Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Lk. 12:1. Meanwhile, when thousands of the people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another,
The Pharisees tried to catch the Lord in His words in order to turn the people away from Him, but the opposite happened. Even more people gathered: many "thousands" assembled, and each one so strove to draw near to Him that they "trampled one another." So powerful is truth, and so powerless is falsehood everywhere!

Lk. 12:1. He began to speak first to His disciples: Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
Jesus, knowing the cunning of the Pharisees and seeing that they only pretended to be asking questions while in reality they were plotting against Him, spoke to His disciples about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, undoubtedly in order to expose them and reveal their hearts full of hypocrisy. The Lord calls hypocrisy "leaven" because it is bitter, full of ancient malice, and alters and corrupts the way of thinking of those people whom it assails. For nothing changes morals so much as hypocrisy. Therefore the disciples of Christ must flee from hypocrisy. For Christ, being the Truth (John 14:6), is obviously opposed to falsehood. And all hypocrisy, appearing as one thing outwardly while being another in reality, is full of falsehood.

Lk. 12:2. There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not be made known.

Lk. 12:3. Therefore, whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light; and what you have spoken in the ear inside the house will be proclaimed on the rooftops.
Though the Pharisees, he says, think to hide behind hypocrisy, feigning virtue for themselves, nevertheless, "there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed." For all things—both words and thoughts—will be presented in complete nakedness at the Last Judgment (1 Cor. 4:5). And even in the present life, much that is secret is usually brought to light. Therefore, "what you have said in the darkness" and "what you have spoken inside the house" and in secret, "will be proclaimed" in the light and from the rooftops.
Apparently, He says this to the disciples, but meanwhile directs it against the Pharisees, hinting at their plots, and although He speaks, apparently, to the disciples, He expresses to the Pharisees something like this: Pharisees! What you plotted in darkness, in your dark hearts, wishing to ensnare Me, will be heard and known in the light, for "I am the light" (John 8:12), and you cannot hide from Me, but in Me—the Light—everything that your darkness devises is discerned. And what you decided among yourselves in a whisper became as well known to Me as if it were proclaimed from the housetops.
And you can understand this also in the following way: the light is the Gospel, and the high rooftops are the lofty souls of the apostles. What the Pharisees were plotting was afterwards proclaimed and heard in the light of the Gospel, when upon the lofty souls of the apostles stood the great Preacher – the Holy Spirit.
After the Lord exposed the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, turned His disciples away from it, and meanwhile again struck the Pharisees with the words: "what you have said in the dark will be heard in the light," He now addresses His friends with a discourse on more perfect matters. Having already uprooted the thorns, He sows the good seed.

Lk. 12:4. But I say to you, My friends:
What was said before was directed not at them, but at the Pharisees. So, I say to you, My friends. For this word is not for everyone, but for those who have loved Him with all their soul and can say: "Who shall separate us from the love of God?" (Rom. 8:35). To such as these, this exhortation is fitting.

Lk. 12:4. Do not fear those who kill the body and after that can do nothing more;

Lk. 12:5. But I will tell you whom to fear: fear Him who, after killing, has the power to cast into gehenna; yea, I say to you, fear Him.
"Do not be afraid," He says, "of those who kill the body" and can do nothing more to harm you. For the harm from those who injure the body does not amount to much. The body will suffer what is proper to it even if they do not harm it. But one should fear Him who punishes not only the body but also the soul, subjecting an immortal being to endless torments, and moreover in fire. In this way Christ trains His friends in spiritual courage, makes them witnesses, and drives away from them the fear of man. People, He says, extend their malice only against the perishable body, and the end of their schemes against us is bodily death. But when God punishes, He does not stop at the flesh alone, but the wretched soul itself is subjected to torments. Note from this that death brings sinners to punishment: they are punished here, being killed, and there they are cast into Gehenna.
Examining this saying, you will understand something else as well. Notice, the Lord did not say: fear the one "who...after killing" "casts" into gehenna, but: "who...can cast." For sinners who die are not necessarily cast into gehenna, but it is within God's power to also forgive, for example, on account of those offerings and alms which are made on behalf of the dead and which bring no small benefit even to those who die in grievous sins. Thus, God does not unconditionally cast into gehenna after killing, but has the power to cast. Let us therefore also unceasingly devote ourselves to acts of mercy and prayers, and through them propitiate Him Who has the power to cast, but does not necessarily exercise this power, and is able also to forgive.

Lk. 12:6. Are not five sparrows sold for two assaria? And not one of them is forgotten before God.
Many, He says, think that those who die for the truth are abandoned by God; but do not think so. You will die not because you will supposedly be abandoned by Me. For if not one of the sparrows, which are sold cheaply, is forgotten by God, how much more should your death not be forgotten, My friends, as though I do not care for you.

