Lucas 12
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
Lucas 12
Wiersbe comments "As long as both men were greedy, no settlement would be satisfactory. Their greatest need was to have their hearts changed. Like too many people today, they wanted Jesus to serve them but not to save them." (Borrow Be compassionate ) Appointed (put in charge) (2525) See kathistemi from katá = down + hístēmi = to set or stand) means literally “to stand or set down". Friberg sums up the three basic meanings - "(1) conduct, bring, lead to (Acts 17.15+); (2) set in an elevated position appoint, put in charge (Luke 12.42); (3) with a double accusative make someone something, cause to be in a certain position or state (2Pe 1.8); passive be made, become (James 4.4)" (Borrow (Borrow Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament) Kathistemi - 22x/21v - appoint(1), appointed(4), appoints(1), escorted(1), made(5), makes(1), put...in charge(4), put in charge(3), render(1), set(1). Matt. 24:45; Matt. 24:47; Matt. 25:21; Matt. 25:23; Lk. 12:14; Lk. 12:42; Lk. 12:44; Acts 6:3; Acts 7:10; Acts 7:27; Acts 7:35; Acts 17:15; Rom. 5:19; Tit. 1:5; Heb. 2:7; Heb. 5:1; Heb. 7:28; Heb. 8:3; Jas. 3:6; Jas. 4:4; 2 Pet. 1:8 Judge (2923)(krites from krino = to judge) is one who has the right to render a decision in legal matters or make a decision based on examination and evaluation ( Mt 5:25; Lk 12:14, 58; 18:2, 6, 15 Acts 24:10). Of God as Judge (Heb 12:23, James 4:12, 2 Ti 4:8, Acts 10:42, cf James 5:9. See uses below in Pslams). Krites also refers to "one who rules in a special sense in the accounts of Israel’s theocratic period" (BDAG) such as uses in Lxx = Jdg 2:16, 18, 19, Ru 1:1, Acts 13:20). Judge can refer in a general sense to anyone who passes judgment or appoints to himself judgment on anything (James 4:11; James 2:4) Liddell-Scott - krites was used "at Athens, of the judges in the poetic contests." A krites - "an interpreter of dreams." (Aeschylus) Gilbrant - In classical Greek this noun generally means “judge, umpire,” frequently in a competitive context (i.e., “the judges in the poetic contests,” cf. Liddell-Scott). In the Septuagint kritēs is also used in a special sense referring to the leaders God raised up in the period between Joshua and King Saul, the time of the “judges.” When outlining the history of the Jews, Paul preached, “And after that he gave unto them judges” (Acts 13:20). These leaders did act as judges over lawsuits, so “judge” is not an inappropriate title for them, but this was only one of their functions. In later Greek kritēs was more frequently used to designate a “judge” in a court of law. Both the Septuagint and New Testament use kritēs in this sense referring to both men and God. Jesus taught, “Agree with thine adversary quickly . . . lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge” (Matthew 5:25). And in the parable about a woman’s persistent prayer, Jesus began, “There was in a city a judge” (Luke 18:2). It is also used of God in many places. An example is in Hebrews where it says “to God the Judge of all” (Hebrews 12:23). (Complete Biblical Library) Krites - 19x in 17v - judge(15), judges(4). Matt. 5:25; Matt. 12:27; Lk. 11:19; Lk. 12:14; Lk. 12:58; Lk. 18:2; Lk. 18:6; Acts 10:42; Acts 13:20; Acts 18:15; Acts 24:10; 2 Tim. 4:8; Heb. 12:23; Jas. 2:4; Jas. 4:11; Jas. 4:12; Jas. 5:9 Matthew 12:27 "If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. Luke 11:19 "And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? So they will be your judges. Luke 12:14 But He said to him, "Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?" Luke 12:58 "For while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to settle with him, so that he may not drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. Luke 18:2 saying, "In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. Luke 18:6 And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge said; Acts 10:42 "And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Acts 13:20 "After these things He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Acts 18:15 but if there are questions about words and names and your own law, look after it yourselves; I am unwilling to be a judge of these matters." Acts 24:10 When the governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded: "Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense, 2 Timothy 4:8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. Hebrews 12:23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, James 2:4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? James 4:11 Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. James 4:12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor? James 5:9 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. Krites - 19/17 51x in 49v in the Septuagint Deut. 1:15 = "officers (Heb = shoter = official; Lxx = krites) for your tribes"; Deut. 1:16; Deut. 16:18; Deut. 17:9; Deut. 17:12; Deut. 19:17; Deut. 19:18; Deut. 21:2; Deut. 25:2; Deut. 29:10; Deut. 31:28; Jdg. 2:16-19 ("Then the LORD raised up judges "); Ruth 1:1; 1 Sam. 24:15; 2 Sam. 7:11; 2 Sam. 15:4; 2 Ki. 23:22; 1 Chr. 17:10; 1 Chr. 23:4; 1 Chr. 28:1; 2 Chr. 1:2; 2 Chr. 19:5; 2 Chr. 19:6; 2 Chr. 26:11; 2 Chr. 34:13; Ezr. 7:25; Ezr. 10:14; Job 9:24; Job 12:17; Job 13:8; Ps. 7:11; Ps. 50:6; Ps. 68:5; Ps. 75:7; Ps. 141:6; Ps. 148:11; Isa. 1:26; Isa. 30:18; Isa. 33:21; Isa. 63:7; Dan. 9:12; Hos. 7:7; Amos 2:3; Mic. 7:3; Hab. 1:3; Zeph. 3:3 Ps 7:11 God is a righteous Judge, And a God who has indignation every day. Ps 50:6 And the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is Judge. Selah. Ps 68:5 A father of the fatherless and a Judge for the widows, Is God in His holy habitation. Ps 75:7 But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another. Arbitrator (3312)(meristes) decider, one who divides, one who decides a dispute over inheritance. It is related to the more common word merismos which denotes “a division” or “partition” (from meris = “a part”). This is the only use of meristes in the NT. TDNT on mesites - A first use of mesítēs is for the