This commentary is a work in progress and may be revised as study continues. If you have a question, spot an error, or want to discuss a passage, please reach out.
1In 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.
2For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
3Therefore 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.
4And 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.
5But 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.
6Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
7But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
8Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
If someone actually believes Jesus is the Messiah, they will confess him before men. What is in the heart comes out of mouth:
In 2 Corinthians 4:13 Paul says: “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;”
Jesus tells us in Luke 6:45 that what is in our heart comes out, if we have faith and believe we will speak as Paul says “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”
9But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.
Peter heard Jesus speak these words as verse 1 in this chapter states “to say unto his disciples first of all”, yet later on in Luke 22:61 Peter goes on to deny Jesus “before men”: “And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.” But we know that Peter is saved and will be in heaven as we clearly see in the following passages:
He was restored publicly by Jesus Himself in John 21:15-19
In Acts 2:14-39 Peter boldly proclaims the gospel even rebuking them for killing Jesus.
In Matthew 16:15-19, Peter confess Jesus as Christ and Jesus says the church will be built on Peter.
His name is written in the New Jerusalem Revelation 21:12-14.
In Jude 1 those rejecting Jesus are described as “ungodly men” that are guilty of “denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ”inverse 4. These are men that never knew believed in Jesus. They were never saved because as verse 5 says, they “believed not”and“to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.”verse 13 says. This is the person Jesus is describing here.
Therefore, we conclude that a one time denial in someone’s life does not mean someone will be “denied before the angels of God”. Denial is a decision to reject Jesus as the Messiah and die in this state. To essentially be unconverted, a non-believer.
10And 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.
First we must establish how the Holy Spirit worked through Jesus:
Jesus performs His works by the power of the Holy Spirit
Luke 4:14, 18: “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee…”
Acts 10:38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power...”
Matthew 12:28 “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.”
Jesus does not deny His deity, but in His earthly ministry He operates as the Spirit-anointed Messiah.
The works Jesus does by the Holy Spirit testify and prove His identity:
John 10:25, 37–38 “The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.”
John 5:36 “...for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.”
In Matthew 11:2–5, Jesus answers John’s question about His identity by pointing only to His works.
The miracles are God’s testimony that Jesus is the One He sent.
Therefore, this is not “taking the Holy Spirit’s name in vain” or using it as a curse word. Rather, when they said “He hath an unclean spirit,” Mark 3:30, they were attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan.
Why this matters:
The sin is not careless speech, but willful misattribution of God’s revealed power
They were rejecting God’s testimony about Jesus while fully witnessing it
In the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit has come to convict the world of sin, and this conviction centers on the world’s response to Jesus Christ. To reject this conviction is to remain in unbelief:
John 16:8–9 “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me;”
If blasphemy against the Holy Ghost were a separate command apart from belief, it would result in two unforgivable sins, yet Scripture consistently teaches that forgiveness is found in Christ alone and that unbelief is what leaves sin unforgiven.
1 John 3:23 “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ...”
Acts 17:30 "God...now commandeth all men every where to repent:"
Failure to believe and repent is what leaves a person in an unforgiven state; therefore, blasphemy of the Spirit cannot be a separate category of sin, but describes the settled rejection of the Spirit’s witness to Christ.
In summary, blasphemyof the Holy Ghost is the willful rejection of God’s testimony about Jesus. It is a choice to continual harden ones heart the exact thing the Israelites did and the scribes here were doing (Zechariah 7:12).
The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus’ works.
Those works testified that Jesus was sent from God.
The Pharisees rejected that testimony and called it satanic.
In doing so, they rejected the only means by which sin is forgiven
Likewise today, if a person rejects the Spirit’s conviction (blasphemy) concerning Jesus, they will never believe and therefore never be forgiven, not because forgiveness is unavailable, but because Christ Himself is rejected.
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.
13And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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?
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?
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.
31But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
32Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
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.
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.
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.
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.
41Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?
42And 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?
43Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
44Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
45But 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;
46The 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.
47And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
49I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
50But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
51Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
52For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
53The 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.
54And 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.
55And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.
56Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
57Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
58When 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.
59I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.
