In Luke 12 Yeshua gave a sermon to a crowd so big they <trampled one another>: Luke 12:1. Yet most of the public talk was directed to his personal disciples whom he called his <little flock>: Luke 12:32. The sermon is almost completely unknown to vast majority Believers.
The term Believer is used to refer to Followers of Yeshua (Nazarenes), Messianics and Christians in general.
Unlike his most famous sermon called by many the Sermon on the Mount: Matthew chapters 5-7 or even another similar sermon called the Sermon on the Plain: Luke 6:20-49, this message deals with personal instructions only to his close followers. Thus, every Believer ought to make a study of this address the subject of an intense and thorough study.
The following article is an outline of just some of the material in this wondrous sermon, in Luke 12, where our Master Yeshua encourages his disciples:
FEAR NOT LITTLE FLOCKTHE DANGER OF HYPOCRISY [Luke 12:1-7]
Luke 12 is unique in that the account reveals exactly who Yeshua was speaking to. For example, at the very beginning of the sermon the book Luke states that Yeshua speaks to his disciples about hypocrisy. Consider the opening words to this important message from the Messiah Yeshua where he told his disciples to be on guard against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees:
Luke 12:1 [The Scriptures 2009 - TS-2009]
. . . Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
(Words of Yeshua in purple)
This is a courageous statement given the Pharisees are likely still present, and that Yeshua has just pronounced woes against them in the previous chapter [Compare Matthew 16:6 and Mark 8:15]. This warning about hypocrisy must be kept in the context of the words that follow, directed to the disciples:
Luke 12:2-3 [TS-2009]
2 “And whatever is concealed shall be revealed, and whatever is hidden shall be known.
3 “So, whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms shall be proclaimed on the house-tops.
No disciple of the Messiah can remain under the delusion that negative things can be spoken of others in secret and not exposed in the end. Things spoken in secret, particularly criticisms of others, have ways of backfiring: Ecclesiastes 10:20.
BEWARE OF HYPOCRISY
In the book of Matthew, the Messiah uttered the fear-inspiring words:
Matthew 12:35-37 [TS 2009]
35 The good man brings forth what is good from the good treasures of his heart, and the wicked man brings forth what is wicked from the wicked treasure.
36 And I say to you that for every idle word men speak, they shall give an account of it in the day of judgment.
37 “For by your words you shall be declared righteous, and by your words you shall be declared unrighteous.”
But, Yeshua makes it clear, such secret and hurtful speech is heard by the Eternal. He tells his disciples that we ought to fear Yahweh, his Father:
Luke 12:4-5 [TS 2009] 4 “But I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that are unable to do any more. 5 “But I shall show you whom you should fear: Fear the One who, after killing, possesses authority to cast into GeHinnom. Yes, I say to you, fear Him!
The Messiah clearly taught the fear of the Eternal, as did his inspired disciples.
[Compare Romans 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:11; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 5:21; Philippians 2:1; Colossians 3:22; 1 Peter 2:17; Revelation 14:7]
THE NEED TO CONFESS THE MESSIAH (Luke 12:8-12)
While there are some secret things that should never be discussed, there are other things that should be spoken publicly.
Yeshua told his disciples:
Luke 12:8-9 [TS 2009]
8 “And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Adam shall also confess him before the messengers of Elohim.
9 “But he that has denied Me before men shall be denied before the messengers of Elohim.
The disciple must speak about his Master Yeshua in public. [Compare Romans 10:9-11; Hebrews 13:15.] Genuine faith will always move a disciple to speak to others about the Messiah: 2 Corinthians 4:13.
CONFESS YESHUA THE MESSIAH BEFORE MEN
Avoiding evil, hypocritical speech, as well as publicly confessing the Messiah, is a wonderful start.
Yeshua then continues to give a most serious warning about greed:
GUARD AGAINST GREED [Luke 12:13-21]
Luke 12:13-21 [TS 2009]
13 And someone from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, speak to my brother, to divide the inheritance with me.”
14 But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or divider over you?”
15 And He said to them, “Mind, and beware of greed, because one’s life does not consist in the excess of his possessions.”
16 He then spoke a parable to them, saying, “The land of a certain rich man yielded well.
17 “And he was reasoning within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, because I have no room to store my crops?’
18 “And he said, ‘I am going to do this: pull down my storehouses and build greater, and store all my crops and my goods there,
19 then say to myself, “Life, you have many goods laid up for many years, take your ease, eat, drink, rejoice.” ’
20 “But Elohim said to him, ‘You mindless one! This night your life shall be demanded from you. And who shall own what you have prepared?’
