Luke 12:1-12

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 12:4

And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. All this the Master knew was true and would shortly happen, His words were verified before fifty years had passed. The triumphant success of the great Christian preachers and the discredited condition of the old rabbinic schools is testified to by snell words as we find in St. Paul's letters. "Where is the wise? where is the scribe?" ( 1 Corinthians 1:20 ). But this... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 12:4-5

The power to hurt and bless. We are admonished of— I. THE POWER WHICH MAN HAS TO HURT US . 1 . He can wound our body. He can smite, can wound, can slay us. The sad story of human persecution contains only too many illustrations of this fact. 2 . He can wound our spirit. This is a course he can, and still does very often take; he can mock, can sneer, can indulge in heartless ribaldry, can hold up our most sacred convictions to ridicule, and thus he can... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 12:5

But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; literally, into Gehenna. This is simply Gee-hinnom , "valley of Hinnom," translated into Greek letters· This valley was situated in the neighborhood of Jerusalem, and originally was noted for the infamous rites practiced there in the worship of Moloch, in the times of the idolatrous kings of Judah. King Josiah, to mark his abhorrence of the idol-rites, defiled it with corpses;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 12:6-7

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows . Though persecution and bitter suffering, even death, may be the guerdon of the Lord's true servants here, none of these things can happen without the consent of God. This thought will surely give them courage to endure. Suffering undergone in God's service, inflicted, too, with his... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 12:8

Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God. The great Teacher pursues the subject of the future of his disciples. It is by no means only to a wise fear of that God, whose hand stretches beyond this life, that he appeals as a mighty inducement for his servants utterly to disregard all dangers which may meet them in the course of their service; he tells them, too, of a splendid recompense, which will assuredly be... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 12:8-9

Confessing Christ. From these solemn words we gather— I. THAT CHRISTIANITY CENTRES IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST . Our Lord taught us much concerning ourselves —the inestimable value of our spiritual nature; the real source and spring of evil in our own souls; the true excellency of a human life; whom we should regard as our neighbor, etc. But he taught us still more of himself —of his relations with the Divine Father; of his essential superiority even to the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 12:9

But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. Splendid as would the recompense be to the faithful and the loyal, equally shameful would be the guerdon meted out to the cowardly and faint-hearted. Before the same glorious throng would the King detail the failure, through slavish fear, of those whom he had chosen for so royal a service. Such an announcement as this proclamation of glory and of shame before the holy angels, in which stupendous scene he , the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 12:10

And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him . And yet even that offense, which consisted in playing the renegade and the coward; which refused to suffer for him here; which, out of slavish fear of man, consented to abandon his pure and righteous cause;— that offense, which would be proclaimed before the angels of heaven, would in the end find forgiveness. Some commentators point, as an illustration of this, to the fact of the dying Lord praying on... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 12:11

And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer. The Master comes back again to his old calm, and continues his loving instructions to his disciples; and turning again to the little group of his friends, he says. to them." When they bring you before hostile tribunals, special help, you will find, will be given you. Have no fear, then, that you will be wanting in wisdom or courage; the Holy Spirit of God will... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Luke 12:1

In the mean time - While he was discoursing with the scribes and Pharisees, as recorded in the last chapter.An innumerable multitude - The original word is “myriad’s,” or ten thousands. It is used here to signify that there was a great crowd or collection of people, who were anxious to hear him. Multitudes were attracted to the Saviour’s ministry, and it is worthy of remark that he never had more to hear him than when he was most faithful and severe in his reproofs of sinners. Men’s consciences... read more

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