The Grace Commentary – Your free verse-by-verse Bible commentary Luke 12

Luke 12:1

Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

(a) Many thousands. The original word (murios) means innumerable or countless (e.g., 1 Cor. 4:15) and was typically used to describe immeasurably large numbers.

(b) Stepping on one another. The crowds were like an army besieging Jesus;see entry for Matt. 11:12.

(c) Leaven symbolizes influence. In context, Jesus is referring to the corrupting influence of manmade religion. The Pharisees preached a law-based religion of self-improvement that led to pride and hypocrisy. He also warned the disciples to beware of the leaven of Herod, the corrupting influence of political power (Mark 8:15).

(d) Pharisees; see entry for Matt. 3:7

Luke 12:5

“But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!

(a) Fear Him! See entry for Matt. 10:28.

(b) Hell. The Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:14), a.k.a. the eternal fire (Matt. 18:8, 25:41, Jude 1:7) or the unquenchable fire (Matt. 3:12, Mark 9:43–44, 46, 48, Luke 3:17). Hell/Gehenna should not be confused with Hades/Sheol, the Old Testament abode of the dead. See entry for Matt. 5:22.

Luke 12:9

but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

Whoever denies Me. Jesus is talking about unbelievers, not Christians going through a bad patch. Peter denied or disowned Jesus three times but Jesus didn’t disown him. Instead he prayed for him. See entry for 2 Tim. 2:12.

Luke 12:10

“And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him.

(a) It will be forgiven. Prior to the cross, Jesus preached conditional forgiveness to people living under the old covenant. “If you forgive, God will forgive” (Matt. 6:14, Mark 11:25). However, as the messenger of the new covenant, he also demonstrated and proclaimed unconditional forgiveness (Matt. 9:2, 18:27, Luke 7:42, 47, 23:34). On the night he rose from the dead, he told the disciples to preach the good news of unconditional forgiveness (see entry for Luke 24:47).

(b) Forgiven; see entry for Forgiveness.

(d) Blasphemes. The original verb blasphēmeō means “to malign” (e.g., Tit. 3:2), “to abuse” (e.g., Mark 15:29), “to speak evil of” (e.g., Rom. 14:16), or “to slander” (e.g., Rom. 3:8). It is speaking falsely of someone in a way that injures their good name.

Luke 12:11

“When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say;

Worry is the misuse of imagination. It is framing the future in fear instead of faith; see entry for Matt. 6:31.

Luke 12:13

Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.”

In Biblical times, the bulk of an estate went to the firstborn son (Deut. 21:17), so it would appear that this man is a younger brother who felt he was being denied his inheritance by his older brother. Perhaps the older brother was holding out or maybe the younger brother felt he deserved more than he got. Either way, there had been a dispute and a falling out between them. Significantly, the younger brother is not seeking a reconciliation but a judgment. “Jesus, tell my brother he’s wrong and he should give me my rights.”

Luke 12:14

But he said to him, “Man, who appointed me a judge or arbitrator over you?”

(a) Man. Jesus does not call him “friend” but “man,” distancing himself from the situation.

(b) Judge. Jesus is not a probate lawyer or executor. He is not an Old Testament judge settling legal disputes. Jesus came to bring life not law.

Luke 12:15

Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”

(a) Then he said to them. Jesus is speaking to the crowds when a man asks him to settle a family dispute over an inheritance (Luke 12:13). Jesus refuses to get involved. He has no interest in money quarrels. But he seizes the moment to warn his listeners about the danger of greed.

(b) Beware. “Watch out!”

(c) Greed, or covetousness, can keep you from entering the kingdom of God (Eph. 5:5). The greedy person is an idolater, for they desire the things of this world more than they desire God (Col. 3:5). They prefer shadows to reality and illusions to truth. In doing so, they settle for a parody of life that ultimately robs them of their humanity.

To illustrate the dangers of greed, Jesus tells the Parable of the Rich Fool. In the parable, a wealthy landowner reaps a bumper harvest. He looks forward to a life of ease, but dies suddenly, having given no thought to eternity.

(d) Possessions. To run after material things that rust and fade away is to pursue an inferior goal and to settle for much less than the life God offers (see entry for John 10:10).

Luke 12:16

And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive.

(a) Parable. The Parable of the Rich Fool is sometimes grouped with other parables about money, yet its message runs deeper. It is not about wealth but about the meaning of life. The world will tell you that the one who dies with the most toys wins, but Jesus wants us to know that real life is not found in the things we accumulate (Luke 12:15). Life is more than eating, drinking, and wearing fine clothes (Luke 12:22). To drive the point home, Jesus tells of a man who seems successful, yet from the perspective of eternity, he is a fool.

