work and responsibility. Our lives begin to deteriorate and we stop looking for him and loving his people. In such a case God’s judgment will come swiftly.61
“The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers” (12:46). The master would return at a time when he was unexpected and find the slothful servant unprepared. The punishment would be great. In the Roman Empire masters had total control over slaves and could even execute them at will. The expression “cut him to pieces” seems very cruel to us though. However, it is probably used in a sense of eschatological judgment for those who claim to know Jesus and have failed to serve him.62 Those who have not served the Lord will be assigned to a place of terrible punishment in Gehenna.
The word for “cut him into pieces” is the Greek dichotomēsei ). The act of dichotomy, or cleaving a person in two, was a known punishment in the East. We see reference to it in 1 Samuel 15:33, Daniel 2:5 and Hebrew 11:37.63
“The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows” (12:47). This punishment deals with sins of commission and sins of omission. In each instance the servant is severely punished. Of course, beating was an accepted form of punishment. The Jewish people limited this punishment to 40 stripes but there was no limit on Roman beatings. Boles says, “The punishment will be proportioned to the powers, gifts, opportunities, and knowledge of the offenders.” 64
“But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (12:48). This makes clear that there will be some judgment of God’s people in the world to come. Some have been given much and they will be judged for squandering these gifts. Others have been given little and they will be praised for investing what they have (19:13-27). This has nothing to do with their eternal life but rather with the assessment of their work.
“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” (12:49). Barclay says, “In Jewish thought fire is almost always the symbol of judgment. So, then, Jesus regarded the coming of his kingdom as a time of judgment.” 65 Caird tells us that Jewish literature had many descriptions of the woes that would overwhelm the world just prior to the coming of God’s kingdom. However, these descriptions never mentioned that the Messiah would pass through these woes.66 It is primarily in the Servant Songs of Isaiah (Isa. 42:1-9; 49:1-13; 50:4-11; 52:13 – 53:12), that we see the Servant of God passing through these many troubles.
Jesus had come to cast fire on earth and he longed for it to be accomplished. Utley says, “Jesus wants the kingdom of God to be manifest on the earth (cf. Matt. 6:10), even though there will be a great cost to himself and others (the loss of unbelievers eternally and the persecution of believers temporarily).” 67 There would be floods of persecution in the end days (Psa. 18:4; Isa. 8:7-8). There would be fire and tribulation (Mal. 4:1; Jer. 25:31-33; Rev. 8:5; 11:5-6).
“But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!” (12:50). Jesus looked at his coming persecution and suffering as a baptism, a dipping into a grim and terrible experience. Although it was to be awful, he longed for it to be accomplished.
“Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division” (12:51). There is nothing more evident than that the gospel brings outward division among people. While it brings peace in the heart of those who receive it, there is division brought all around those who believe (cf. Matt. 10:34-36). Today Christians are targets for 80 percent of the world’s discrimination.68 There are eleven countries in the world that practice systematic persecution of Christians. These countries are China, Pakistan, Laos, North Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Egypt, Nigeria and Uzbekistan.69
“From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law” (12:52-53). Not only will the nations be divided over Christianity, but the families will also be divided. In some Orthodox Jewish families today, when a child marries a Christian there will be a mock funeral held. Often in Moslem families a member will be murdered for converting to Christianity. In many other places around the world when some family member becomes a Christian there are tensions that build up between the believer and other family members.
“He said to the crowd: ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, “It’s going to rain,” and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, “It’s going to be hot,” and it is’” (12:54-55). The people of Israel, being mostly an agricultural folk, became great weather forecasters. Since most weather came in from the Mediterranean they could look at the clouds gathering there and predict rain. When the south wind would blow in from the vast desert areas they could predict heat. Often in the warmer months Israel will suffer a Sharav or Hamsin. It becomes oppressively warm and still with fine desert dust filling the air and settling on everything. Sometimes these can last for two or three days and they make it especially difficult for sightseeing tourists.
“Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time? Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?” (12:56-57). The people of Israel could predict all these things but they could not see that great judgment was about to come upon them. Actually, many in that generation would live to see Jerusalem and the temple destroyed with many hundreds of thousands of their people killed and sold into slavery. That dreadful event was a mere forty years away in AD 70. “They could discern the sky, but not the heavens.” 70
Israel had experienced many signs that were prophetic. Simeon was an early sign testifying about the Lord. The fiery prophet John the Baptist had come warning them like Elijah of old. There was a sign at Jesus’ baptism when he was identified as the Son of God. There was a sign at Jesus’ transfiguration, also claiming that Jesus was the Son of God. Besides these things, Jesus had worked mighty miracles in their midst. They had plenty of information to make an intelligent judgment.
“As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison” (12:58). Legal matters are best settled quickly because as they drag on they tend to be more complicated and costly. Barclay says that every man has a bad case with God and it behooves him to make peace with God while there is time.71
The situation here seems to have the meaning of a debtor facing prison.72 If the debtor does not come to terms quickly he might be handed over to the judge and then to the constable (Gk. praktor). The next stop would be debtor’s prison, where he might remain until family members had pity on him and paid off his judgment.
“I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny” (12:59). The debtor would not be released until he paid the last penny. The Greek word for penny is lepton, that is about 1/64 of a denarius.73 It was an almost worthless little copper coin and many of them turn up today at archaeological sites. People often have them as keepsakes from their Israel visits.