Lk. 12:7. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore do not fear: you are worth more than many sparrows.
On the contrary, I have such care for you that I know all your affairs down to the finest detail; for example, even your "hairs are numbered." Therefore, if I permit you to fall into temptation, I will undoubtedly also give you the strength to endure it (1 Cor. 10:13). And often, when I see someone weak, I do not even permit him to fall into temptation. For being watchful and knowing all things — and keeping account of even the most trifling matters — I arrange for each person what is fitting and beneficial. If you pay attention, you will find that in Scripture everything male that has reached the measure of maturity and is generally worthy of divine counting is numbered (Exod. 18:21; Num. 26:62).
By "head" one must understand the Christ-pleasing life of each of the faithful, and by "hairs" its most particular deeds, by which the body is mortified, which are numbered by God and taken into consideration. For such deeds of yours are deemed worthy of God's regard. By the "five" sparrows some understand the five senses, which, being purchased for two assaria, that is, at the price of the Old and New Testaments, are not forgotten before God. For whoever tempers his senses and subjects them to reason, so that they are not useless for spiritual nourishment, that person is not forgotten before God.

Lk. 12:8. And I say unto you: everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man also will confess before the Angels of God;

Lk. 12:9. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
Now He offers a reward for the confession of faith. Since He said, "do not fear those who kill the body" and added that "the very hairs of your head are all numbered," lest someone should say: then give me some reward as well, for what good does it do me that You have numbered my hairs.
He says (to such a person): do you desire a reward as well? Listen. Whoever confesses (faith) in Me, that one will be acknowledged by Me before God. He said: will confess "in Me," that is, with My assistance and by My power, and I will confess him "in him," that is, with his assistance. For just as we first need God, since without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5), so also God needs us. For if He does not find in us worthy deeds, He does not accept us either; otherwise He would be a respecter of persons. So we confess "in Him," that is, with His assistance, and He "in us," that is, with our assistance. For if we do not give Him cause, He will not bear witness for us either. But the one who denies is not denied by the power of God, which is why He did not add "by Me," but said: whoever denies "Me."
Since every saint abides in Christ, and Christ in him (John 15:5), then perhaps is it not for this reason also that He said thus: whoever confesses (Me) "in Me," that is, abiding, that one I too will confess, abiding in him.

Lk. 12:10. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven;
This means: whoever speaks blasphemy against Me, who in appearance am a simple son of man, eating, drinking, associating with tax collectors and harlots, whether he repents or does not repent of his blasphemy, will be forgiven. For such a person's unbelief is not imputed to him as sin. For what did he see that would dispose him to faith? On the contrary, what did he not see that was worthy of blasphemy? He saw a man associating with harlots and speaks blasphemy against him, and therefore the sin is not imputed to him. For he could naturally think, what kind of Son of God is one who associates with harlots? Therefore, one who acts in this way and yet claims to be the Son of God, he may revile and call an impostor.

Lk. 12:10. But whoever speaks blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him.
These words have the following meaning. Whoever, seeing Divine signs and great and extraordinary works, does not believe and reviles the actions of the Holy Spirit, attributing them to Beelzebub, that person, spewing forth "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" and saying that these signs are performed by an evil spirit and not by God's, if he does not repent, will not be excused and forgiven. For the one who speaks blasphemy against the Son of Man, the sin is not imputed, and therefore he is forgiven even without repentance, but for the one who sees the works of the Spirit of God and blasphemes without repentance, it will not be forgiven, but will be imputed as the greatest sin.

Lk. 12:11. When they bring you into the synagogues, and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say,
Our weakness is of two kinds: we flee from the confession of faith either out of fear of punishments or out of simplicity and inability to give an answer for our faith. The fear of punishments the Lord healed with the words: "fear not them which kill the body." Now He heals the fear that comes from simplicity. Since few of the "wise after the flesh" (1 Cor. 1:26) believed, and the greater part were simple folk, He says: do not be afraid, you who are uneducated and simple, and do not worry how or what to answer when examined by a ruler, or what to say on another occasion — you will have a different manner of speech.

Lk. 12:12. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.
Therefore what need is there to worry, if in that hour you will be taught by the Holy Spirit? And so, from both sides He strengthens us for the feat of confession, healing both the fear of bodily weakness and the fear of simplicity and ignorance.

Lk. 12:13. Someone from the crowd said to Him: Teacher! Tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.

Lk. 12:14. He said to the man: Who appointed Me to judge or divide you?
In order to teach us how little we should care about worldly affairs and occupy ourselves with earthly things, the Lord sends away from Himself the one who asked Him to settle the division of a paternal inheritance, and therefore says: "Who made Me a judge or divider over you?" Since this man did not ask for what is profitable and necessary for salvation, but asked Him to be a divider of earthly and temporal possessions, the Lord sends him away as one who is restless and unwilling to learn anything needful; however, He does this gently, not harshly. But by this act, without doubt, He teaches all His listeners, both those of that time and those of the present, not to care about anything earthly and temporal, not to quarrel over it with their brothers, and even to yield to them if they wish to be covetous (for He says: "Of him who takes away what is yours, do not demand it back" (Lk. 6:30)), and to seek what is profitable and necessary for the salvation of the soul.

Lk. 12:15. At this He said to them: watch out, beware of covetousness,
Therefore He also added these words: "Take heed, and beware of covetousness," urging us to avoid covetousness as if it were some diabolical pit. And to whom did He say this: "Take heed, and beware of covetousness"? To these two brothers. Since they had a dispute over an inheritance, and probably one of the two had wronged the other, He directs His discourse to them about covetousness. For it is a great evil. Therefore the apostle Paul calls it "idolatry" (Col. 3:5), perhaps because it is fitting only for those who do not know God, or, what is more accurate, because the idols of the pagans are "silver and gold" (Ps. 115:4). He who honors silver and gold is like idolaters, because both he and they worship and pay homage to the same material.