trustworthy neutral, e.g., the umpire (The "neutral" whom both sides can trust. He may be an umpire) or guarantor. Thus we find the word for a. the legal arbiter, b. the witness, c. the sequester, d. the pawnbroker, e. the guarantor, and f. a warehouse official. More general senses are 2. “intermediary,” and 3. “negotiator.” mesiteúō means 1. “to act as umpire,” 2. “to occupy a middle place,” and 3. “to establish a relation between two hitherto unrelated entities.” . The OT. mesiteúō does not occur in the LXX and mesítēs only in Job 9:33. Hebrew has no single term for “mediator” but we find words meaning “interpreter” and “negotiator.”2. Rabbinic Judaism. The business world brings the idea of the negotiator or broker into rabbinic thought, in which it takes on a figurative sense.3. Hellenistic Judaism. Josephus uses the terms only in a secular sense. Philo starts with this but gives added depth to the idea of the “mediator,” using both noun and verb mostly in a religious sense. (Borrow Kittel's Theological Dictionary of the New Testament : abridged ) 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." KJV Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Amplified - "And He said to them, Guard yourselves and keep free from all covetousness (the immoderate desire for wealth, the greedy longing to have more); for a man's life does not consist in and is not derived from possessing overflowing abundance or that which is over and above his needs. Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed Luke 8:14; 16:14; 21:34; Joshua 7:21; Job 31:24,25; Ps 10:3; 62:10; 119:36,37; Pr 23:4,5; 28:16; Jer 6:13; 22:17,18; Micah 2:2; Hab 2:9; Mark 7:22; 1 Cor 5:10,11; 6:10; Eph 5:3-5; Colossians 3:5; 1 Ti 6:7-10; 2 Ti 3:2; Heb 13:5; 2 Peter 2:3,14 for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions Job 2:4; Ps 37:16; Pr 15:16; 16:16; Eccl 4:6-8; 5:10-16; Mt 6:25,26; 1 Ti 6:6-8 Luke 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 12:13-21 How To Be Really Rich - Steven Cole Luke 12:13-21 The Rich Fool - John MacArthur Related Passages: Eccl 5:10 (Solomon probably the richest man who ever lived) He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity. 1 Ti 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Luke 8:14+ “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. (UNBELIEVERS) EN GARDE: ON GUARD! Then He said to them - Here Jesus is speaking not just to the man who interrupted Him and not just to His disciples but to the entire crowd, for this warning is necessary for every human being! This warning is so necessary it is given with two commands both calling for continual obedience to fight the tendency of the flesh toward covetousness. Refusing to sit in judgment on a dispute about money, Jesus instead rendered a far more important judgment on the sin of greed. -- John MacArthur William
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Wiersbe - The "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" has special reference to the Jewish nation that was rejecting the evidence Jesus gave them of who He was and what they needed to do. When they refused the ministry of John the Baptist, they rejected God the Father who sent John; but there was still the witness of the Son. When they rejected Jesus, He prayed for them (Luke 23:34). They still had the witness of the Spirit (Acts 1:8). When they rejected the witness of the Spirit through the church (Acts 2-7), they sinned against the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51), and there was no further witness left! (Borrow for one hour - Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament) The Reformation Study Bible. - Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit attributes to Satan the work of the Holy Spirit through Christ in the face of overwhelming moral evidence to the contrary. Such deliberate rejection of the truth is a decisive rejection of the One (the Holy Spirit) who can bring a person to repentance and faith; such sin makes forgiveness impossible. (Luke 12:10) Nolland said blasphemy against the Spirit is “the denial or rejection of the manifest saving intervention of God on behalf of his People.... The one who hardens himself or herself against what God is doing as he acts to save places himself or herself beyond the reach of God’s present disposition of eschatological forgiveness.” Word Biblical Commentary - Lövestam (Spiritus blasphemia) has shown how the language of blasphemy/speaking against the Holy Spirit is a natural development from the ot and later Jewish reflection on the failure of the Israelites at the time of the Exodus from Egypt (on the Spirit, see Esp. Isa 63:10 and perhaps Ps 106:32–33). What is in view is not a matter of blasphemous speech, but rather the denial or rejection of the manifest saving intervention of God on behalf of his People (the use of Holy Spirit here is akin to that of “finger of God” in 11:20 [Cf. Lövestam, Spiritus blasphemia, 35–43). The one who hardens himself or herself against what God is doing as he acts to save places himself or herself beyond the reach of God’s present disposition of eschatological forgiveness.....The slander against the Holy Spirit is irremediable because it cuts a man off from the only power that can change his inner life. The Holy Spirit is God's messenger to men, on whom believers are dependent for their knowledge of the reality of God's truth.... not (yet) believing is forgivable, but apostasy, where the known experience of salvation through the Spirit is repudiated, is not (thus the contrasting of the mild “says a word against” with the forceful “blasphemes”). (Word Biblical Commentary – See context Luke 9:21-18:34) The Bible Speaks Today - There are certain things which even God finds impossible. When we understand that, we begin to understand the nature of this sin which he cannot forgive. For it is impossible for him to lie, or to deny himself, or to contradict himself, and nothing that he has made (including man) can be at one and the same time both Thus and Not-Thus; which means, among other things, that if we will not be forgiven, then, in this rational world of his, it is a mere nonsense to say that we will be forgiven. It is impossible therefore for God to forgive one who says, ‘I will not listen to the Spirit when he brings me the message of forgiveness.’ It is impossible for him to save one who says, ‘I will not follow the Spirit when he points me to the Saviour.’ It is impossible to revolutionize one who says, ‘I will not have the Spirit revolutionizing me’. That is the ultimate blasphemy; and against that not even God can do anything. The man who is determined to go to hell will certainly get there. The readers of Luke’s Gospel are thus warned against the unforgivable sin. The Spirit comes to revolutionize their lives, offering salvation in the person of the Saviour Jesus; let them not refuse. He comes to transform their lives into the image of Jesus; let them not refuse that either—for refusal is the blasphemy against the Spirit, and can never be forgiven. (See context The Message of Luke)
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Wiersbe says this man who interrupted and "wanted Jesus to solve his problems but not save him from his covetousness! (ED: I.E., SAVE HIS SOUL!) Had Jesus made a just division of the property, this would not have solved the problem, for “the heart of every problem is the problem in the heart.” (Jer 17:9) (Borrow Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament ) As Leon
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Wiersbe - Mark Twain once defined "civilization" as "a limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities," and he was right. In fact, many Christians are infected with covetousness and do not know it. They think that Paul's admonition in 1 Timothy 6:5-19 applies only to the "rich and famous." Measured by the living standards of the rest of the world, most believers in America are indeed wealthy people. (Borrow Be compassionate) Greed means "the thirst for having more, always having more and more and still more." -- William Hendricksen Beware (horao) and be on your guard against every form of greed (pleonexia) - Observe the two commands (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) which are "synergistic," because for beware means to perceive so that you can be a good guard. If you don't perceive the "thief" of covetousness, you can hardly guard your heart from his sneaking in. Greed or covetousness by its very nature is subtle and can slither into a heart if one is not on continually on the lookout (We ALL understand this pernicious pitfall don't we, whether it is our neighbor's new car, etc). So first you have to "see" the slithering sin, and secondly, you have to put up a guard around your heart so that it can't gain easy entrance. Cut it off at the head like you would a venomous viper! Every form is literally "all" but this translation does rightly suggest that "greed" or "covetousness" comes in different "shapes and sizes" but ALL are similarly sinister and seductive! Jesus' commands to beware and be on guard remind me of the fencing term En garde which of course is French for "on guard" and is spoken at outset of the engagement to warn the participants to take a defensive position (see depiction above). Every form of greed indicates that Jesus' warning is not just against MONEY, but "all kinds of greed!" This includes coveting your neighbor's house, car, wife (husband), clothing, etc! EVERY FORM! David Guzik “Actually beware scarcely does justice to the force of phylassesthe, which is rather ‘guard yourselves.’ ” (Morris) The idea is that we all are under attack from covetousness, and we must protect ourselves from it. The fact that Jesus warns with two verbs and both are in the present tense indicates the danger is ever present that greed could come in and corrupt a disciple's witness. REMEMBER GOD SAYS GREED IS IDOLATRY! Paul states this principle two times For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is (Greek - estin in the present tense = continually, as his habitual practice lives as) an idolater (eidololatres), has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God (i.e., THEY ARE NOT REGENERATE, BORN AGAIN!). (Eph 5:5+) (Ed: No wonder Paul commands us to flee idolatry in 1 Cor 10:14+). Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead (command) to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry (eidololatreia). (Col 3:5+) Norman Crawford - This most important statement gets to the very root of the evil of covetousness, which is literally a "lust for things"; these things are idols that displace God in the heart and life (Col 3:5, 6+) and cause souls to be damned, as the following account explains. The Lord's summary of a life is most tragic or most blessed. He summed up the life of another rich man in one brief sentence (Lk 16:19). All of human history and all our personal experience teach us the truth of the Lord's words. When man, with his eternal soul, attempts to make life out of the possessions he can gain, he comes to disappointment, emptiness, despair and eternal loss. The present world, devoid of meaning for so many who live for it, gives powerful testimony to the truth of the Lord's words. Prefaced by "Take heed, and beware", the Lord makes this warning very personal and pointed. "Beware" means to stand guard against the vicious attack of a deadly foe. A similar warning is given by Paul against those who "will be rich" (1Ti 6:9). (What the Bible teaches – Luke) J R Miller commenting on Luke 12:15 wrote "Few people think of the danger of getting rich. Most think that they become great—just in proportion as they gather wealth. Yet there never was a more fatal error! A man is really measured by what he IS—not by what he HAS. We may find a shriveled soul in the midst of a great fortune; and a noble soul in the barest poverty. A man's real "life" is what would be left of him—if everything he has were stripped off. His real 'worth' is his character, as it appears in God's sight. We will make a great mistake if our goal in life—is simply to gather more worldly trinkets than our neighbor!"
