Luke 12. A Collection of Sayings taken from Q and arranged in groups with more or less suitable introductions.
Luke 12:1-12. Jesus Encourages His Disciples. (For parallels in Mt. see below.) After a warning against Pharisaism, Jesus exhorts His followers fearlessly to acknowledge Him as their leader and to proclaim His teaching. This may bring trouble upon them, but perfect trust in God will cast out fear.
Luke 12:1. An attempt to connect what follows with ch. 11. Hence the reference to the Pharisees and their leaven (Mark 8:15; Matthew 16:6 *), which Luke takes to be hypocrisy.
Luke 12:2. Lk. only. Hypocrisy is not only wrong, but useless; a day is coming when all masks will be torn off. In accordance with this statement Lk. gives an altered version of Matthew 10:27 (What I tell you in darkness, speak ye in the light, etc.). The early house instruction (Luke 9:4) is to give way to public preaching.
Luke 12:3-9. Cf. Matthew 10:27-33 *·
Luke 12:4 f. The slight changes which Lk. makes are suggestive. Loisy thinks there is a trace here of the belief in judgment immediately after death as in Luke 16:22; Luke 23:43.
Luke 12:8 f. before men, i.e. magistrates. angels of God: Mt. My Father which is in heaven. In Lk. the angels are judges, before whom the Son of Man gives evidence. Does Lk. (cf. Luke 9:26; Mark 8:38) or Q think of the Son of Man as another than Jesus? If so, Mt.'s I may be a correction to prevent such a misunderstanding.
Luke 12:10. The saying has a better context in Mark 3:28 f., Matthew 12:32 *, though Lk.'s form is good, and it may be inserted here as encouragement to the disciples. J. Weiss thinks it may originally have come after Luke 12:12; he who blasphemes the Holy Spirit (speaking through the disciples) shall not be forgiven.
Luke 12:11 f. Matthew 10:19 f.*. Lk.'s form suggests Pauline experiences.