Luke 12,1-12
Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees
1 In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first,
“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
2 Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.
Have No Fear
4 I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.
5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God.
7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Acknowledge Christ Before Men
8 And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God,
9 but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say,
12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Introduction
Hello everyone, I am kiki.
Chinese name of our second phase of the program is “读经大讲堂”. The English name is “Bible study”.
We will adopt a relaxed also enjoyable learning mode to take you into a new learning world. Each time I will make a personal summary and analysis from the perspective of a learner, and then Sister Ingrid will help me conduct in-depth learning and problem discussions with everybody.
I hope that such an interesting and interactive process can bring new knowledge experience to you all. The following is my interview with sister on related issues. Today is the 33th lecture on the Gospel of Luke.
Everyone is welcome to leave a message in the comment area for discussion!
2. My summary of Luke 33th-time study
Well, everybody! Firstly, is still my today’s personal study summary.
Firstly, be real, not fake. Jesus warns against hypocrisy, comparing it to yeast that spreads. He says everything hidden will eventually be revealed. True faith is about consistent honesty, not putting on a show for others.
Second thing, know your worth and don’t live in fear.
Jesus tells us not to fear people who can only harm the body. He emphasizes how much God cares for us—even the tiny sparrows are remembered, and every hair on our head is counted.
This means we are incredibly valuable to God, so we don’t need to be scared of others’ opinions.
The last thing is, rely on help and be brave. When facing pressure for our faith, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit will give us the right words to say.
If we acknowledge Him before others, He will acknowledge us before God. This allows us to live bravely and authentically.
In short, this guide calls us to move from pretending to be perfect for approval, into a free life where being loved leads us to be real, and being real makes us brave.
Now let Ingrid sister make a go further summary.
3. Sister’s comment from my studying summary
Hello sister, the main topic of this text is, that we should not fear.
We do not need to be hypocritic, because in the end of time, everything will be seen and heard openly, what we prayed and did and those who talked in the dark must come to the light and those who talked with God in silence will get their reward.
When we think about our relationship with Jesus, we have to be aware, that he has the power to judge at the end of time and to throw us into the lake of fire. Therefore, we shall take him seriously and confess him before men with the result, that he confesses us before the angels, too and nothing bad will happen to us.
The last point which can cause fear and anxiety to us is, when they bring us before the rulers on the earth, the leaders in the synagogue. We shall not say and think about what to say now, because the Holy Spirit will give us the words, if we have come in such a situation.
4. Q list part: base on Luke 33th items
Okay. Base on above bible study content, now let me ask sister some related questions.
We hope the following questions can be helpful to our brothers and sisters who have just become Christians.
1. Question
Jesus warns about the “leaven of the Pharisees,” which he says is hypocrisy. In our daily lives, like at school or online, what are some ways people might act like a “hypocrite”?
Answer
The three points people are most hypocrite is praying, fasting and giving. Therefore, Jesus teaches us in the Gospel of Matthew, that we shall do these things in secret.
We will get a reward for these things in heaven, therefore Jesus says, the things we do in secret will be revealed one day, so we have no need doing them before people, it is the best doing them hidden, that only God can see what we do.
2. Question
Jesus says secrets won’t stay hidden forever. How does this idea make you feel about being honest, even in small things?
Answer
I am a learner just as you and on my way to heaven I learn more and more, that I should not share everything that I do with people but only with God.
3. Question
Why do you think Jesus tells his followers not to fear people who can only hurt their body, but to fear God who cares about their eternal soul?
Answer
Because the meaning of this life is to save our soul out of the eternal fire which will hurt us, when we do not follow Jesus. Suffering physical here on hearth is nothing in compared with suffering in eternal hell.
4. Question
God knows even when a tiny sparrow falls. If God pays that much attention to a bird, what does that say about how He feels about you?
Answer
It gives me security. If God cares for each bird in the sky, then he cares for me, too. That does not mean, that I should be lazy, birds are one of the animals which work very hard to get their nest and raise up their children, but they find all material and food that they need on the way and the field.
5. Question
Jesus says “the hairs of your head are all numbered.” Is this a scary thought or a comforting thought? Why?
Answer
It is a comfortable thought. God knows everything about me and since he is a loving father, he will do only the best for me.
6. Question
What does it mean to “acknowledge” or stand up for your beliefs in front of others? Can you think of a situation where it might be hard to do this?
Answer
When others ask you, you should confess that you are a Christian. Once I had in a zoom conversation group the problem, that I confessed and the leader was so intolerant, that he mobbed me in the conversation a lot.
I went out of the group during the conversation. With people who do not accept, that I am a Christian and confess it by their intolerance, I have nothing to do.
7. Question
Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will help us know what to say in tough situations. Have you ever felt suddenly clear about what to do or say when you were nervous? What was that like?
Answer
Usually, I do not get nervous before others, when I have to confess being a Christian. I declare, what Jesus had said and how I live and if people refuse this opinion, I let them walk away, without holding them back.
It is harder, when I am attacked, then I really need the help of the Holy Spirit, that advices me if I shall say something or if it is better not to say anything, because people can attack me more. Jesus did not say anything either when he was attacked, so sometimes it is wiser not to say anything.
8. Question
The passage talks about forgiveness but mentions one thing that won’t be forgiven: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. What do you think it means to reject or insult the very spirit of truth and goodness that comes from God?
Answer
In the text before, we heard, that the Jewish leaders blamed Jesus to casting out demons by the help of the devil. In other words: They said that the Holy Spirit, who helped Jesus is the devil. And this sin, to call the Holy Spirit a demon or a devil will never be forgiven.
9. Question
How are the warning about hypocrisy and the encouragement to be fearless about standing up for your faith connected? Can you be fearless if you’re pretending?
Answer
No, it is not possible, because the paragraphs about fearless are dedicated to those who are honest and without hypocrisy.
We have seen the parable of the Sower here, too. The hypocrites are those, who receive the word very quickly, but when it comes to pressure and persecution, they dry out.
10. Question
If you had to summarize the main message of this whole passage to a friend in just one or two sentences, what would you say?
Answer
Fear God with all your heart and mind and not people.
