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Warning (12:13–21)
Luke 12:33 Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.
Instead of accumulating material possessions and planning for time, they can put these possessions to work for the Lord. In this way they would be investing for heaven and for eternity. The ravages of age could not affect their possessions. Heavenly treasures are fully insured against theft and spoilage. The trouble with material wealth is that ordinarily you can’t have it without trusting it.
Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
If we send our money on ahead, then our affections will be weaned from the perishing things of this world.
Parable of the Watchful Servant
Luke 12:35 “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;
Not only were the disciples to trust the Lord for their needs; they were to live in constant expectancy of His coming again. Their waist was to be girded, and their lamps burning. In eastern lands, a belt was drawn around the waist to hold up the long, flowing garments when a person was about to walk quickly or run. The girded waist speaks of a mission to be accomplished and the burning lamp suggests a testimony to be maintained.
Luke 12:36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.
The disciples were to live in moment-by-moment expectation of the Lord’s return, as if He were a man returning from a wedding.
Kelly comments: They should be free from all earthly encumbrances, so that the moment the Lord knocks, according to the figure, they may open to Him immediately—without distraction or having to get ready. Their hearts are waiting for Him, for their Lord; they love Him, they are waiting for Him. He knocks and they open to Him immediately.
The Lord’s story was designed to teach one simple truth, namely, watchfulness for His return.
Luke 12:37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.
When the man comes back from the wedding, his servants are eagerly watching for him, ready to swing into action at his command.
He is so pleased with their watchful attitude that he turns the tables, as it were. He girds himself with a servant’s apron, seats them at the table, and serves them a meal. This is a very touching suggestion that He who once came into this world in the form of a bondslave will graciously condescend to serve His people again in their heavenly home.
The devout German Bible scholar Bengel regarded verse 37 as the greatest promise in all God’s word.
Luke 12:38 And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
The second watch of the night was from 9:00 p.m. to midnight. The third was from midnight to 3:00 a.m.
No matter what watch it was when the Master returned, his servants were waiting for him.
Luke 12:39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.
Luke 12:40 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
The lesson is that the time of Christ’s coming is uncertain; no one knows the day or the hour when He will appear. When He does come, those believers who have laid up treasures on earth will lose them all, because as someone has said, “A Christian either leaves his wealth or goes to it.”
If we are really watching for Christ’s return, we will sell all that we have and lay up treasures in heaven where no thief can reach them. How do we do this?
Luke 12:41 Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?” :42 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?
At this point Peter asked if Christ’s parable on watchfulness was intended only for the disciples or for all people. The Lord’s answer was that it was for all who profess to be stewards of God.
The faithful and wise steward is the one who is set over the Master’s household and who gives food to His people. The steward’s main responsibility here concerns people, not material things. This is in keeping with the entire context, warning the disciples against materialism and covetousness.
It is people who are important, not things.
Luke 12:43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. :44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.
When the Lord comes and finds His bondslave taking a genuine interest in the spiritual welfare of men and women, He will reward him liberally. The reward probably has to do with governmental rule with Christ during the Millennium.
Luke 12:45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk,
The servant professes to be working for Christ, but actually he is an unbeliever. Instead of feeding the people of God, he abuses them, robs them, and lives in self-indulgence. (This may be a reference to the Pharisees.)
Luke 12:46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
The coming of the Lord will expose his unreality, and he will be punished with all other unbelievers.
The expression “cut him in two” may also be translated “severely scourge him” (AV margin).
Luke 12:47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. :48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
The principle is that the greater the privilege, the greater the responsibility.
For believers, it means that there will be degrees of reward in heaven.
For unbelievers, it means that there will be degrees of punishment in hell.
Those who have come to know God’s will as it is revealed in the Scriptures are under great responsibility to obey it.
Much has been given to them; much will be required of them.
Hinson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 121). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
MacArthur, J. F., Jr., MacDonald, Farstad, Believers Bible; Hinson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2195). Nashville: Thomas Nelson