A parable is a comparison expressed in the form of a short story; see entry for Matt. 13:3.

(b) The land was highly productive, which is to say the man was enjoying the blessings of the Creator. God created the world and gave us seed, sunshine, and rain. It is he who makes the land fruitful. A proper response is to give thanks to the One who blesses us with good things. Yet the rich man gave no thanks.

We have all been blessed by God in various ways. God gives us intelligence, talents, wisdom, skills, health, and the ability to learn and earn. He gives his children spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:7, 1 Pet. 4:10). If we enjoy success in this life, it is foolish to think, “I made this happen.” God made us and gave us our abilities. He is the true Source of our success.

(c) Rich man. The man was rich to begin with. Perhaps he inherited a prosperous farm. Perhaps the land had been fruitful for years. In any case, he is not living on Struggle Street. He is Mr. Success. He has arrived where many of us are trying to get. He is already rich, and then he gets richer.

Some Christians are wary of rich people, but to a Jewish audience, this man’s success was a sign of God’s favor. “He must have kept the law, so God blessed him with wealth and abundant harvests (see Deut. 28:4, 8, 11).” In the eyes of the world, he was a success. In the eyes of religion, he was righteous. But in the eyes of God, he was a fool (see verse 20).

Luke 12:17

“And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’

(a) He began reasoning to himself. The man doesn’t discuss his plans with family, friends, or neighbors. Nor does he pray for wisdom regarding his next steps. Like the rich Laodiceans, he does not need anyone but himself (Rev. 3:17).

A man who does not walk by faith will rely on reason. Instead of looking to the Lord for guidance, he looks to himself. The problem with human reasoning is that it rests on the shaky assumption that we possess all the relevant information. In this case, the man expected to live for many years. But he did not know that he would die that very night.

(b) What shall I do? This question appears three times in Christ’s parables (Luke 12:17, 16:3, 20:13). It is a question we all ask from time to time, and it is an excellent question to ask when we have experienced a windfall. “Lord, what shall I do with this blessing you have provided?”

(c) I have no place. Instead of celebrating his bumper harvest, he worries about losing his crops. Instead of walking by faith, he is driven by fear. Fear is the natural state of those who live without God, and it robs us of the ability to enjoy his blessings. To an anxious world, Jesus says, “Do not fear” (verse 7), and “Do not worry” (verses 22, 25–26, 29), but “Seek the Father’s kingdom and trust him to supply all you need” (verse 31).

(d) Crops were liquid assets, the equivalent of savings, stocks, and bonds.

Luke 12:18

“Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

(a) “I will.” The man speaks the Adamic language of independence. In just a few sentences, he says “I will” four times and “my” five times. There is no mention of “we,” “us,” or “our.” He is thoroughly self-absorbed. If other people mattered to him, they would feature in his plans. Yet he never says anything like, “I can pay off Jane’s mortgage. I can send Joe to blacksmith school. I can help Jack replace his oxen.” It’s all about him. His tiny life is defined by his appetites and selfish ambitions.

There is nothing wrong with planning—Joseph’s wise plans saved Egypt from starvation. But making plans without regard for God and eternity is foolish. “You do not know what your life will be like tomorrow” (Jas. 4:14).

(b) Build larger ones. Like many people, he is not content with what he has. He thinks he will be happy if he has more. “If only I had a bigger house, a better car, or a larger barn.” But those who think this way are never satisfied. We are spiritual beings with spiritual longings that cannot be fulfilled by worldly things.

(c) My barns, my grain, my goods. He sees himself as an owner when really he is a steward. In less than a day, all his stuff will belong to others (verse 20). God blesses us with good things so that we can be a blessing to others. When we hoard the blessings of God, our lives shrivel, and we deprive ourselves of the joy of participating in the flow of his divine favor.

Some say that God claims only a tenth of what we own—the tithe—but everything we have is his and everything he has is ours (Ps. 84:11, Rom. 8:32). “All things belong to you” (1 Cor. 3:21). Every good thing we have comes from the Giver above (Jas. 1:17).

Luke 12:19

‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’

(a) Soul. Your soul is you. It holds your personality, memories, and intentions. We might say the soul resides in your mind—or that the mind resides in your soul—but either way, it is that part of you that thinks, feels, and remembers. The original noun psychē is the root word of “psychology,” the study of the mind. Your soul is distinct from your body (see entry for Matt. 10:28) and spirit (see entry for Luke 1:46–47).

(b) You have many goods. The deceitfulness of riches is that it offers an illusion of reality and a false sense of security (Matt. 13:22). The rich man wrongly believed his wealth would satisfy him and make him comfortable for years to come.