12
Luke 12 — Forever Word commentary
King James VersionThis commentary is a work in progress and may be revised as study continues. If you have a question, spot an error, or want to discuss a passage, please reach out.
1In 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.
2For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
3Therefore 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.
4And 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.
5But 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.
6Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
7But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
8Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
If someone actually believes Jesus is the Messiah, they will confess him before men. What is in the heart comes out of mouth:
In 2 Corinthians 4:13 Paul says: “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;”
Jesus tells us in Luke 6:45 that what is in our heart comes out, if we have faith and believe we will speak as Paul says “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”
9But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.
Peter heard Jesus speak these words as verse 1 in this chapter states “to say unto his disciples first of all”, yet later on in Luke 22:61 Peter goes on to deny Jesus “before men”: “And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.” But we know that Peter is saved and will be in heaven as we clearly see in the following passages:
He was restored publicly by Jesus Himself in John 21:15-19
In Acts 2:14-39 Peter boldly proclaims the gospel even rebuking them for killing Jesus.
In Matthew 16:15-19, Peter confess Jesus as Christ and Jesus says the church will be built on Peter.
His name is written in the New Jerusalem Revelation 21:12-14.
In Jude 1 those rejecting Jesus are described as “ungodly men” that are guilty of “denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ” in verse 4. These are men that never knew believed in Jesus. They were never saved because as verse 5 says, they “believed not” and “to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.” verse 13 says. This is the person Jesus is describing here.
Therefore, we conclude that a one time denial in someone’s life does not mean someone will be “denied before the angels of God”. Denial is a decision to reject Jesus as the Messiah and die in this state. To essentially be unconverted, a non-believer.
10And 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.
First we must establish how the Holy Spirit worked through Jesus:
Jesus performs His works by the power of the Holy Spirit
Luke 4:14, 18: “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee…”
Acts 10:38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power...”
Matthew 12:28 “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.”
Jesus does not deny His deity, but in His earthly ministry He operates as the Spirit-anointed Messiah.
The works Jesus does by the Holy Spirit testify and prove His identity:
John 10:25, 37–38 “The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.”
John 5:36 “...for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.”
In Matthew 11:2–5, Jesus answers John’s question about His identity by pointing only to His works.
The miracles are God’s testimony that Jesus is the One He sent.
Therefore, this is not “taking the Holy Spirit’s name in vain” or using it as a curse word. Rather, when they said “He hath an unclean spirit,” Mark 3:30, they were attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan.
Why this matters:
The sin is not careless speech, but willful misattribution of God’s revealed power
They were rejecting God’s testimony about Jesus while fully witnessing it
In the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit has come to convict the world of sin, and this conviction centers on the world’s response to Jesus Christ. To reject this conviction is to remain in unbelief:
John 16:8–9 “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me;”
If blasphemy against the Holy Ghost were a separate command apart from belief, it would result in two unforgivable sins, yet Scripture consistently teaches that forgiveness is found in Christ alone and that unbelief is what leaves sin unforgiven.
1 John 3:23 “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ...”
Acts 17:30 "God...now commandeth all men every where to repent:"
Failure to believe and repent is what leaves a person in an unforgiven state; therefore, blasphemy of the Spirit cannot be a separate category of sin, but describes the settled rejection of the Spirit’s witness to Christ.
In summary, blasphemy of the Holy Ghost is the willful rejection of God’s testimony about Jesus. It is a choice to continual harden ones heart the exact thing the Israelites did and the scribes here were doing (Zechariah 7:12).
The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus’ works.
Those works testified that Jesus was sent from God.
The Pharisees rejected that testimony and called it satanic.
In doing so, they rejected the only means by which sin is forgiven
Likewise today, if a person rejects the Spirit’s conviction (blasphemy) concerning Jesus, they will never believe and therefore never be forgiven, not because forgiveness is unavailable, but because Christ Himself is rejected.
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.
13And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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?
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?
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.
31But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
32Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
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.
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.
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.
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.
41Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?
42And 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?
43Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
44Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
45But 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;
46The 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.
47And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
49I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
50But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
51Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
52For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
53The 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.
54And 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.
55And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.
56Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
57Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
58When 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.
59I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.