Luke 12:2

For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) For there is nothing covered.—More accurately, but there is nothing . . . The Greek conjunction cannot possibly have the meaning of “for,” and the latter word suggests a logical connection which is different from that of the original. What our Lord seems to say is, “Beware ye of . . . hypocrisy . . .; but, whether ye beware or not, know that all that is now secret will one day be manifested.” On the verse itself, see Note on Matthew 11:25. The connection in the two passages is, however, very different. There the underlying thought of a future day of revelation (see 1Corinthians 4:5) is made a motive to courage in proclaiming truths that had been received in secret; here as a motive to caution, lest we should be trusting in the counterfeits of truth and holiness. The force of the two Greek words would, perhaps, be better expressed by, There is nothing veiled that shall not be unveiled.

Benson Commentary

Luke 12:2-5. For there is nothing covered, &c. — All your actions shall be brought to light, either in this world or in the next. Wherefore take great care never to do any thing which cannot bear the light, but let the whole of your behaviour be fair, honest, and good. This argument against hypocrisy he proceeded to improve as a reason for their acquiring another quality, which would serve all the ends they could propose by their hypocrisy, and to much better purpose; an undaunted resolution in the performance of their duty, founded on faith in God, who now governs the world by a particular providence, and in the end will reward or punish every man according to his deeds. I say unto you, my friends — With all possible seriousness, and tender concern for your everlasting welfare; Be not afraid of them that kill the body — Let not the fear of man make you act the hypocrite, or conceal any thing which I have commissioned you to publish: and after that have no more that they can do — The immortal soul being entirely out of their reach. But I will forewarn you — Greek, υποδειξω υμιν, I will show you; whom you shall fear — Whose displeasure you shall be afraid to incur; fear him, which after he hath killed the body, hath power to cast into hell — Is able to torment the soul eternally, and whose displeasure, therefore, is infinitely to be dreaded. Yea, I say unto you, Fear him — And rather choose to venture on the greatest dangers, and to sacrifice your lives, than to do any thing which may offend his Divine Majesty. See on Matthew 10:28. It is remarkable that Christ gives this direction even to his peculiar friends: therefore the fearing of God, as having power to cast into hell, is to be pressed even upon true believers.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

12:1-12 A firm belief of the doctrine of God's universal providence, and the extent of it, would satisfy us when in peril, and encourage us to trust God in the way of duty. Providence takes notice of the meanest creatures, even of the sparrows, and therefore of the smallest interests of the disciples of Christ. Those who confess Christ now, shall be owned by him in the great day, before the angels of God. To deter us from denying Christ, and deserting his truths and ways, we are here assured that those who deny Christ, though they may thus save life itself, and though they may gain a kingdom by it, will be great losers at last; for Christ will not know them, will not own them, nor show them favour. But let no trembling, penitent backslider doubt of obtaining forgiveness. This is far different from the determined enmity that is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall never be forgiven, because it will never be repented of.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Nothing covered - See the notes at Matthew 10:26-32.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. hid—from knowledge. "Tis no use concealing anything, for all will one day come out. Give free and fearless utterance then to all the truth." (Compare 1Co 4:3, 5).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

It is a proverbial expression: those, and parabolical expressions, may be applied in several cases, and to several subjects: we have met with this before variously applied, Matthew 10:26 Mark 4:22; and in this Gospel, Luke 8:17. Here it is applied as an argument against hypocrisy, or the concealing of naughty and corrupt hearts under the vizor and disguise of demure looks, or fair conversation. In the day of judgment sinners shall walk naked, and men shall see their shame; God will in that day make known all the secrets of men’s hearts, to be sure the secrets of all their hearts, whose iniquities are not forgiven, and whose sins are not covered.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed,.... No sin, be it ever so secret or privately done, as nothing is more covered than hypocrisy, but what shall be detected sooner or later; if not in this world, which is often the case, yet the last judgment, and in the world to come:

neither hid, that shall not be known; for how careful soever men may be to hide their vices from others, they are known to God; who will bring every thing into judgment, and make manifest the secrets of all hearts. These were general sentences, which were used by Christ at different times, upon different occasions, and applied to particular cases; See Gill on Matthew 10:26.

Geneva Study Bible

For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Luke 12:2-10. See on Matthew 10:26-33. The connection is indicated by means of the continuative δέ: “Ye must the more, however, be on your guard against this hypocritical ζύμη, since your teaching is destined to the greatest publicity for the future.” Comp. Mark 4:22. Publicity which lies open to the world’s judgment, and hypocritical character which must shun disclosure, are irreconcilable. If you would not dread the former, the latter must remain far from you. According to Weiss, Luke has given to the whole saying only the meaning, that everything concealed by hypocrisy nevertheless one day comes to light, and therefore, even every word, however secretly it is spoken, shall come one day to publicity. But this supposition, without any ground for it, attributes to Luke a complete misapprehension of the meaning.

Luke 12:3. ἀνθʼ ὧν] quare, wherefore. See Hermann, ad Viger. p. 710; Schaefer, Appar. Dem. I. p. 846.

ὅσα ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ κ.τ.λ.] Everything which (in dread of persecutions) ye shall have spoken in the darkness, i.e. shall have taught in secret, shall (in the triumph of my cause) be heard in the clear daylight, i.e. shall be known in full publicity by your preaching and the preaching of others. The expression ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ used of the apostolic agency is not inappropriate (de Wette), since it characterizes it not in general, but only under certain circumstances (Luke 12:4). But certainly the original form of the saying is found in Matthew 10:27, while in Luke it was altered to suit the apostolic experiences after these had often enough proved the necessity of teaching in secret what at a later period came to be publicly proclaimed before the whole world,[153] when the gospel, as in Luke’s time, was triumphantly spread abroad.

