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,