Teaching of the disciples continues as primary in this part of the third Gospel (9:51-19:10). Jesus' words to them at the beginning of the present section (12:1-13:17) broadened to include the crowds toward the end.
Jesus used His condemnation of the Pharisees' hypocrisy as an occasion to warn His disciples against being hypocritical. The context of this teaching in Matthew's Gospel is Jesus' instruction of the Twelve before He sent them on their mission. Luke recorded that He also taught His disciples the importance of fearless witness under persecution as they moved towardJerusalem.
12:1 Luke set the scene for the following teaching by explaining that it happened when Pharisaic hostility had become intense (11:53-54). What Jesus proceeded to tell His disciples had opposition and persecution in view. In spite of this antagonism, Jesus had a very large following (Gr. myriadon, lit. ten thousand, cf. Acts 19:19; 21:20). Evidently its size kept increasing (cf. 11:29). However the lesson that follows was for His disciples (cf. 20:45).
Leaven or yeast (Gr. zymes) has a pervasive effect and therefore is a good illustration of the influence of hypocrisy. Elsewhere Jesus warned the disciples of the teaching of the Pharisees that He likened to leaven (Matt. 16:6, 12; Mark 8:15). Here he used leaven as an example of their hypocrisy. Leaven, as hypocrisy, starts small but expands and affects everything it touches.
12:2-3 Nevertheless what is now unknown because of hypocrisy will one day become known. This is a general principle. On the human level there are exceptions to this principle, but Jesus undoubtedly had God who knows all secrets in mind. Verse 3 probably is a positive encouragement rather than an ominous threat. Jesus used it that way in the other contexts in which He made this statement (cf. 8:17; Matt. 10:26-27; Mark 4:22). If so, He meant the good witness that the disciples might try to hide because of the threat of persecution would come out into the open eventually.
12:4 Jesus identified what followed as particularly important (cf. 6:27; 11:9; 12:5, 8). The unusual address "my friends"(Gr. philois) added a further encouragement to represent Jesus boldly in spite of opposition even though it might result in death. The word expressed confidence in the disciples and approval of them as those entrusted with His secrets and those who do His will. It contrasts with the rejection they faced in the world. This is the only place in the Synoptics where Jesus called His disciples His friends (cf. Matt. 12:48-50; John 15:13-15). Friends are not just people with whom we share common life but those with whom we also share common commitments and goals.301
12:5 Rather than fearing their persecutors the disciples should fear God more. God has the power to affect eternal, not just temporal, destiny. Jesus was not implying that the disciples would end up in hell if they proved unfaithful (cf. John 10:27-28; 2 Tim. 2:11-13). He was warning them about the possibility of their losing an eternal reward. He cited God's punitive power to deter hypocrisy. This is Luke's only reference to hell (Gr. geenna), but elsewhere it is a place of eternal torment (cf. Matt. 5:22; 18:8-9; Mark 9:43-48; James 4:12).
"Jesus taught the reality of hell unambiguously."302
12:6-7 The point of these two illustrations was that God is aware of more insignificant things than the disciples, yet He has concern for these things. It is an argument from the lesser to the greater (cf. 11:13). Since God knows about and has concern for these less important things, He will surely care for the disciples. The cent (Gr. assarion) was a Roman coin worth about one sixteenth of a denarius, a day's wage (cf. Matt. 10:29). These illustrations balance Jesus' singular warning to fear God (v. 5) with a double assurance of His fatherly concern for them. However the Father's intimate acquaintance with the disciples' lives also constitutes a warning against hypocrisy.
12:8-9 Another special preface indicated the certainty and importance of what followed (cf. vv. 4-5). Confessing the Son of Man (i.e., Jesus as the divine Messiah) publicly or denying Him publicly were the disciples' options (cf. 9:26). Confessing (Gr. homolgesei) and denying (Gr. arnesetai) are polar expressions. In polarization extreme terms stress the alternatives. The disciples had to make a choice. Their choice would determine God's acknowledgment or lack of acknowledgment of them before the angels and the Father (cf. 7:28; Matt. 10:32-33; 11:11). The time of God's action will evidently be when He evaluates their lives as they stand before Him. For Christians this will be at the judgment seat of Christ (1 Cor. 3:10-15). More or fewer rewards are in view. Jesus appears to have been viewing the totality of a disciple's witness, not every instance of it since He spoke of a final heavenly evaluation.
12:10 Criticism of Jesus was forgivable, but rejection of the Holy Spirit's testimony that Jesus was the Christ was not (cf. Matt. 12:31-32; Mark 3:28-29). This warning continued the cautions against denying Jesus. Jesus implied that His disciples might face temptations to repudiate faith in Him. To deny Him publicly was bad, but to repudiate one's faith in Him was worse. Jesus did not mean that God would withhold pardon from the disciple who did this and that he would lose his salvation. He presented the alternative not as a real possibility for disciples but as a warning that showed the seriousness of that type of denial to discourage apostasy.