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Wiersbe says "Money does not necessarily solve problems; it created new problems for this farmer. It is not a sin to be wealthy, but it is a sin to make wealth your god (Col. 3:5). The rich are prone to be covetous, and the poor are prone to worry. Both are sins. When we substitute things for life, we stop living by faith and trusting God. All of nature trusts God to meet their needs, and so should we. Worry only tears us down. The key to a worry-free life is a heart fixed wholly on God (Lk 12:31; Mt. 6:33). This is the “undivided outlook” of Lk 11:34–36. If we belong to God, then it is His obligation to care for us; so we need not worry." (Borrow Be compassionate) Parable (symbol) (3850)(parabole from para = beside, near + ballo = throw, cast; English "parable") is literally a throwing beside or placing of one thing by the side of another (juxtaposition as of ships in battle in classic Greek). The metaphorical meaning is to place or lay something besides something else for the purpose of comparison. (Mt 24:32, Mk 13:28, Mk 3:23, Lk 14:7). An illustration (Mt 13:3). See "What is a parable?" Very rich (4145)(plousios from ploutos = wealth, abundance, riches) is an adjective which defines that which exists in a large amount with implication of its being valuable. Literally plousios refers to having an abundance of earthly possessions that exceeds normal experience. Rich is used most often in the NT in the sense of having abundant possessions and especially material wealth and was a frequent topic addressed by the Lord Jesus Christ. It is used figuratively in James to describe those who are rich in faith (Jas 2:5, cp similar use to describe the believers in Smyrna - Rev 2:9-note). Plousios - 28v in the NT with 11 in Luke's Gospel - Matt. 19:23; Matt. 19:24; Matt. 27:57; Mk. 10:25; Mk. 12:41; Lk. 6:24; Lk. 12:16; Lk. 14:12; Lk. 16:1; Lk. 16:19; Lk. 16:21; Lk. 16:22; Lk. 18:23; Lk. 18:25; Lk. 19:2; Lk. 21:1; 2 Co. 8:9; Eph. 2:4; 1 Tim. 6:17; Jas. 1:10; Jas. 1:11; Jas. 2:5; Jas. 2:6; Jas. 5:1; Rev. 2:9; Rev. 3:17; Rev. 6:15; Rev. 13:16 Very productive (2164)(euphoreo from eú = well + phérō = to bear) means literally to bear well, yield abundantly, to produce unusually well, to produce an abundance of good fruit or grain , to yield plenty of fruit, to produce a good harvest. New Testament usage is consistent with that in classical Greek when applied to farmland. Only in Lk 12:16. No uses in Lxx. It is interesting that euphoreo gives us our English word euphoria which means to be in high spirits or have a feeling of great well-being, which is a good description of this rich fool's mindset whose contentment was related to temporal and not eternal things! Liddell-Scott - Of ships, have a prosperous voyage. Sense of well-being in disease. Grace of movement, in dancing The Rich Fool Luke 12:16–20 - John Phillips People said he was a success. God said he was stupid, a fool. That is the force of the word. It means, literally, “a senseless one.” Men would point him out to their sons. They would point out his mansion on the hill, his thoroughbred Egyptian horses, his golden coach, his liveried servants. God points him out too and draws attention to his unsaved soul. The man made three mistakes. He measured success in material terms alone. He thought a soul could be satisfied with beef and beer. He thought he was going to live and live and live. 1. He Mistook His Bankbook for His Bible (Lk 12:18) 2. He Mistook His Body for His Soul (Lk 12:19) 3. He Mistook Time for Eternity (Lk 12:19–20) (“Many years … this night”) Illustration: Imagine a young man presenting his loved one with an engagement ring worth many hundreds of dollars, but it is enclosed in a little box lined with black velvet worth less than a dollar. Picture the girl being captivated by the box and ignoring the diamond. “Oh, what a cute little box. Isn’t it pretty? I just adore it. I’ll treasure it forever. Wherever did you get it? I think it’s just darling.” Would we not say that there’s something radically wrong with the girl’s sense of values? Of course we would! But there are many who are just as foolish, perhaps more foolish, in the relative value they place on their body as compared wth the value they place on their soul. (100 NT Sermon Outlines) ILLUSTRATION - James Boswell in his biography of Samuel Johnson (a famous English writer) says, “he remembers the one day he went fishing with his father. He called it the most significant day of his life with his dad. Later he got hold of his father’s diary and read the entry, quote: “Went fishing with Sam, day wasted.” Why did he think the day was wasted? Maybe it was because he wasn’t at work making more money, getting ahead in his career. Jesus tells us a parable about a man like that. He is called “the rich fool.” (Hampton Keathley IV) Seek ye first, not earth's aspirings, Ceaseless longings, vain desirings But your precious soul's requirings, "Seek ye FIRST"! —Anon. Happiness is not having and getting; it consists in giving and serving! —H. Drummond Luke 12:17 "And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?' KJV Luke 12:17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? What Luke 22,29; 10:25; 16:3; Acts 2:37; 16:30 shall Luke 12:33; 3:11; 11:41; 14:13,14; 16:9; 18:22; 19:17; Eccl 11:2; Isa 58:7; Mt 5:42; Ro 12:13; 2 Cor 9:6-15; 1 Ti 6:17; 1 Jn 3:16 Luke 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 12:13-21 How To Be Really Rich - Steven Cole Luke 12:13-21 The Rich Fool - John MacArthur And he began reasoning (dialogizomai) to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops? - Jesus emphasizes the bountiful harvest to set us up for this man's incredible greed. NET Note on I have nowhere to store my crops - The thinking here is prudent in terms of recognizing the problem. The issue in the parable will be the rich man's solution, particularly the arrogance reflected in Lk 12:19. (Luke 12)
