Luke Chapter Twelve

v.1 “IN THE MEAN TIME, WHEN THERE WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AN INUMMERABLE MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE, INSOMUCH THAT THEY TRODE ONE UPON ANOTHER, HE BEGAN TO SAY UNTO HIS DISCIPLES FIRST OF ALL, BEWARE YE OF THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES, WHICH IS HYPOCRISY.”

Jesus debating with the scribes and Pharisees apparently had attracted quite a crowd. Luke relates that a multitude had gathered that could not be readily numbered. They were packed so thick that they were treading upon one another. He begins his teaching in this setting by warning them of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Those religious leaders who taught, even demanded that the people follow their traditions; that put forward a great show of being very pious but in reality were evil and wicked men.

v.2. “FOR THERE IS NOTHING COVERED, THAT SHALL NOT BE REVEALED; NEITHER HID, THAT SHALL NOT BE KNOWN.”

The hypocrisy of these men will be revealed. In fact all of the secrets of men, the secret plans they were hatching to kill him would not only be made known, exposed to the light of truth, they would be condemned in the day of judgment. Just as Paul has warned:

I Corinthians 4:5 “THEREFORE JUDGE NOTHING BEFORE THE TIME, UNTIL THE LORD COME, WHO BOTH WILL BRING TO LIGHT THE HIDDEN THINGS OF DARKNESS, AND WILL MAKE MANIFEST THE COUNSELS OF THE HEARTS: AND THEN SHALL EVERY MAN HAVE PRAISE OF GOD.”

v.3 “THEREFORE WHATSOEVER YE HAVE SPOKEN IN DARKNESS SHALL BE HEARD IN THE LIGHT; AND THAT WHICH YE HAVE SPOKEN IN THE EAR IN CLOSETS SHALL BE PROCLAIMED UPON THE HOUSETOPS.”

Jesus further explains what he means. Those things that men have spoken or done in darkness, because they did want other men to see or hear, will be brought into the light. Those things that have been whispered between two people, those secrets that we shared only in the strictest confidence will become shouted from the housetops, will be proclaimed for all the world to hear.

v.4-5 “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. BUT I WILL FOREWARN YOU WHOM YE SHALL FEAR: FEAR HIM, WHICH AFTER HE HATH KILLED HATH POWER TO CAST INTO HELL; YEA, I SAY UNTO YOU, FEAR HIM.”

It is no doubt that the Pharisees, after they have found a way to get rid of Jesus, will then go after his disciples. He teaches them that they should be prepared for this eventuality, that they should not fear the physical assaults of men but rather fear him that can destroy the soul as well. Isaiah wrote that he would set his face like flint, a stone that as we know is extremely difficult to work because of its hardness.

Isaiah 51:7 “FOR THE LORD GOD WILL HELP ME; THEREFORE SHALL I NOT BE CONFOUNDED: THEREFORE HAVE I SET MY FACE LIKE A FLINT, AND I KNOW THAT I SHALL NOT BE ASHAMED.

v.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 MUCH MORE VALUE THAN MANY SPARROWS.”

Sparrows were very plentiful in this region. They were caught and sold in the market place for a very small price because of their size and the very small amount of food value that they would provide. But Jesus says, even though they are worth very little and provide very little, God does not neglect them, he knows them and looks after them. We are of much more value to God than these little birds. He even knows the number of hairs that we have on our heads, and for some of us that isn’t very many. We, as children of his, are much more valuable than either of these two examples that he uses.

v.8-9 “ALSO I SAY UNTO YOU, WHOSOEVER SHALL CONFESS ME BEFORE MEN, HIM SHALL THE SON OF MAN ALSO CONFESS BEFORE THE ANGELS OF GOD; BUT HE THAT DENIETH ME BEFORE MEN SHALL BE DENIED BEFORE THE ANGELS OF GOD.”

Paul puts it simply:

II Timothy 2:12 “IF WE SUFFER, WE SHALL ALSO REIGN WITH him: IF WE DENY him, HE ALSO WILL DENY US.”

