Luke 12:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

NIV: But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God.

NASB: but the one who denies Me before people will be denied before the angels of God.

CSB: but whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.

NLT: But anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God’s angels.

KJV: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.

NKJV: But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

The disciples need to reject the way the Pharisees practice religion, according to Jesus' warning. Pharisees adhere to the manmade Oral Law while skirting around the God-given Mosaic law. They appear to be righteous followers of God, but their teaching brings death. And they ignore the prophets' messages about the Jewish Messiah, instead claiming that Jesus' power comes from demons (Luke 11:14–15, 44, 52).

The disciples have affirmed that Jesus is the "Christ of God" (Luke 9:18–20) and Jesus wants them to remain firm in that assertion, even if doing so leads to their death. Far more dangerous is denying Jesus before these religious leaders and facing God's eternal judgment (Luke 12:4–7).

This verse was at the heart of an early conflict in the Christian church. In the third century AD, emperor Decian persecuted the church, causing many self-professed believers to deny Christ. Novatian, a priest and theologian in Rome, strongly held that those who denied Christ may, perhaps, be forgiven by God. Yet he also insisted they must be disfellowshipped from the church. Other bishops disagreed and offered full restitution to those who repented after their denial. Novatian's extremism sparked a series of internal intrigues among other teachers. This is unfortunate, as his work on the Trinity is still highly valued today.

Today, some still debate whether Novatian was correct. The Greek for "denies" means to disown or assert no relation with. Peter certainly denied Christ at His first trial (Luke 22:54–62). Dr. Darrell Bock suggests that the fatal denial in view in Luke 12 is one "of heart," not one "of nerve." This would certainly cover the persecuted third-century Christians who succumbed to fear, but then wished to repent. In contrast to Peter losing his nerve, Judas rejected Jesus fully. This verse is not saying that a Christian will lose their salvation if, in a weak moment, they deny being associated with Jesus.

In Matthew's similar passage, Jesus says, "but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 10:33). Some say the angels represent the presence of God the Father; others say this is a different event. Declaring that one is not a believer is, of course, a dangerous thing, but Scripture doesn't teach that it's an unforgivable sin.

Luke 12:8–12 encourages Jesus' disciples to stand firm. The prior passage spoke of fear of death. Jesus reminded His followers that physical death is not the same as spiritual death. He encouraged them with the truth that God sees them, knows them, and cares for them. Here Jesus reassures His followers: when authorities, religious leaders, or civil magistrates and kings accuse them of crimes, the Holy Spirit will give the disciples the words to speak. The judges who reject their words will stand condemned of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and worthy of hell. Matthew 10:32–33 and 12:31–32 and Mark 3:28–30 also record Jesus' teaching on this subject.

Luke 12:1—13:9 compares the world with the kingdom of God. Jesus has condemned the hypocrisy of the Pharisees (Luke 11:14–54). He now instructs His disciples to reject the fame and security that Pharisees crave, and hold lightly to their lives, wealth, security, and even family. He then warns the crowd to be wise about their relationships with other people and with God. The next two units each include a miracle and teaching on God's kingdom and salvation (Luke 13:10—15:32). Then the final section in the "travelogue" repeats that three-unit pattern (Luke 16:1—19:27) before Jesus arrives in Jerusalem.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.