21 “So is he who is storing up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward Elohim.”
Someone in the great crowd called out and asked the Messiah to settle a dispute over inheritance. We do not know the real circumstances. It may well be this person had a legal right to his inheritance, which his brother had extorted. The main problem was that the man had gathered to a crowd listening to a spiritual teacher, and he raised a family and financial problem. He betrayed his greed and materialism in such an environment. [Compare Proverbs 20:21.] Though Yeshua could have easily acted as judge regarding this man’s problem, he does give a stern warning to all:
Luke 12:15 [TS 2009] Mind, and beware of greed, because one’s life does not consist in the excess of his possessions.
There are many forms and degrees of greed, from mild gambling to deceitful extortion. The greedy Believer is to be shunned: 1 Corinthians 5:9-11; 6:9, 10. Greed or covetousness runs in bad company: Mark 7:22; Romans 1:29; James 4:2.
Yeshua states a simple principle about life in general:
OUR LIFE DOES NOT RESULT FROM Oú POSSESSIONS
Yeshua continues with a parable about a rich farmer who had a particularly good crop, a wind-fall as it were. Now, there is nothing wrong with this in itself. But Yeshua strikes at humanity’s greed and desire for more security. Note that in the parable, the rich farmer uses the personal pronoun [I, me] a dozen times, showing his egocentric obsession with self. He does exactly what James 4:13-15 cautions against, planning for the future without thinking about the Eternal and neighbour.
The rich farmer is thinking years ahead, and in all of his self-talk he never mentions the Eternal, nor does he utter one word about charity to the poor. Rather, he plans to thoroughly enjoy himself <eat, drink, and rejoice> There is nothing wrong with this in itself: Ecclesiastes 2:24; 11:9. But it can become only self-focusing: James 5:5. And suddenly the One he is ignoring comes on the scene in the parable.
The Eternal addresses him as a fool, that is, someone unreasonable from the bigger perspective no matter how shrewd his business dealings. The Eternal asks an important question: who will inherit all these possessions? The phrase is a strong echo of Ecclesiastes 2:18-19 which describes the vanity of working only for material things, and in the end leaving it all to a fool who will squander the inheritance.
WE WILL BE JUDGED ON HOW WE USE OUR RESOURCES
Saving merely for himself, without any thought for others, was what leads to this farmer’s condemnation. A person will be judged on how they use their riches or wealth.
There are warnings in the book of Proverbs that sound like the Messiah:
Proverbs 23:4 [TS 2009] Do not labour to be rich . . . Proverbs 28:20 [TS 2009] . . . one in a hurry to be rich does not go unpunished. . . . Proverbs 30:8 [TS 2009] Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me my lawful bread;
These words must have caused the Messiah’s disciples some misgivings about their concerns of the future. That is anxiety about basic needs in life.
ANXIETY AND THE KINGDOM [Luke 12:22-34]
Luke12:22-33 [TS 2009] 22 And He said to His taught ones, “For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you shall eat; nor about the body, what you shall put on. 23 “The life is more than the food, and the body is more than the clothing. 24 “Look at the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor granary, and Elohim feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds? 25 “And which of you by worrying is able to add one cubit to his life’s span? 26 “If then you are unable to do the least, why do you worry about the rest? 27 “Look at the lilies, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin, and I say to you, even Shelomoh (Solomon) in all his esteem was not dressed like one of these. 28 “And if Elohim so clothes the grass, which today exists in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more you, O you of little belief? 29 “And do not seek what you shall eat or what you shall drink, and do not keep worrying. 30 “For the nations of the world seek all these, and your Father knows that you need these. 31 “But seek the reign of Elohim, and all these shall be added to you. 32 “Do not fear, little flock, because your Father did delight to give you the reign. 33 “Sell your possessions and give in kindness. Make yourselves purses which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief does come near nor moth destroys. Make yourselves purses which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief does come near nor moth destroys. 34 “For where your treasure is, there your heart shall be also.
His words are similar to those he had spoken some years before in the Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 6:25-34. Here, Yeshua repeats these words because they can never be heard enough.
