Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
In the meantime (en oiv). It is a classic idiom to start a sentence or even a paragraph as here with a relative, "in which things or circumstances," without any expressed antecedent other than the incidents in Luke 11:53 f. In Luke 12:3 Luke actually begins the sentence with two relatives anq wn osa (wherefore whatsoever).
Many thousands (muriadwn). Genitive absolute with episunaxqeiswn (first aorist passive participle feminine plural because of muriadwn), a double compound late verb, episunagw, to gather together unto. The word "myriads" is probably hyperbolical as in Acts 21:20, but in the sense of ten thousand, as in Acts 19:19, it means a very large crowd apparently drawn together by the violent attacks of the rabbis against Jesus.
Insomuch that they trode one upon another (wste katapatein allhlouv). The imagination must complete the picture of this jam.
Unto his disciples first of all (prov touv maqhtav autou prwton). This long discourse in Luke 12 is really a series of separate talks to various groups in the vast crowds around Jesus. This particular talk goes through verse Luke 12:12.
Beware of (prosexete eautoiv apo). Put your mind (noun understood) for yourselves (dative) and avoid (apo with the ablative).
The leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy (thv zumhv htiv estin upocrisiv twn Farisaiwn). In Mark 8:15 Jesus had coupled the lesson of the Pharisees with that of Herod, in Matthew 16:6 with that of the Sadducees also. He had long ago called the Pharisees hypocrites (Matthew 6:2, Matthew 6:5, Matthew 6:16). The occasion was ripe here for this crisp saying. In Matthew 13:33 leaven does not have an evil sense as here, which see. See Matthew 23:13 for hypocrites. Hypocrisy was the leading Pharisaic vice (Bruce) and was a mark of sanctity to hide an evil heart.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Luke 12:1:
Acts 20:28
Acts 21:20
Hebrews 12:22
Jude 1:14
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