ἐν τῷ φωτί] in the clear day; Hom. Od. xxi. 429; Xen. Cyr. iv. 2. 26; Wis 18:4.

Luke 12:4. If Jesus reminded His disciples by ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ and πρὸς τὸ οὖς … ἐν τ. ταμείοις, Luke 12:3, of the impending pressure of persecutions, He now exhorts them to fearlessness in presence of their persecutors.

τοῖς φίλοις μου] for as such they were the object of persecution.

μετὰ ταῦτα] μετὰ τὸ ἀποκτεῖναι. The plural depends on the idea of being put to death, comprising all the modes of taking away life. See Kühner, II. p. 423.

Luke 12:5 f. Observe the marked emphasis on the φοβήθητε.

Luke 12:8-10. Not an admonition for the disciples to remain faithful, for Luke 12:10 would not be appropriate to that, inasmuch as there was no occasion to be anxious at all about their speaking against the Son of man, and it would have been even inappropriate to bid them beware of the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost;[154] but Jesus adds to the previous encouragements a new one (λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν, comp. Luke 12:4), saying to them how momentous for the eternal destiny of men is the apostolic work conducted by the Holy Spirit, how even the decision of the judgment on men would be given in accordance with the result of the work of the apostles among them. Hence, Luke 12:10 has been wrongly regarded as not pertinent to this (Kuinoel, de Wette); while, on the other hand, Schleiermacher considers the arrangement of Matthew 12 as less appropriate, in that he introduces a contrast of the present time (in which the Son is resisted) with the future (when the more rapid and mighty agency of the Spirit is blasphemed). In itself the saying is appropriate in both places, nay, it may have been uttered more than once; but in Matthew and Mark we have its closest historical connection and position.

As to the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, see on Matthew 12:31 f.

[153] According to Hilgenfeld, Evang. p. 192 (comp. his Zeitschrift, 1865, p. 192), and Köstlin, p. 147, this publicity is regarded as having been meant as a contrast to the ministry of the Twelve, because they had chiefly limited themselves to the circle of Judaism. It is not indeed in agreement with this that that which is secret should so purposely be made prominent. The Twelve neither limited their ministry merely to Judaism, nor did they minister among the Jews in quietness and secrecy like preachers in a corner.

[154] Hofmann, Sehriftbew. II. 2, p. 342, insists on regarding the blasphemy against the Spirit in this place as not distinct from the denial of Jesus. He says that this denial, in the case of those, namely, who had not only had the earthly human manifestation of Jesus before them, but had received the Holy Spirit, is blasphemy against the Spirit. But it is very arbitrary to assume, in contradiction to Matthew 12:31, Mark 3:29, that the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit presupposes that the Spirit has already been received. The blasphemers of the Spirit are malevolently conscious and hardened opposers of Christ. They may certainly have already had the Spirit and have apostatized and become such opposers (Hebrews 10:29); but if such people were to be understood in this passage, some clearer indication should have been given. Still, how far from the Lord must even the mere thought have been, that the disciples, His friends, ver. 4, could ever change into such malignant blasphemers!

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 12:2 = Matthew 10:26, there connected with a counsel not to fear men addressed to persons whose vocation imposes the obligation to speak out. Here = dissimulation, concealment of your faith, is vain; the truth will out sooner or later.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed] Rather, But (unless with א we omit the δὲ altogether). This whole discourse, in its vividness and compression, and the apparent abruptness of some of its causal connexions, indicates the tumult of emotion through which our Lord had been passing in the last trying scene. The line of thought is—‘Hypocrisy aims at concealment; but, &c.’ Hypocrisy is not only sinful but useless.

covered—revealed] Literally, “veiled over—unveiled.” You will be made responsible for any part of my teaching which you conceal or keep back.

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 12:2. Οὐδὲν δἐ, [for, Engl. Vers.] but nothing) All things, both bad and good, shall be revealed: and they who reveal the truth, are removed (shrink) from hypocrisy.—συγκεκαλυμμένον, covered all over) removed from the eyes of men: so, in darkness (ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ), Luke 12:3.—κρυπτὸν, hidden) removed also from the knowledge of men: so, to the ear (πρὸς τὸ οὖς), Luke 12:3.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 2, 3. - For there is nothing covered, that shall not he revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light. The day would come when his estimate of this now popular teaching of the Pharisees would be found to have been correct. Its real nature, now hid, would be revealed and fully known and discredited; while, on the other hand, the words and teaching of his disciples, now listened to but by few, and those of seemingly little account, would become widely and generally known and listened to. Upon the housetops. These were flat, terrace-like roofs, and, the houses generally being low, one who spoke from them would easily be heard in the street beneath. "These words have a strong Syrian colouring. The Syrian house-top (in Matthew 10:27 and here) presents an image which has no sense in Asia Minor, or Greece, or Italy, or even at Antioch. The fiat roofs cease at the mouth of the Orontes; Antioch itself has sloping roofs" (Renan, 'Les Evangiles,' p. 262, note 1). Luke 12:2

Vincent's Word Studies

Covered up (συγκεκαλυμμένον)

Only here in New Testament: implying close concealment.