Hypocrisy and Covetousness. Luke 12:1-21 By nature, people are drawn together by a potential conflict to hear what caused the confrontation in the first place and then to see the outcome. The scribes and Pharisees had become vocally and vehemently opposed to the Lord Jesus Christ, so it was likely their loud voices that attracted more people to the crowd, pushing each other to get closer to Jesus. Each person wanted a front-row seat to see what the miracle worker would do.
Instead of addressing the crowd or engaging the Pharisees and scribes in an argument and answering their challenges, the Lord spoke to His disciples. He did not withdraw from those who opposed Him but used this event as a means to teach those who followed Him what to expect from those who reject what the Bible really teaches. He was preparing them for what service to God means and what was ahead of them when He returned to heaven. They had already learned that many people will not listen to the Gospel, and most will ignore or reject it. But He had also told them, “Few that be that find it.” That would give them the incentive to reach out to individuals and not expect great crowds everywhere they went.
When situations arise in our service for God, and it seems like things are getting out of control, don’t panic. It is essential that we refrain from deliberately provoking people and that we resist succumbing to false accusations. Pressure to be silent in proclaiming the truth may be laid on us by those who want to please people, but the truth is its own defender. In a wise and effective way, the Lord used that whole event to give warnings to those who loved and served Him.
In a remarkable and positive way, the Lord Jesus took control of the whole situation by ignoring the loud-mouth religionists and using them as an illustration of something that is important to us today as well as then. He used the obvious inconsistency and hostility of the religious leaders as an object lesson to teach both the disciples and those who overheard His words. The evils of hypocrisy and shortsightedness in spiritual things without any consideration for what God says were right there for everyone to see.
By using leaven (yeast) as an illustration, the Lord took the minds of the hearers to that which spreads into and permeates everything around it. Every bit of grain is affected by leaven when it is introduced to bread dough. The same amount of grain is there as it was at first, but then the bread puffs up and becomes obvious without changing what it really is. Hypocrisy is evident when one tries to appear good, but there is no fear of God in the heart. The pervasiveness of sin distorts the reality of truth.
Hypocrisy is knowing what is true but not being willing to do what we know is right. To follow Christ means that we obey what He says, not just agree with it or adapt it to our own self-serving lifestyle. For self-centered purposes, hypocrisy undermines faith and imposes rules on people, compelling them to follow human regulations. The teaching of truth in the Bible and its practice in everyday life often conflict with what people want. It leads people to act on their own opinions instead of God’s will, which they can read about in the Bible. Hypocrisy is when we outwardly appear to conform to what God wants, but our actions are not in line with our inward reality. It is often evident in religious practices on Sunday that are not consistent with a person’s everyday living.
People who are not Christians will sometimes use the hypocrisy of those who profess to be Christians as an excuse for their unbelief. They have legitimate expectations of Christians being different in the way they speak and what they do in comparison to those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Some will say there is no difference between them, so why should they even want to be a Christian? It is true that we who believe in Jesus and are “Christ’s ones” are, at times, not consistent in what we say and do. We fail and fall, but by the grace of God, we can confess and forsake our sins, finding mercy and forgiveness from Him. We need to ask God to give us the will and spiritual strength to live righteously as we daily learn from Him in the scriptures of truth and apply that truth to ourselves.
Our Lord did not withdraw anything He had said and did not soften His message to appease those who opposed Him. He clearly taught that whatever we think is hidden will be exposed for what it really is at the judgment throne, if not before. We are warned by the highest possible authority that we will not get away with pretending to be what we are not. What we think we are hiding from people will be revealed by God. He is uncompromising in his opposition to evil, and our Lord warned them, and us, that hypocrisy will be unmasked and seen for what it truly is.
Fear of being ridiculed weakens our testimony for the Lord. The desire for acceptance by people and comfort in our lives is not wrong, but peaceful co-existence with evil is. Fear of being embarrassed will keep believers from standing up and being counted for our Savior, His truth, and what is righteous. Temporal ease at the expense of spiritual integrity and honesty has consequences that cannot be avoided in the future. Reverential fear of God, even though it may lead to physical death, is of far greater value than a weak, compromising life of temporary safety.
We dishonor our Lord when we hide our faith and do not speak up for what we know is true. To be silent about being a child of God in order to blend in with what society does and accept social values that are not Christian values will not be overlooked by the Son of Man to whom all judgment is given. He intends for us to live a moral and upright life, seeking ways to help others and share our faith in Christ with them. Our lives and possessions should demonstrate that we are taking a stand in allegiance and loyalty to our Lord Jesus. Love for God and love for our neighbors are the essence of our Christian testimony.
To say that the convicting, revealing, and saving work of the Holy Spirit is the work of the devil is unforgivable. Rejecting His work in one’s soul and ignoring the truth of God’s word is rejecting God and making Him a liar. Refusing to accept the facts and consequences of sin means that one cannot be forgiven. People who sin against the Holy Spirit deliberately choose not to accept what God says. The Spirit convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment to come, and those who reject that convicting power of the Spirit are rejecting the only One who can save them. Not yielding one’s will to the word of God and the striving of the Spirit of God is to be lost forever.