We must take a stand in this world. Either we are God’s people or we are not God’s people. There is no fence to straddle. We cannot be lukewarm, we can’t just waffle back and forth, serving God one day and ourselves or the evil one tomorrow. We don’t have to be bad for God to reject us. We don’t have to do something terrible to put our souls in jeopardy. We only have to be such as those that Jesus condemned:

Revelation 3:15-16 “I KNOW THY WORKS, THAT THOU ART NEITHER COLD NOR HOT: I WOULD THAT THOU WERT COLD OR HOT. SO THEN BECAUSE THOU ART LUKEWARM, AND NEITHER COLD NOR HOT, I WILL SPUE THEE OUT OF MY MOUTH.”

v.10 “AND WHOSOEVER SHALL SPEAK A WORD AGAINST THE SON OF MAN, IT SHALL BE FORGIVEN HIM: BUT UNTO HIM THAT BLASPHEMETH AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST IT SHALL NOT BE FORGIVEN.”

Here again we have the age old discussion of what people call the “unpardonable” sin. Matthew and Mark also record Jesus words regarding who would and who would not be pardoned (Matthew 12:31-32 and Mark 3:28). John tells us that there is sin which our prayers will not cause God to remove:

I John 5:16 “IF ANY MAN SEE HIS BROTHER SIN A SIN which is NOT UNTO DEATH, HE SHALL ASK, AND HE SHALL GIVE HIM LIFE FOR THEM THAT SIN NOT UNTO DEATH. THERE IS A SIN UNTO DEATH: I DO NOT SAY THAT HE SHALL PRAY FOR IT”

What does the word blaspheme mean? Webster’s College Dictionary says “speak evil of, slander, abuse”, the Greek word also means to profane. We have examples of this sin:

Leviticus 24:11 “¹¹And the Israelitish woman’s son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:)”

And this man was stoned to death. In II Kings 18:28-35, Rabshakeh blasphemed against God when he opposed Hezekiah who was king of Judah and in favor with God. The accusation of the Pharisee’s against Jesus when they claimed that he cast out devils using the power of the devil himself they were blaspheming (Luke 11:15).

Why would blaspheming against the Holy Spirit be a sin that God would not forgive? The Holy Spirit was to be sent to the apostles to “GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH” (read John 16:7-14). If we reject “ALL TRUTH”, deny its source, rail against or speak evil of that truth and its source, there will be no more revelation from God that will provide us with salvation. Hence, nothing more to be given for us to believe and obey unto salvation. Those that blasphemed against Jesus, however, would have opportunity to believe and obey the message of the Holy Spirit that was given to his apostles, many did.

v.11-12 “¹¹And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: ¹²For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.”

They would be hauled before the courts of the land and the religious courts of the Jews. When that happened they were not to worry about what to say, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter (John 16:7) would provide them “IN THE SAME HOUR WHAT YE OUGHT TO SAY.” Our first example of the Holy Spirit providing that assistance wasn’t in a court but rather the sermons preached by the apostles on Pentecost. Only Peter’s was recorded for us. The Holy Spirit is still providing us with what we are to say today, however, not in the miraculous fashion as the apostles but rather through the Word of God, our Bible.

v.13 “¹³And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.”

One now brings to Jesus a matter similar to those that Moses had to judge during the wanderings in the wilderness. The Mosaic Law demanded that an estate be divided among the heirs and even provided the proper proportions. This is given in Deuteronomy 21:17 using an example of a man with two wives, one he loved and one he didn’t and the firstborn son happened to be the child of the “HATED” wife. Jesus uses the occasion to teach a lesson on covetousness.

v.14-15 “¹⁴And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? ¹⁵And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

First of all, Jesus was not here to judge civil matters as did Moses. His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36), so he doesn’t deal with worldly matters. Secondly he tells us to beware of covetousness, why? Because, no matter what men think, our lives should not; in fact, must not consist of, must not be dedicated to the amount of this world’s goods we accumulate. One of the cliques that we hear from time to time is that the “man who dies with the most toys wins”. Nothing could be more foreign to the ways and Word of God.

v.16-19 “¹⁶And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: ¹⁷And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? ¹⁸And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. ¹⁹And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”

A man has great material blessings. He gained them honestly, through the blessings of God provided through his providence to all men through the fruitfulness of his farm or farms. He had been blessed by God so bountifully that he didn’t know what to do with it all. So he makes a plan, he’ll store it away, won’t have to work any more for the rest of this life; just take it easy, eat, drink and be merry. He’s not hurting anyone else, he’s just providing for himself, but Jesus condemns him, why?