Jesus said the poor were blessed for theirs is the kingdom of God (Luke 6:20), while the rich have difficulty entering the kingdom of God (Luke 18:25). When it comes to salvation, the poor have an advantage because they know they are needy. The rich are too busy eating, drinking, and building barns to think about eternity.

(d) Take your ease. Farming is hard work, so we can understand why the man wants to retire. We all desire a life of comfort and ease. The problem is, the soul is not satisfied by food, drink, and the shallow comforts of this world. Our souls thirst for God, and nothing less will do (see Ps. 42:1–2). Prosperity offers the illusion of comfort and rest, but true rest is only found in Jesus (Matt. 11:28).

(e) Eat, drink. His god is his belly (Php. 3:19). He’s living for his flesh (his physical body) while neglecting his soul (his spiritual life). He has embraced the “eat, drink, and be merry” mantra of the hedonist (Ecc. 8:15).

(f) Be merry. Rejoice and be glad.

God is not opposed to merriment or joy (Ps. 16:11, Rom. 15:13), and he richly provides all things for our enjoyment (1 Tim. 6:17). Yet the fleeting pleasures of the flesh never last and often leave us with regret. Real joy comes from knowing Jesus. It is the fruit of believing the good news and knowing that we are dearly loved, precious, and righteous in our Father’s eyes (see Rom. 14:17).

Luke 12:20

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’

(a) Fool. The original adjective aphrōn means “thoughtless.” It describes someone who makes poor judgments. The rich man has attended to his crops but neglected his own soul. By his actions, he has effectively said, “There is no God” (Ps. 14:1).

God doesn’t define success the way the world does. If you asked people to compare the rich man of Luke 12 with the dishonest or shrewd manager of Luke 16, most would applaud the former and condemn the latter. The rich man would make the cover of a business magazine, while the shrewd manager would be jailed for embezzlement. Yet Jesus calls the rich man a fool and holds up the shrewd manager as someone we can learn from.

(b) Your soul. Your life. The original noun psychē is translated as “life” in verses 22 and 23.

(c) Your soul is required of you. This is not a judgment but a pronouncement. “Time’s up.” Life is fragile and uncertain, but death is inevitable (Ecc. 9:2–3, Heb. 9:27). God does not hate or kill the rich man, but he mourns the folly of a wasted life. To gain the whole world but lose your soul is a tragedy (Matt. 16:26).

(d) Who will own what you have prepared? “Not you,” is the answer. We brought nothing into this world, and we take nothing out of it (1 Tim. 6:7).

When we die, everything we have will go to someone else, and who knows what they will do with it. They may be wise or foolish (Ecc. 2:18–19). They may squabble over their inheritance, like the brothers Jesus has just met (Luke 12:13). But eventually, they will die, and someone else will squabble over their stuff. Being greedy and running after stuff is pointless because in the end, no one keeps anything. How much better it is to be rich towards God (see next verse).

Luke 12:21

“So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

(a) So is the man. “This is how it is for everyone who runs after worldly wealth but neglects his own soul.”

The point of the parable is so clear that it would be a mistake to read into it meanings that aren’t there. Jesus is not condemning unfaithful Israel or promoting Christian communism. He is urging his disciples—and us—not to chase after worldly wealth (Luke 12:15) or be consumed by daily worries (Luke 12:22). Instead, he invites us to trust our heavenly Father, who knows what we need and delights to provide it (Luke 12:30–31; Matt. 6:8).

(b) Treasure for himself. The issue is not storing up treasure, but the danger of storing up treasure for ourselves. “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction” (1 Tim. 6:9). In the pursuit of worldly wealth, we can lose sight of what really matters in life. We may sacrifice our marriages and families for a career or ministry. We may alienate ourselves from our brothers over an inheritance (Luke 12:13).

It’s not wrong to have bank accounts or own shares, and there is nothing wrong with worldly wealth. Many godly people in the Bible were rich (e.g., Abraham, Jacob, Joseph). What matters is what we do with the wealth God gives us. Will we indulge ourselves like the rich fool? Or will we use it to store up treasure that lasts?

(c) Rich toward God. Being rich toward God does not mean “get busy doing good works” or “store up treasure by praying and reading your Bible every day.” It means putting your trust in God so that you will share in the rich inheritance of his kingdom (Eph. 1:18). To be rich toward God is to receive and enjoy all the blessings he gives by grace.