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Wiersbe - How do you respond to the wealthy farmer’s dilemma? Here was a man who had a problem with too much wealth! If we say, “I certainly wish I had that problem!” we may be revealing covetousness in our hearts. If suddenly you inherited a great deal of wealth, would it create a problem for you? Or would you simply praise God and ask Him what He wanted you to do with it?There are perils to prosperity (Prov. 30:7–9). Wealth can choke the Word of God (Matt. 13:22), create snares and temptations (1 Tim. 6:6–10, 17–19), and give you a false sense of security. People say that money does not satisfy, but it does satisfy if you want to live on that level. People who are satisfied only with the things that money can buy are in great danger of losing the things that money cannot buy. (Borrow Be compassionate ) (Bolding added) Mattoon on build larger ones - The rich farmer forgot about the "God factor." His plans would be changed as we will see, because the Lord was going to intervene. This common man had no sense because he left God out of his life and plans. That was the key problem in his life. He did not need bigger barns. He needed a bigger heart that was grateful for what the Lord had done for him....If you want to prosper financially, then realize that in God's economy, you gain by giving away what you have. What? That's right! You prosper, preserve, and protect your finances by giving a portion of what you have to the Lord. (Rod Mattoon - Treasures from Luke) ILLUSTRATION - Here is a related quote on Lotto winners who became losers - For an unlucky bunch, lotto winnings turn into a curse. The list of those who have squandered their prize money while suffering tremendous heartache is long; some regret ever winning." (Read more - Greed drives the lotto players, but too often grief haunts the lotto winners.) 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."' KJV Luke 12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. Soul, you have many goods laid up Dt 6:11,12; 8:12-14; Job 31:24,25; Ps 49:5-13,18; 52:5-7; 62:10; Pr 18:11; 23:5; Isa 5:8; Hos 12:8; Hab 1:16; Mt 6:19-21; 1 Ti 6:17; James 5:1-3 for many years to come Job 14:1; Pr 27:1; James 4:13-15 take your ease Luke 16:19; 21:34; Job 21:11-13; Eccl 11:9; Isa 5:11; 22:13; Amos 6:3-6; 1 Cor 15:32; Phil 3:19; 1 Ti 5:6; 2 Ti 3:4; James 5:5; 1 Pet 4:3; Rev 18:7 Luke 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 12:13-21 How To Be Really Rich - Steven Cole Luke 12:13-21 The Rich Fool - John MacArthur NON-CHRISTIAN HEDONIST And I will say to my soul - He is "preaching a sermon" to himself. But it is a sermon that speaks death, not life. Here he speaks to his soul and in the next verse God requires his soul (Lk 12:20)! Mattoon says "His life was filled with six "I's", five "my's", and four "I will's", but not the Lord." (Treasures from Luke)
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Wiersbe - Jesus did not see this farmer enjoying life; He saw him facing death! Wealth cannot keep us alive when our time comes to die, nor can it buy back the opportunities we missed while we were thinking of ourselves and ignoring God and others. Jesus made it clear that true life does not come from an abundance of things, nor do true success or security. This man had a false view of both life and death. He thought that life came from accumulating things, and that death was far away. On March 11, 1856, Henry David Thoreau wrote in his journal, “That man is the richest whose pleasures are cheapest.” He also said, “A man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone.” (Borrow Be compassionate) R Kent
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Wiersbe - the greatest tragedy is not what the man left behind but what lay before him: eternity without God! The man lived without God and died without God, and his wealth was but an incident in his life. God is not impressed with our money. (Borrow Be compassionate)
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Wiersbe - treasure used for God’s glory is invested in heaven where it lasts eternally. The way people use wealth is an indication of the condition of their hearts. If we spend our time and money only on business, and neglect God, then our hearts are in business and not fixed on God. (Borrow this resource for one hour - Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament) Henry Ward Beecher once said that "No man can tell whether he is rich or poor by turning to his ledger. It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich or poor according to what he is, not according to what he has." Ray Pritchard expounds on this point explaining that… So many of us never grasp that point (that our heart follows our money). We spend all that we have on the things of this world and then we wonder why we have trouble concentrating on the things of God. Our problem is this: We’ve invested everything down here and nothing up there. Our money has kept our heart lashed to the earth with cords of silver and gold. You’ll never be able to get your heart focused on heaven as long as all your money is focused on the earth! I’m sure you’ve heard it said that when you buy a boat, you don’t own the boat… the boat owns you. The same thing is true of new car. Because you’ve invested so much money, you don’t own the car; the car owns you. It’s especially true of a new house. Let’s say you put down $20,000 and then finance $130,000. That's a huge investment of resources. Where is your heart going to be? In that new house. You’re going to think about it, worry about it, dream about it and talk about it. Your