This is the central focus of his life. His riches are his god. He’s hoarding everything for his own selfish purposes. He gave no consideration at all about anyone else who might need a little of his abundance to physically survive. He’s like those that the Holy Spirit warns us about becoming:

I Timothy 6:17-18 “¹⁷Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; ¹⁸That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; “

v.20-21 “²⁰But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? ²¹So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Jesus calls this man a fool, why? Because he lacked good judgment, common sense even. He was not living a godly life, he had put his complete trust in the idea that he would have tomorrow to enjoy his riches. He’s like the one of which David wrote:

Psalms 39:6 “SURELY EVERY MAN WALKETH IN A VAIN SHOW: SURELY THEY ARE DISQUIETED IN VAIN: HE HEAPETH UP riches, AND KNOWETH NOT WHO SHALL GATHER THEM.”

And Jesus says that his life will end tonight. He will not be allowed to enjoy all of those riches that he has accumulated. We all are the same that James warned us about:

James 4:14 “¹⁴Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

Should we be anxious about this world’s goods? Should we be concerned about what tomorrow will bring? Yes, we still have to work by the sweat of our brow to receive God’s providence, we still are to provide for our families, we still have to plan and save for our old age, we still have to use God’s blessings wisely. But we have a greater responsibility; a higher calling to answer that should take priority over those things of this world. Jesus told his disciples this way:

v.22-23 “²²And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. ²³The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.”

Jesus teaches us in Matthew 6:33 to “…SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD...” Our greater concern should be for those things that are of greater value, in this case our eternal destination, as one of the commentators states very well “we should give to the higher and better things the greater care and labor.”

v.24 “²⁴Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?”

God, through his providence, provides for his creation:

Psalms 147:9 “HE GIVETH TO THE BEAST HIS FOOD, and TO THE YOUNG RAVENS WHICH CRY.”

That doesn’t mean that they don’t have to find it. That doesn’t mean that the raven’s don’t have to seek and carry the food God provides to the nest of their young. Jesus is not telling us that we won’t have to work, in fact scripture teaches us just the opposite (II Thessalonians 3:10), but rather, he is telling us that worry about our temporal needs should not be our first concern. But what about the poor, you say? There are those who are unable to earn their daily requirement, these people, are to be helped by those of us who do.

v.25-26 “²⁵And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? ²⁶If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?”

We cannot, by worry, change any element of our lives. In fact, as I have pointed out in past discussions, and have an awfully hard time remembering myself; is that 80 percent of the worries that we trouble ourselves with never come to pass.

v.27-28 “²⁷Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ²⁸If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?”

Jesus gives us an analogy. Consider the lilies of the field, those beautiful flowers that God provides, they are dressed in a beauty beyond what man is able to invent. God provides that, God will provide for us as well, he just requires some effort of those in the animal kingdom and in the human kingdom that he does not require of the plant kingdom. And if God will provide so well for something that is to be used as fuel for the cooking ovens why would he not provide for us as well?

v.29-30 “²⁹And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. ³⁰For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.”

Just as he had instructed the 12 and the 70 when he sent them out to preach and teach that the kingdom of God is at hand; he is now instructing those who will be his disciples and carry the gospel to the world in similar fashion. Don’t worry about your substance. Did that mean that they would not have to provide for themselves? Of course not, there were times that Paul had to work to earn his living, he had a craft that he exercised when he was in Corinth:

Acts 18:3 “³And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.”

God knows what we need and he will, again through his providence, his establishing the order of things in this world, provide us the opportunity to have what we need. But he won’t hand it to us, we like the ravens will have to seek and glean that which we need from the bounty he provides.

v.31 “³¹But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

But rather seek the kingdom of God. Put the emphasis in your lives toward the higher things of God. God will add to your life whatever it is that your need. Again; not without our effort, not without our wise use of his provisions, but without failing.

v.32 “³²Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Jesus here speaks much as John does in I John 2:1 where he calls those to whom he is writing “LITTLE CHILDREN”. Jesus is the Master Shepherd; these disciples are his flock, he understands and will exercise his responsibility to his flock. It is his delight to “GIVE YOU THE KINGDOM” even though he would suffer a horrible death to do so. And those to whom he is speaking here are the charter members of the same kingdom that we are citizens of today.

