Gospel Notes by Michael Whelan SM
Jesus said to the disciples
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
35 “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36 be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
39 “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”
41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and if he begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and put him with the unfaithful. 47 That slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded. (Luke 12:32-48 – NRSV)
Sections in bold to be read. Sections in italics optional.
Introductory notes
General
We find parts of this text from Luke are shared by Mark 13:35 (“stay awake because you do not know the hour the master is coming”) and Matthew 24:43-44 (“You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known …. because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”). See also Matthew 6:21 (“where your treasure is there will your heart be also”)
Luke is here continuing to address the dangers of greed, before moving on to the related topic of being watchful and ready: “It is out of deep fear that the acquisitive instinct grows monstrous. Life seems so frail and contingent that many possessions are required to secure it, even though the possessions are frailer still than the life. Only the removal of fear by the persuasion that life is a gift given by the source of all reality can generate the spiritual freedom that is symbolized by the generous disposition of possessions.” (Luke Timothy Johnson, The Gospel of Luke, The Liturgical Press, 1991, 201.)
“Jesus’ teaching to the disciples continues without any break …. but the theme switches from that of ceasing to be anxious about worldly possessions to that of being spiritually prepared for the coming of the Son of man (v. 40). Freed from worldly cares through trust in the fatherly care of God and hope in the coming of the kingdom, the disciples are not to let themselves be enticed by the temptations of the world to laziness, self-indulgence and self-assertion, but are to spend their time profitably and in readiness to serve the Son of man when he appears. This lesson is given by means of parabolic teaching. The opening parable likens the disciples to servants waiting expectantly for the return of their master at night and promises them a reward beyond human imagining in the picture of the master serving the servants (12:35–38)” (I H Marshall, The Gospel of Luke: a commentary on the Greek text, Exeter: Paternoster Press, 1978, 532-533).
Specific
Do not be afraid: This verse is unique to Luke. However, Matthew strikes a similar chord in 6:34 when he writes: “Do not be worried about tomorrow …”. “It is likely that both evangelists have added further (traditional) material to their shared source. ‘Your Father’ and ‘kingdom’ provide immediate links with vv 30–31, and ‘do not be afraid’ can be linked with the worry/anxiety language of the unit. ‘Do not fear’ reflects the vulnerability of the flock in its littleness (cf. Amos 7:2, 5). (J Nolland, Luke 9:21–18:34 (Vol. 35B), Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1993, 693). N T Wright reminds us: “Do you know what the most frequent command in the Bible turns out to be? What instruction, what order, is given, again and again, by God, by angels, by Jesus, by prophets and apostles? What do you think—‘Be good’? ‘Be holy, for I am holy’? Or, negatively, ‘Don’t sin’? ‘Don’t be immoral’? No. The most frequent command in the Bible is: ‘Don’t be afraid.’” (N T Wright, Following Jesus: Biblical Reflections on Discipleship, SPCK, 1994, 56.)
little flock etc: “‘Flock’ is a stock image for Israel/Judah (Jer 13:17; Ezek 34; Zech 10:3; etc.). ‘To give you the kingdom’ probably alludes to Dan 7:14, 27 (cf. vv 17, 22). Taken alone, the text announces the coming of salvation, rather than the judgment of God, or (its expression in [ongoing]) oppression by the Gentiles. It is, however, regularly (and probably correctly) assumed that this language is spoken not to a general audience but to those who have responded to the ministry of Jesus and in connection with whom the prophetic promises alluded to are to come to their fulfillment. Discussion over whether the historical Jesus could have spoken like this has been dominated by the question of whether a remnant consciousness can be predicated of him. In the terms in which the question is normally put, Jesus must be distanced from groups of his day that were concerned about the gathering of the holy remnant (e.g., Qumran). But as Meyer (JBL 84 [1965] 123–30) has shown, Jesus’ proclamation of the kingdom and of coming judgment, his links with John the Baptist (who was concerned with the salvation of a [repentant and baptized] remnant), his experience of rejection by some, and a realization that a preserved remnant of Israel can actually co-exist with a universalist salvific mission combine to make it not unlikely that Jesus did think in terms of the salvation of a remnant” (J Nolland, op cit, 693-694).
