Lucas 12

Augustine of Hippo · Comentário Patrístico (catena)

Lucas 12:7

When our Lord said, "not a hair," he was not thinking of length but of the number of hairs, as we see from these words, "The hairs of your head are numbered." I still think that nothing that was a natural part of the body should be lost. Ugly outgrowths, which have the purpose of reminding us of the penal condition of mortal life, will be integrated into the substance as a whole so that no deformity will appear in any one part. After all, a human artist can make a botch of a statue and then reshape it into beauty without a loss of any of his material. It is not a matter of chiseling away some paticular part that was ugly or out of proportion. He can break down and remold the same mass of material so that nothing but the blemish disappears. Of course, the omnipotent Artist can do this even better. There is no deformity of any human body, whether normal, exceptional or even monstrous, which he cannot so eliminate as to leave the total substance intact, while the ugliness disappears. Such outgrowths are not out of place among the other miseries of temporal existence, but they are incompatible with the happiness of the saints in the life to come. — City of God 22.19

Lucas 12:10

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (Serm. 71.) Or if it were here said, "Who hath spoken any blasphemy whatever against the Holy Spirit," we ought then to understand thereby "all blasphemy;" but because it was said, who blasphemeth against the Holy Spirit, let it be understood of him that blasphemed not in any way, but in such a manner that it can never be pardoned him. For so when it was said, The Lord tempteth no man, (James 1:13.) that is not spoken of every, but only of a certain kind of temptation. Now what that kind of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is, let us sec. The first blessing of believers is forgiveness of sins in the Holy Spirit. Against this free gift the impenitent heart speaks. Impenitence itself therefore is blasphemy against the Spirit, which is neither forgiven in this world, nor in that which is to come; for repentance gains that forgiveness in this world which is to avail in the world to come. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Lucas 12:13-14

He was correct when he did not listen to the man who, in disagreement with his brother, said, "Master, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." He said, "Master, tell my brother." Tell him what? He said, "To divide the inheritance with me." The Lord said, "Speak, man." Why do you want to divide it except because you are human? Whenever someone says, "I am of Paul," but another, "I am of Apollos," are you not merely human? "Tell me, man, who has appointed me a judge of the inheritance among you? I have come to gather, not to scatter." He said, "I say to you, guard against all greed." Greed wants to divide, just as love desires to gather. What is the significance of "guard against all greed," unless it is "fill yourselves with love"? We, possessing love for our portion, inconvenience the Lord because of our brother just as that man did against his brother, but we do not use the same plea. He said, "Master, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." We say, "Master, tell my brother that he may have my inheritance." — SERMON 265.9

Lucas 12:16-20

"The redemption of a man's soul is his riches." This silly fool of a man did not have that kind of riches. Obviously he was not redeeming his soul by giving relief to the poor. He was hoarding perishable crops. I repeat, he was hoarding perishable crops, while he was on the point of perishing because he had handed out nothing to the Lord before whom he was due to appear. How will he know where to look, when at that trial he starts hearing the words "I was hungry and you did not give me to eat"?9 He was planning to fill his soul with excessive and unnecessary feasting and was proudly disregarding all those empty bellies of the poor. He did not realize that the bellies of the poor were much safer storerooms than his barns. What he was stowing away in those barns was perhaps even then being stolen away by thieves. But if he stowed it away in the bellies of the poor, it would of course be digested on earth, but in heaven it would be kept all the more safely. The redemption of a man's soul is his riches. — SERMON 36.9

Lucas 12:25-26

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (de Qu. Ev. l. ii. qu. 28.) But in speaking concerning increasing the stature of the body, He refers to that which is least, that is, to God, to make bodies. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Lucas 12:29

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (de Qu Ev. l. ii. qu. 29.) Now having forbidden all thought about food, he next goes on to warn men not to be puffed up, saying, Neither be ye lifted up, (nolite in sublime tolli μὴ μετεωρίζισθε.) for man first seeks these things to satisfy his wants, but when he is filled, he begins to be puffed up concerning them. This is just as if a wounded man should boast that he had many plasters in his house, whereas it were well for him that he had no wounds, and needed not even one plaster. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Lucas 12:34

If you lack earthly riches, do not seek them in the world by evil deeds. If they fall to your lot, let them be stored up in heaven by good works. A manly Christian soul should neither be overjoyed at acquiring them nor cast down when they are gone. Let us instead reflect on what the Lord says: "Where thy treasure is, there your heart will be also." Surely when we hear that we should lift up our hearts, the familiar answer that we make should not be a lie. — LETTER 189

Lucas 12:35

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (de Qu. Ev. lib. ii. q. 25.) Or, He teaches us also to gird our loins for the sake of keeping ourselves from the love of the things of this world, and to have our lamps burning, that this thing may be done with a true end and right intention. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Lucas 12:42

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (de Qu. Ev. l. ii. c. 26.) Now he says portion, because of suiting His measure to the capacity of his several hearers. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Lucas 12:45-46

But many misuse his delay for their own impiety. And the wicked servant says: My lord delays. And he begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunken. The lord of that servant 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. For it is the body of ministers and overseers that gives food to fellow servants in due time. He will cut him in pieces, he says. He has good ones, he has bad ones, he separates the good from the bad. And he will appoint his portion with the hypocrites. Not the whole ministry, because there are those who also desire the coming of the Lord. There are also those from that number of whom it is said: Blessed is that servant whom his lord, when he comes, will find so doing. Therefore, he will come and cut him in pieces. — Sermon 37

Lucas 12:47-48

Now if those ignorant of the law are in a worse condition than those who know the law, how can this saying of our Lord in the Gospel be true? "That servant who knew his master's will but did not make ready or act according to his will shall receive a severe beating. But he who did not know and did what deserved a beating shall receive a light beating." You see that this passage shows clearly a person who knows sins more seriously than one who does not know. Yet we must not on this account take refuge in the darkness of ignorance so as to find there an excuse for our conduct. Not to know is one thing; unwillingness to know is another. — ON GRACE AND FREE WILL 3

Lucas 12:58

Let us try to find out who is the opponent with whom we should agree, fearing that he might deliver us to the judge, and the judge deliver us to the officer. Let us try to find him and be in agreement with him. If you are committing a sin, your adversary is the word of God. For instance, perhaps you may like to get drunk. It says to you, "Do not do that." You may like to frequent the circus and indulge in frivolities. It says to you, "Do not do that." You may like to commit adultery. The word of God says to you, "Do not do it." In whatever sins you wish to follow your own will, it says to you, "Do not do that." It is the enemy of your will until it becomes the assurance of your salvation. Oh, what an honest and helpful enemy! — SERMON 109.3