Charles Ellicott Commentary Luke 12

In the mean time.—More literally, When the myriads of the multitude were gathered together. The words must be taken in immediate sequence with the close of the previous chapter. The dispute that had begun in the Pharisee’s house, and had been carried on by the lawyers and scribes as they followed Jesus from the house, attracted notice. As on the occasion of the “unwashed hands” (Matthew 15:10), He appeals from the scribes to the people, or rather to His own disciples, scattered among the people. The scene may be compared, in the vividness of its description, with the picture of the crowd at Capernaum (Mark 2:1–2).

Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees.—This again was obviously an expression that had become almost proverbial in our Lord’s lips (Matthew 16:6). Here, however, the leaven is more definitely specified as “hypocrisy”—i.e., unreality, the simulation, conscious or unconscious, of a holiness which we do not possess. It does not follow that the Pharisees were deliberate impostors of the Tartuffe type. With them, as with other forms of religionism, it was doubtless true that the worst hypocrisy was that which did not know itself to be hypocritical. (See Note on Matthew 6:2.)

For there is nothing covered.—More accurately, but there is nothing . . . The Greek conjunction cannot possibly have the meaning of “for,” and the latter word suggests a logical connection which is different from that of the original.

What our Lord seems to say is, “Beware you of . . . hypocrisy . . .; but, whether you beware or not, know that all that is now secret will one day be manifested.” On the verse itself, see Note on Matthew 11:25.

The connection in the two passages is, however, very different. There the underlying thought of a future day of revelation (see 1 Corinthians 4:5) is made a motive to courage in proclaiming truths that had been received in secret; here as a motive to caution, lest we should be trusting in the counterfeits of truth and holiness.

The force of the two Greek words would, perhaps, be better expressed by, There is nothing veiled that shall not be unveiled.

Therefore whatever you have spoken in darkness.—See Note on Matthew 10:27. There is, it will be noted, a difference of the same character as in the last verse. As recorded in Saint Matthew, it is What I tell you in darkness, that speak you in light. The disciples were warned of their responsibility and duty as hearers, bound to teach publicly what had been heard in secret.

Here they are told of their responsibility as teachers. Every word, however secret, spoken in darkness, in the closet or cabinet, which was the symbol of secrecy (see Note on Matthew 6:6); every whisper of false security or groundless fear, spoken in the ear of sinner or of penitent, would one day be made manifest, as in the presence of men and angels.

I say unto you my friends.—See Notes on Matthew 10:28-32. The opening words, however, in their tender sympathy, anticipating the language of John 15:14-15, may be noted as distinctive to Luke.

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? (Luke 12:6)—The variation from Saint Matthew’s two sparrows sold for a farthing (Matthew 10:29), seems to reproduce the very bargains of the marketplace. The sparrow was of so little value that the odd bird was thrown in to tempt the purchasers. Both this difference, and that between not one of them shall fall to the ground without your Father (Matthew 10:29), in Saint Matthew, and not one of them is forgotten before God (Luke 12:6), in Saint Luke, are proofs, again, of the independence of the two Gospels.