Do not put your faith in barns or bank accounts. Look instead to God, the Source of Life and the Supplier of every need (Php. 4:19, Col. 2:19). He feeds you, clothes you, and provides for your daily necessities (Luke 12:28–31). He meets your deepest longings for love, friendship, and acceptance (Matt. 11:19; Rom. 5:5; Eph. 2:4). He saves, delivers, and heals you (Ps. 34:17; Ps. 103:3; John 3:17; 2 Tim. 1:9; 1 Pet. 2:24). He sanctifies, strengthens, and keeps you safe to the end (1 Cor. 1:8; Phil. 1:6; 1 Th. 5:23; Jude 1:24). Whatever your need, God is more than enough.

Luke 12:22

And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on.

(a) For this reason. Because worldly wealth doesn’t last and cannot save you, put your faith in God. “For this reason” is one of Jesus’s favorite sayings; see entry for Matt. 6:25.

(b) Worry. The original verb merimnaō is sometimes translated as “take no thought.” The rich fool took no thought about eternity; the wise believer takes no thought about the cares of life because he has given his cares to the Lord. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Php. 4:6). It is not God’s will for you to be worried or anxious about anything (Matt. 6:31, 34, John 14:1). Give him your cares and concerns and he will give you his peace (Php. 4:7, 1 Pet. 5:7). See also the entry for Matt. 6:31.

Luke 12:23

“For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.

There is more to life than passing food through your body or wrapping yourself in fabric.

Luke 12:26

“If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters?

Worry is the misuse of imagination. It is framing the future in fear instead of faith see entry for Matt. 6:31.

Luke 12:28

“But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!

You men of little faith! Alternatively, “you who have little trust or confidence in the Lord!”

Luke 12:30

“For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.

(a) The nations or Gentiles, i.e., unbelievers.

(b) World. In context, the world (kosmos) refers to fallen humanity or the self-serving civilization which is under the influence of Satan and the powers of darkness (1 John 5:19).

(d) Your Father knows that you need. The God Jesus revealed is a caring Father (Matt. 6:8, 30, 32).

Luke 12:31

“But seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

(a) Seek. Don’t be weighed down by worldly worries (Luke 12:29), but seek his kingdom. Matthew has, “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness”; see entry for Matt. 6:33.

(b) All these things. When we put God at the center of our lives, he takes care of everything (Luke 12:31). He promises to supply all our needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Php 4:19).

Luke 12:32

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.

(a) Your Father; see entry for Luke 2:49.

(b) Give you. The God Jesus revealed is a giving Father (Matt. 7:11, Luke 11:13).

Luke 12:33

“Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys.

(a) Give to charity. Don’t invest in worldly wealth that fades away but store up heavenly treasure.

The Jews understood that giving to the poor was a pathway to blessing and a way to store up heavenly treasure (Deu. 15:10). “One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his good deed” (Pro. 19:17).

(b) Unfailing treasure in heaven refers to people.

People are the treasure that moth and rust can’t touch and thieves can’t steal. When the Bible talks about spiritual offspring or eternal friends, it is referring to the only treasure you can take with you. Why did Jesus give up everything he have? To win you. You are his treasure.

See entry for Heavenly Treasure.

Luke 12:34

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

(a) Treasure. The original noun (thesauros) means deposit, storehouse, or treasury. It’s the place where your valuables are kept.

(b) Heart. The thoughts of our heart are focused on the place where our treasure is.

Our hearts and treasures are connected. If you want to know where your heart is, you only need to look for where your treasure is. A heart inclined towards God, will find its treasure within his heavenly kingdom. It will view people as precious, because Jesus died for them, and use worldly wealth to make eternal friends (see entry for Luke 16:9).

Luke 12:35

“Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit.

(a) Dressed in readiness. Be dressed for action. Don’t get caught napping in your nightwear.

While speaking to a crowd of thousands (Luke 12:1), Jesus tells three parables in a row: the Waiting Slaves (verses 36–38), the Thief in the Night (verses 39–40), and the Faithful Steward (verses 41–48). The Parable of the Waiting Slaves, sometimes called the Watchful Servants, is similar to the Parable of the Doorkeeper, which Jesus told privately to his disciples on the Mount of Olives (Mark 13:34–37). The theme of these parables is the same: be ready and awake when the Lord returns.

To be “dressed in readiness” means to be clothed with Christ (Gal. 3:27). It’s being joined to the Lord in spiritual union and hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). Metaphorically, it’s coming to the wedding feast wearing the garments of his salvation and righteousness (Matt. 22:12). It’s having your waist girded with truth and your feet fitted with the gospel of peace (Eph. 6:14–17). Since every believer has been baptized into Christ and clothed with him (Gal. 3:27), we are already dressed and ready for his return. The newest believer stands just as ready as the oldest saint.

