Luke 12:43

Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. BLESSED IS THAT SERVANT, WHOM HIS LORD WHEN HE COMETH SHALL FIND SO DOING. OF A TRUTH ... HE WILL MAKE HIM RULER OVER ALL THAT HE HATH. BUT AND IF THAT SERVANT SAY IN HIS HEART, MY LORD DELAYETH HIS COMING; AND SHALL BEGIN TO BEAT THE MEN-SERVANTS AND MAIDENS, AND TO EAT AND DRINK, AND TO BE DRUNKEN. The picture here presented is that of a servant who, in the confidence that his lord's return will not be speedy, throws off the servant and plays the master, maltreating those faithful servants who refuse to join him, seizing on and revelling in the fullness of his master's board; intending, when he has gotten his fill, to resume the mask of fidelity before his master appear....

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...

See the notes at Matthew 24:42. SECOND WATCH - See the notes at Matthew 14:25....

EXPOSITION LUKE 12:1 _The Lord_,_ after leaving the Pharisee_'_s house_,_ speaks at great length to a numerous crowd waiting for him_,_ addressing his words principally to his own disciples. _The foregoing scene (Luke 11:1.), when the Master addressed his bitter reproaches to the learned and cultivated of the great Pharisee party, took place in a private house belonging to an apparently wealthy member of this, the dominant class. The name of the large village or provincial town where all this happened is unknown. The crowd who had been listening to the great Teacher before he accepted the Pharisee's invitation still lingered around the house. Many from the adjoining villages, hearing that Jesus was in this place and was publicly teaching, had

BLESSED IS THAT SERVANT,.... Who is faithful and wise, rules well, and discharges his trust with integrity, and disposes of the provisions of the house, in his hands, with great discretion and prudence: WHOM HIS LORD, WHEN HE COMETH; to take vengeance on the wicked Jews, or by death, or at judgment: SHALL FIND SO DOING; behaving as a good ruler, and as a wise and faithful steward....

In this chapter, our Saviour dispels the fears of his disciples concerning temporal things, and especially their fear of persecution and their fear of want. Luke 12:1. _In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable 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. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid; that shall not be known._ What, therefore, can be the use of hypocrisy? Hypocrisy leads a man to pretend to be what he is not. His only hope lies in not being discovered; but, as Christ declares that «there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known;» hypocrisy becomes insanity as well as iniquity. Therefore, keep clear of it in every shape and form....

CHAPTER 12 _ 1. Warning Against Hypocrisy. (Luke 12:1)_ 2. Encouragements. (Luke 12:4) 3. Warning Against Covetousness. (Luke 12:15) 4. Warning Against Anxiety. (Luke 12:22) 5. The Disciples Comfort and Hope. (Luke 12:32) 6. The Parable of the Steward. (Luke 12:41) 7. The Purpose of God and the Resulting Division. (Luke 12:49) 8. Concerning signs.

THE FAITHFUL STEWARD (Matthew 24:45 *). Luke 12:39 is peculiar to Lk. The answer to Peter's question is that the injunctions to watchfulness are particularly applicable to the Twelve. This is emphasized by Lk.'s use of steward for Mt.'s servant. The other variants are not significant, but Luke 12:47 f. is found only in Lk.: it seems to refer to another affair, and may have been originally a continuation of Luke 12:35. It contains a lesson either for Jews (especially Scribes) in contrast with Gentiles, or for Christians (especially teachers and leaders) in contrast with heathen....

THE CREED OF COURAGE AND OF TRUST (Luke 12:1-12)...

Luke 9:51 to Luke 18:31_. Rejected by the Samaritans. A lesson of Tolerance._ This section forms a great episode in St Luke, which may be called the departure for the final conflict, and is identical with the journey (probably to the Feast of the Dedication, John 10:22) which is partially Luke 9:51-56. And it came to pass, when the time was come that he touched upon in Matthew 18:1 to Matthew 20:16 and...