Luke Chapter 12

(Luke 12:1 NASB)  Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of the multitude 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.

Luke 12:1:      There were thousands of people present and crammed together to hear the Words of Messiah.  He told them to beware of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.  The Greek word for hypocrisy means “play-acting.”  Their playing acting is spreading throughout Israel much like yeast spreads through dough.

 

(Luke 12:2 NASB)  “But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.
(Luke 12:3 NASB)  “Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

Luke 12:3:      Everything we say and do will be revealed.  There is nothing that will be hidden from the Father (Ecc. 12:13-14).

 

(Luke 12:4 NASB)  “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
(Luke 12:5 NASB)  “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!

Luke 12:5:      Yeshua says not to be afraid of those who can kill you, but be afraid of the One who can casr you into hell.  The Greek term for “hell” here is “geenna.”  Geenna is a valley west and south of Jerusalem which was usually kept burning because it was used as a trash dump.  Here it is used to represent the Lake of Fire at the final judgment.
Fearing Elohim who can cause eternal death above all else is a common theme in the Tanakh (Isaiah 51:7-13, Prov. 14:26-27, Jer. 5:22-25, Prov. 1:7, 2:1-5).

 

(Luke 12:6 NASB)  “Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God.
(Luke 12:7 NASB)  “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Luke 12:7:      We have nothing to fear from man.  He can do nothing outside of the will of the Father and He greatly values His people.
When Yeshua says that the hairs of our head are numbered, He is using references similar to instances in the Tanakh (1 Sam. 14:45, 2 Sam. 14:11).

 

(Luke 12:8 NASB)  “And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man shall confess him also before the angels of God;
(Luke 12:9 NASB)  but he who denies Me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.

Luke 12:9:      Christians think this passage means that we are to say “Jesus is Lord” and then they are saved.  That is not true.
The Greek word for “confesses” is the Greek word G3670. homologew,  from homologos (of one mind); to speak the same, to agree:– acknowledge(2), admit(1), assured(1), confess(8), confessed(3), confesses(5), confessing(1), declare(1), give thanks(m)(1), made(1), profess(1), promised(1).
It means that if we are of one mind with Yeshua before men, Yeshua will be of one mind with us before the angels of Elohim.
The Greek word for “deny” is 720. arneomai, ar-neh’-om-ahee; perh. from G1 (as a neg. particle) and the mid. of G4483; to contradict, i.e. disavow, reject, abnegate:–deny, refuse.
Yeshua says of those men who contradict Him, He will contradict before the angels of Elohim.

 

(Luke 12:10 NASB)  “And everyone who will speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him.

Luke 12:10:      We need to remove our pagan Trinitrianism in order to understand this verse.  First of all, the word for Spirit also means “breath.”
Spirit – 4151. pneuma, pnyoo’-mah; from G4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by anal. or fig. a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by impl.) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, daemon, or (divine) God, Christ’s spirit, the Holy Spirit:–ghost, life, spirit (-ual, -ually), mind. Comp. G5590.
The Holy Spirit is the breath of the Father.  The breath of the Father is where Yeshua receives His power, not from any other entity (Matt. 3:11, 4:1, 12:18, John 6:63).
The reason this even came up is because some of the Pharisees accused Yeshua of driving out demons by the power of Satan instead of the power of the Spirit of the Father (Luke 11:14-16).  By saying that Yeshua receives His power from Beelzbub, they were saying that the Father is Satan.  This is blasphemy against the Father, for which there is no forgiveness (Ex. 20:7, Deut. 5:11).

 

(Luke 12:11 NASB)  “And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not become anxious about how or what you should speak in your defense, or what you should say;
(Luke 12:12 NASB)  for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Luke 12:12:      This is the same thing Elohim told Moses (Ex. 4:10-12)

 

(Luke 12:13 NASB)  And someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.”
(Luke 12:14 NASB)  But He said to him, “Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbiter over you?”

Luke 12:14:      This man thought Yeshua could be judge or arbitrator for him.  Yeshua did not care to get involved in a family squabble.

 

(Luke 12:15 NASB)  And 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.”

Luke 12:15:      Yeshua is warning them against greed in life (Psalm 62:10, Prov. 23:4-5).

 

(Luke 12:16 NASB)  And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a certain rich man was very productive.
(Luke 12:17 NASB)  “And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’
(Luke 12:18 NASB)  “And 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.

Luke 12:18:      This is the parable of a man who solely relies on his wealth for his life and happiness.

 

(Luke 12:19 NASB)  ‘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.”‘
(Luke 12:20 NASB)  “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?’
(Luke 12:21 NASB)  “So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Luke 12:21:      The man who lays up treasures for himself is putting his security in his wealth and turning away from Elohim (Hosea 10:1-2, Hab. 2:9).

 

(Luke 12:22 NASB)  And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on.
(Luke 12:23 NASB)  “For life is more than food, and the body than clothing.

Luke 12:23:      We are not to be anxious or worried about the things in this life.  Our food and clothing will be provided by the Father.  It seems that the more we have, the more we desire.  When this happens possessions turn into our very life.

 

(Luke 12:24 NASB)  “Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; and they have no storeroom nor barn; and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!

Luke 12:24:      Yeshua points out that the raven does not sow nor reap nor store their food in barns.  Yet Elohim sees that they are fed.  Once again, this is a paraphrase of what is stated in the Tanakh (Job 38:41).

 

(Luke 12:25 NASB)  “And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life’s span?
(Luke 12:26 NASB)  “If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why are you anxious about other matters?

Luke 12:26:      If we cannot add to our life span by worrying, why would we do it?  Worry is a waste of time.  This is another principle clearly taught in the Tanakh (Psalm 55:22, 56:3-4, Isa. 50:10).