BE NOT ANXIOUS FOR YOUR LIFE
This anxiety involves three things: food, drink, and clothing. These are the most primary needs for human existence. Yeshua does not have anxieties over luxuries in mind. In this regard, millions of Believers have self-inflicted wounds that destroy faith and end up causing a person to blame the Eternal for their problem: 1 Timothy 6:5-10. It is natural to be worried or have anxiety from time to time. However, Yeshua teaches, not to be constantly anxious. Rather,
SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF THE ETERNAL
That is, strive to find it, make it your chief care, set your heart on it, be eager to have it. It is a continual process for the Nazarene disciple. [Compare Romans 8:5-8 and Colossians 3:1, 2.]
Yeshua promised that the Eternal will care for His worshippers. That is, the bare necessities of life: food, drink, and clothing. Despite this promise, it does not mean there will be times when some Believers being persecuted may go without. [Compare 1 Corinthians 4:11 and
2 Corinthians 11:27]. Yeshua said not to be afraid.
WHO IS THE LITTLE FLOCK?
There are several views on the identity of this ‘little flock’? Some maintain it is the whole Assembly of Believers (Church) and that this is limited in number. Reading the context of chapter twelve it is clear to others that the ‘little flock’ is limited to Yeshua’s apostles. Return to Luke 12:22 and the beginning of the context. This does not mean that the counsel of our Master Yeshua cannot be extended to other disciples, in principle. However, those who claim to make up the ‘little flock’ would be under charge by their Master to do what verse 33 directs. What a surprise for this little flock, which includes a tax-collector and working fishermen. Yeshua told the ‘little flock’:
Luke12:33
Sell your possessions and give to charity.
The Greek is literally – sell your belongings and give gifts of mercy.
Yeshua gave these instructions directly to his ‘little flock’, that is, his apostles. They did exactly as he told them. [Compare Luke 18:28]. After the ascension of Messiah, the early Assembly of Believers followed the example of the apostles: Acts 2:44, 45; 4:32-37. This was something voluntary and no one was forced to sell their property: Acts 5:1-6. Nowhere, in all the writings of Sha’ul (Paul), does he instruct the churches to follow this example. He does encourage sharing and suggests an economic equalization was the better way: Romans 12:13; 2 Corinthians 8:14, 15. He instructs Timothy to give orders to the rich: 1Timothy 6:17-19.
Seeking first the Kingdom would involve another attitude about the future: the Return of the Messiah.
WAITING FOR MESSIAH’S RETURN [Luke 12:35-40]
Luke 12:35-40 [TS 2009]
35 Let your loins be girded about, and the lamps burning,
36 and you be like men awaiting their Master when He returns from the wedding ceremony, so that He coming and knocking, they will at once open to Him.
37 Blessed are those slaves whom the Master will find when He comes to be awake. Truly I say to you that He will gird Himself and will make them recline, and coming up He will serve them.
38 And if He comes in the second watch, or He comes in the third watch, and finds it so, blessed are those slaves.
39 But know this, that if the housemaster had known the hour the thief is coming, he would have watched and would not have allowed his house to be dug through.
40 And you, then, be ready; for in that moment that you don’t expect it, the Son of Man comes.
Yeshua taught the right spiritual attitude for every disciple of the Messiah: a constant spirit of expectation in the Return of the Master.
Yeshua repeated some of this later during the last week of his life: Matthew 24:43, 44; Mark 13:35. The Messiah directs his disciples to be ready for action: loins girded about, and lamps burning. They were to be: like men awaiting their Master when He returns. He did not tell his apostles he would return in their lifetime. He told them to be prepared, regardless of when he returns. That means to: keep watching. This state of alert may be characterized by faithful obedience, continued charity, constantly growing in spiritual enlightenment, and an expectant heart yearned for Messiah’s return.
BE PREPARED FOR THE MESSIAH'S RETURN
Each day the disciple of the Messiah must be a genuine Believer, evidenced in deep faith, charitable love, care for other Believers, introducing others to Messiah, and self-sacrificing endurance. Regardless of when Messiah returns, it will be a moment not expected by his disciples.
WHO IS THE FAITHFUL STEWARD? [Luke 12:41-48]
Luke 12:41-48 [TS 2009]
41 And Kepha (Peter) said to Him, “Master, do You speak this parable to us, or also to all?”
42 And the Master said, “Who then is the trustworthy and wise manager, whom his master shall appoint over his household, to give the portion of food in due season?
43 “Blessed is that servant whom his master shall find so doing when he comes.
44 “Truly, I say to you that he shall appoint him over all his possessions.
45 “But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male servants and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk,
46 the master of that servant shall come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour that he does not know, and shall cut him in two and appoint his portion with the unbelievers.