v.33-34 “³³Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. ³⁴For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

In the sermon on the mount, Jesus tells us that if our eye offends us to pluck it out, if our right hand offends us or causes us to offend God, we should cut if off. So is it unreasonable for him to tell us that if our riches will keep us from the heavenly realm, that we should get rid of them? Is it unreasonable for him to tell us that if we have more of God’s bounty than someone else we should share? Many in the early church did just that (Acts 2:45, Acts 4:34) and when a famine occurred that created a problem in Jerusalem, Paul and Silas, collected for them as well. (Romans 15:26, I Corinthians 16:1)

v.35-36 “³⁵Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; ³⁶And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.”

We are also to be watchmen. This was the lesson that we learned when we studied the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). We are to be ever vigilant; to guard our souls from the wiles of the devil. We are to be prepared for Jesus to return. We are to be standing ready, like servants waiting at the late hour for their master to return home with their lamps burning and standing by the door to open it at the first knock. We are to be girded, ready for travel and active service, prepared to depart immediately to our heavenly home. We will never know what the next hour or the next day may bring. No one but God knows when he will bring this world to an end. Even with the medical advances we have today we will never know when our souls may be demanded of us.

v.37-38 “³⁷Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. ³⁸And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.”

Jesus here uses some very emphatic language to tell us of the reward for the watchful servants. Because of their dedication they will be served by the Master or Lord himself. They will be treated as honored guests, not as servants. Have any of you ever stood watch? What happens when the hour grows late, the blackness of the midnight comes and stays. Don’t we grow weary and have problems keeping awake? So those who are faithful in the most trying to times will be blessed accordingly. Is it not in the late hour of our watch today, this world has stood for 2000 years since Christ spoke these words. Has the watchfulness of mankind diminished during those years? Of course, it has and continues to diminish even more at the hour grows later.

v.39-40 “³⁹And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. ⁴⁰Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”

We must be constantly vigilant. Satan will give us no peace. Our souls are in danger every hour of every day. Just like this good man in Jesus’ example if we knew what hour to be prepared we would be ready, but we don’t. Just like the burglar that walked into my house in St. Louis all those years ago; if I had known when he was coming I would have been waiting, I would have been prepared. But when he shook our back door he found one that was not locked because we had not been as vigilant as we should have been and he paid us a visit. We should be ready to meet God at all times, because we do not and can not know when he will come (Matthew 24:36).

v.41 “THEN PETER SAID UNTO HIM, LORD, SPEAKEST THOU THIS PARABLE UNTO US, OR EVEN TO ALL?”

Beginning in verse 22 and continuing down through verse 40, Jesus is giving his disciples instruction. Peter, the impetuous one, asks a question that many people would ask today as well. Jesus, are these instructions, these promises of blessings applicable to just us or to all your disciples?

v.42-44 “AND THE LORD SAID, WHO THEN IS THAT FAITHFUL AND WISE STEWARD, WHOM his LORD SHALL MAKE RULER OVER HIS HOUSEHOLD, TO GIVE them their PORTION OF MEAT IN DUE SEASON? BLESSED is THAT SERVANT, WHOM HIS LORD WHEN HE COMETH SHALL FIND SO DOING. OF A TRUTH I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT HE WILL MAKE HIM RULER OVER ALL THAT HE HATH.”

Jesus doesn’t answer the question directly. Why? Because it is the responsibility of every servant to be a wise and faithful steward over that which God has given him. If that responsibility includes oversight of other servants, such as that held by our elders, then the servant is to be faithful and wise in that responsibility. If that servant is nothing more than one of many servants then he has the responsibility to be a wise and faithful servant as one of many servants. The teachings of Jesus Christ were given for the benefit of all mankind for the entire age that followed, for all are to be servants of God and all are stewards the blessings that God provides through his providence, but especially the word of God.