new house is going to be the center of your life. Why? Because your heart always follows your money. Would you like to discover where your heart is this morning? Open your checkbook and see where you’ve been spending your money. Your checkbook tells the whole story. So it all boils down to one question: Where is your heart? The answer is always the same: Your heart is wherever you’ve been spending your money… What are you sending ahead to heaven? What will you find when you pass through the Jordan River on your way to the Celestial City? What investments are you making today that will make a difference in eternity? The whole teaching of Matthew 6:19-21 may be summarized in six simple words: Invest in that which lasts forever! (The First National Bank of Heaven) (Bolding added) If it is wrong to gather treasures on earth, is making provision for future physical needs wrong? Is it wrong to be rich? Clearly the answer to these questions is "No". Jesus is not forbidding material possessions in and of themselves, the private ownership of property, saving money for the future, investing for a greater return, owning insurance or owning nice things. Joseph had grain stored for future use (Ge 41:33-36). Abraham was a very rich man and yet was known as the friend of God (Ge 13:2). Money can be a great blessing, if it is not an end in itself but a means to an end. The late Chaplain of the United States Senate, Peter Marshall (1902-1949) - Let us give according to our incomes, lest God make our incomes match our gifts. "Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can" -- John Wesley Edward Kimball knew something about this spiritual savings account. As a Sunday School teacher he pursued and won to Christ a young shoe salesman, Dwight L. Moody (1837-99). Many years later Moody was preaching near his home in New England, and a young man came to Christ. Further investigation revealed that this young convert was none other than a son of Edward Kimball. The teacher's treasure paid interest in this life and a large dividend in eternity. In 1978 the Sunday Telegraph of London carried an obituary of Sir John Laing. When the noted English building magnate died he was 99 years old, and a well-known Christian layman. Though Sir John had earned many millions, he died with only about $400 in the bank. The journalist explained: "The small net sum reflects Sir John's lifelong dedication to Christian and philanthropic work." He was wise enough to send along his treasure to heaven, where it could gather real interest for eternity. ILLUSTRATION - W A Criswell told the following story as he ended his sermon on Matthew 6:19-21, John Rascus put $300 in the collection plate when it passed, and he said softly, “I’ll see you in heaven.” Those around him said, “Old John is getting senile. He says he is going to see that $300 in heaven. He may meet his Maker over there, but he certainly won’t meet his money.” Now, the church treasurer used some of that $300 to pay the electric bill. He gave some of it to the preacher to buy gasoline. Some went to ministerial students, and some to the mission field. Early one morning John Rascus died in his sleep. On that first Lord’s Day in glory, he walked down the golden streets and a young fellow came up and said, “Thank you, brother John. I was cold and lonely and it was a dark night. I saw the lights of the church. Just to get out of the dark, I went in. While there, the darkness left my soul and I found Jesus.” Another came to him saying, “The preacher came to the filling station. As I filled his tank, he told me about Jesus and I gave my heart to the Lord.” Next John met a throng of people who said, “I want to thank you for those students you helped. They preached the gospel to my family, and we found the Lord.” He next met those of strange tongues who said, “Thank you, brother, for sending us the gospel across the seas.” Finally old John came to Hallelujah Square and, turning to an angel, he said, “I feel sorry for you angels. You have never known what it is to be saved by the blood of Jesus, My Lord.” John Rascus mused a moment, then added, “And you do not know what it is to transform the possessions of earth into the treasures of heaven.” “Sir,” replied the angel, “all we do is just watch it from the streets of glory.” (listen to the moving version of I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold,from Selah) I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I'd rather be His than have riches untold; I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands, I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hands. --Miller The poorest person is one whose only wealth is money. Those who have their hearts fixed on heaven will hold loosely the things of earth. Luke 12:35 "Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. KJV Luke 12:35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; BGT Luke 12:35 Ἔστωσαν ὑμῶν αἱ ὀσφύες περιεζωσμέναι καὶ οἱ λύχνοι καιόμενοι· Young's Literal 'Let your loins be girded, and the lamps burning, NET Luke 12:35 "Get dressed for service and keep your lamps burning; CSB Luke 12:35 "Be ready for service and have your lamps lit. ESV Luke 12:35 "Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, NIV Luke 12:35 "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, NLT Luke 12:35 "Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, NRS Luke 12:35 "Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; YLT Luke 12:35 'Let your loins be girded, and the lamps burning, GWN Luke 12:35 "Be ready for action, and have your lamps burning. NKJ Luke 12:35 "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; NAB Luke 12:35 "Gird your loins and light your lamps" Be dressed in readiness 1 Ki 18:46; Pr 31:17; Isa 5:27; 11:5; Eph 6:14; 1 Pet 1:13 keep your