12:4 “I 6 tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, 7 and after that have nothing more they can do.
1 sn That is, in spite of Jesus’ instructions to the man to tell no one about the healing (v. 14).
2 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
3 tn Or “Therefore pay close attention”; Grk “Take heed therefore how you hear.”
4 tn Grk “and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
5 sn The phrase what he thinks he has is important, because it is not what a person thinks he has that is important but whether he actually has something or not. Jesus describes the person who does not heed his word as having nothing. The person who has nothing loses even that which he thought was something but was not. In other words, he has absolutely nothing at all. Jesus’ teaching must be taken seriously.
6 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
7 sn Judaism had a similar exhortation in 4 Macc 13:14-15.
8 sn Do not be afraid. One should respect and show reverence to God (v. 5), but need not fear his tender care.
9 tn Or “crows.” Crows and ravens belong to the same family of birds. English uses “crow” as a general word for the family. Palestine has several indigenous members of the crow family.
10 tn Or “God gives them food to eat.” L&N 23.6 has both “to provide food for” and “to give food to someone to eat.”
11 sn That is, those who were at the front of the procession.
12 tn Or “rebuked.” The crowd’s view was that surely Jesus would not be bothered with someone as unimportant as a blind beggar.
13 sn Public opinion would not sway the blind man from getting Jesus’ attention. The term shouted is strong as it can be used of animal cries.
14 tn Grk “to everyone who has, he will be given more.”
sn Everyone who has will be given more. Again, faithfulness yields great reward (see Luke 8:18; also Matt 13:12; Mark 4:25).
15 sn The one who has nothing has even what he seems to have taken away from him, ending up with no reward at all (see also Luke 8:18). The exact force of this is left ambiguous, but there is no comfort here for those who are pictured by the third slave as being totally unmoved by the master. Though not an outright enemy, there is no relationship to the master either. Three groups are represented in the parable: the faithful of various sorts (vv. 16, 18); the unfaithful who associate with Jesus but do not trust him (v. 21); and the enemies (v. 27).