12:11-12 Some of the disciples could anticipate having to confess their belief in Jesus before hostile religious and political bodies, both Jewish and Gentile. They should not become anxious about the wording of their testimonies on those occasions. The situations themselves would provide enough intimidation. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit's help in formulating the proper defense then. The same Spirit that they might feel pressure to blaspheme against (v. 10) would help them if they remained faithful to Him (cf. 21:14-15; Matt. 10:19-20). Jesus was not speaking about normal preaching situations but giving oral defense under persecution. Luke recorded many instances of this in Acts (e.g., Acts 4:8; 6:10; 7:55; et al.). Modern persecuted disciples have also testified to the Spirit's supernatural assistance of them that Jesus promised here.
The total effect of this teaching was to encourage the disciples to testify to their faith in Jesus boldly when faced with temptation to remain silent or to deny their faith (cf. Rom. 10:9-10). All disciples need this encouragement frequently.
"Luke 12:4-34 is tied together by word links which highlight central themes. In addressing the disciples, Jesus is trying to counter two kinds of fear (note phobeomaiin 12:4, 5, 7, 32) or anxiety (merimnaoin 12:11, 22, 25, 26). Threatening opposition may cause fear (12:4, 7) and anxiety (12:11). Lack of provision for food and clothing may cause anxiety (12:22, 25, 25) and fear (12:32)."303
Jesus continued to teach His disciples the importance of following Him faithfully. Responding to a request from someone in the crowd, presumably not a disciple, Jesus warned against greed. Greed is one of the greatest temptations that disciples as well as other people face. It has lured many disciples from the path of faithfulness.
"If in the earlier section the hypocrisy of the Pharisees introduced teaching for the disciples on avoiding hypocrisy and being fearless in confession, Jesus now uses the avarice of the crowd to introduce teaching for the disciples on trust in God and freedom from greed for material possessions (12:22-34)."304
This pericope continues the subject of life and possessions (cf. "treasure"in vv. 21, 34). What Jesus implied in the parable of the rich fool He explicitly taught in these verses. His disciples should not think or act as the pagan world (v. 30) typified by the rich fool.
12:22-23 Jesus addressed the following words more particularly to the disciples (cf. vv. 1, 13). It is foolish to store up material possessions with no regard for God. Therefore Jesus urged His disciples, who had considered God, to refrain from undue concern about possessions. The life (Gr. psyche) in view is the physical life that needs fuel. The body is the outward shell that needs covering. Food and clothing are just the needs of the present life. Consequently disciples should treat these needs as secondary and not become anxious over them. There is more to life than these things. Formerly Jesus had warned against greed when one does not have possessions (v. 15). Now He warned against anxiety over them too. Anxiety is foolish because life consists of more than what one eats and wears (cf. 4:4).
12:24 The raven illustration shows that God provides for His creatures. The implication is that God will provide for people, and even more so disciples, since they are more important to Him than birds. Jesus' choice of a raven for His illustration is interesting since ravens are infamous for not feeding their own young, yet God sees that the young ravens eat. Birds do not and cannot provide for themselves as humans do and can, but God still provides for them. Again Jesus argued from the lesser to the greater (cf. vv. 6-7).
12:25 Did Jesus have age or stature in mind when He made this comparison? The NASB translators have rendered the Greek pechysas "cubit"and helikiaas "life's span"interpreting Jesus' statement as a metaphor describing age. The NIV translators translated pechysas "hour"and helikiaas "life."Both translations present Jesus speaking about the lengthening of life, not stature. This is understandable in view of verses 19-20. The rich fool could not extend his life. However pechysmeans "cubit."It is a measure of distance rather than time. Probably Jesus used it metaphorically to refer to the least possible length of increase (cf. Ps. 39:5). The idea of wanting to increase one's height by 18 inches is ludicrous if taken literally. Hardly anyone would want to do that, though most people would like to lengthen their lives a little.
Jesus' point was that worry cannot prolong life any more than it can provide for life (v. 24). Worry can really reduce one's life span.
12:26 Jesus drew the conclusion by arguing from the lesser to the greater again. If it is futile to worry about small matters that lie outside our control, it is even more foolish to worry about larger matters that lie even farther outside our control.306The smaller matters include living longer and the larger include all of life and its needs.
