Frameworks:
Luke's Gospel, chapter 12
For
preliminaries see chapter 1
v.1-12
Wise & Foolish Concerns
v.13-21
The Parable of the Rich Fool
v.22-34
Trusting in the Father's Provision
v.35-40
Being Alert for Jesus' return
v.41-48
Being a wise and faithful servant
v.49-53
Divisions caused by belief
v.54-59
Recognising the Time to put things right
v.1-12
Wise & Foolish Concerns
v.1
(he warned his
disciples against the Pharisees' hypocrisy) 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.
v.2
(all this will
eventually be made clear) There
is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that
will not be made known.
v.3
(God will bring
it all to light) 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.
v.4
(don't fear
those who can persecute and kill you) “I
tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body
and after that can do no more.
v.5
(instead fear
god who has ultimate authority to judge) 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.
v.6
(God knows every
detail of life) Are
not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is
forgotten by God.
v.7
(He knows absolutely
everything about you) Indeed,
the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid;
you are worth more than many sparrows.
v.8
(acknowledge
me publicly and I will acknowledge you in heaven) “I
tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the
Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God.
v.9
(and vice-versa)
But
whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels
of God.
v.10
(criticise me,
fine; criticise the working of the Spirit and be condemned)
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.
v.11,12
(when you are
opposed, don't worry, the Spirit will guide you) “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.”
v.13-21
The Parable of the Rich Fool
v.13
(someone requests
family help) Someone
in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide
the inheritance with me.”
v.14
(Jesus says
this is not why he's here) Jesus
replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between
you?”
v.15
(but nevertheless,
beware greed) 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.”
v.16
(he tells a
parable about a rich man's harvest) And
he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded
an abundant harvest.
v.17
(he had such
a harvest he wondered about where to store it) He
thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store
my crops.'
v.18,19
(he decided
to big bigger barns) “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.”'
v.20
(but that night
he died) “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?'
v.21
(so focus on
being rich before God) “This
is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves
but is not rich toward God.”
v.22-34
Trusting in the Father's Provision
v.22
(following
on, don't worry about material possessions) 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.
v.23
(life is more
than just these) For
life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
v.24
(consider the
birds that get fed; you're more important to God than them)
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!
v.25,26
(how
can worrying about these things help?) 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?
v.27
(look at nature
that is more full of splendour than Solomon ever was) “Consider
how the wild flowers grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell
you, not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one
of these.
v.28,29
(don't you think
God will provide so much more for you?) 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! And do not set your heart on
what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.
v.30
(the unbelievers
run after these things, bit God knows your needs) For
the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows
that you need them.
v.31
(instead seek
His will and He'll look after everything in your life) But
seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
v.32
(the Father
longs for you to experience His reign) “Do
not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased
to give you the kingdom.
v.33
(care for the
needy and thus accumulate spiritual treasures) 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.
v.34
(your heart
will be with the sort of treasure you seek) For
where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
v.35-40
Being Alert for Jesus' return
v.35,36
(be equipped
with His resources for when I return) “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.
v.37
(as servants
stay alert for when I come) 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.
v.38
(ensure you
are ready) 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.
v.39
(if a man knew
a burglar was coming, he'd be ready for him) 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.
v.40
(so you also
be ready for when I come) You
also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour
when you do not expect him.”
v.41-48
Being a wise and faithful servant
v.41
(Peter questions
this) Peter
asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”
v.42
(another
analogy: a manager overseeing the servants, awaiting the master's
return ) 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?
v.43
(it will be
good if he's doing it diligently when he returns) It
will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when
he returns.
v.44
(he'll even
get promoted ) Truly
I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
v.45
(but if he thinks
the master is delayed and so abuses his position…) 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.
v.46,47
( … if the master
then comes he will be in big trouble) 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. 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.
v.48
(punishment
(justice) will always be meted out fairly) 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.
v.49-53
Divisions caused by belief
v.49
(I've come to
bring purity to the earth) “I
have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already
kindled!
v.50
(but I've got
a hard passage to go through to bring it) But
I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until
it is completed!
v.51
(I've come to
bring spiritual division) Do
you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but
division.
v.52,53
(even families
will be divided) 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.”
v.54-59
Recognising the Time to put things right
v.54,55
(you know how
to tell the weather…) 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.
v.56
(but how come
you don't know how to interpret my time here) 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?
v.57
(make a right
assessment) “Why
don't you judge for yourselves what is right?
v.58
(put right your
disagreement while you can) 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.
v.59 (because
if you don't you will be in big trouble.) I
tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”