Lk. 12:15. for the life of a man does not depend on the abundance of his possessions.
So one must flee from excess. Why? Because "a man's life does not depend on the abundance of his possessions," that is, the measure of this life is not proportionate to the abundance of possessions. For if someone has much, it does not yet mean that he will also live long. Longevity does not depend on a multitude of wealth. The Lord says this in refutation of the thoughts of lovers of wealth. Lovers of wealth apparently care about wealth because they desire to live, and they gather from everywhere because they intend to live a long time. Therefore the Lord says: O wretched and poor one! Will longevity really be added to you from much possession?
Why then do you clearly suffer for the sake of an uncertain rest? For it is not yet known whether you will reach the old age for which you are storing up; but what is evident is that now you are spending your life on the acquisition of possessions.

Lk. 12:16. And He told them a parable: a certain rich man's field brought forth plentifully;
Having said that a person's life does not become longer from an abundance of possessions, the Lord also brings a parable in confirmation of His words. And see how He depicts for us the insatiable thoughts of the foolish rich man. God was carrying out His intention and showed special compassion. For not in one small place, but in the entire "field of the rich man there was a good harvest"; yet he was so barren in mercy that, before he even received, he was already keeping it for himself.

Lk. 12:17. And he reasoned within himself, saying: What shall I do? I have nowhere to gather my fruits.
Look also at the rich man's pleasures. "What shall I do?" Are these not the very same words that the poor man also utters? What shall I do? I have nothing to eat, nothing to wear. Consider, if you will, the words of the rich man as well: "What shall I do? I have... nowhere... to store my" many "crops." What fine tranquility! The poor man too says: what shall I do? I do not have... And the rich man says: what shall I do? I do not have... So what do we gain from gathering so very much? We do not enjoy tranquility, and clearly, because of our cares; we only heap upon ourselves a multitude of sins.

Lk. 12:18. And he said: this is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones,
And if next summer the harvest in the field is even greater, will you tear down and build again? And what need is there to tear down and build? The bellies of the poor — those are your granaries. They can hold much, and they are indestructible and imperishable, for they are heavenly and divine, since he who feeds the poor feeds God.

Lk. 12:18. I will gather there all my grain and all my goods,
Here is yet another madness of the rich man. "My grain and all my goods." He does not consider them a gift from God, for otherwise he would have disposed of them as a steward of God, but considers them the fruit of his own labors. Therefore, claiming them for himself, he says: "my grain and... my goods." I, he says, have no partner whatsoever; I will not share with anyone. All these goods are not God's, but mine, therefore I alone will enjoy them, and I will not admit God as a participant in their enjoyment. This is clearly madness. Let us look further.

Lk. 12:19. And I will say to my soul: Soul! you have much goods laid up for many years:
He assigns himself a long life, as if longevity too he received from the land he cultivates. Is this really your product as well? Is this really your good as well?

Lk. 12:19. Rest, eat, drink, be merry.
How fine are the goods of the soul! To eat and drink is a good of the irrational soul. However, since you yourself also have such a soul, you rightly offer it such goods. But the good of the rational soul consists in understanding, reasoning, and delighting in the Law of God and in good contemplations. Is it not enough for you, fool, to eat and drink — you offer your soul also the shameful and sordid pleasure that follows? For it is obvious that the Lord by the word "be merry" indicated the passion of debauchery, which usually follows after surfeit of food and drink (Phil. 3:19; Eph. 5:18).

Lk. 12:20. But God said to him: Fool! This night your soul shall be required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose shall they be?
It is said thus: "But God said to him" not because God actually conversed with the rich man, but these words have the meaning that when the rich man was thinking so proudly within himself, then "God said to him" (for this is what the parable implies). God calls the rich man a fool because he laid plans in his soul that were most foolish, as we have shown. For every such person is foolish and vain, as David also says: man "bustles about," and the reason for this is that he "heaps up and does not know who will gather it" (Ps. 39:6). For how is he not foolish who does not know that the measure of life is in the hands of God alone and that no one can determine the length of his own life?
Pay attention also to the word: "they will require." The fearsome Angels, like cruel tax collectors, "will require of you... your soul" against your will, since out of love of living you appropriated the goods of this world for yourself. From the righteous man the soul is not taken by force, but he surrenders it to God and the Father of spirits with joy and gladness and feels no distress at the laying aside of the body, for he bears the body as though it were a light burden. But the sinner, having made the soul fleshly, having turned it into body and earth, makes the separation of it exceedingly difficult. Therefore it is said that the soul will be "required" from him, as from some obstinate debtor handed over to cruel collectors. Note this also. The Lord did not say: I will require your soul from you, but "they will require." For "the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God" (Wis. 3:1). And truly from such a one "in the night" they will require the soul, for he does not have the illuminating light of the knowledge of God, but is in the night of love of riches, and being darkened by it he is seized by death.

