Luke 12

     12:1.  “These circumstances” refers to the hostility engendered in the Pharisees and other leaders (11:53f.) when Jesus bluntly cut through their hypocrisy and self-righteousness to expose their sins.  Vv.45-46 warns of judgment on such leaders, and also is a warning to the disciples to be faithful to their charge.  Both groups had been given much (48).

     12:13-21.  The “someone” in the crowd (13), truth be told, speaks with the voice of the world, rich and poor alike.  We know what our rights are and what is important.  But who can save our souls from hell and the power of the grave?  Who will give us the everlasting inheritance?  Too often these questions don’t even get asked in the passions of the day.  See Psalm 49.

     12:20.  The answer to the question asked here is; perhaps some fool like the man in v.13 (cf. Ecc.2:18-19).  The margin reading is interesting (Lit., they are demanding your soul from you).  Who is “they”?  Perhaps the goods that the man has forfeited his soul for?  They pull his soul to destruction with them.

     12:22-34.  “For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious,” etc. (22).  Jesus continues to teach the sharp contrast in the relative values of temporal and eternal things, and where our focus should be (31), “for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom”.  (32, and cf. with 13; Ro.8:32).                           

     12:35-40.  This warning has multiple applications.  It applied when Jesus drew near in the clouds to destroy Jerusalem with the Roman army in A.D.70.  It will certainly apply when he comes without warning to judge the world at the last Great Day.  And it applies to each man in the hour of his death (“this very night your soul is required of you”, 20).  See v.40.

     12:41-48.  Three kinds of sin are dealt with in the judgment: Sins of commission (45-46), sins of omission (47), and sins of ignorance (48).  But of this last, not everyone who pleads ignorance will get off lightly, for in many cases our ignorance is really a sin of omission.

     12:49-53.  We see Jesus kindling the fires of division as he stirs up the hot passions of the leaders against him (Luke 11:39-52; 12:52-53 The household of five is father, son, mother, daughter, and the husband’s mother).

     12:54-59,  The judge is at the door (James 5:9), and the foolish do not judge the times (56), or prepare to face him by settling out of court before heir bad case can be examined (57-59).  (Cf. 57 with 13-14).