I Corinthians 4:1-2 “LET A MAN SO ACCOUNT OF US, AS OF THE MINISTERS OF CHRIST, AND STEWARDS OF THE MYSTERIES OF GOD. MOREOVER IT IS REQUIRED IN STEWARDS, THAT A MAN BE FOUND FAITHFUL.”

v.45-46 “BUT AND IF THAT SERVANT SAY IN HIS HEART, MY LORD DELAYETH HIS COMING; AND SHALL BEGIN TO BEAT THE MENSERVANTS AND MAIDENS, AND TO EAT AND DRINK, AND TO BE DRUNKEN: THE LORD OF THAT SERVANT WILL COME IN A DAY WHEN HE LOOKETH NOT FOR him, AND AT AN HOUR WHEN HE IS NOT AWARE, AND WILL CUT HIM IN SUNDER, AND WILL APPOINT HIM HIS PORTION WITH THE UNBELIEVERS.”

Jesus now describes what will happen to the unfaithful servant, the one who is an unwise steward over that which God has given him. We have here a parallel to the parable of the talents in terms of the unfaithful servant or steward. But in addition to just not doing his lord’s will, this servant takes advantage of his master’s absence to be abusive and evil to his fellow servants. Those who place themselves in this situation will gain for themselves a terrible punishment. Jesus says here that he will be cut in sunder. What does that mean? In I Samuel it meant to be cut off from God:

I Samuel 15:33 “AND SAMUEL CAME NO MORE TO SEE SAUL UNTIL THE DAY OF HIS DEATH: NEVERTHELESS SAMUEL MOURNED FOR SAUL: AND THE LORD REPENTED THAT HE HAD MADE SAUL KING OVER ISRAEL.”

In Daniel it meant to be killed and cut to pieces; in Hebrews it describes the persecution that some of the Christians would have to endure:

Hebrews 11:37 “THEY WERE STONED, THEY WERE SAWN ASUNDER, WERE TEMPTED, WERE SLAIN WITH THE SWORD: THEY WANDERED ABOUT IN SHEEPSKINS AND GOATSKINS; BEING DESITUTE, AFFLICTED, TORMENTED:”

It means to be punished in the most fearful manner possible.

v.47-48 “AND THAT SERVANT, WHICH KNEW HIS LORD’S WILL, AND PREPARED NOT himself, NEITHER DID ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, SHALL BE BEATEN WITH MANY stripes. BUT HE THAT KNEW NOT, AND DID COMMIT THINGS WORTHY OF STRIPES, SHALL BE BEATEN WITH FEW stripes. FOR UNTO WHOSOEVER MUCH IS GIVEN, OF HIM SHALL BE MUCH REQUIRED AND TO WHOM MEN HAVE COMMITTED MUCH, OF HIM THEY WILL ASK THE MORE.”

Our opportunities and abilities that God has given us determine our responsibilities. Just as we are taught in the parable of the talents, some will be given more talents than others. God is always fair in dealing with mankind; we gain our idea of fairness from His example and understand these principles. God has always decreed that punishment should fit the crime and that the reward should represent the service. Under the Mosaic Law we have the following:

Deuteronomy 25:2 “AND IT SHALL BE, IF THE WICKED MAN be WORTHY TO BE BEATEN, THAT THE JUDGE SHALL CAUSE HIM TO LIE DOWN, AND TO BE BEATEN BEFORE HIS FACE, ACCORDING TO HIS FAULT, BY A CERTAIN NUMBER.”

Jesus simply reinforces this common sense approach to reward and punishment in his teaching to his disciples here.

v.49. “I AM COME TO SEND FIRE ON THE EARTH; AND WHAT WILL I, IF IT BE ALREADY KINDLED?”

As we can imagine, there has been a variety of interpretations given to this verse. Fire is a purifying agent.

Malachi 3:2 “BUT WHO MAY ABIDE THE DAY OF HIS COMING? AND WHO SHALL STAND WHEN HE APPEARETH? FOR HE is LIKE A REFINER’S FIRE, AND LIKE FULLERS SOAP.”

Jesus has just given us the admonition to be watchful and ready for when he is to come again. He has also just emphasized the fact that punishment would be given to those who where unfaithful. Fire has symbolized that punishment throughout the teaching of the New Testament.

v.50. “BUT I HAVE A BAPTISM TO BE BAPTIZED WITH; AND HOW AM I STRAITENED TILL IT BE ACCOMPLISHED.”

Jesus has his own “fire” to endure that will provide the purification for our souls. He has a “baptism” to go through, the physical death, burial and resurrection that baptism in water symbolizes.

v.51-52 “SUPPOSE YE THAT I AM COME TO GIVE PEACE ON EARTH? I TELL YOU, NAY; BUT RATHER DIVISION. FOR FROM HENCEFORTH THERE SHALL BE FIVE IN ONE HOUSE DIVIDED, THREE AGAINST TWO AND TWO AGAINST THREE.”