Lk. 12:21. So it is with him who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Thus, "whoever lays up treasure for himself" is justly called a fool and does not manage to carry out his intentions, but at the very time of making plans is utterly snatched from the midst of the living. But if he had been gathering for the poor and for God, he would not have been treated this way. Therefore let us strive to "be rich toward God," that is, to place our hope in Him, to consider Him our wealth and the storehouse of wealth. Let us not say: "my" goods, but God's goods. And if they are God's goods, then let us not alienate God from His own goods. To be rich toward God means to believe that even if I give away and exhaust all that I have, I will still lack nothing that is necessary. For the treasury of my goods is God: I open it and take what I need.

Lk. 12:22. And He said to His disciples: therefore I say to you,
Little by little the Lord ascends to the teaching on the highest perfection. Note the order. He taught to guard against covetousness and added the parable of the rich man as proof that he who desires very much is foolish. Extending the teaching further, He does not allow us to be anxious even about necessities. Just as the devil, beginning with small sins, plunges us into great ones as well, which is why he is called in Job (Job 4:11) "a mighty lion," so, on the contrary, the Lord, destroying his works, teaches first to flee great sins, and then points out their very beginnings. Having commanded us to guard against covetousness, He reaches its very root as well, that is, anxiety, so as to cut off the root too, and says: "therefore I say to you."

Lk. 12:22. – do not worry for your soul, what you shall eat, nor for your body, what you shall put on:
Since, He says, the one who assigns himself a long life and, being deceived by this, desires more, as was the aforementioned rich man, is foolish, therefore I say to you: "do not worry for your soul, what you shall eat." He said this not because the rational soul eats, but because the soul apparently remains bound to the body only on the condition that we consume food. And in another way: the body, even when dead, is clothed, but no longer nourished. Since being nourished is characteristic of an ensouled body, He rightly attributed the consumption of food to the soul. Or: is the nutritive power not also called soul? Therefore, with the nutritive part of the irrational soul, do not worry about what you shall eat, nor with the body, about what to wear. After this He presents the reason.

Lk. 12:23. The soul is more than food, and the body more than clothing.
He Who gave the greater thing, namely the soul, will He not also give food? He Who gave the body, will He not also give clothing? Then He proves this by the example of the ravens.

Lk. 12:24. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap; they have neither storehouses nor barns, and God feeds them. How much more are you better than the birds?
He points to the birds in order to shame us all the more. He could have brought forward as an example the holy prophets, such as Elijah and Moses, but for greater reproach He points to the birds. Then He presents yet another reason.

Lk. 12:25. And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his stature?

Lk. 12:26. If, then, you are not able to do even the smallest thing, why are you anxious about the rest?
Tell me, pray, what profit do you gain from worrying? Do you add to your stature even the smallest measure? No, on the contrary, you even exhaust your body, for worry withers it. And if you cannot add even the least thing, why do you worry about the rest? It is obvious that just as God grants growth in stature, so too will He provide the rest.

Lk. 12:27. Look at the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of them.

Lk. 12:28. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith!
And the Lord put forth the example of the lilies for our greater instruction. For if God so clothes the lilies that the glory of Solomon could never compare with any one of them, and this when beauty is not necessary for the lilies, will He not much more clothe us—His most honored creation—when moreover clothing is necessary for our body?
What then — they will say — do You command us not to cultivate the land? I did not say: do not cultivate the land, but do not be anxious. I do not forbid working, but I forbid worrying, that is, placing hope in yourselves. And whoever works and places his hope in God, that person lives without anxiety. It is clear that He uproots anxiety because it draws one away from God.

Lk. 12:29. And so, do not seek what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, and do not be anxious,

Lk. 12:30. For all these things do the people of this world seek after;
Then He says: "seek not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind." By doubtful mind (in Church Slavonic, "lifting up") He means, without a doubt, nothing other than distraction and the unstable direction of the mind, which thinks now of one thing, now of another, leaping from one thing to the next and always dreaming of something loftier. Is this not chasing after meteors? Such anxiety, as drawing us away from God, or rather such frivolity, the Lord forbids, saying that "all these things do the people of this world seek after." For anxiety does not stop at what is necessary, but, as I said, always seeks something higher, which is why it is called a lifting upward. For example, we have no bread. We first concern ourselves with where to obtain it, but we do not stop there; rather, we desire to obtain bread made from the finest wheat; then we desire wine as well, and indeed one that is fragrant and aromatic; then we desire roasted meat too, and indeed of grouse or pheasants. Do you see what anxiety and frivolity are like? Therefore the Lord decisively cuts it short, for these are the things the pagans seek.

Lk. 12:30. Your Father knows that you have need of these things;
Then He presents another reason as well, namely: that our Father knows what we have need of, and He presents not one, but many reasons. He says: He is "Father," and if He is Father, how will He not give? Moreover, He "knows," for He is not unaware. And you "have need," for this is not superfluous, but necessary. Therefore, if He is Father, and you have need, and He knows, then how will He not give?

Lk. 12:31. But rather seek the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.
Therefore, above all, "seek the Kingdom of God," and reject the concern for worldly things, as it distances you from Him, and then all these things shall be added unto you. Do you see what God is like? If you seek what is small, you do what is displeasing to Him, for you insult His great generosity; if you seek what is great, you will receive it, and what is small will be added unto you. For if He sees that you are occupied with seeking His Kingdom, then He will most assuredly provide for you in your needs. Do not even we act the same way in our own affairs? We too care more for those who have entirely entrusted themselves to our care, and we are so attentive to them as though they themselves do not even look after themselves. How much more so will the Lord do likewise? Thus, the Lord cuts off concern for worldly things in order to persuade us to seek His Kingdom, for amid worldly cares this is impossible.