12:27 Jesus turned from zoology to botany to illustrate further the futility of worrying about material possessions. The flowers (Gr. krinon) cannot do anything whatsoever to provide for their own needs. They are totally dependent on God. Still He provides for them and does so magnificently. He gives every common flower more glorious clothing than Solomon, Israel's most glorious king, could provide for himself. Toiling and spinning to provide clothing seems to be in view. This was women's work in Jesus' day in contrast to providing for the young (v. 24) that was men's work. Thus Jesus implied that His teaching was applicable to both male and female disciples.
12:28 Grass is a common term for all types of plant life. People burn the common vegetation for warmth yet God has made it beautiful. How much more will God provide for people who have a longer existence and serve a higher purpose than the grass.
The disciples were men of little faith because they worried about the necessities of life rather trusting God to provide these for them.
12:29 Obviously people have a responsibility to provide for their own needs (Gen. 1:29-30; 2 Thess. 3:10). Jesus was forbidding worrying over these things. He used hyperbole (i.e., overstatement for the sake of the effect) to make His point. The Greek word translated "worry"here is meteorizesthemeaning "to raise up"or "to suspend."The idea is of a person in suspense or "up in the air"with anxiety about his or her needs.
12:30 The reason worry about these things is wrong is that it is a pagan practice. The gracious heavenly Father knows His children need these things. Therefore the believer should rely on Him to provide what is necessary.
12:31 Rather than seeking after material possessions Jesus' disciples should seek after God's messianic kingdom and the lasting things associated with it. This means preparing oneself for it and becoming an active participant in God's program leading up to it. Jesus promised that God would provide the material provisions of those who do so. The form of the Greek sentence and the context suggest that God's providing depends on the disciple's seeking for His kingdom.307This is a conditional promise (cf. Matt. 6:33).
However we need to understand this promise in the larger context of life in a fallen world. We must realize that sometimes disciples get caught up in the consequences of sin and suffering as do non-disciples. Even though God knows every sparrow that falls to the ground, He allows some to fall (Matt. 10:29-31). Likewise He allows some of His disciples to experience privation and to die prematurely.
12:32 Jesus' command to turn attention from the acquisition of material provisions to seeking kingdom concerns undoubtedly created some uneasiness in His disciples. Likewise the hostility of the Pharisees and other enemies doubtless disturbed them. Therefore Jesus, speaking as the Shepherd of the flock for which He would provide, urged them not to fear. They could release their hold on material things with the full assurance that the blessings of the kingdom and eventual reward would be theirs one day (cf. Dan. 7:27). The description of God as their Father giving them something ties in with the earlier thought of receiving an inheritance (v. 13). Faithful disciples will receive an inheritance eventually.308
12:33 In view of this prospect Jesus' disciples should strip down so they could seek the kingdom without unnecessary materialistic distractions. By getting rid of their possessions they were in effect preparing to receive their reward. Jesus pictured this as making purses in anticipation of receiving something to put in them, namely eternal rewards. Such purses would not wear out in contrast to the purses that hold material wealth. Furthermore their heavenly treasure would be secure rather than vulnerable to theft and destruction (cf. 1 Pet. 1:3-4).
"The generosity this text calls for has often been questioned. Are we really called to sell all our possessions? Jesus' point is that we must give up viewing what we call ours, as if it were a private possession to be hoarded."309
"The command to sell' and give' (or distribute') is not obsolete after Jesus' ascension, for the narrator portrays the life of the Jerusalem church in such a way as to indicate a particular kind of fulfillment of Jesus' command. . . . The descriptions of this arrangement feature the words sell' and distribute' (using pipraskoand diamerizoin Acts 2:45, poleoand diadidomiin 4:34-35), which correspond to the commands of Jesus in Luke 12:33 (poleoand didomi) and 18:22 (poleoand diadidomi)."310
12:34 As a principle, people think about and long for the place where their treasure resides whether on earth or in heaven. Investing in heaven draws one's affections in that direction, but if one's riches are on earth he or she will think more about temporal things.
Jesus wanted His disciples to be free from unnecessary anxiety as they faced opposition and persecution for their faith. To remove it from them He reminded them first that life consists of more than material possessions (vv. 22-24). Second, He told them that worry is foolish because it cannot affect objective change (vv. 25-28). Third, He noted that worry characterizes pagans (vv. 29-31). Then He encouraged them with a reason not to fear, namely that God would give them the kingdom (v. 32). Finally He urged them to transfer their assets from earth to heaven. This would give them immediate peace as well as eventual reward (vv. 33-34).
Jesus' teaching of the disciples continued without a break. However the subject shifted from ceasing to be anxious about material possessions to being ready for the Son of Man's coming. Freedom from anxiety can lead to laziness. Jesus did not want His disciples to be lazy but to prepare for His return. He taught this lesson with two parables. This teaching is the first indication in Luke that Jesus would leave His disciples and then return to them later.