47 “And that servant who knew his master’s desire, and did not prepare, nor did according to his desire, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48 “But he who did not know, yet did what deserved flogging, shall be beaten with few. And everyone to whom much is given, from him much shall be demanded. And to whom much has been entrusted, from him much more shall be asked.
Yeshua is also mentioned in Matthew 24:45-51. There is a huge crowd and Kepha (Peter) wants to know if this parable of the ready servants applies directly to the apostles only or to others as well. Yeshua asked a rhetorical question, which the following analogy is to answer.
BE A TRUSTWORTHY AND FAITHFUL DISCIPLE
The parable is of a house servant who is appointed over the household slaves. The phrase ‘body of attendants’ is from the Greek «therapeias»: therapists; curing staff. The 1st Century Jewish philosopher, Flavius Josephus, actually reports that a commune of Believers in Egypt called their members by this Greek word. It is possible the immediate question of Kepha, as well as the identity of the ‘little flock’ mentioned above, indicates the ‘faithful steward’ is the body of the apostles. At the same time, the principle could be applied to any Believer who is in fact faithful and wise and who feeds other community members.
The faithful steward would first have to have access to such food. It is interesting that if the parable were viewed literally, we do find the apostles later actually in charge of the literal feeding of the early Church members. [Compare Acts 6:1-7.] That body of elders throughout the Gospel Age who have busied themselves as slaves to the whole household could be described as such a ‘faithful steward’. [Compare notes on 1 Corinthians 12:27, 28 and Ephesians 4:11-16. The happy ‘faithful steward’ will be that one as part of ‘we the living’ of
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17. Whenever the Master Yeshua returns, there will be either individuals or bodies of people who will fit Yeshua’s parable.
It is unfortunate that large numbers of members of the Assembly, as well as many so-called scholars, have written of the ‘delayed arrival’. An entire theology has been structured on the idea that Messiah and his apostles expected the ‘arrival of Messiah’ in their life-time, making all of them great disappointments. It is a very serious state of mind to begin to think the Master is not coming. [Compare Habakkuk 2:4-6].
Yeshua also stated there is an ‘evil slave’. This slave looses faith in the coming of the Master and begins to beat fellow slaves. Also, the evil slave becomes concerned with eating and drinking and indeed turns into a habitual drunk. The unfaithful steward becomes focused on the very things Yeshua mentions above. They seek those things the Nazarene warned about. When the Master returns, he threatens to cut such a slave in two.
In this parable, apart from the faithful slave, Yeshua lists three other types of Household slaves – all members of the Assembly of Believers and the various punishments they will receive:
a] The unfaithful steward who harmed his fellows. This evil slave will share the fate of the unfaithful, that is ‘the traitor’s lot’. Unlike the faithful Believer who remained busy in the care of their fellows and was appointed over the Master’s possessions, this Believer slave is thrown in with the infidels.
b] The slave who but did not perform. This Believer is familiar with the Master’s teachings. However, he <did not prepare> , <or did according to his desire>. Many Believers belong to this group of slaves: they do not harm others, but neither do they respond positively or energetically. When the Master returns, they will be severely beaten with the figurative 40 strokes. How this will take place is not described. It surely will include deep embarrassment when in the presence of the Master: Daniel 12:2; 1 John 2:28.
c] the slave who did not know what to do. This final slave was in the Household but ignorant of the Master’s will. Millions of modern Believers fit this category of unknowing slaves. They are still Believers, but either due to their leadership or their failure to learn the Master’s will, it is not clear to them what is required. These later slaves are not described as beating their fellows or getting drunk, but will still be beaten with few strokes.
The whole parable tells us several things:
– it tells us something about our Master, that he is not just a passive, all forgiving Saviour;
– though the Master metes out severe punishment to those who deserve it, he is also very merciful to the last two slaves, who are not assigned with the infidels.
One of the points of Yeshua’s illustration is that not all Believers are equal in gifts of responsibility. These gifts vary: Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:27-31; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Peter 4:10, 11.
– Men Believers who are elders will be held accountable for what they do or do not do: Titus 2:1, 2.
– Mature Believer women will be held responsible for what they teach younger women: Titus 2:3, 4.
– Believer parents will be held responsible for what they teach their children: Ephesians 6:1. 4.
Degrees of responsibility within the Assembly vary according to gifts and blessings. To be given an assignment and fail to carry it out is a most serious matter.