Lk. 12:32. Fear not, little flock!
The Lord calls those who desire to be His disciples a "little flock," either because in this world there are very few saints on account of the required voluntary poverty and non-possessiveness, or because they are fewer than the Angels, whose hosts are without number and incomparably exceed our number. And that the Angels are far more numerous is evident from the parable in which the Lord said that the shepherd rejoices over one lost and found again more than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray (Luke 15:7). For from this it is evident that as one relates to ninety-nine, so does the human race relate to the angelic world.

Lk. 12:32. For your Father has been well pleased to give you the Kingdom.
"Fear not, little flock," He says, that is, do not doubt that God will provide for you, even if you yourself do not care for yourself. Why? Because "the Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom." If He gives the Kingdom, then all the more will He grant earthly things.

Lk. 12:33. Sell your possessions and give alms.
So then, do not think that if you do not embrace poverty, there will be no Provider for you, but sell your possessions, give alms, and make your treasure inexhaustible.

Lk. 12:33. Prepare for yourselves purses that do not grow old, an unfailing treasure in the heavens, where no thief comes near and no moth consumes,
Then He persuades us with irrefutable reasoning as well. Here, He says, the moth consumes, but in heaven it does not. Therefore, is it not madness to store up treasure in a place where it is damaged? Then, since the moth does not consume gold, He added: "where no thief approaches." For if the moth does not consume gold, the thief steals it.

Lk. 12:34. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Then, since not everyone is robbed, He adds an even greater and completely irrefutable reason. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Let it be so, He says, that neither moth devours nor thief approaches, but what punishment does the very enslavement of the heart to treasure buried in the earth and the casting down to earth of the godlike substance of the soul deserve? Is not the punishment all the greater for the one who possesses a mind? Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. If your treasure is in the earth, then your heart is in it too; if your treasure is in heaven, then your heart is on high. Who would not choose rather to be on high than under the earth, to be an Angel rather than a mole living in underground burrows?

Lk. 12:35. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning.
The Lord, having made His disciple free from excess, having released him from every worldly care and pride, and having thus made him light, now makes him also a servant. For whoever desires to serve must be light and nimble. Therefore He says: "Let your loins be girded," that is, always show yourselves ready for the works of your master, and "your lamps burning," that is, do not live in darkness and without discernment, but let the light of reason show you all that ought and ought not to be done. Thus, this world is night. Those girded at the loins are those leading the active life. For such is the garb of workers. They also need burning lamps. For in the active life the gift of discernment is also needed, that is, so that the worker may distinguish not only what ought to be done, but also how it ought to be done. For many did what was good, but did not do it well. Such people, although they were girded at the loins, since they were active, did not have burning lamps, that is, they did not have rational discernment, but fell either into pride or into another abyss of folly. Note also that first our loins are girded, then the lamps are lit. For first comes activity, then contemplation, which is the illumination of our mind. For the lamp, our mind, is then called burning when the light of God shines in it. Therefore, let us diligently exercise ourselves in virtue, so that we may have both our lamps burning, that is, the inner word and the spoken word — the inner one illuminating everything in the soul, and the spoken one shining on the tongue. For the inner lamp enlightens us, while the teaching and spoken word gives light to others.

Lk. 12:36. And you be like men waiting for the return of their master from the wedding, so that when he comes and knocks, they may open to him immediately.
And we must be "like men waiting for the return of their... master... from the wedding." Who else is this Master but Christ Jesus? He, having assumed human nature as a bride and united it with Himself, made a wedding, cleaving to it in one flesh. And He does not make just one wedding, but many, for in heaven He daily betroths to Himself the souls of the saints, whom Paul or one like Paul presents to Him as pure virgins (2 Cor. 11:2). He returns from the heavenly wedding, perhaps openly before all, at the end of the world, when He comes from heaven in the glory of the Father, or perhaps invisibly and unexpectedly appearing at every season, at the end of each person's life in particular. Therefore, blessed is the one whom He finds girded about the loins, that is, ready to serve God through the active part of Christian wisdom, and having a burning lamp of word and discernment, not only doing good, but doing it well, and beyond that having received contemplation as a kind of lamp. For through the girding of the loins, the lamp of contemplation also becomes burning within us, and even two lamps, one inward and one brought outward.

Lk. 12:37. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching; truly I say to you, he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.
For such a servant, the Lord Himself becomes a servant. For it is said: "and will seat them, and coming near, will serve them." God girds Himself because He does not pour out upon us the full abundance of His blessings, but restrains it. For who can contain God as He is? This is seen also in the Seraphim, who cover themselves from the surpassing nature of the Divine light (Isa. 6:2). The good servants He reclines upon a couch, that is, He gives them rest in all things. For just as one lying on a couch rests the entire body, so also in the age to come all the saints will be given rest in every respect. Here they find no rest for the body, but there, together with their souls, their bodies too, having become spiritual and divine and having inherited incorruption, will enjoy perfect repose, and God will be all in all of them (1 Cor. 15:28). The Lord "will serve" the worthy servants, rendering to them in equal measure. As they served Him, so He too will serve them, setting before them an abundant feast and bestowing the enjoyment of spiritual gifts.