Jesus' teaching on the same occasion continued. He clarified next that His disciples could anticipate a period of intense persecution. This is the reason He charged them to be faithful (vv. 41-48).
"In Luke 12:49-14:24, Jesus is calling on his audience to note the nature of the time--a time when God is making divisions among people, a time when people should be able to see what God is doing through Jesus, and a time when Israel had better respond before becoming nationally culpable for rejecting God's messenger."316
Another comment by some people in the crowd led Jesus to give further teaching that He illustrated with another parable. The connecting idea with what precedes is judgment.
There are several thematic connections that tie this pericope with what has preceded and show its role in the development of Luke's argument. Jesus had just called the nation to repentance (vv. 3, 5). Now He showed that change was possible with His power. He had pictured Israel in need of fruit (vv. 6-8). Now He illustrated His restorative powers. He had called the people to believe in Him (12:54-59). Now He gave them a sign that He was the Messiah. He had called the multitudes hypocrites because they refused to respond to the clear evidence before them (12:56). Now He called them hypocrites again because they refused to act to relieve suffering on the Sabbath (v. 15).
"While in 4:31-8:40 there seemed to be a clear distinction between the crowd, which was favorable toward Jesus, and the scribes and Pharisees, who were not, Jesus begins to issue harsh warnings to the crowd in Luke 11-13, and, as Jesus approaches Jerusalem, the crowd's attitudes are hardly distinguishable from those of the scribes and Pharisees, who reject Jesus' teaching on riches (16:14), think that proclaiming Jesus as king deserves a rebuke, and grumble when Jesus associates with tax collectors and sinners."320
13:10-11 The Greek phrase kai idou("and behold"in the NASB and untranslated in the NIV) suggests that Jesus may have suddenly become aware of the woman as He was speaking.321As usual, Luke noted the extent and duration of the affliction to stress the greatness of Jesus' cure. Evidently a demon played some part in the woman's suffering. This meant that Jesus' healing involved overcoming supernatural as well as natural forces.
"There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight."322
The woman's physical condition was similar to Israel's spiritual condition (cf. 4:18-19). She may have had spondylitis ankylopoietica, a fusing of the spinal bones, or skoliasis hysterica, a hysterically induced paralysis, or some other condition.323
13:12-13 Perhaps Jesus called the woman to Himself rather than going to her so everyone present would see what He would do. Again Jesus healed the woman with a word. His touch communicated compassion and linked the cause with the effect visually. Her recovery was instantaneous and she began glorifying God, the source of her blessing (cf. 2:20; 5:25-26; 7:16; 17:15; 18:43; 23:47; Acts 3:8-9). She recognized thereby that Jesus was God's instrument of blessing.
13:14 As previously, Jesus' works proved controversial and provided another opportunity for Him to teach. The synagogue official showed more concern for Sabbath observance then for human suffering. Instead of praising God with the woman he criticized her and Jesus indirectly. Perhaps he felt safer addressing the people than Jesus. His advice to the assembled crowd amounted to keeping them from entering the kingdom (11:52).324
13:15-16 Jesus' argued from the lesser to the greater again. A person is much more important than an animal (cf. 14:5). The Jews regarded women as less important then men. Jesus viewed her as a daughter of Abraham, a very exalted title that described a female descendant of the revered patriarch. Perhaps the Jews had denied this woman this title concluding that her affliction was due to some great sin that she had committed (cf. vv. 2-5). Jesus freed her from her alien master who had bound her for 18 long years. Jesus' compassion refused to allow her to suffer one more day. Since the Sabbath was a day of worship and rejoicing, it was appropriate that Jesus healed her then.
"As a result of Jesus' command, the fever released her.' While the verb apheken(released') is shared with the parallel accounts, in Luke it is placed in a context where it has the full force of release from an oppressive confinement and illustrates the release (aphesin) for captives' of which Jesus spoke in 4:18."325
13:17 Jesus' action caused a double reaction. His opponents felt humiliated because Jesus' obviously had divine power and compassion, but they had been criticizing Him (cf. Isa. 45:16). The multitudes rejoiced because they appreciated Jesus using His power for the welfare of the people despite their hypocritical leaders' opposition (cf. Exod. 34:10).
This miracle is a concrete example of Jesus' authority and the truthfulness of His assessment of the spiritual condition of Israel and her leaders.
This concludes Luke's section of material that records Jesus' instruction of His disciples in view of His rejection (12:1-13:17). The general movement of Jesus' teaching was from lessons about personal discipleship and disciples' responsibilities to lessons about the coming kingdom.
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