---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Luke 12"
description: "CHAPTER 12   :-. WARNING AGAINST
HYPOCRISY. 1-3. meantime—in close
connection, probably, with the foregoing scene. Our Lord had been
speaking out more pla"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/luke/12"
---

CHAPTER 12

. WARNING AGAINST
HYPOCRISY.

**1-3. meantime**—in close
connection, probably, with the foregoing scene. Our Lord had been
*speaking out* more plainly than ever before, as matters were
coming to a head between Him and His enemies, and this seems to have
suggested to His own mind the warning here. He had just Himself
illustriously exemplified His own precepts.
**his disciples first of
all**—afterwards to "the multitudes" ().
**covered**—from the view.

**2. hid**—from knowledge. "Tis
no use concealing anything, for all will one day come out. Give free
and fearless utterance then to all the truth." (Compare [1 Corinthians 4:3](../../../kjv/1-corinthians/4/3);
[1 Corinthians 4:5](../../../kjv/1-corinthians/4/5)).

**1-3. meantime**—in close
connection, probably, with the foregoing scene. Our Lord had been
*speaking out* more plainly than ever before, as matters were
coming to a head between Him and His enemies, and this seems to have
suggested to His own mind the warning here. He had just Himself
illustriously exemplified His own precepts.
**his disciples first of
all**—afterwards to "the multitudes" ().
**covered**—from the view.

**4, 5. I say,** c.—You will say,
That may cost us our life. Be it so but, "My friends, there
their power ends." He calls them "my friends" here,
not in any loose sense, but, as we think, from the feeling He then
had that in this "killing of the body" *He and they*
were going to be affectingly one with each other.

**5. Fear Him . . . Fear Him**—how
striking the repetition here! *Only the one fear would effectually
expel the other.*
**after he hath killed,**
c.—Learn here—(1) To play false with one's convictions to save
one's life, may fail of its end after all, for God can inflict a
violent death in some other and equally formidable way. (2) There is
a *hell,* it seems, for the body as well as the soul
consequently, sufferings adapted to the one as well as the other. (3)
*Fear of hell* is a divinely authorized and needed motive of
action even to Christ's "friends." (4) As Christ's meekness
and gentleness were not compromised by such harsh notes as these, so
those servants of Christ lack their Master's spirit who soften down
all such language to please ears "polite." (See on ).

**6, 7. five . . . for two
farthings**—In [Matthew 10:29](../../../kjv/matthew/10/29) it
is "two for one farthing"; so if one took two farthings'
worth, he got one in addition—of such small value were they.
**than many sparrows**—not
"than millions of sparrows"; the charm and power of our
Lord's teaching is very much in this simplicity.

**8, 9. confess . . . deny**—The
point lies in doing it "before men," because one has to do
it "despising the *shame.*" But when done, the Lord
holds Himself bound to repay it *in kind* by confessing such
"before the angels of God." For the rest, see on .

**10. Son of man . . . Holy Ghost**—(See
on ).
. COVETOUSNESS—WATCHFULNESS—SUPERIORITY
TO EARTHLY TIES.

**13. Master,** c.—that is, "Great
Preacher of righteousness, help there is need of Thee in this
rapacious world; here am I the victim of injustice, and that from my
own brother, who withholds from me my rightful share of the
inheritance that has fallen to us." In this most inopportune
intrusion upon the solemnities of our Lord's teaching, there is a
mixture of the absurd and the irreverent, the one, however,
occasioning the other. The man had not the least idea that his case
was not of as urgent a nature, and as worthy the attention of our
Lord, as anything else He could deal with.

**14. Man,** c.—*Contrast this
style of address with* "my friends," ().
**who,** &c.—a question
literally repudiating the office which Moses assumed (). *The influence of religious teachers in the external
relations of life has ever been immense, when only the* INDIRECT
*effect of their teaching but whenever they intermeddle*
DIRECTLY *with secular
and political matters, the spell of that influence is broken.*

**15. unto them**—the multitude
around Him ([Luke 12:1](../../../kjv/luke/12/1)).
**of covetousness**—The
best copies have "all," that is, "every kind of
covetousness"; because as this was one of the more plausible
forms of it, so He would strike at once at the *root* of the
evil.
**a man's life,** &c.—a
singularly weighty maxim, and not less so because its meaning and its
truth are equally evident.

**16-19. a certain rich man,**
&c.—Why is this man called a "fool?" () (1) Because he deemed a life of secure and abundant
earthly enjoyment the summit of human felicity. (2) Because,
possessing the means of this, through prosperity in his calling, he
flattered himself that he had a long lease of such enjoyment, and
nothing to do but give himself up to it. Nothing else is laid to his
charge.