(b) Keep your lamps lit. Just as the wise women kept their lamps burning in the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt. 25:7–8), wise men keep their lamps lit in the Parable of the Waiting Slaves. The lit lamps don’t signify works but a state of wakefulness. The message here, as in the Parable of the Doorkeeper, is clear: don’t be found sleeping in sin’s stupor when the Lord returns (Mark 13:36).

Luke 12:36

“Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks.

(a) Waiting for their master. Live with the eager expectation that Jesus is returning to earth again.

This parable is not about waiting for the Lord’s presence, as though he comes and goes or occasionally hides his face from us. Nor is it about the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. The context is the second and final coming of the Lord. “Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect” (Luke 12:40).

The call to wait in eager and hopeful anticipation for the return of the Lord is echoed by the epistle writers. “We eagerly await a Savior” (Php. 3:20). “We hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it” (Rom. 8:25). “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:13). We are to be alert and ready for the Lord’s return, but this does not mean we put life on hold. Plant trees and raise families, and do whatever God has called you to do. Invest, build, dig deep, and go long. Let your light shine so others may praise your Father in heaven.

(b) From the wedding feast. The feast in this short parable has no great symbolism. It is simply the place from where the master comes. All the action takes place at the door of the master’s home.

It is tempting to connect this passage to Christ knocking at the door and waiting to be invited into the heart of the unbeliever (Rev. 3:20). However, that is not the meaning here. In this parable, the master has returned to his home and is waiting for his door to be opened. It is a picture of Christ coming from heaven to his earthly home, where he will be welcomed by those who eagerly await him.

Luke 12:37

“Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.

(a) Blessed. The Greek adjective makarios means “happy, fortunate, and privileged.” How happy we will be when the Lord returns!

(b) Slaves. We are sons of God, not slaves (Gal. 3:26). But for the sake of the story, Jesus asks us to imagine ourselves as slaves waiting for the return of their master. “Be like men waiting for their master” (Luke 12:36).

(c) Alert. The original verb grēgoreō means “to be awake.” When the Lord returns, there will be two kinds of people: those who are waiting for him (the blessed believers) and those who have not awoken from the slumber of sin (unbelievers).

(d) Alert when he comes. Few instructions in Scripture are clearer than the Lord’s call to be ready and alert for his return (Matt. 24:42–44, 25:13, Mark 13:33–35, 37, Luke 12:40, 21:36). Some translations say “keep watch,” but this can be misleading. Since we don’t know when the Lord will return, what exactly are we supposed to watch for? Watching for Jesus is like staring at an airport arrivals board when you don’t know the flight you’re waiting for. When the disciples asked for a second coming timeline, Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by his own authority” (Acts 1:7). The only thing he tells us to watch for is the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matt. 16:6).

The warnings to “be alert” are not for believers who are already dressed in readiness and waiting for their master. They are for the unprepared: the undressed unbelievers who have not put on Christ, and the spiritually asleep who are not ready for his return. The unready will be like the homeowner surprised by the thief in the night (Luke 12:39) or like those swept away in the flood in Noah’s day (Matt. 24:37–39).

(e) He will gird himself to serve. An unexpected twist! The master does not come to be served but to serve.

Jesus, the Servant King, upends our notions of prestige and honor by telling stories in which masters serve and servants feast. His kingdom is nothing like the corrupt and violent kingdoms of this world, where the powerful lord it over the vulnerable and the strong oppress the weak. In contrast to earthly rulers and emperors, Jesus is the King who comes to serve (Matt. 20:28).

(f) Recline at the table. As he does in the parables of the Wedding Feast, the Great Banquet, the Ten Virgins, and the Prodigal Son, Jesus draws on the imagery of feasting to describe his kingdom. The kingdom of heaven is not a cloudscape of harps and halos. It’s a place of celebration, satisfaction, and joy. It’s where we rest and revel in the delight of the Master.

(g) Wait on them. At the end of the age when Jesus returns, all trials will come to an end, and there will be no more sorrow or pain, death or decay. We will be totally free from the presence and corruption of sin. On that glorious day, Jesus will serve us by wiping away our tears, clothing us with resurrection bodies, and making all things new (1 Cor. 15:52–54, Rev. 21:4–5).

Luke 12:38

“Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.”

(a) Second watch… third. Luke is either alluding to the traditional three watches of the Jewish night or the four watches of the Roman night.

Since the Lord could return in the middle of the night, it would be foolish to go to bed as an unbeliever. Today is the day to turn to God in faith.

(b) Blessed are those slaves. For those who are waiting, the master’s return is a joyful occasion (Matt. 25:21).

When the Lord returns, the trumpet will sound, the dead will rise, and we will be clothed with resurrection bodies (1 Cor. 15:50–52). There will be no more death, mourning, or pain (Rev. 21:3–4). We will live with God forever in the new heavens and earth, the home of righteousness (2 Pet. 3:13).

