Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Luke: Chapter 12]
12:46 {Shall cut him asunder} (\dichotom•sei\). An old and
somewhat rare word from \dichotomos\ and that from \dicha\ and
\temn•\, to cut, to cut in two. Used literally here. In the N.T.
only here and Mt 24:51. {With the unfaithful} (\meta t•n
apist•n\). Not here "the unbelieving" though that is a common
meaning of \apistos\ (\a\ privative and \pistos\, from \peith•\),
but the unreliable, the untrustworthy. Here Mt 24:51 has "with
the hypocrites," the same point. The parallel with Mt 24:43-51
ends here. Mt 24:51 adds the saying about the wailing and the
gnashing of teeth. Clearly there Luke places the parable of the
wise steward in this context while Matthew has it in the great
eschatological discourse. Once again we must either think that
Jesus repeated the parable or that one of the writers has
misplaced it. Luke alone preserves what he gives in verses
47,48.
12:47 {Which knew} (\ho gnous\). Articular participle (second
aorist active, punctiliar and timeless). The one who knows. So as
to \m• hetoimasas • poi•sas\ (does not make ready or do). {Shall
be beaten with many stripes} (\dar•setai pollas\). Second future
passive of \der•\, to skin, to beat, to flay (see on Mt 21:35;
Mr 12:3,5). The passive voice retains here the accusative
\pollas\ (supply \pl•gas\, present in Lu 10:30). The same
explanation applies to \oligas\ in verse 48.
12:48 {To whomsoever much is given} (\panti de h•i edoth• polu\).
Here is inverse attraction from \hoi\ to \panti\ (Robertson,
_Grammar_, pp. 767f.). Note \par' autou\ (from him) without any
regard to \panti\. {They commit} (\parethento\). Second aorist
middle indicative, timeless or gnomic aorist. Note the impersonal
plural after the passive voice just before.
12:49 {I came to cast fire} (\Pur •lthon balein\). Suddenly Jesus
lets the volcano in his own heart burst forth. The fire was
already burning. "Christ came to set the world on fire, and the
conflagration had already begun" (Plummer). The very passion in
Christ's heart would set his friends on fire and his foes in
opposition as we have just seen (Lu 11:53f.). It is like the
saying of Jesus that he came to bring not peace, but a sword, to
bring cleavage among men (Mt 10:34-36). {And what will I, if it
is already kindled?} (\kai ti thel• ei •d• an•phth•;\). It is not
clear what this passage means. Probably \ti\ is be taken in the
sense of "how" (\p•s\). How I wish. Then \ei\ can be taken as
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