**20, 21. this night,** &c.—This
sudden cutting short of his career is designed to express not only
the folly of building securely upon the future, but of throwing one's
whole soul into what may at any moment be gone. "Thy *soul*
shall be required of thee" is put in opposition to his own
treatment of it, "I will say to my *soul, Soul,*" &c.
**whose shall those things be,**
&c.—Compare [Psalms 39:6](../../../kjv/psalms/39/6), "He
heapeth up riches and *knoweth not who shall gather them.*"

**21. So*****is*****he,**
c.—Such is a picture of his folly here, and of its awful issue.
**and is not rich toward
God**—lives to amass and enjoy riches which terminate on *self,*
but as to the riches of God's favor, which is life (), of "precious" faith ([2 Peter 1:1](../../../kjv/2-peter/1/1)
[James 2:5](../../../kjv/james/2/5)), of good works ([James 2:5](../../../kjv/james/2/5)), of wisdom which is better than rubies ([James 2:5](../../../kjv/james/2/5)) —lives and dies *a beggar!*

**22-31.** (See on ).

**25, 26. which of you,**
&c.—Corroding solicitude will not bring you the least of the
things ye fret about, though it may double the evil of wanting them.
And if not the least, why vex yourselves about things of more
consequence?

**22-31.** (See on ).

**29. of doubtful,** c.—unsettled
mind put off your balance.

**22-31.** (See on ).

**32. little flock,** c.—How
sublime and touching a contrast between this tender and pitying
appellation, "Little flock" (in the original a double
diminutive, which in German can be expressed, but not in English)—and
the "good pleasure" of the Father to give them the Kingdom
the one recalling the insignificance and helplessness of that then
literal handful of disciples, the other holding up to their view the
eternal love that encircled them, the everlasting arms that were
underneath them, and the high inheritance awaiting them!—"the
kingdom"; grand word; then why not "bread" ( [BENGEL]). Well
might He say, "Fear not!"

**33, 34. Sell,** &c.—This is
but a more vivid expression of (see on ).

**35-40. loins . . . girded**—to
fasten up the long outer garment, always done before travel and work
([2 Kings 4:29](../../../kjv/2-kings/4/29); [Acts 12:8](../../../kjv/acts/12/8)).
The meaning is, Be in readiness.
**lights,** &c.—(See on
[Acts 12:8](../../../kjv/acts/12/8)).

**36. return from the wedding**—not
come to it, as in the parable of the virgins. Both have their
spiritual significance; but *preparedness for Christ's coming*
is the prominent idea.

**37. gird himself,** &c.—"a
promise the most august of all: Thus will the Bridegroom entertain
his friends (nay, servants) on the solemn Nuptial Day" [BENGEL].

**38. second . . . third watch**—To
find them ready to receive Him at any hour of day or night, when one
might least of all expect Him, is peculiarly blessed. A servant may
be truly faithful, even though taken so far unawares that he has not
everything in *such* order and readiness for his master's return
as he thinks is due to him, and both could and would have had if he
had had notice of the time of his coming, and so may not be willing
to open to him "*immediately,*" but fly to
preparation, and let his master knock again ere he admit him, and
even then *not with full joy.* A too common case this with
Christians. But if the servant have himself and all under his charge
in such a state that at any hour when his master knocks, he can open
to him "immediately," and hail his "return"—that
is the most enviable, "blessed" servant of all.

**35-40. loins . . . girded**—to
fasten up the long outer garment, always done before travel and work
([2 Kings 4:29](../../../kjv/2-kings/4/29); [Acts 12:8](../../../kjv/acts/12/8)).
The meaning is, Be in readiness.
**lights,** &c.—(See on
[Acts 12:8](../../../kjv/acts/12/8)).

**41-48. unto us or even to all?**—us
the Twelve, or all this vast audience?

**42. Who then,** &c.—answering
the question indirectly by another question, from which they were
left to gather what it would be:—To you certainly in the first
instance, representing the "stewards" of the "household"
I am about to collect, but generally to all "servants" in
My house.
**faithful and wise**—*Fidelity*
is the first requisite in a servant, *wisdom* (discretion and
judgment in the exercise of his functions), the next.
**steward**—house steward,
whose it was to distribute to the servants their allotted portion of
food.
**shall make**—will deem
fit to be made.

