What does Luke 12:12 mean?
A crowd of thousands are swarming Jesus and the disciples (Luke 12:1). Jesus knows many in the crowd will eventually betray Him, perhaps even joining the mob that demands His crucifixion. He is telling the disciples to remain faithful to Him, even in the face of death. The Pharisees are hypocrites who deny the witness of the Holy Spirit's power in Jesus' ministry (Luke 11:14–23). The Sanhedrin will demand the disciples disavow Jesus (Acts 4:17–18). The disciples must not fear; only God has power over their eternity (Luke 12:1–11).The disciples will reel after witnessing Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven. The book of Acts records an explosion of church growth and persecution by the Jewish religious leaders. It depicts a murderous Pharisee who then repents and becomes a powerful apostle who brings the message of salvation to the Gentiles. Through it all, Jesus' followers will not be alone. Jesus will send them the Holy Spirit who will remind them of Jesus' words and bear witness about who He is (John 14:26; 15:26; Acts 2:1–4). The Spirit will give the disciples the words to say when they face men and councils with the power to beat or even kill them (Acts 5:33, 40).
After healing a crippled man at the gate of the temple, Peter will boldly preach that the people standing in awe of such miracles are responsible for the murder of Jesus. But Jesus rose again and offers forgiveness for those who repent (Acts 3). "The priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them" (Acts 4:1–3). A tribunal gathered and demanded Peter and John defend themselves. "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them…" (Acts 4:8). By the time Peter finishes his indictment of his audience, and an offer of salvation, the council members are at a loss for words. They release Peter and John with the command to no longer speak about Jesus (Acts 4:1–22).
What flummoxes them is that Peter and John are "uneducated, common men" (Acts 4:13). How could fishermen give such a defense? It is the Holy Spirit working through them that gives them courage and words.
Jesus will later tell the disciples, "This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict" (Luke 21:13–15). He says similar words in Matthew 10:19–20 and Mark 13:11.