lamps lit Mt 5:16; 25:1,4-10; Phil 2:15 Luke 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 12:35-48 Are You Ready for Christ’s Return? - Steven Cole Luke 12:35-40 Waiting for the Master's Return, Part 1 - John MacArthur Luke 12:35-40 Waiting for the Master's Return, Part 2 - John MacArthur Change of focus from earthly possessions (Luke 12:13-34) to heavenly watchfulness (Luke 12:35-48): Watching servants - (Lk 12:36–38), Watching head of house (Lk 12:39–40) Faithful steward (Lk 12:42–48). Click to Enlarge = Metaphorical Description of READINESS JESUS COMMANDS US: BE READY! I'M ON MY WAY! One could subtitle Luke 12:35-40 "Bondservants Waiting Expectantly for the Return of their Master and King." Jesus had just spoken of treasure in heaven and now focuses our hearts on the return of our greatest Treasure in Heaven, Himself! The problem with focusing on worldly possessions (as discussed in the previous section) is that we lose proper perspective of the parousia, the return of Christ. You cannot keep your eyes on God, if your eyes are on gold (Mt 6:24+). And so in these next 15 verses Jesus' teaching is geared to give us what I like to call "Vertical Vision," our upward look which motivates and empowers our "horizontal living," because what (Who) we are looking for will (Should) impact radically, what (Who) we are living for. In my humble opinion, this is why the Holy Spirit inspired the writers of the New Testament to describe (directly or indirectly) the Second Coming approximately once in every 25 verses. We cannot get very far away from His glorious return as we read the inspired words of the New Testament! This is good food for our soul, real "soul food." (Mt 4:4+). Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us (each morning) gird up our minds (see depiction above) that we might be "ever ready" (like the battery!) for His glorious return! Leon
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Wiersbe observes that in this section "Jesus shifted the emphasis from being worried about the present to being watchful about the future. The themes in Luke 12 all go together, for one of the best ways to conquer hypocrisy, covetousness, and worry is to look for the Lord’s return. When you are “living in the future tense,” it is difficult for the things of the world to ensnare you. In this section, Jesus explained how we can be ready for His return." (Borrow Be compassionate) Be (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) dressed in readiness (perizonnumi) - Literally "Let your loins be girded" or "Stand, your waist having been belted." NAB is pithy - "Gird your loins and light your lamps."Jesus appropriately begins this section on watchfulness using the ancient picture of a man getting ready for action (work, war, running, leaving in the Rapture, etc) by first girding up his loins, which means he lifts up his flowing robe from his legs and tucks it into the belt around his waist so that nothing impedes him from full and effective movement. That literal picture is what Jesus wants us to manifest in our mind, our thinking, our heart. The essence of the idea He expounds on in the next 12 passages is BE READY AND WAITING, for "I AM RETURNING!" Dressed for readiness is in the perfect tense which speaks of a past completed action with ongoing effect or result and so speaks of the permanence of this action. In other words, the implication of this tense is that one is not to wait until the last moment to tuck their long, flowing garment in, but is to always be prepared! Never be undressed, as it were, in a moral or spiritual sense -- Spurgeon
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Wiersbe adds "Jewish weddings were held at night, and a bridegroom’s servants would have to wait for their master to come home with his bride. The new husband would certainly not want to be kept waiting at the door with his bride! But the servants had to be sure they were ready to go to work, with their robes tucked under their girdles so they were free to move (see 1 Peter 1:13ff)." (Borrow Be compassionate) When he returns (analuo) from the wedding feast (gamos) - Not "if" but "when." This would not seem to be a reference to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, for in this story the master returns to the servants after the wedding feast. Eschatologically (prophetically speaking) gamos refers to the wedding ceremony of the Bridegroom, Christ, with His Bride, the Church, at the outset of the Messianic (Millennial) Kingdom (but exact timing difficult to state with absolute certainty). (Rev 19:7-note, Rev 19:9-note). Gilbrant cautions that "We would overinterpret the parable (Ed: referring to Luke 12:35-36) to insist that this speaks of Christ returning from the Marriage Supper of the Lamb for His Church. The point of the parable is the preparation for His return, not the actual timing of the return." (Complete Biblical Library) NET Note on wedding feast - An ancient wedding celebration could last for days (Tobit 11:18 = Ahikar and his nephew Nadab were also present to share Tobit’s joy. With merriment they celebrated Tobias’s wedding feast for seven days, and many gifts were given to him). (Luke 12) So that (term of purpose) they may immediately (eutheos) open (anoigo) the door to him when he comes and knocks (krouo) - So that (term of purpose) is the purpose for waiting expectantly. The point is that Jesus is calling for continual vigilance. Living in readiness for the parousia of the master (Christ). Related Resources: English word imminent - close in time; about to occur, liable to happen soon; impending, "jutting out or overhanging" (What a picture of His return!) Imminent/Imminency Can the return of Christ truly be said to be imminent? Is Jesus coming soon? How are we to live our lives in light of Christ's return? What is the difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming? Is it possible to know when Jesus is coming back? What is the blessed hope? Reginald Showers (Friends for Israel Ministry) - The Imminent Coming of Christ Gerald Stanton - The Doctrine of Imminency - Is It Biblical? John Walvoord - The Imminent Translation of the Church Robert Thomas - Imminence in NT esp Paul's Thessalonian Epistles - 25 page analysis of the doctrine of imminence John
