Luke 13

Luke 13:3

Various Warnings SUMMARY OF LUKE 12: The Leaven of the Pharisees. God’s Care for His Servants. Confessing Christ. The Two Brothers and the Inheritance. The Rich Fool. The Life More Than Raiment. The Lilies. Watching. The Wise and Faithful Steward. The Baptism of Suffering. Sending Peace on Earth. The Signs of the Times. An innumerable multitude of people. This is one of the passages that show the great impression produced at that time by Christ’s teaching. See also Mr 1:33; 2:2; 3:9; 6:31, etc. The discourse that follows is found almost verbatim in Matthew. Beware ye of the leaven. The spirit of the Pharisees. There is great danger of religion becoming formal and hypocritical. See PNT Matthew 16:6.

Luke 13:4

There is nothing covered. For notes on verse 2-5, see Matthew 10:26-28. The flat tops of Eastern houses were the places from whence public proclamations were made.

Luke 13:8

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? See notes on Matthew 10:29-33. Sparrows were the cheapest of all birds offered for sale.

Luke 13:12

Blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost. See notes on Matthew 12:31,32.

Luke 13:13

When they bring you unto the synagogues. See notes on Matthew 10:19,20.

Luke 13:15

One of the company said. This question concerning the inheritance, and the parable of the Rich Fool that follows, are only found in Luke. Speak to my brother. The man wished to enlist Christ’s moral power for his pecuniary advantage. Whether his brother had wronged him or not is not stated, but the Lord’s business was not to gain acres of land and money for men.

Luke 13:16

Who made me a judge or a divider over you? It was not his mission to look after temporal gains, but to save the souls of men.

Luke 13:17

Beware of covetousness. A greedy desire for the goods of this world. A sin of all ages and a besetting sin of our times. A man’s life consisteth not, etc. Comfort, happiness, and, above all, eternal interests, do not depend on the abundance of our goods. Why then should a man give his life to a greedy chase after wealth?

Luke 13:18

He spake a parable. To show that riches do not secure one from evil. A certain rich man. There is no intimation that his wealth was unjustly secured.

Luke 13:19

What shall I do? A common perplexity of the rich. They do not know what to do with their surplus wealth, though the needs of humanity call for it.

Luke 13:20

There will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. In his enlarged storehouses. He will hoard his goods. Here was the beginning of his folly; to “hoard” his surplus instead of “using it” for the good of men.

Luke 13:21

Thou hast much goods laid up for many years. He had the goods, but the years he could not claim. It was a second element of his folly to forget that life is uncertain, and to make no provision for its close. Take thine ease. Here is the third element of his folly; to attempt to satisfy his soul with food, drink and merriment: to feed that which demands heavenly food on husks.

Luke 13:22

[Thou] fool. The still, small voice may have said this, as mortal disease attacked him. Men said that he was sagacious, wise; but God said, “Thou fool”. This night. Instead of having many years, “this night” he shall die, unprepared, and all his goods on which he set his heart be delivered over to others.

Luke 13:23

So [is] he that layeth up treasure for himself. He is guilty of folly in the eyes of God. Wisdom requires that we should lay up treasure in heaven.

Luke 13:24

Be not anxious for your life. These verses are found in almost the same words in Matthew 6:24-34. See notes there.

Luke 13:34

Fear not, little flock. The flock is safe only because of the Shepherd’s care. The Lord is the Shepherd, and it is his pleasure to give not only food and raiment, but the kingdom to his children.

Luke 13:35

Sell what ye have. Lay up treasure in heaven. The true way of investing wealth is to consecrate it to good purposes. Better to sell in order to have wherewith to give, than to hoard like the rich fool. See notes on Matthew 6:19-21.