Lk. 12:38. And if he shall come in the second watch, and in the third watch he shall come, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
By "the second and third watch" you may understand different times of our life. I will explain with an example. Just as he who does not sleep "in the second and... third watch" is considered the most vigilant, for these hours of the night especially bring sleep upon people, and the deepest sleep at that: so understand, if you will, that in the various conditions of our life there are times which, if we are found watchful during them, make us blessed. Has someone seized your property? Have your children died? Has someone slandered you? If in such circumstances you were found watchful before God and Master and did not allow yourself to do anything contrary to His commandments, then He has truly found you watchful "in the second and... third watch," that is, in a difficult time, in which careless souls fall and fall asleep with the sleep of death.

Lk. 12:39. You know that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
So then, it is necessary to be watchful. For we are like the master of a house. If he does not sleep, the thief cannot steal anything from his possessions; but if he is drowsy, the thief will take everything and leave. Some understand here by the thief the devil, by the house the soul, and by the master of the house man. However, such an understanding does not seem to fit the connection of the discourse. Here the coming of the Lord is likened to a thief, on account of its unexpectedness, as one of the apostles also says: "the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night" (2 Pet. 3:10).

Lk. 12:40. Be therefore ready yourselves also, for the Son of Man comes at an hour when you do not expect.
And here too, look how the Lord explains who the thief is. "Therefore be ready, you also," He says, "for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
Some say that by those watching in the first watch are understood those who are more attentive than the rest, by those watching in the second watch — those who are inferior to them, and by those watching in the third watch — those who stand lower even than these. And others explained the watches as referring to different ages of life: the first to youth, the second to manhood, and the third to old age. Thus, blessed is he who at whatever age he may be found is watching, and not negligent with regard to virtue.

Lk. 12:41. Then Peter said to Him: Lord! Do You speak this parable to us, or to all?
Peter, as one who cared for all and who out of brotherly love was zealous for the benefit of his listeners, and as one who had already received the Church into his trust, asked (the Lord): whether He was speaking this parable "to all." The Lord does not answer his question directly, but in a veiled manner shows that although the parable spoken is common and extends to all believers, whoever they may be, it also applies to you — the apostles and generally those deemed worthy of teaching or leadership. Listen.

Lk. 12:42. And the Lord said: Who then is the faithful and wise steward,
The aforementioned parable, he says, applies to many, but now he speaks of those who have been deemed worthy of leadership: I am at a loss as to who will prove to possess both qualities, that is, faithfulness and prudence. For such people are rare, and it is difficult to find them. Just as in the management of an ordinary estate, if someone is faithful to his master but imprudent, he squanders his master's property, for he does not know how to manage it as he ought—when he should give, he does not give, and loses far more—and likewise, if someone is prudent and resourceful but unfaithful, he may be a thief, and the harder to catch the more prudent he is—so also in divine matters both faithfulness and prudence are needed together. For I know many who were apparently both zealous for virtue and God-fearing and had faith, but since they could not prudently manage church affairs, they harmed not only property but also souls. For example, if someone falls into a spiritual transgression, but the leader is not prudent and possesses only faith, that is, an unreflective virtue, the fallen one may suffer harm either from excessive severity or from misplaced leniency on his part, and will not be healed but will be crushed.

Lk. 12:42. whom the master appointed over his servants to distribute to them their measure of bread in due time?
So then, whoever is found faithful and wise, he will be set "over the servants" of the Lord, that is, over all His slaves, to "distribute to each in due time... the appointed measure of bread," that is, either dogmatic teaching by which souls are nourished, or a model of conduct and a pattern of how one ought to live.

Lk. 12:43. Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, shall find so doing.

Lk. 12:44. Truly I say to you, that he will set him over all his possessions.
If he is found acting in this way, then he is blessed, and the Lord "will set him over all his possessions," not only over servants, but will set him over everything, deeming him worthy of the highest degree, so that earthly and heavenly things will be subject to him, as was the case, for example, with Joshua and Elijah. One of them commanded the sun, and the other the clouds of heaven (Josh. 10:12; 1 Kings 17:1). Indeed, all the saints in general, as friends of God, make use of the possessions of their Friend. And among friends, all things are usually held in common (Acts 4:32). And everyone who, while living a tranquil life, practices active virtue and subjects to himself the slavish passions — anger and desire — giving to each of them its determined measure of nourishment at the proper time: to anger, for example, hatred toward those who hate the Lord and indignation against His enemies (Ps. 139:21); to desire, concern only for what is necessary for the flesh, while directing one's whole aspiration toward God — everyone such as this is blessed: he will attain contemplation as well, and will be set over all the possessions belonging to the Lord; he will be deemed worthy with his contemplative mind to behold and observe all things — not only that which exists not in and of itself, but also that which exists in the proper sense, that is, eternally.

