Luke 12:25
And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus points out the absurdity of our anxious striving by comparing our inability to add even a tiny bit to our physical stature with our fretting over life's essentials. What we might miss is that the original Greek word translated "stature" can also mean "age" or "time of life," suggesting that our anxious efforts to prolong our lives are as futile as trying to grow taller by worrying.
A man interrupted Jesus' teaching with a request for help dividing an inheritance, but Jesus used this moment to steer the conversation toward the dangers of greed and the importance of trusting God with their needs. He then encourages his disciples not to worry about life's necessities by pointing to God's provision for the birds and the lilies, highlighting how futile anxious striving is for something beyond our control.
Understand the original words
hēlikian · Greek Noun
A measurement of time, specifically the length of a human life. It emphasizes the sovereignty of God over the span of human existence, which cannot be extended by human effort alone.
Jesus uses a common, everyday analogy about human limitations to make a profound point about trusting God's provision, even amidst the very real social and economic pressures of the time, such as inheritance laws and the need for sustenance.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus Teaches in Galilee and Judea
Jesus travels and teaches crowds, often drawing large gatherings in towns and villages across the region. His teachings focus on the Kingdom of God, repentance, and a new way of living.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Disciples Seek Guidance from Jesus
A man interrupts Jesus' teaching to ask Him to intervene in a family inheritance dispute, highlighting the worldly concerns that often preoccupied people.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus Counsels Against Anxiety and Greed
In response to the interruption, Jesus delivers a teaching about the dangers of greed and the folly of anxious worry over material possessions and life itself.
This passage directly parallels Jesus' teaching from Luke, asking the same rhetorical question about anxious worry and its inability to affect one's life span or physical growth.
Psalm 39:5This psalm expresses a similar sentiment by reflecting on the brevity of life and the limitations of human effort, highlighting how fleeting our existence is regardless of our worries.
Ecclesiastes 8:8This verse speaks to the inevitability of death and the lack of human control over it, underscoring the futility of anxious striving when ultimate outcomes are beyond our power.
Jeremiah 10:23This verse acknowledges the limits of human planning and direction, echoing Jesus' point that human life and its trajectory are not solely determined by our own will or anxieties.
vincentLuke 12:25: "And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?"
Stature (ἡλικίαν)The original meaning of the word is time of life, age. So, commonly, in classical Greek. See, also, John 9:21, John 9:23; Hebrews 11:11. The other meaning, stature, also occurs. Herodotus speaks of one who was of the same height (ἡλικιήν) with another (3:16). But both the usage and the connection are in favor of the meaning age. A measure of time is sometimes represented by a measure of len…
jfbLuke 12:13-53: "And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me."
Lu 12:13-53. Covetousness—Watchfulness—Superiority to Earthly Ties.13. Master, &c.—that is, "Great Preacher of righteousness, help; there is need of Thee in this rapacious world; here am I the victim of injustice, and that from my own brother, who withholds from me my rightful share of the inheritance that has fallen to us." In this most inopportune intrusion upon the sole…
Jesus points out the absurdity of our anxious striving by comparing our inability to add even a tiny bit to our physical stature with our fretting over life's essentials. What we might miss is that the original Greek word translated "stature" can also mean "age" or "time of life," suggesting that our anxious efforts to prolong our lives are as futile as trying to grow taller by worrying.
A man interrupted Jesus' teaching with a request for help dividing an inheritance, but Jesus used this moment to steer the conversation toward the dangers of greed and the importance of trusting God with their needs. He then encourages his disciples not to worry about life's necessities by pointing to God's provision for the birds and the lilies, highlighting how futile anxious striving is for something beyond our control.
A man interrupted Jesus' teaching with a request for help dividing an inheritance, but Jesus used this moment to steer the conversation toward the dangers of greed and the importance of trusting God with their needs. He then encourages his disciples not to worry about life's necessities by pointing to God's provision for the birds and the lilies, highlighting how futile anxious striving is for something beyond our control.
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"And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?" — Jesus points out the absurdity of our anxious striving by comparing our inability to add even a tiny bit to our physical stature with our fretting over life's essentials. What we might miss is that t…