For where your treasure is etc: We are reminded of St Augustine’s statement at the beginning f his Confessions: “Our heart is restless until it rests in You”. The heart is the symbol of the “true self”. Living is homecoming. We are created by God and will never stop yearning for communion with God. That communion is precisely what is on offer in Jesus. “In a way v.34 sums it all up. The heart as the seat of human yearning must have its proper attraction: a heavenly treasure. The maxim does not tell the reader what that treasure is or even why it lasts; it suggests rather why the seeking for the kingdom can find an obstacle in the seeking for food, drink, and clothing—attractions that seduce. Even though the maxim in itself is devoid of an eschatological dimension, yet in the context it assumes one; however, that background is not the eschatological crisis, but the fate of the individual after death (so W. Pesch, “Zur Exegese,” 374). In such a context one must guard that the heart is not seduced by earthly possessions. With these two verses Jesus’ counsels about greed come to an end. The next sayings will move to a new topic” (Joseph A Fitzmyer S. J. The Gospel according to Luke X–XXIV: introduction, translation, and notes, (Vol. 28A), New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008, 982).
Be dressed for action: Two Greek words are used here – osphys (loins, waist) and perizōnnymi (gird oneself). The literal translation is “your loins must be girded”. The words remind us of Exodus 12:11: “This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the Lord”. Luke’s expression here – no matter how we translate it – places discipleship within the Exodus (Passover) tradition. Perhaps it also signals a “New Exodus” with a “New Passover”. Recall the Transfiguration: “Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure (exodon), which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (9:28-31).
like those who are waiting for their master: The passage has some points of resemblance (lamps/wedding/servants/waiting/night) to the parable of the ten virgins in Matt 24:42–51.
Blessed are those slaves: The word “slaves” – douloi – jars on the modern ear. However, we must avoid bringing a 21st century interpretation to the 1st century world: “Modern readers must overcome their temptation to read into any ancient Jewish, Greek or Roman text their knowledge of modern slavery. The meanings of any familiar-sounding terms can be determined only by a close investigation of the particular social systems and cultural values the early Christian writers took for granted (see Malina). Among the distinctive and often surprising features of slavery as practiced around the Mediterranean in the early centuries of our era are these:
- An enslaved person generally could not be identified by appearance or clothing; racial or ethnic origins were not reliable indicators of social or legal status.
- The cultural and religious traditions of slaves were usually those of their owners and other free persons.
- Education of slaves was encouraged, enhancing their value; some slaves were better educated than their owners. Rome’s cultural leadership in the empire largely depended on educated, foreign-born slaves who had been taken there.
- Partially as a result, many slaves functioned in highly responsible and sensitive positions such as workshop and household managers, accountants, tutors, personal secretaries, sea captains and physicians (see Martin, 1–49). An important minority of slaves had considerable influence and social power, even over freeborn persons of lesser status than the slaves’ owners.
- By no means were the enslaved regularly to be found at the bottom of the socioeconomic pyramid. Rather those free and impoverished persons who had to seek work each day without any certainty of employment occupied the lowest level. Some of them sold themselves into slavery in order to obtain job security, food, clothing and shelter.
- Slaves could own property, including their own slaves. They could accumulate funds that they might use to purchase their own freedom.
- Because slaves were owned by persons across the range of economic levels, they developed no consciousness of being a social class or of suffering a common plight (see Garnsey and Saller, 109–25). Thus no laws were needed to hinder public assembly of slaves.
- In contrast to New World slavery, ancient owners did not regard their adult slaves paternalistically; they clearly distinguished the roles of parents and of owners and felt no need to justify the institution of slavery.
- Persons not infrequently sold themselves to pay debts, to escape poverty, to climb socially or to obtain special governmental positions (see Dio Chrysostom 15.23).
- A large number of domestic and urban slaves, perhaps the majority, could anticipate being set free (manumitted) by age thirty, becoming a freedman or a freedwoman (see Acts 6:9, “the synagogue of the freedmen”). At any moment innumerable ex-slaves throughout the empire were proof that slavery need not be a permanent condition (see Bradley 1987, 81–112). And even ancient Greek commentators expressed astonishment that slaves freed by Roman citizens usually became Roman citizens themselves at their manumission. Notable in Acts 23–25 is the Roman governor Marcus Antonius Felix, who had been a slave until Antonia, the emperor Claudius’s mother, manumitted him.