Luke 12:39

“But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

The thief. The story about the thief in the night is a mini-parable that points to the Lord’s return (see next verse). It appears in two Gospels—here in Luke and in Matthew 24:43–44. While the other “waiting parables” highlight the joy of the master’s return for those who are ready (Matt. 25:21, Luke 12:37, 19:17), the Parable of the Thief in the Night warns of sudden disaster for those who are not.

The Lord is no thief, but one day he will break into our world suddenly and dramatically, like a thief in the night (Rev. 16:15). “I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you” (Rev. 3:3). Paul and Peter used the same imagery when describing the day of the Lord (1 Th. 5:2, 4, 2 Pet. 3:10).

Luke 12:40

“You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”

(a) Be ready. Being ready means being prepared. A thief’s break-in is unpredictable, but it is something you can prepare for. If you are ready, you have nothing to fear; if you are not ready, you risk losing everything.

To “be ready” is to have a positive answer to the question: If Jesus returned today, would you rejoice to see him? Would you gladly welcome him as your Master and the Lover of your soul? We get ready by turning to God in faith and confessing that Jesus is the Risen Lord who was sent to save us.

(b) The Son of Man is coming. The coming of the Son of Man refers to the second or final coming of the Lord when Jesus returns from heaven with his mighty angels and fire (2 Th. 1:7). On that great and glorious day, the Lord will bring justice and peace to the cosmos, and heaven and earth will be reunited under his headship (Eph. 1:10, Col. 1:20).

(c) An hour that you do not expect. There are more than 90 scriptures in the New Testament that refer to the Lord’s final coming, yet none of them answer the question of when. God shares many things with his children, but the timing of his Son’s return is not one of them. In his wisdom, our heavenly Father has determined that we do not need to know. We just need to be ready.

Further reading: “90+ Scriptures about the Final Coming of Jesus”

Luke 12:41

Peter said, “Lord, are you addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?”

(a) Parable. A parable is a comparison expressed in the form of a short story; see entry for Matt. 13:3.

(b) To us, or to everyone. Jesus often spoke in parables when teaching the crowds, as he is doing here (Luke 12:1). Peter’s question is understandable: “Lord, is the previous story about the thief meant for us disciples, or for everyone?” Jesus does not answer him directly but begins another parable—the Faithful Steward, also known as the Wise and Faithful Manager. The implication is that we all need to be ready for his return. “What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’” (Mark 13:37).

Luke 12:42

And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time?

(a) Who then. Jesus has just said that he will return to earth at an hour that we do not expect (Luke 12:40). He follows this with a rhetorical question: Who among you will be found faithful when I return?

(b) The faithful and sensible steward. The original wording warrants closer examination. The Greek adjective pistos, translated “faithful,” comes from the verb peithō, meaning “to convince, win over, or persuade.” It is sometimes translated as “trust” or “obey” (Heb. 2:13, 13:17). A faithful steward is one who is persuaded that the master is good and trustworthy. He is the believer who takes Jesus at his word, trusts that he has provided all we need, and believes that he is coming again.

(c) Sensible. The Greek adjective phronimos means “forward-looking.” It’s the same word used to describe the wise man who built his house on the rock (Matt. 7:24) and the prudent virgins who brought extra oil (Matt. 25:2). A sensible steward is prepared for what lies ahead. He is the believer who looks forward with hope—“Jesus is coming to make all things new”—and encourages others to do the same.

(d) Steward. The Greek word oikonomos means “manager.” It’s the same word used for the crooked manager in the Parable of the Shrewd Manager (Luke 16:1). A steward is someone entrusted with managing another’s resources. Since Paul called himself a steward (1 Cor. 4:1), we might think that Jesus is referring only to those in ministry. Yet, every believer has been entrusted with God’s grace. We are all called to serve one another “as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Pet. 4:10).

(e) Master. The master who goes away and returns represents the Lord, who will soon ascend to heaven but will later return to earth in glory.

The theme of a man going on a journey and leaving his slaves in charge appears in five parables: the Doorkeeper (Mark 13:34), the Waiting Slaves (Luke 12:35–38), the Faithful Steward (Matt. 24:45–51, Luke 12:42–46), the Talents (Matt. 25:14–30), the Minas (Luke 19:12–27).

(f) In charge. The faithful steward represents the believer who serves the body of Christ with the gifts God has given them (Gal. 6:9–10, Php. 2:4, 1 John 3:17–18).

Jesus is not describing an exclusive group of “Christians in charge.” In the church, there is no hierarchy, only humility. Although some are gifted to lead (Rom. 12:8), no one is above or more important than another. We are all called to encourage one another and spur each other on to love and good deeds (Heb. 3:13, 10:24). “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another” (1 Th. 5:11).

