Luke 12

This chapter falls within Jesus' journey toward Jerusalem in the Gospel of Luke (from 9:51 onward). After Jesus rebukes the Pharisees and the lawyers at the end of chapter 11, his teaching continues before a gathering of many thousands.

Outline

• Verses 1–3 Jesus warns his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy (a discrepancy between outward appearance and inner reality). Everything hidden will be revealed.
• Verses 4–12 He tells them to fear God rather than those who can kill only the body. He points to sparrows and the hairs of the head to illustrate God's care. He speaks of confessing the Son of Man before others and of the sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit, and he says that when they are brought before synagogues and authorities, the Holy Spirit will teach them what to say.
• Verses 13–21 When a man asks him to divide an inheritance, Jesus warns against covetousness and tells the parable of the rich fool.
• Verses 22–34 He tells them not to be anxious about what they will eat or wear. He points to the ravens and the lilies and tells them to seek his kingdom. He tells them to sell their possessions and give alms.
• Verses 35–40 He tells them to stay watchful, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding. The Son of Man will come at an hour they do not expect.
• Verses 41–48 In response to Peter's question, he contrasts the faithful and wise steward with the wicked servant. Much will be required of the one to whom much is given.
• Verses 49–53 He says he has come to cast fire on the earth and that he has a baptism to undergo. Five members of one household will be divided against one another.
• Verses 54–59 He rebukes the crowd for being able to interpret the weather but not the present time. He tells them to make peace with their adversary while still on the way.

Key Verses

• Luke 12:15 "A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." — This summarizes the theme of the parable of the rich fool.
• Luke 12:31 "But rather seek ye the kingdom of God." — This is the conclusion of the teaching on anxiety. It is read as a call to seek the kingdom of God first.
• Luke 12:34 "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." — This verse, which speaks of the relationship between wealth and the heart, is widely quoted.

People and Places

• Jesus: Teaches the crowd and his disciples.
• The man who asks for an inheritance to be divided: An unnamed member of the crowd.
• Solomon: Mentioned as an example of glory compared with the lilies of the field.
• No specific location is named.

Points for Reflection

• In Matthew, the teachings of this chapter are distributed across several passages. The teaching on anxiety appears in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:24–34, and verses 4–5 correspond to Matthew 10:28.
• Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit in Luke 12:10 parallels Mark 3:28–30. A widely held interpretation understands it as a hardened, persistent rejection of the Holy Spirit's work despite recognizing it. Views on whether a believer can commit this sin differ, reflecting denominational differences over the perseverance of the saints.
• "Hell" in verse 5 translates the Greek Gehenna, a term derived from the Valley of Hinnom.
• The assarion in verse 6 (rendered "farthing" in the KJV) was a small Roman coin, and the "mite" in verse 59 refers to an even smaller coin.
• Verses 35–48 are commonly read as teaching about the proper posture for awaiting the Second Coming.
• The "baptism to be baptized with" in verse 50 is generally interpreted as referring to the coming suffering of the cross, and it is linked with Mark 10:38–39.
• The command in verse 33, "Sell that ye have, and give alms," is read by some as a literal command and by others as a call to an attitude of not being bound by possessions.

In the Korean Church

The parable of the rich fool and the passage on not being anxious are frequently used in sermons on attitudes toward material possessions, gratitude, and stewardship.