Luke Chapter 12

vs 1

The crowds were big. Trampling big.

But Jesus started with his disciples, warning them about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Yeast, of course, was meant to be cleaned out of the house completely during the Passover. Jesus could be saying this is their yeast, which they should be cleaning out.

vs 2

Which is a darn scary thought for some of us.

vs 3

You know how embarrassed you'd be if someone pointed out that you didn't wash your hands after going to the bathroom? All those things you say or think (or d0) when no one else is watching, it will all be revealed in the light of truth. You can begin to see why the human race is not really as enamoured to truth as it likes to think it is. Who is the popular man - the one who tells the truth, or the one who provides convenience?

vs 4

To fear someone who can kill your body is to have a one sided understanding of the world. Interestingly, usually Christians are happy to talk about dying for Christ, but if you mention slow, agonising torture, or the debilitation of sickness or disability, a lot of them will still freak out. Well, I say fear not the hamburger that can take your cholesterol levels up, but after that can do no more!

vs 5

Now there's something worth fearing - because hell isn't a Sunday drive. Well, for some of us, it may very well be an eternal Sunday drive. "Are we there yet?" *shudder*

vs 6

I assume the sparrows were for sacrificing or perhaps eating. They eat sparrows in France, apparently. And snails and frog's legs, though, so they're already weird. The point being that they are basically worthless, and yet God's overarching power and authority and care extends to them.

vs 7

The numbering of hairs on head is nothing more than a level of intimacy God has with us. Don't think you're not allowed to cut your hair, or that somehow hair is more holy, or that it needs to be covered or uncovered, based on this verse (yes, I've heard them all). Going bald isn't a sin (I haven't heard that, yet). The point is that we are better than sparrows. Well, better is perhaps not the right term, but we are worth more. To who? To God. And God's got all the power to decide what's valuable, and he's chosen us.

vs 8

Why do people need acknowledgement before the angels of God? Why not just God himself? It's little questions like that which make me happy I do these studies. I'm guessing that it's a picture of some holy court or somesuch, and the angels are around to hear it? I don't know if there's a more direct or practical link... I mean, it's not like the angels choose whether we get into heaven or not. Perhaps it just is showing an amount of respect for the position that angels hold over humanity? I'm thinking I will stick with the "turn of phrase" argument which suggests that God is the main focus, but isn't worded in such a way for some weird reason.

vs 9

Same again here, but with disowning. Of course, the acknolwedgement and disowning entirely surrounds Jesus. It is incredible, when talking about theology or spirituality, how much of what we believe and know comes back directly to Jesus. Jesus is the most compelling evidence for God, the assurance of our salvation (perhaps tied with the Holy Spirit here), the defeat of our sins, the love of God, the grace of God, the provision of God, the character of God in general, the plans and purposes of God, the list just goes on and on. Try it sometime - next time you're discussing Christianity with someone, just link everything to Jesus as fast as you can.

vs 10

Hmm, I was hoping to quickly finish this verse and go get dressed. I guess not. The 'unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit' is not, in my opinion, actually unpardonable. If there were a sin which, once committed, prevented you from being forgiven, it would cut out a huge swathe of humanity, and Christianity included. There are two kinds of obedience - one off obedience (baptism), and continual obedience (being humble). I don't think there's a kind of one off disobedience which, once committed, marks you forever as unforgiven.

So what is Jesus saying, then, if not that? I think he's saying that those who blaspheme (synonyms are revile, malign, slander, dishonour, abuse, speak against - that is, these are other words that are translated from the same Greek word) the Holy Spirit are never going to be saved, because as long as you deny the work of the Holy Spirit, you simply cannot accept salvation.

Now, wait just a minute, Ben! Are you saying that if people deny the work of Christ, then they can still be saved? Because Jesus' juxtaposition is that if people speak a word against the Son of Man, they will be forgiven. I think this is the concept that makes a lot of people want to make this a once-for-all sin: so if you speak against Jesus, but then you change your mind and are saved, you can be forgiven for it. But if you were to revile the Holy Spirit, even once, then you can't go to heaven. If that's true, then I think every Evangelical Christian who spoke out against the charismatic and pentecostal movement is as spiritually dead as fried chicken.

But back to Christ being spoken against. I think the crux of the matter here is that, if you reject Christ but accept the Holy Spirit, then you will necessarily have to accept the Holy Spirit's conviction and testimony about Jesus as God. Just as lots of people happily accept Jesus as a great teacher or prophet or role model, but not as Lord, so those people have rejected not Jesus, who they think is great, but the Holy Spirit, who testifies to him as Saviour and God. As long as you are denying that truth, then yes, you'll never be saved. But if you stop denying it, I think you will be saved.