(g) Servants. The Greek noun therapeia can be translated as “household.”

(h) Rations. The original Greek noun sitometrion is made up of two words that mean “wheat” (sitos) and “measure” (metron). A faithful steward serves “the wheat measure,” a reference to Jesus, the Bread of Life (John 6:48).

(i) Rations at the proper time. Notice that the steward does not provide the food—the master does. The steward’s role is to distribute what the master provides, ensuring that everyone in the household is fed and nourished.

In the same way, believers feed others by sharing the Bread of Life. This is not a task reserved for pastors or apostles but a privilege available to all who have the indwelling Spirit of Christ. As we freely receive, we freely give so that others may be drawn into the embrace of the Father’s love (Matt. 5:16).

Luke 12:43

“Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.

(a) Blessed. The master’s return is a joyful occasion for the faithful slave (Matt. 25:21). We who are in Christ are already blessed with every spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3). When Christ returns, we will be blessed even more (Rom. 2:6–7, Rev. 22:12). The believer’s future is filled with blessing upon blessing.

Some dread the Lord’s return, for they imagine they will be judged for their failures and shortcomings. But those who are established in their Father’s love have nothing to fear. They can look forward to the Day of the Lord with confidence (1 John 4:17).

(b) Slave. We are sons of God, not slaves (Gal. 3:26). But for the sake of this series of waiting parables, Jesus asks us to imagine ourselves as slaves waiting for the return of their master. “Be like men who are waiting for their master” (Luke 12:36).

Luke 12:44

“Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

All his possessions. The faithful slave is promoted to a full partner with the master.

Just like the good slave who turned one mina into ten and was given authority over ten cities (Luke 19:17), the believer who faithfully shares the Bread of Life with others will be richly rewarded. Their reward will be the spiritual friends and offspring they enjoy in eternity (see 1 Th. 2:19–20).

Luke 12:45

“But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk;

(a) That slave. Jesus presents an alternative “what if” scenario. Instead of being a faithful and sensible steward awaiting his master’s return, what if the slave is abusive? Jesus is not talking about Christians who overeat or get drunk, but false teachers who infiltrate the church and abuse God’s children for personal gain. As Peter warned, “There will also be false teachers among you… and in their greed, they will exploit you (2 Pet. 2:1–3).

(b) A long time. False teachers may talk about God and heaven, but they deny the Lord and don’t live as though he were coming back. They say things like “Jesus has returned already” or “He’s present everywhere.”

(c) Beat the slaves. A false teacher beats the flock with the whip of law and the stick of punishment. “If you don’t obey the commands, you’ll lose your salvation.” These hypocrites load others with heavy burdens that they themselves do not carry. Instead of distributing the bread of heaven and the water of life, they serve guilt and condemnation.

A faithful steward encourages people to feed on Jesus, but a false teacher promotes self-righteousness and unbelief. A true teacher says, “Eat and live!” but a false teacher says, “Do or burn!”

(d) Men and women. The phrase “men and women,” which appears nowhere else in the Gospels, is uniquely associated with the New Testament church. It is not a phrase we associate with the segregated temple or the synagogue.

When the Holy Spirit was poured out on the early church, both men and women began to prophesy (Acts 2:18). And when Saul went hunting for Christians, he arrested both men and women and dragged them off to prison (Acts 8:3, 9:2). He even had men and women put to death (Acts 22:4).

(e) To eat and drink and get drunk. False prophets and false teachers are unspiritual creatures of the flesh. In contrast to the sober sons of day, these sons of darkness make gods of their bellies and get drunk at night (Php. 3:19, 1 Th. 5:5–7).

Luke 12:46

the master of that slave 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 assign him a place with the unbelievers.

(a) The master. Jesus is the true Master and Lord of all (Acts 10:36). When he returns, even false teachers will bow and acknowledge that he is Lord (Php. 2:11).

(b) Slave; see entry for Luke 12:43.

(c) When he does not expect him. False prophets and false teachers will be tragically surprised when the Lord returns.

(d) Will cut him in pieces. “Will cut him off and send him away.”

Ancient rulers sometimes executed people by cutting them in half (Heb. 11:37) or into pieces (Dan. 3:29). But Jesus is no earthly ruler. The faithless slave is not dismembered but cast out. The language echoes Psalm 37: “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him. Do not fret … because of the man who carries out wicked schemes…. For evildoers will be cut off” (Ps. 37:7–9).