“Slavery then was a fundamental aspect of daily life in the early Roman Empire, and virtually no one questioned its morality. Roman jurists and philosophers, some of whom noted that holding human beings as slaves was contra naturam, seemed never to have doubted the practical necessity or moral appropriateness of this practice. Not even the Stoic-Cynic philosopher Epictetus, who was raised and educated in slavery, regarded release from legal slavery as a desirable goal in itself. For him, as for the Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria, a person’s achieving inner freedom from domination by social conventions, life’s circumstances and one’s passions was far more important than any change in one’s social-legal status” (S S Bartchy, “Slave, Slavery”, in R. P. Martin & P. H. Davids (Eds.), Dictionary of the later New Testament and its developments (electronic ed., pp. 1098–1099). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1997, 1098-1099).
whom the master finds alert: Being alert and awake, ready and attentive to the “master” is a crucial quality for the disciple. On the theme of watchfulness, Joseph Fitzmyer writes: “…. watchfulness connected with the eschatological day of Yahweh is abundant in OT prophets (Isa 13:6; Ezek 30:3; Joel 1:15; 2:1; Amos 5:18; Obad 15; Zeph 1:14–18). Even though that has to be understood at times in terms of specific events in the history of Israel, it became a theme which transcended them, calling for watchfulness in conduct (see Mal 3:23–24 [4:5–6E])…. Recall the vigil kept by the Essenes of Qumran: ‘Let the Many watch (yšqwdw) in common for a third of all the nights of the year, to read the Book and study the Law’ (1QS 6:7). Jesus’ words about vigilance could well have been uttered in such a context; they could also have fitted into his preaching about the ‘coming’ of the kingdom and the implication of judgment associated with it (see 9:26 [cf. pp. 155–156]).” (Joseph Fitzmyer, S. J., The Gospel according to Luke X–XXIV: introduction, translation, and notes, Yale University Press, 2008, 987.)
Fear?
In today’s Gospel – Luke 12:32-48 – Jesus tells the disciples not to be afraid: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke’s Gospel records Jesus’ injunction not to be afraid, five times, beginning with Zechariah (1:12), Mary (1:30), Simon (5:10), and then twice in this passage to the disciples. Those same words were spoken, for example, to Abram (Genesis 15:1), to Joshua (Joshua 1:9), to Daniel (Daniel 10:12) and to the whole of Israel through the Prophet Isaiah (41:10). “Do not be afraid.” In fact, the most oft-repeated sentiment in the Bible is, “Do not be afraid!”
We all know the experience of fear. In fact, it is a very good thing to feel afraid sometimes. It might save our lives! Fear can mobilise defensive action in a dangerous situation; it can even give us strength that we would not have if we were not afraid. Sometimes, however, feeling afraid can become destructive. Fear, for example, might prompt us to speak or act badly, even violently.
This ambiguity in the human experience of fear is reflected in the Bible. For example, in the Book of Deuteronomy, a reason for saying the Shema is “that you and your children and your children’s children may fear the Lord your God all the days of your life” (6:2). And in Psalm 112:1 we read: “Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in his commandments”. These positive references to the experience of fear stand in contrast to the injunction: “Do not be afraid!”
It may help to speak of “existential fear.” There is a fear that is part of our very existence. That “existential fear” can overwhelm us. It can thus provoke us to make choices that are not in our best interests or the best interests of others. For example, “existential fear” may be manifest in a fear of our worst possibilities and a fear of our best possibilities, a fear of the past and a fear of the future, a fear of being out of control, a fear of not being accepted, a fear that our lives have not quite measured up, a fear of death. Perhaps the distress that we visit on ourselves and each other has its roots in fear?
God has entered that world of human existence with its attendant fears and the potentially destructive outcomes of our responses to those fears. Everything in the Bible comes from and leads back to the Promise of Sinai: “I will be with you!” (see Exodus 3:1-15). Jesus is the embodiment of this promise.
Receiving this promise and letting it shape our very existence can make all the difference between an experience of fear that overwhelms us and prompts destructive behaviour and an experience of fear that becomes a moment of growth and grace.
In a situation of fear, we might pray: “Lord, deliver me not from it but in it.”