 

(Luke 12:27 NASB)  “Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these.
(Luke 12:28 NASB)  “But if God so arrays the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O men of little faith!

Luke 12:28:      Solomon almost cornered the world’s gold market.  But he still could not dress himself as beautiful as a single lilly in the field.  Once again, Yeshua is giving a short discourse on a passage in the Tanakh that  combines the flowers of the field, grass, and the life of a man to make a brilliant point (Isa. 40:5-8).

 

(Luke 12:29 NASB)  “And do not seek what you shall eat, and what you shall drink, and do not keep worrying.
(Luke 12:30 NASB)  “For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.

Luke 12:30:      These are the things the nations of the world seek. Elohim will provide for His people.

 

(Luke 12:31 NASB)  “But seek for His kingdom, and these things shall be added to you.

Luke 12:31:      The passage in Matthew tells us to seek His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to us (Matt. 6:33).  His kingdom and His righteousness are synonymous in many ways because only those who follow His Torah will enter (Rev. 21:23-27).

 

(Luke 12:32 NASB)  “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.
(Luke 12:33 NASB)  “Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys.
(Luke 12:34 NASB)  “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Luke 12:34:      Once again, Yeshua is speaking of the Kingdom.  He says His flock is small.  It is only the lost sheep of the House of Israel (Matt. 15:24).
Yeshau said for the people to provide for the poor among them, for this displays their heart.  He said the same thing to the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18-22).

 

(Luke 12:35 NASB)  “Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps alight.

Luke 12:35:      What does He mean to “keep your lamps alight?”  He means to follow His Torah (Psalm 119:105, Prov. 6:23).

 

(Luke 12:36 NASB)  “And 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.
(Luke 12:37 NASB)  “Blessed are those slaves whom the master shall 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.
(Luke 12:38 NASB)  “Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

Luke 12:38:      This is similar to the parable of the ten virgins at the wedding feast.  Yeshua says we are to be obeying His Torah at all times and in all places because He is coming at an hour that they do not expect.

 

(Luke 12:39 NASB)  “And 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.
(Luke 12:40 NASB)  “You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”

Luke 12:40:      Yeshau says that He is coming like a thief in the night, therefore we are to always be prepared.

 

(Luke 12:41 NASB)  And Peter said, “Lord, are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?”
(Luke 12:42 NASB)  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?
(Luke 12:43 NASB)  “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.
(Luke 12:44 NASB)  “Truly I say to you, that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

Luke 12:44:      Yeshua appears to be addressing this to His disciples (stewards) who are in charge of his servants.  He is speaking of those who teach His Word to the people.

 

(Luke 12:45 NASB)  “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;
(Luke 12:46 NASB)  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.
(Luke 12:47 NASB)  “And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, shall receive many lashes,

Luke 12:47:      To beat slaves from among Israelites is forbidden.  They are to be treated as hired hands (Lev. 25:35-41).  For men to be beaten for their unrighteousness is in Torah (Deut. 25:1-3).

 

(Luke 12:48 NASB)  but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. And from everyone who has been given much shall much be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

Luke 12:48:      This is why Yeshua said the Pharisees would receive the greater punishment.  Those who know His Torah are obligated to keep it and are entrusted with much.

 

(Luke 12:49 NASB)  “I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!
(Luke 12:50 NASB)  “But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!

Luke 12:50:      The word “baptism” has different meanings, depending on the context.  In this passage, Yeshua seems to be using the term to speak of His impending death.  (Mark 10:36-38).  Yeshua is referring to His upcoming death as a “cleansing.”  Baptism simply means a washing or cleansing.  John baptized with water, but Yeshua baptizes (cleanses) us with the Spirit of the Father (Mark 1:6-8).    Yeshua came to cleanse us from our sins, which occurs when His Spirit dwells within us, then we are “cleansed.”  Baptism is the outward sign of the New Covenant and His Spirit dwelling within us (Heb. 9:14-15, Ezek. 36:25-27).
In this passage in Luke, Yeshua is speaking of baptizing with fire and the Spirit (Luke 12:49-50, 3:16).  .  To baptize with the Spirit is to have His Spirit poured out on us (Prov. 1:23, Isa. 32:15-20, 44:3-5).  To baptize with fire is to cleanse us at His return (Isa. 4:2-4, Zech. 13:9, Mal. 3:2-3).

 

(Luke 12:51 NASB)  “Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division;
(Luke 12:52 NASB)  for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two, and two against three.
(Luke 12:53 NASB)  “They will be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Luke 12:53:      It is safe to say that Christianity has not caused much division in families.  The greatest division is caused when someone in that family follows Torah.  They seem to be chosen as two from a family, one from a city (Jer. 3:14).

 

(Luke 12:54 NASB)  And He was also saying to the multitudes, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it turns out.
(Luke 12:55 NASB)  “And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, ‘It will be a hot day,’ and it turns out that way.
(Luke 12:56 NASB)  “You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not analyze this present time?
(Luke 12:57 NASB)  “And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right?

Luke 12:57:      If they were wise, they could understand this (Deut. 32:28-29).

 

(Luke 12:58 NASB)  “For while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to settle with him, in order that he may not drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison.
(Luke 12:59 NASB)  “I say to you, you shall not get out of there until you have paid the very last cent.”

Luke 12:59:      This is a paraphrase of Prov. 25:8-9.  Yeshua says to settle your case with Elohim now.  Do not wait.  Start now obeying His Torah, obeying His Instructions, honoring His name and Feast Days, loving your neighbor, and caring for those among us who are not able.