People may struggle to understand what the Bible says about the Lord Jesus Christ, who is both an infinite and eternal God and, at the same time, a perfect human being born of a virgin. However, when they repent and accept Christ, they are forgiven. When they open their minds and hearts to the Spirit of God, He speaks to their conscience, and an awakened conscience can move one to put their faith in the Lord as the Spirit guides them into all truth. If their response is to reject what they know is true and deliberately walk away from that, they have committed an unpardonable sin.
Christians may be called to stand before earthly judges to testify to their faith in Christ, with serious consequences resulting from what they say. That is not a situation for which we can be fully prepared as to what to say. We don’t know what we will be asked, what the attitude of the questioners will be toward God and toward us as believers, or whether we will be challenged to change our convictions to suit social acceptance. The Holy Spirit will not abandon us, leaving us high and dry. The truths implanted in us through the word of God and the Spirit of God will enable us to formulate a proper response that God can use. Our hearts and minds need to be daily taking in divine truth from God’s word, and He will then guide us to present those truths in a way that is most effective for the time and place.
Perhaps as an illustration of the unexpected question out of context, the Lord taught by example what to say when questioned. The question had little relevance to hypocrisy, but it did open the door to His teaching on covetousness. The younger brother likely wanted an equal share of the inheritance that the firstborn brother received. In His response, Jesus did not interfere with a family matter because that was not why He came. He could see that the man was primarily concerned with acquiring as much money as possible, regardless of the means. The Lord’s response moved the issue between brothers to a much higher concern relating to our attitude toward money.
Inequality is found in all kinds of temporal and material things. Those are things of the world that people are very concerned about rather than things that are eternal. Some people believe that everyone in the world should have the same amount of wealth as everyone else, ensuring peaceful coexistence among people and nations. The problem with that is that everyone is different. We are not a species of robots. Sin has made people discontent no matter how much they have of this world’s goods. It is impossible to achieve lasting satisfaction in life due to the “things” we possess. Personal greed in individuals, differing political philosophies such as capitalism and socialism, and various other ideologies divide people.
It is the attitude of the heart that motivates people to feed the hungry and meet the needs of others, not the overriding imposition of God on our choices. Equality is not based on material and financial possessions. True equality is in God’s view of each individual. “There is no difference for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” God is rich in mercy to all who call upon Him in true faith. His grace and forgiveness are without partiality. Rich or poor, old or young, all are precious to Him because of who they are, not what they have or don’t have.
“Take heed” lest we focus on things that have no eternal value. That will leave us with a meaningless life with nothing that lasts and nothing to look forward to. This warning is that we may avoid the sad result of a whole life lived for ourselves. “Beware of covetousness” is another warning because that is the sin of wanting more than what is our right to have. Covetousness is a moral sin because it desires what others have and directs our minds toward sinful things instead of the things of God. “A man’s life” is not made up of what he has. What is important is being satisfied with what we have (food and raiment) and being ready to meet God when we die. Too many things encumber what could be joy and peace in the Holy Spirit. Spiritual worth is far more important than all earthly possessions. “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul.”
The parable of the rich fool was a warning to all who were listening to the Lord. that they could get all they wanted and lose it in a moment. By our nature, we have been made by God to not be satisfied with the things of this world. “Now none but Christ can satisfy” are more than the words of a Gospel song. They are a fact built into the human soul. God has made us for Him, that we might know Him and love Him. He wants to share an eternal relationship with us. Living in fellowship and harmony with Him makes our lives full and satisfying.
The man in the parable was called a “fool” by God because he didn’t take God into consideration at all. He didn’t think about God, he didn’t live for God, he didn’t talk to God, and he didn’t thank God for a good harvest. He just ignored God as if He didn’t exist and lived only for this life. He died and left it all behind. He had no home, no help, no happiness – he was physically, morally, spiritually, and completely bankrupt – forever.
Every person, whether a believer in Christ or an unbeliever, who trusts in riches to give them personal worth and satisfaction, is a fool. Wealth is not meant for hoarding so we can enjoy ease and pleasure in retirement. It can be utilized profitably to meet the needs of those who are involved in advancing the work of the Lord in other parts of the world. It can be used to meet the needs of an assembly of believers who are committed to following the principles taught in the Bible. It can be used to assist those whose poverty has been imposed upon them by circumstances rather than bad habits.
The future will reveal what is hidden in the present. Those who choose not to acknowledge Jesus as Lord while they are on earth will not be in heaven but will go to hell. Those who sin against the Holy Spirit will not find forgiveness. Our life and death are in God’s hands, not ours. These warnings are given for our learning so that we may avoid the many dangers around us and live for God in light of the future.