To Whom Much is Given, Much is Required | Luke 12:48 Explained
Luke 12:48 From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.
Today we are going to discover that Luke 12:48 is actually addressing unbelievers who will be severely punished if they are not ready on judgment day.
Often times people want to teach that God threatens Christians. There’s not one verse in all of scripture where Receipt Christians being threatened, and if you hear someone using the word of God to scare you, I would suggest you turn a deaf ear to them because they do not understand the cross and what it did for us. Here are a couple of verses that should shut that door the moment they start teaching that garbage:
1-There is NOW no condemnation for those in Christ – Romans 8:1
2-There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves PUNISHMENT, and the one who fears is not perfected in love – 1 John 4:18
Luke 12:48 is describing a person who is being beaten and punished, and that is not addressing a Christian who is saved by the blood of Jesus Christ and have had their sins taken away.
If God were going to throw blows and punish someone what would cause it? Sin would. As Christians people should stop teaching this idea that Jesus died for our sins but, oh yeah, if we sin God is going to beat us. Luke is talking about people being cut into. Receiving many blows. Deserving a beating. No one was a child of God would ever be threatened by their heavenly father like this. This is about people who are under the law and will receive that just do punishment of their sin.
If we just rewind and read the verses in Luke 12 we discover that Jesus is talking about two different groups of people. One group that will be ready on the Masters return and one that will not. And just before he goes into this threatening language he writes the following inverse 36:
“then the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect, and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in two”
So the context is clear. These threats are to the person who is not ready and did not expect Jesus’s return, and is obviously an unbeliever and receives the due punishment.
Check out the video above for the full commentary.
Take Away
While many verses in the Bible can be interpreted in numerous ways, one thing remains consistent in understanding God’s message to us: His love and grace through Jesus Christ. We should always be cautious not to use Scripture to incite fear or coerce others but to encourage love, understanding, and the pursuit of a relationship with God.
Luke 12:48 states, “But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” This verse is often interpreted as a warning to those who know the truth of Christ’s message and fail to live according to it. However, understanding it within your context, we must differentiate between believers and unbelievers.
When viewed through this lens, we can see that Luke 12:48 is not a threat to Christians, but rather a stark reminder for unbelievers. In this interpretation, it would serve as a warning for those who do not anticipate or prepare for Jesus’s return – those who do not accept Him as their savior, thus remaining under the law of sin and death.
As mentioned in Romans 8:1, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” This is a reassurance for Christians that they are freed from the penalty of sin through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The believers have been saved by the blood of Jesus, washed clean of their sins, and thus will not face the punishment discussed in Luke 12:48.
Similarly, 1 John 4:18 tells us, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” This reinforces the message that believers, living in the perfect love of God, need not fear punishment.
In the context of the previous verses, Luke 12:48 appears to convey a dire warning to those who remain unaware or unconcerned with the return of the Lord – a return they may not be prepared for. They are the ones who will face punishment, as their ignorance of Jesus and his message leads them to live in a way that is deserving of judgment.
The study and interpretation of Scripture should always lead us toward a deeper understanding of God’s love and grace. It is important not to use the Bible to incite fear, but rather to encourage love, faith, and readiness for the Lord’s return. Remember to take these interpretations into consideration and always seek understanding through prayer and study.
Author: Mike Cynar
Mike Cynar grew up in church and observed that countless people would go to church and then just stop. The church always referred to them as ‘fake Christians’ or ‘backsliders’ but Mike discovered the problem was deeper. The problem was the church message. The message was 90% behavior improvement and how bad you are, with a pinch of who you are in Christ, It was like every sermon was being preached to the church of Corinth. It’s in the Baptist church, Catholic, Pentecost, and most every other church. After discovering the true gospel message and how we are made right with God because of what ‘Jesus did’ (not what ‘we do’) Mike set out to free believers from behavior improvement programs and bring them back to Jesus. The Result – Jesus Without Religion was launched.
4 Comments
Can you help me understand this verse?
“All unrighteousness is sin, and (there is sin not leading to death).”
I John 5:17 NKJV
First, I’d point out that you’re being righteous or unrighteous has absolutely nothing to do with your performance. That’s a huge mistake that a lot of people make.
Being righteous is a matter of whether you are alive in Christ or dead in Adam. This is about your SPIRITUAL identity.
So to be clear, even when we make poor choices and stumble in sin, if you are a Christian you will remain righteous. As the scripture says you are the righteousness of Christ
[Romans 8:10] But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.
[Romans 10:4] Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
[1 Cor 1:30] t is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
And lastly,
[Gal 2:21] I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
So you cannot become righteous by not lying, cheating, or committing adultery. You have to do it through faith.
The fact is there is sin that leads to death and sin that does not lead to death. All of the outward sins of the unbeliever lead to death. None of the outward sins of the believer lead to death.
So the only unforgivable sin is rejecting Jesus. Unbelief. Which is the exact same thing as blasphemy of the Spirit.
Good evening. I lean towards free grace theology, however this part of the passage throws me for a loop. Can you please explain this portion. Peter seems to be understandably confused.
Luke 12 41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
Or this part
46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful.
My first impression is since Jesus is putting them in the unbeliever camp, they used to be considered a believer. I’m genuinely curious about you take. God bless!
I think this is just a simple parable, reminding everyone to make a decision for Jesus while there is still time. No one knows when they will draw their last breath.
It honestly has nothing to do with someone being a believer, and then not being a believer. This is addressing all of humanity. One day Jesus will return. The question is, will we be ready? Or will we continue to hear the gospel and continue to put it off?
Many people don’t take this serious because it’s been thousands of years since Jesus taught us these things. In such a long timeline makes people think that it’s simply cannot be true.
vs 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a LONG TIME in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk.
This is not a believer who changed his mind. This is someone who never believed..