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Wiersbe - Anyone will do whatever is necessary to stay out of prison, but how many people will apply that same concern and diligence to stay out of hell? If lawyers and judges would examine God's Word as diligently as they examine their law books, they will gain a wisdom that the law cannot give. The nation of Israel was marching to judgment, and the Judge was Almighty God, yet they would not seek for terms of peace (Luke 13:34-35). Jesus knew that the Roman armies would come to destroy the city and the temple (Luke 19:41-44), but He could not convince the people to repent. Their debt was mounting up and they would pay the last mite. We must apply these truths to our own lives personally. If we knew a storm was coming, we would prepare for it. If we knew the officer was coming to take us to court, we would get a lawyer and try to settle the case out of court. The storm of God's wrath is coming, and the Judge is already standing before the door (James 5:9). "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). (Borrow Be compassionate) Stein summarizes Luke's message - Luke’s view of the realized dimension of God’s kingdom was clear in this passage. The “signs” of the kingdom were present for all to see (Lk 12:56). They were not the “signs from heaven” Jesus’ opponents demanded (Lk 11:16), but they were signs nonetheless and could have been seen by those with eyes to see. What the OT promised was coming to pass. A great reversal was taking place (Lk 4:18–21; 7:22–23). This passage builds on prior passages that speak of the kingdom having come and will be reinforced by those that follow. More than any other Synoptic Gospel, Luke emphasized the “already now” of God’s kingdom. In light of the eschatological situation, Luke stressed the need for reconciliation with God. In the urgency of the present time it was dangerous to delay. The parable in Lk 12:58 urges such reconciliation even more strongly than its parallel in Matthew. Although exactly how that reconciliation comes about is not described in this passage, one need not look hard in Luke’s writings to discover what the required response is. One must repent, ridding oneself of anything that might be an encumbrance to following Jesus, and one must believe with a whole heart. (See Luke: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition ) Paid (repay, pay/give back) (591) apodidomi from apó = from + didomi = give and so to "give off” from one’s self) literally means to give back, then to put away by giving and then in a more figurative sense to pay back or recompense. Apodidomi can mean to give back or pay back (implying a debt and conveying the idea of obligation and responsibility for something that is not optional) and was a technical term for repaying a debt (Mt 18:25, 20:8, 21:41) It means to pay back, implying a debt. The papyri uses apodidomi to describe the paying of debt or restoring of a due of any kind. Cent (Small copper coins) (3016) leptos from from leptós = thin) means something scaled down or light, a small coin, mite, "the thin one." Leptos denotes a small Jewish coin which is the only Jewish coin mentioned in the New Testament. Only in Mk. 12:42; Lk. 12:59; Lk. 21:2. Used in Genesis of Pharaoh's dream of gaunt cows and thin ears of corn (Ge. 41:3-4; 41:6-7, et al). "Ellis (1974: 239) computes the value (OF LEPTOS) as one one-hundredth of a denarius, thus one one-hundredth of the average daily wage—a very small sum indeed!" (Bock) Zodhiates writes that leptos was "the smallest coin in use among the Jews, equal to half a kodrántēs <2835>, a farthing which was the eighth part of an assarion, a Roman coin (Mark 12:42; Luke 12:59; 21:2). The value of the widow's gift (Mark 12:42) was little more than a farthing. The fact that it consisted of two tiny coins—a fact which is obscured by our careless referral to "the widow's mite"—is full of significance. She might have kept back one, but in spite of her penury she cast in all that she had. (Borrow The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament ) Gilbrant - The word lepton (neuter of leptos) is the noun form of the verb leipō which means “to strip or peel bark off a tree.” The usual result of peeling bark off trees was small, thin pieces of bark, and hence the noun form meant “thin,” “small,” and many other synonyms of the same. ((Complete Biblical Library)) Liddell-Scott - leptos - 1. peeled, husked, threshed out, Il. 2. fine, small, of dust, ashes, etc.. 3. thin, fine, delicate, of cloth, thread, etc., Hom., Eur. 4. of the human figure, thin, lean, meagre, Ar., Xen.: also slender, taper, Plat. 5. of space, like stenos, strait, narrow, Od.; in a thin line, Xen. 6. generally, small, weak, impotent, faint traces, Xen.; small cattle, i.e. sheep and goats, Hdt.; small craft, Id., etc. 7. light, slight, of sounds, Aesch. light breezes, Eur. 8. of wine, light, Luc. II. metaph. fine, subtle, refined Leptos - 28x in 26v in the Septuagint - Ge. 41:3-4 ("gaunt" cows); Ge. 41:6-7 ("thin" ears); Gen. 41:7; Gen. 41:19; Gen. 41:20; Gen. 41:23; Gen. 41:24; Gen. 41:27; Exod. 16:14; Exod. 30:7; Exod. 30:36 - lean (of meat) ; Exod. 32:20; Lev. 13:30 - fine, powdery; Lev. 16:12; Deut. 9:21; 1 Ki. 19:12; 2 Chr. 34:7; Isa. 27:9; Isa. 30:14; Isa. 30:22; Jer. 51:34; Dan. 2:35;