Lk. 12:45. But if that servant says in his heart: My master will not come soon, and begins to beat the menservants and maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, –
Woe to such servants who, having received the gift of spiritual leadership, destroy the stewardship entrusted to them, eating and drinking and getting drunk — whether you understand this as literal drunkenness (for this too happens with bad leaders of churches who squander the property of the poor), or whether you understand by drunkenness the corruption of the mind in teaching and in the management of property. Such leaders beat the menservants and maidservants, that is, by scandalizing the weaker members of the church, they slay their conscience. For the weak and fainthearted person, seeing that I, the bishop, lead a wicked life, is scandalized by this and is slain in conscience, receives blows to the heart, and becomes even weaker. And all this happens to the wicked servant because he said in his heart, "My master is not coming soon." For such conduct arises from carelessness and failure to reflect on the hour of death. But if we kept in mind that the Lord is coming, that the end of the world and the end of our life are at the doors, then we would sin less.

Lk. 12:46. The lord of that servant will come in a day when he does not expect, and at an hour when he does not think, and will cut him asunder,
Observe also the punishment. "He will cut him apart," He says, that is, He will deprive him of the gift of teaching. Lest anyone think that this gift would help him escape severe punishment, He says: how will the gift help him when at that time he will no longer have it? For to be cut in two means to be deprived of grace. Such a person, being flesh and not spirit, will then be found worthy of pity, since, according to the apostle, we then live by the spirit when the Spirit of God dwells in us (Rom. 8:9).

Lk. 12:46. and will assign him a portion with the unbelievers.
And whoever is found to have walked not according to the spirit, but according to the flesh, and to have had no part in the spiritual life, will be placed in the ranks of the unfaithful, since he will be condemned with the unfaithful world, as one who received no benefit from his supposed faith. For there was no true faith in him. If he had had true faith, he would have been a faithful steward. But now, since he drank and became drunk, and squandered what belonged to the master, it is evident that he did not possess the true faithfulness that is required of stewards. Therefore his portion is justly assigned with the unfaithful. For, stripped of his gift and exposed, he is found to be damaged, and not entirely whole.

Lk. 12:47. But that servant, who knew his master's will, and was not ready, and did not act according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes;
Here the Lord presents to us something more important and terrible. Such a person, He says, will not only be deprived of his gift and will not find in it any aid toward deliverance from punishment, but the greatness of his dignity will make him subject to even greater condemnation. For the more the sinner knows, the more he deserves punishment.

Lk. 12:48. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
In His further discourse He reveals this even more clearly. "To whom much is given," He says, "of him much will be required, and to whom much has been entrusted, of him they will ask the more." Through this the Lord shows that the punishment deserved by teachers will be greater. To teachers things are both given and entrusted: "given," for example, is the gift of working miracles and healing diseases, while "entrusted" to them is the gift of the word and of teaching. The Lord said "they will ask the more" not in connection with the word "given," but in connection with the word "entrusted." For with the gift of the word there is truly need of labor, and more is demanded of the teacher. He must not remain negligent, but must multiply the talent of the word. Thus, the words "and of everyone to whom much is given" you should understand as: to whom much has been given out at interest. For the thing given for safekeeping here He called the interest.
Others ask: granted, it is just that the one who knew the master's will and did not act according to it is punished; but why is the one who did not know punished? Because he too could have learned, yet he did not wish to, and through his own negligence he made himself guilty of ignorance. Therefore, he is worthy of punishment because he voluntarily failed to learn. Let us be afraid, brethren! For if the one who was entirely ignorant is worthy of punishment, what excuse will justify those who sin with full knowledge, especially if they were teachers? Truly, their condemnation is very heavy.

Lk. 12:49. I came to cast fire on the earth,
For the word is fire, consuming every material and impure thought and destroying idols, of whatever substance they may be. It also means the zeal for good that is kindled in each of us. And perhaps the zeal begotten by the Word of God does not differ from the first. The Lord desires that our hearts be set ablaze with this very fire. For we must have a fervent zeal for good.

Lk. 12:49. and how I would that it were already kindled!
"And how I wish" — otherwise: and how strongly I desire — "that it were already kindled!" He hastens the kindling of this fire, just as Paul also says: "be fervent in spirit" (Rom. 12:11), and in another place: "I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy" (2 Cor. 11:2).

