17 And he reasoned within himself saying, What shall I do? for I have not [a place] where I shall lay up my fruits.
And the steward said within himself, What shall I do; for my lord is taking the stewardship from me? I am not able to dig; I am ashamed to beg.
Hereby we have known love, because *he* has laid down his life for us; and *we* ought for the brethren to lay down [our] lives.
But this [is true], he that sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that sows in [the spirit of] blessing shall reap also in blessing: each according as he is purposed in his heart; not grievingly, or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. But God is able to make every gracious gift abound towards you, that, having in every way always all-sufficiency, ye may abound to every good work: according as it is written, He has scattered abroad, he has given to the poor, his righteousness remains for ever. Now he that supplies seed to the sower and bread for eating shall supply and make abundant your sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness: enriched in every way unto all free-hearted liberality, which works through us thanksgiving to God. Because the ministration of this service is not only filling up the measure of what is lacking to the saints, but also abounding by many thanksgivings to God; they glorifying God through the proof of this ministration, by reason of your subjection, by profession, to the glad tidings of the Christ, and your free-hearted liberality in communicating towards them and towards all; and in their supplication for you, full of ardent desire for you, on account of the exceeding grace of God [which is] upon you. Thanks [be] to God for his unspeakable free gift.
distributing to the necessities of the saints; given to hospitality.
And having heard [it] they were pricked in heart, and said to Peter and the other apostles, What shall we do, brethren?
And he said to him, Well [done], thou good bondman; because thou hast been faithful in that which is least, be thou in authority over ten cities.
And *I* say to you, Make to yourselves friends with the mammon of unrighteousness, that when it fails ye may be received into the eternal tabernacles.
Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
Sell what ye possess and give alms; make to yourselves purses which do not grow old, a treasure which does not fail in the heavens, where thief does not draw near nor moth destroy.
And *ye*, seek not what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, and be not in anxiety;
But rather give alms of what ye have, and behold, all things are clean to you.
And behold, a certain lawyer stood up tempting him, and saying, Teacher, having done what, shall I inherit life eternal?
To him that asks of thee give, and from him that desires to borrow of thee turn not away.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Luke 12
Commentary on Luke 12 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 12
In this chapter we have divers excellent discourses of our Saviour's upon various occasions, many of which are to the same purport with what we had in Matthew upon other the like occasions; for we may suppose that our Lord Jesus preached the same doctrines, and pressed the same duties, at several times, in several companies, and that one of the evangelists took them as he delivered them at one time and another at another time; and we need thus to have precept upon precept, line upon line. Here,
Luk 12:1-12
We find here,
But this was not the worst of it: it was likely to be a suffering cause, though never a sinking one: let them therefore arm themselves with courage; and divers arguments are furnished here to steel them with a holy resolution in their work. Consider,
Luk 12:13-21
We have in these verses,
Luk 12:22-40
Our Lord Jesus is here inculcating some needful useful lessons upon his disciples, which he had before taught them, and had occasion afterwards to press upon them; for they need to have precept upon precept, and line upon line: "Therefore, because there are so many that are ruined by covetousness, and an inordinate affection to the wealth of this world, I say unto you, my disciples, take heed of it.' Thou, O man of God, flee these things, as well as thou, O man of the world, 1 Tim. 6:11.
Luk 12:41-53
Here is,
Luk 12:54-59
Having given his disciples their lesson in the foregoing verses, here Christ turns to the people, and gives them theirs, v. 54. He said also to the people: he preached ad populum-to the people, as well as ad clerum-to the clergy. In general, he would have them be as wise in the affairs of their souls as they are in their outward affairs. Two things he specifies:-