Some have been misguided into thinking that Messiah’s is all peace and love and virtually lacks any other attributes. Concluding his sermon, the Messiah makes a surprise statement:
Luke 12:49-53 [TS 2009] 49 “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 “But I have an immersion to be immersed with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! 51 “Do you think that I came to give peace on earth? I say to you, no, but rather division. 52 “For from now on five in one house shall be divided, three against two, and two against three – 53 father shall be divided against son, and son against father, mother against daughter, and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
Yeshua had already said something similar a bit earlier. So this was not the first time his disciples heard some of these things: Matthew 10:34-36. Now, Messiah tells his disciples one of the reasons he came to the earth: <I came to send fire on the earth>. Any retrospective view of history can see how this lone carpenter from Nazareth did indeed set a fire on earth. The Hebrews/Jews held the belief that when Messiah came, universal peace would begin. However, Yeshua teaches just the opposite. The fire would not start until after his execution and the spread of his Believers throughout the Roman world. He will bring peace at his second coming.
Yeshua borrows from Micah 7:2 in describing the divisions of the Body of Believers would bring in households. Such divisions continue to this day. Yeshua did not promise one Assembly with perfect unity. Such unity was for but a moment, when the Assembly reached maturity by the end of the 1st Century: Ephesians 4:12-1. Since, as Sha’ul predicted in 1 Corinthians 11:17-19 and elsewhere, the Assembly has remained divided into thousands of schisms of sects, organizations, and denominations. This has also divided families. This division will continue until Messiah comes with his messengers (angels) to separate the wheat [or, sheep] from the weeds [or, goats] within his own Assembly.
In part this is all due to the great apostasy foretold by Yeshua and his inspired disciples: Matthew 13:25, 39; 2 Thessalonians 2:2, 3. But divisions become about for other reasons, some of them honestly. They are brought about due to a Messiah-conscience. When a sensitive and devoted disciple realizes that leadership in his church or organization has abandoned the plain truths of the Nazarene and his inspired disciples. Such a conscience cannot abide living under the brutal control of a religious hierarchy who had hidden agendas and self-centred motives. Such a fire with its divisions will continue to the Return of the Messiah as wheat and weeds grow together in the same periods of time.
But, how does Yeshua bring his marvellous sermon to a conclusion? How does he wrap up what he has said before? Note that he ends with two analogies of what his ‘genuine disciples’ should do.
LEARN TO DISCERN THE SEASONS [Luke 12:54-59]
Luke 12:54-59
54 And He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A storm is coming,’ and so it is.
55 “And when you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There shall be hot weather,’ and it is.
56 “Hypocrites! You know to discern the face of the heaven and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?
57 “And why, also, do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
58 “For, as you go with your opponent to a ruler, try hard along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
59 “I say to you, you shall certainly not leave there until you have paid even the last mite.”
No speaker whose sole purpose is to create peace and harmony addresses his audience as ‘hypocrites’. But this is exactly what Yeshua does. The language of the Messiah to the crowd at large is harsh, for he knows the vast majority have not come to learn but to see signs. These same people would later scream for his execution. The Messiah has condemned his generation and this will be fulfilled in the year 70 AD with the destruction of Jerusalem and the death of one million Hebrew/Jews.
DISCERN THE TIMES
He concludes with two analogies:
• First, he condemns these hypocrites who claimed Yahweh as their Deity because they fail to interpret or discern ‘this present season’. He uses the analogy of predicting the weather. These people could look at the sky and tell what the weather was going to do, but prophetic events escaped their notice. They were completely oblivious to their momentous period in history.
• Messiah’s second analogy is a lesson in making peace with the Eternal before the Day of Judgment arrives. Yeshua’s analogy is likely to mean the righteous Jew should not set his relationship with the Judge and make for peace before the coming cataclysm. One million Jews failed to do this and perished in the siege of 70 AD. On the other hand, thousands of Believers saw the fulfilment of Messiah’s prophecies about Jerusalem, and so escaped into the mountains.
Judgment is a major theme of the Messiah. Indeed, while he only uses the word ‘salvation’ twice, he uses the word group ‘judge’ and ‘judgment’ about 60 times. In this analogy, Yeshua stresses the point in his conclusion to do what is necessary to come to peaceful relations with the Eternal. One way to learn what is required is by reading this marvellous sermon of our Master several times. Then, after comprehending what the Messiah taught, make every effort to live by his teachings.
Source:
Mark Heber Miller; Edited by Nazarene Notes