**41-48. unto us or even to all?**—us
the Twelve, or all this vast audience?

**44. make him ruler over all he
hath**—will advance him to the highest post, referring to the
world to come. (See [Matthew 25:21](../../../kjv/matthew/25/21);
[Matthew 25:23](../../../kjv/matthew/25/23)).

**45. begin to beat,** c.—In the
confidence that his Lord's return will not be speedy, he throws off
the role of servant and plays the master, maltreating those faithful
servants who refuse to join him, seizing on and revelling in the
fulness of his master's board intending, when he has got his fill, to
resume the mask of fidelity ere his master appear.

**46. cut him in sunder**—a
punishment not unknown in the East; compare , "sawn asunder" ([1 Samuel 15:33](../../../kjv/1-samuel/15/33);
[Daniel 2:5](../../../kjv/daniel/2/5)).
**the unbelievers**—the
unfaithful, those unworthy of trust ([Daniel 2:5](../../../kjv/daniel/2/5)), "the hypocrites," falsely calling themselves
"servants."

**41-48. unto us or even to all?**—us
the Twelve, or all this vast audience?

**48. knew not**—that is knew but
*partially;* for *some* knowledge is presupposed both in
the name "servant" of Christ, and his being liable to
punishment at all.
**many . . . few
stripes**—degrees of future punishment proportioned to the
knowledge sinned against. Even heathens are not without knowledge
enough for future judgment; but the reference here is not to such. It
is a solemn truth, and though *general,* like all other
revelations of the future world, discloses a tangible and momentous
principle in its awards.

**49-53. to send**—cast.
**fire**—"the higher
spiritual element of life which Jesus came to introduce into this
earth (compare [Matthew 3:11](../../../kjv/matthew/3/11)), with
reference to its mighty effects in quickening all that is akin to it
and *destroying all that is opposed.* To cause this element of
life to take up its abode on earth, and wholly to pervade human
hearts with its warmth, was the lofty destiny of the Redeemer"
[OLSHAUSEN: so CALVIN,
STIER, ALFORD,
c.].
**what will I,** &c.—an
obscure expression, uttered under deep and half-smothered emotion. In
its general import all are agreed but the nearest to the precise
meaning seems to be, "And what should I have to desire if it
were once already kindled?" [BENGEL
and BLOOMFIELD].

**50. But . . . a baptism,**
c.—clearly, His own bloody baptism, first to take place.
**how . . . straitened**—not,
"how do I long for its accomplishment," as many understand
it, thus making it but a repetition of but "what a pressure of spirit is upon Me."
**till it be accomplished**—till
it be over. Before a promiscuous audience, such obscure language was
fit on a theme like this; but oh, what surges of mysterious emotion
in the view of what was now so near at hand does it reveal!

**51. peace . . . ? Nay,** c.—the
reverse of peace, *in the first instance.* (See on .) The connection of all this with the foregoing warnings
about hypocrisy, covetousness, and watchfulness, is deeply solemn:
"My conflict hasten apace Mine over, yours begins; and then, let
the servants tread in their Master's steps, uttering their testimony
entire and fearless, neither loving nor dreading the world,
anticipating awful wrenches of the dearest ties in life, but looking
forward, as I do, to the completion of their testimony, when,
reaching the haven after the tempest, they shall enter into the joy
of their Lord."
. NOT
DISCERNING THE SIGNS
OF THE TIME.

**49-53. to send**—cast.
**fire**—"the higher
spiritual element of life which Jesus came to introduce into this
earth (compare [Matthew 3:11](../../../kjv/matthew/3/11)), with
reference to its mighty effects in quickening all that is akin to it
and *destroying all that is opposed.* To cause this element of
life to take up its abode on earth, and wholly to pervade human
hearts with its warmth, was the lofty destiny of the Redeemer"
[OLSHAUSEN: so CALVIN,
STIER, ALFORD,
c.].
**what will I,** &c.—an
obscure expression, uttered under deep and half-smothered emotion. In
its general import all are agreed but the nearest to the precise
meaning seems to be, "And what should I have to desire if it
were once already kindled?" [BENGEL
and BLOOMFIELD].

**54. to the people**—"the
multitude," a word of special warning to the thoughtless crowd,
before dismissing them. (See on ).

**56. how . . . not discern,**
&c.—unable to perceive what a critical period that was for the
Jewish Church.

**57. why even of yourselves,**
c.—They might say, To do this requires more knowledge of Scripture
and providence than we possess but He sends them to their own
conscience, as enough to show them who He was, and win them to
immediate discipleship.

**58. When thou goest,** &c.—(See
on ). The *urgency of
the case with them, and the necessity, for their own safety, of
immediate decision,* was the object of these striking words.

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