Jesus brings them a warning that though he is described as the “PRINCE OF PEACE” in Isaiah 9:6; his coming and his doctrine will create great controversy among men. Thousands will be slaughtered because of their faith in him. Thousands more will be oppressed by men imposing their perversion of his doctrines on other men. Houses will be divided between those faithful to him and those that reject him. Indeed it is as Micah prophesied in Micah 7:6 which Jesus paraphrases next:

v.53 “THE FATHER SHALL BE DIVIDED AGAINST THE SON, AND THE SON AGAINST THE FATHER; THE MOTHER AGAINST THE DAUGHTER, AND THE DAUGHTER AGAINST THE MOTHER; THE MOTHER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, AND THE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW.”

This does describe the situation that too many families find themselves in today doesn’t it? Parents and grandparents, worry, wonder what they did that was wrong in raising their children because their children have rebelled against them and against God. But Jesus is telling us that this kind of family division is going to happen when one will be faithful to God and others will not. It doesn’t make it any easier to deal with, it won’t make it any less heartbreaking but it should help us to understand that those who have this situation are not necessarily at fault. There will be those that will rebel, there will be those that will not have God in their lives, regardless of what we may have taught them, regardless of what we can do; there will be those among our own children or our own grandchildren who will not give God the proper place in their lives.

v.54 “AND HE SAID ALSO TO THE PEOPLE, WHEN YE SEE A CLOUD RISE OUT OF THE WEST, STRAIGHTWAY YE SAY, THERE COMETH A SHOWER; AND SO IT IS.”

We can determine what weather may be coming by observing the skies, the conditions of the atmosphere or watching the animals who sense and respond to these things. They could do that in Jesus day as well. But he’s taking them to task because they could not look at the signs given by his teaching, his miracles, and determine that the Messiah that had been prophesied had come.

v.55. “AND WHEN ye see THE SOUTH WIND BLOW, YE SAY, THERE WILL BE HEAT; AND IT COMETH TO PASS.”

Jesus used this example because when the south wind off the Arabian desert blew over this region it was always extremely hot. Elihu refers to it in his discourse to Job:

Job 37:17 “HOW THY GARMENTS are WARM, WHEN HE QUIETETH THE EARTH WITH THE SOUTH wind?”

v.56-57 “Ye HYPOCRITES, YE CAN DISCERN THE FACE OF THE SKY AND OF THE EARTH; BUT HOW IS IT THAT YE DO NOT DISCERN THIS TIME? YEA, AND WHY EVEN OF YOURSELVES JUDGE YE NOT WHAT IS RIGHT?

He calls them hypocrites, why? Because they claimed to be the children of God. They reveled in the fact that their ancestry could be traced back to Israel (Jacob) and Abraham. They knew that they were special people and lived with the same mindset as any spoiled child we have ever known. Yet, they could not or would not recognize the Son of God, the Messiah when every sign prophesied was performed within their midst to confirm his deity and his identity.

v.58-59 “WHEN THOU GOEST WITH THINE ADVERSARY TO THE MAGISTRATE, as thou art IN THE WAY, GIVE DILIGENCE THAT THOU MAYEST BE DELIVERED FROM HIM; LEST HE HALE THEE TO THE JUDGE, AND THE JUDGE DELIVER THEE TO THE OFFICER, AND THE OFFICER CAST THEE INTO PRISON. I TELL THEE, THOU SHALT NOT DEPART THENCE, TILL THOU HAS PAID THE VERY LAST MITE.”

What is Jesus talking about here? In matters of law we call it a plea bargain. In matters of civil proceedings or a contract dispute we would call it settling out of court. This is the advice that Jesus is giving the Jewish nation. They are under indictment from God for their sins, their refusal to obey him, their lack of faithfulness. They now have in their midst the Messiah that they had anticipated and searched the scriptures about for centuries, yet they do not recognize or honor him. They need to make their peace with God, now. They need to seek his mercy; If they don’t; they are sure to face the Almighty Judge, who will deal with them as they deserve. The same admonition applies to us today.