(e) Assign him a place with the unbelievers. When Jesus returns, those who are false will be exposed and their sham works will be revealed by fire (1 Cor. 3:13). They may claim to have served God, but Jesus will say, “Depart from me, I never knew you” (Matt. 7:23).

(f) Unbelievers. False teachers who preach law deny the finished work of the cross and undermine the faith of others. They are not confused Christians; they are wolves among the sheepfold who deny that Jesus is the Savior and Son of God (2 Pet. 2:1, 1 John 4:3, Jude 1:4).

Luke 12:47

“And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes,

(a) Knew his master’s will. The will of God is to believe in his Son and receive eternal life (John 6:40). Putting our faith in Jesus and confessing that he is Lord is how we prepare for his return.

(b) Did not get ready. Just as the faithless slave does not prepare for his master’s return, false teachers do not turn to God in faith. They remain unbelievers.

Jesus isn’t saying that there are different degrees of punishment for sin, or that God punishes disobedient believers more harshly than ignorant unbelievers. The phrase “many lashes” alludes to the Law of Moses, where the number of lashes a law-breaker received reflected the seriousness of the crime (Deut. 25:1–3). Jesus’ listeners would have understood that he was referring to the punishments prescribed by the law.

To live under the law is to serve a merciless taskmaster who flogs you for every failure. With the best will in the world, those who try to keep the law inevitably fail, leading to frustration and despair (Rom. 7:15, 19). They cry out, “Wretched man that I am!” (Rom. 7:24). To live under the condemning power of the law is to live under a ministry of death (2 Cor. 3:7).

Luke 12:48

“but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.”

(a) One who did not know it. Those who don’t know the law are not punished by the law, but they still receive the lashes of an accusing conscience (Rom. 2:15).

(b) Receive but few. Some interpret the “few lashings” as the conviction of the Holy Spirit. “He makes you feel a little pain so that you don’t suffer the greater pain of sin.” But the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of grace, not the spirit of pain. He’s the Comforter, not the tormentor. Others use these verses to promote performance-based religion. “Jesus will punish you if you are not a good steward, and the more you’ve been given, the more he expects.” Yet the idea that God punishes us for our failures comes from the old covenant. The good news of the new covenant is that God dealt with all your sins at the cross, and there is nothing left to punish. God will never cut you in half or flog you with many or few lashes. The “few lashes” are the accusations of a guilty conscience that has not been cleansed by the blood of Christ.

(c) Everyone who has been given much. Those who know the law are expected to obey all of it (Jas. 2:10). They must either keep the whole law perfectly or put their faith in the perfect High Priest who kept it on their behalf.

(d) Much will be required. God does not expect us to keep the law. Nor does he require good behavior or results. He expects—and indeed commands—us to believe in his Son (1 John 3:23).

(e) To whom they entrusted much. God has entrusted or given us his Son, and he expects us to receive what was given.

The “much” that is required is the “much” that has been given. It is nothing less than Jesus himself, for nothing less than him will do.

Luke 12:49

“I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!

(a) Fire. Jesus is looking ahead to Judgment Day when the fire of God’s wrath will bring an end to the ungodly and all stumbling blocks (Matt. 13:41–42, 2 Pet. 3:7)

Some imagine that Jesus speaking about the fire of God’s love or the fire of persecution. But the context is his glorious return to earth (Luke 12:40). In the Old Testament, the imagery of fire is often associated with divine judgment (Is. 66:15–16, Oba. 1:18, Zeph. 3:8, Mal. 4:1). Jesus also spoke of fire in connection with Judgment Day (Matt. 5:22, 13:42, 50, 18:9, 25:41, Mark 9:43, Luke 17:29–30, John 15:6). He did not dread this fire but he looked forward to it knowing that it would spell the end of sin and usher in eternity. After the fires of judgment have purged the earth, the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Matt. 13:43).

(b) I wish it were already kindled! Why would the Lord look forward to fiery destruction? Because he is longing for the new heaven and the new earth that will replace the present heaven and earth (see entry for 2 Pet. 3:13).

Christ is about to go to the cross, and this is distressing (see next verse). His ordeal will be brutal. Understandably, he is looking past this trial to a glorious and wonderful end.

Luke 12:51

“Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division;

Division. These words seem hard to reconcile with the image of Jesus the Prince of Peace. But the sword he wields is not a Roman sword; it’s a sword of truth, and truth is divisive.

People divide themselves by their response to Jesus. A Christian is not necessarily more moral than their unbelieving neighbor; a Christian is someone who does what Jesus says. Conversely, an unbeliever is not necessarily immoral; an unbeliever is someone who rejects what Jesus says. Like the hard-hearted leaders of Jerusalem, they “refuse to come to me to have life” (John 5:40). Jesus is the Life, and those who come to him shall live.

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