Hello everyone.
Today, we will continue to examine Luke 12, this time from verses 22-34. Here is my translation:
22 Then he said to his disciples, “Because of this, I say to you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, or about your body and what you will wear, 23 because life is greater than food and the body is greater than clothing. 24 Consider ravens. They neither scatter seed nor harvest. They don't have storerooms or barns, either. Yet God takes care of them. How much more valuable are you than birds? 25 Which of you can add time to your life through worry? 26 If you can’t even do this tiny thing, why would you worry about the rest? 27 Consider how the wild flowers grow. They don’t work hard, nor do they spin thread. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory were as well-dressed as they are. 28 So if the grass of the field, which is here today, but tomorrow is thrown into the fire, is clothed by God, how much more will He clothe you, you of little faith. 29 So don’t focus on things to eat and drink, and don’t worry. 30 All the people of the world chase after these things, but your Father knows that you need them. 31 Rather, you seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you.’
32 “Don’t be afraid, my little flock, because your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to those in need. Make a money-bag for yourself that doesn’t wear out, for the inexhaustible treasures of Heaven, where thieves cannot approach and moths cannot destroy it.
34 Because, wherever your treasure is, that is where your heart will be.”
Jesus’ instructions are, don’t be anxious about your life or your body. Do not focus on food or clothing. Jesus instruction is simple, yet challenging: Μὴ μεριμνᾶτε (May merimnatay) - ‘Don’t worry.” Darrell Bock says, “A lack of anxiety about basic daily needs is to characterize the disciple.. (Bock, 1159)
Jesus has just told them that life consists of more than the abundance of one’s possessions. Now he is telling them that life is more than eating. He is saying to his disciples, but is in a society in which most people are subsistence farmers, generally producing enough to survive. He also tells them that the body is more important than clothing. Clothing, like food, is important. These things are basic necessities, but Jesus is saying that we are to trust God to provide for these basic necessities. In an agrarian society where most people are subsistence farmers, most people spend most of their time just making sure that these basic needs are met.
Today, in America, since most of us don’t have to worry much about food or clothing, because we have them them in abundance, he might say it differently. Life is more important than possessing the latest technology, streaming the latest shows, or our likes on social media. We are to seek God’s kingdom and our basic necessities will be taken care of. In our modern society, we don’t really think about things, like, “Am I going to have enough grain to make it to the next harvest?”
Jesus takes a look at the natural world. He points out God takes care of the ravens, who do not farm, yet they eat. (A note on ravens. According to Lev. 11:15, ravens are considered an unclean animal. It is interesting that of all of the animals Jesus could have chosen, he chooses one that is unclean.) Jesus makes the point to his disciples that the disciples are much more valuable to God than birds.
God invented flowers and placed them in the fields, and even Solomon in all of his finery, cannot match their beauty. If God will adorn grass so magnificently, how much more is God able to meet our needs? The question then is, are we going to trust Him for that? Just like ravens, flowers don’t work. They don't spin thread or make cloth, yet they are well-adorned. Jesus compares them to Solomon in all of his finery, and says the flowers look better.
Jesus stresses the pointlessness of worry. Does worry do anything for us? The answer is ‘no.’ We can get caught up in worry, but through worry, we do not add a single hour to our life. So, if an activity is actually so useless, why do it? Why waste our energy on things with which we have no control? If we are disciples of Jesus, God will take care of us. (Note: God does not promise riches here. Merely that he will meet our basic needs.)
Jesus draws a parallel here with being overly anxious about life and with having a small faith. He uses the word ὀλιγόπιστοι which would mean “few faith’ or little faith. In verse 30, Jesus states that people of the world chase after these things. This is what most spend their life doing. But, God knows that we need these things and He will provide them for us. God doesn’t want us to worry. He asks us to seek his kingdom, but also assures us that He has given us His kingdom and is happy to do so. On our end, we trust Him and serve Him and other people, giving to those in need,
In verse 32, Jesus expresses a tenderness toward his disciples, referring to them as ‘little flock.” They are the sheep and he is their shepherd.
Meanwhile, we are to store up treasures in Heaven. Jesus has been telling them not to worry about the ordinary concerns of life, but to focus on God’s kingdom. Instead, Jesus says, our focus should be on gaining a Βαλλάντια (Ballantia) money-bag, in heaven. This word Βαλλάντια refers to the type of bag where businessmen would keep their money. Don’t put your focus on the temporary wealth of this life, but on the eternal wealth that awaits in Heaven. Investing in that heavenly money-bag is by far the better investment.
This section closes with the statement, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” We can choose where to place our treasures, whether in this life or in the life to come. This indicates where our heart is. We are loyal to the things we value most. If our true value is in Heaven, then the choices we make will reflect that.
Tom
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