13 Someone in the crowd said to Him, "Teacher , tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." 14 But He said to him, " Man , who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?" 15 Then He said to them, " Beware , and be on your guard against every form of greed ; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions ." 16 And He told them a parable , saying , "The land of a rich man was very productive . 17 "And he began reasoning to himself , saying , 'What shall I do , since I have no place to store my crops ?' 18 "Then he said , 'This is what I will do : I will tear down my barns and build larger ones , and there I will store all my grain and my goods . 19 'And I will say to my soul , "Soul , you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease , eat , drink and be merry ."' 20 "But God said to him, ' You fool ! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared ?' 21 "So is the man who stores up treasure for himself , and is not rich toward God ."
22 And He said to His disciples , " For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life , as to what you will eat ; nor for your body , as to what you will put on. 23 "For life is more than food , and the body more than clothing . 24 "Consider the ravens , for they neither sow nor reap ; they have no storeroom nor barn , and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds ! 25 "And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life's span ? 26 "If then you cannot e do even a very little thing , why do you worry about other matters ? 27 "Consider the lilies , how they grow : they neither toil nor spin ; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these . 28 "But if God so clothes the grass in the field , which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace , how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith ! 29 "And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink , and do not keep worrying . 30 "For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek ; but your Father knows that you need these things . 31 "But seek His kingdom , and these things will be added to you.
32 " Do not be afraid , little flock , for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom . 33 " Sell your possessions and give to charity ; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven , where no thief comes near nor moth destroys . 34 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also .
35 " Be dressed in readiness , and keep your lamps lit . 36 "Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast , so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks . 37 "Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes ; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. 38 " Whether he comes in the second watch , or even in the third , and finds them so , blessed are those slaves. 39 " But be sure of this , that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming , he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 40 " You too , be ready ; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect ."
41 Peter said , "Lord , are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well ?" 42 And the Lord said , " Who then is the faithful and sensible steward , whom his master will put in charge of his servants , to give them their rations at the proper time ? 43 "Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes . 44 "Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions . 45 "But if that slave says in his heart , 'My master will be a long time in coming ,' and begins to beat the slaves e , both men and women , and to eat and drink and get drunk ; 46 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know , and will cut him in pieces , and assign him a place with the unbelievers . 47 "And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will , will receive many lashes , 48 but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging , will receive but few . From everyone who has been given much , much will be required ; and to whom they entrusted much , of him they will ask all the more .
49 "I have come to cast fire upon the earth ; and how I wish it were already kindled ! 50 "But I have a baptism to undergo , and how distressed I am until it is accomplished ! 51 " Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth ? I tell you, no , but rather division ; 52 for from now on five members in one household will be divided , three against two and two against three . 53 "They will be divided , father against son and son against father , mother against daughter and daughter against mother , mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 12:13-53
Commentary on Luke 12:13-21
(Read Luke 12:13-21)
Christ's kingdom is spiritual, and not of this world. Christianity does not meddle with politics; it obliges all to do justly, but wordly dominion is not founded in grace. It does not encourage expectations of worldly advantages by religion. The rewards of Christ's disciples are of another nature. Covetousness is a sin we need constantly to be warned against; for happiness and comfort do not depend on the wealth of this world. The things of the world will not satisfy the desires of a soul. Here is a parable, which shows the folly of carnal worldling while they live, and their misery when they die. The character drawn is exactly that of a prudent, worldly man, who has no grateful regard to the providence of God, nor any right thought of the uncertainty of human affairs, the worth of his soul, or the importance of eternity. How many, even among professed Christians, point out similar characters as models for imitation, and proper persons to form connexions with! We mistake if we think that thoughts are hid, and thoughts are free. When he saw a great crop upon his ground, instead of thanking God for it, or rejoicing to be able to do more good, he afflicts himself. What shall I do now? The poorest beggar in the country could not have said a more anxious word. The more men have, the more perplexity they have with it. It was folly for him to think of making no other use of his plenty, than to indulge the flesh and gratify the sensual appetites, without any thought of doing good to others. Carnal worldlings are fools; and the day is coming when God will call them by their own name, and they will call themselves so. The death of such persons is miserable in itself, and terrible to them. Thy soul shall be required. He is loth to part with it; but God shall require it, shall require an account of it, require it as a guilty soul to be punished without delay. It is the folly of most men, to mind and pursue that which is for the body and for time only, more than that for the soul and eternity.
Commentary on Luke 12:22-40
(Read Luke 12:22-40)
Christ largely insisted upon this caution not to give way to disquieting, perplexing cares, Matthew 6:25-34. The arguments here used are for our encouragement to cast our care upon God, which is the right way to get ease. As in our stature, so in our state, it is our wisdom to take it as it is. An eager, anxious pursuit of the things of this world, even necessary things, ill becomes the disciples of Christ. Fears must not prevail; when we frighten ourselves with thoughts of evil to come, and put ourselves upon needless cares how to avoid it. If we value the beauty of holiness, we shall not crave the luxuries of life. Let us then examine whether we belong to this little flock. Christ is our Master, and we are his servants; not only working servants, but waiting servants. We must be as men that wait for their lord, that sit up while he stays out late, to be ready to receive him. In this Christ alluded to his own ascension to heaven, his coming to call his people to him by death, and his return to judge the world. We are uncertain as to the time of his coming to us, we should therefore be always ready. If men thus take care of their houses, let us be thus wise for our souls. Be ye therefore ready also; as ready as the good man of the house would be, if he knew at what hour the thief would come.
Commentary on Luke 12:41-53
(Read Luke 12:41-53)
All are to take to themselves what Christ says in his word, and to inquire concerning it. No one is left so ignorant as not to know many things to be wrong which he does, and many things to be right which he neglects; therefore all are without excuse in their sin. The bringing in the gospel dispensation would occasion desolations. Not that this would be the tendency of Christ's religion, which is pure, peaceable, and loving; but the effect of its being contrary to men's pride and lusts. There was to be a wide publication of the gospel. But before that took place, Christ had a baptism to be baptized with, far different from that of water and the Holy Spirit. He must endure sufferings and death. It agreed not with his plan to preach the gospel more widely, till this baptism was completed. We should be zealous in making known the truth, for though divisions will be stirred up, and a man's own household may be his foes, yet sinners will be converted, and God will be glorified.