Luke 12:1-21

12:1 | Innumerable is the Greek term myrioi – “myriad.” Combined with the term multitude, it literally means “tens of thousands,” but it generally refers to an enormous, undisciplined mob or crowd. Luke notes they trampled one another, probably because they were anxious for a political ruler who would free them from Roman occupation.

12:2-3 | God’s truth is like light and cannot be hidden (Heb. 4:13). The secret motivations and desires of hypocrites will be revealed to the whole world, while faithful disciples, who make their Lord’s will known, can expect to be rewarded.

12:4-5 | Jesus addressed His friends (philois), a term that refers to one’s political supporters. The disciples might have to pay a dear price for their allegiance to Jesus, but the disciples should not fear. God alone rules both time and eternity and all that happens both here and in the hereafter (Acts 5:29; Heb. 10:31; 1 Pet. 3:15).

12:6-7 | Here Jesus reassures His disciples of His care for them. His argument is from the lesser to the greater: If God cares fort eh cheapest and most ordinary of birds, how much greater will His concern be for His people? He even knows eh smallest details of their lives, details they do not even know about themselves – like the number of hairs on their head. Such an all-knowing God will perfectly meet every need, whether it seems big or small (Matt. 6:26).

12:8-9 | To confess Jesus before men means to openly acknowledge one’s affiliation with Christ, regardless of the possible consequences. One day in the future, Jesus will openly acknowledge all faithful disciples as His own. People who allow human authorities to frighten them into disowning Jesus will be disowned in heaven before the angels. The future and eternal reward He promises for enduring allegiance will far outweigh any current pain (Rom. 10:9-11; 2 Tim. 2:11-13; Rev. 3:5).

12:10 | Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the utter rejection of Jesus Christ and utter resistance to the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:31-32).

12:13 | The story of the rich fool is found in the middle of Jesus’ extended discourse that begins in 11:9 and concludes in 13:9. At least twice, listeners interrupt the discourse. The people would take disputes like this to the scribes, the caretakers of the law. Jesus frequently used such questions to underscore something more important.

12:14-15 | Rather than deal with the question, Jesus isolates the real issue: covetousness which in many respects the all-encompassing sin. The last of the Ten Commandments addresses coveting – the other nine commandments can be understood within it (Ex. 20:17).

12:16-21 | The man’s sin was not in getting rich, for he did not gain his wealth in an immoral or illegal manner. His sin was in hoarding that wealth in pursuit of ease, security, and longevity (1 Tim. 6:6-10).

12:17-19 | The rich man uses 11 personal pronouns – I six times and my five times – to speak of his possessions (my crops, my barns, my goods). He displayed no though that these things belonged to God and that he was only the steward of them (Ezek. 18:4; James 5:1-5).

12:20-21 | Psalm 49 describes the error of “those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches… their inner thought is that their houses will last forever, their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names. Nevertheless man does not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.” In reality, there is one way a person can be rich toward God – by doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with Him (Micah 6:8).