12:1 Meanwhile, 1 when many thousands of the crowd had gathered so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus 2 began to speak first to his disciples, “Be on your guard against 3 the yeast of the Pharisees, 4 which is hypocrisy. 5
21:34 “But be on your guard 9 so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day close down upon you suddenly like a trap. 10
1 tn The phrase ἐν οἷς (en Jois) can be translated “meanwhile.”
2 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3 tn According to L&N 27.59, “to pay attention to, to keep on the lookout for, to be alert for, to be on your guard against.” This is another Lukan present imperative calling for constant vigilance.
4 sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.
5 sn The pursuit of popularity can lead to hypocrisy, if one is not careful.
6 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
7 tn See L&N 13.154 for this use of the middle voice of φυλάσσω (fulassw) in this verse.
8 tn Or “avarice,” “covetousness.” Note the warning covers more than money and gets at the root attitude – the strong desire to acquire more and more possessions and experiences.
9 tn Grk “watch out for yourselves.”
sn Disciples are to watch out. If they are too absorbed into everyday life, they will stop watching and living faithfully.
10 sn Or like a thief, see Luke 12:39-40. The metaphor of a trap is a vivid one. Most modern English translations traditionally place the words “like a trap” at the end of v. 34, completing the metaphor. In the Greek text (and in the NRSV and REB) the words “like a trap” are placed at the beginning of v. 35. This does not affect the meaning.
11 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
12 tn This title, literally “official of the temple” (στρατηγὸς τοῦ ἱεροῦ, strathgo" tou Jierou), referred to the commander of the Jewish soldiers who guarded and maintained order in the Jerusalem temple. Here, since the term is plural, it has been translated “officers of the temple guard” rather than “commanders of the temple guard,” since the idea of a number of commanders might be confusing to the modern English reader.
13 tn Or “a revolutionary.” This term can refer to one who stirs up rebellion: BDAG 594 s.v. λῃστής 2 has “revolutionary, insurrectionist, guerrilla” citing evidence from Josephus (J. W. 2.13.2-3 [2.253-254]). However, this usage generally postdates Jesus’ time. It does refer to a figure of violence. Luke uses the same term for the highwaymen who attack the traveler in the parable of the good Samaritan (10:30).