Lk. 12:50. I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am distressed until it is accomplished! He calls His death "baptism." Since this fire was to be kindled in no other way than after His death, for from there the preaching and zeal grew, He adds a word about death, calling it a baptism. Strongly desiring it, He says: "how I am distressed," that is, how much I care and "am distressed until it is accomplished!" For I thirst for death for the salvation of all. The Lord came to bring down fire not only upon the earth, on which His teaching and faith spread, but also upon the soul of each person, which (in itself) is thorny and barren ground, but is kindled as if by fire through the Word of God and becomes capable of receiving Divine seeds and spiritually fruitful. For when the grace of God invisibly touches someone's soul, it seems to burn with such love for God that it cannot even be expressed. Just so Cleopas and his companion, being invisibly inflamed by the fire of God's grace, said: "Did not our heart burn within us" (Luke 24:32). Whoever has experienced such a state will understand our words. And many people often experience this while reading the Divine Scriptures or the lives of the holy fathers, or when being persuaded and instructed by someone, their souls being inflamed toward the doing of good; and some burn to the end, while others immediately grow cold. Lk. 12:51. Do you think that I came to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; Christ "is our peace" (Eph. 2:14), yet He says: "I did not come to bring peace." This means His words are enigmatic. So we say that not every peace is blameless and good, but it is often dangerous and drives one away from Divine love — for example, when we make peace and agreement to overthrow the truth. Christ did not come to bring such a peace; on the contrary, He desires that we be divided against one another for the sake of what is good, which is exactly what happened during the persecutions. For in one house a pagan father was divided against a believing son, and a mother against a daughter, and vice versa. Lk. 12:52. For hereafter five in one house shall be divided, three against two, and two against three: Lk. 12:53. Father will be against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. How did He say that "five in one house will be divided," yet in the enumeration mentioned "six" persons? We answer: one person is counted twice, namely: the daughter and the daughter-in-law are the same person. In relation to the mother she is called a daughter, and in relation to the mother-in-law she is called a daughter-in-law. Thus, "three" — the father, the mother, and the mother-in-law — will be divided "against two" — the son and the daughter. For the daughter, as we said, being one person but bearing a twofold relation, namely: in reference to the mother and to the mother-in-law, is therefore presented as two persons. The father and mother and mother-in-law should be understood, perhaps, as simply everything old, and the son and daughter as everything new. In that case, the Lord desires that His new Divine commandments and teaching overcome all that is old in us—sinful customs and teaching. Understand it also in this way. The father is the mind, and the son is reason. Between them in a single house, that is, in a person, division occurred. I shall speak more clearly. The mind of Dionysius the Areopagite was illumined and accepted the preaching. But his mind, which accepted the faith without proofs, was opposed by pagan reason, which tries to prove and compels one to follow dialectical methods. Do you see the division between father and son, warring against each other for the sake of Christ and the preaching? You may call the mother and mother-in-law thought, and the daughter and daughter-in-law sensation. And between them too there is a struggle for the sake of Christ. Thought has enmity against sensation when thought persuades one to honor the imperishable above the perishable, the invisible above the visible, and has many strong proofs for this. It happens that from the side of sensation as well a struggle is directed against thought. For sensation, guided in faith by miracles and visible signs, is not persuaded by the arguments of thought, and does not wish to follow the pagan proofs either, which urge those who heed them not to believe that God became man or that a Virgin gave birth. So foolish are the syllogisms of the pagans who deify nature. Meanwhile, sensation through visible miracles leads to the knowledge of God better than any proof. Thus, not every peace and harmony is good, but it happens that enmity and division appear to be a certain divine work. Therefore let no one remain in friendship with the wicked, but even if father and mother prove to be opponents of the Law of Christ, one must be at enmity with them as enemies of the truth. Lk. 12:54. And He said also to the people: When ye see a cloud rising from the west, straightway ye say: There will be rain, and so it is; Lk. 12:55. And when the south wind blows, you say: There will be scorching heat, and it happens. Lk. 12:56. Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the earth and the sky, how is it then that you do not recognize this time? Lk. 12:57. Why do you not even of yourselves judge what is right? Since the Lord was speaking about preaching and called it fire and a sword, it is very likely that the listeners, not understanding the meaning of His words, were troubled. Therefore He says: just as you recognize changes in the weather by certain signs, so too you should have recognized My coming from what I say and what I do. My words, as well as My deeds, show Me to be your adversary. For you are tax collectors and robbers, while I have nowhere "to lay My head" (Luke 9:58). Therefore, just as from a cloud you foretell rain and from a south wind a hot day, so you should have recognized the time of My coming and understood that I came to bring not peace, but rain and turmoil. For I Myself am a cloud, and I come from the west, that is, from human nature, which had previously been brought low and was in thick darkness from sin. I came to bring down fire as well, and I made a hot day. For I am the south—a warm wind and the opposite of the coldness of the north. Therefore I also appeared from Bethlehem, which lies to the south. Lk. 12:58. When you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, on the way make an effort to be released from him, Having said this, the Lord also gives them teaching about praiseworthy peace. Having pointed out commendable division, He also shows blameless peace. Specifically He says: when your adversary drags you to court, while still on the way, make every effort to settle with him. Or alternatively: "make every effort to be freed" is understood in the sense that even if you have nothing, borrow at interest and "make every effort to be freed," so that you may settle with him. Lk. 12:58. lest he bring you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the tormentor, and the tormentor cast you into prison. Lk. 12:59. I tell you, you will not come out from there until you have paid the very last penny. The Lord says this in order to bring the hardened to fear and urge them toward peace. He knows that the fear of loss and punishments humbles the earthly-minded more than anything else, and therefore He says this. They understand this speech as referring also to the devil. For he is our adversary. Therefore we, while still "on the way," that is, in this life, must endeavor, through the practice of virtue, to "be free of him" and to have nothing in common with him, so that at the future judgment he may not hand us over to the Judge. For the very deeds of his that we performed here will hand us over to judgment, and the Judge will deliver us to the tormentor, that is, to some tormenting and malicious power, and will punish us until we have received what is due even for our last sins and have fulfilled the measure of punishment. But since the measure of punishment will never be fulfilled, we shall be tormented forever. For if we are to be in prison until we have paid even the last penny, and we shall never have the ability to pay it, then it is obvious that the punishment will be eternal.