Luke 12:22-24 22And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23For life is more than food and the body than clothing. 24Consider the ravens that they neither sow nor reap, to them there is neither storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!
The following words were especially for those closely following Jesus, as he shifts his teaching from the unnamed person of verse 13 to the disciples of verse 22, although all of what he has said in this chapter fits under the broad theme of following Jesus in the kingdom. The teachings of verses 22-31 match closely what is recorded as part of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:25-34. These words especially speak about the challenges of being a disciple in a hostile world. The disciples would face times of testing, and sometimes that testing would be in the form of a lack of food or clothes. In those situations, they would need to lean on the promises Jesus left with them.
This section begins with the central thesis that guides everything else: do not be anxious. There are many concerns in life. Everyone has something that causes stress or worry. Life is not ideal, and there are always troubles and challenges. Jesus focuses on the physical needs of food and clothing, two essential needs all humans need. Being a Christian does not exempt one from the essentials for survival. Those who might have more than an abundance turn their concern into worry about what among their closets of clothes they will wear from the day so that they can make a good impression on others.
Verse 23 gives the reason for the premise of verse 22. It is all a matter of perspective. We should realize that just being alive is better than worrying about the things we do not have. Life itself is a precious gift of God. Jesus could also be implying that life (phsychē) refers to our inner soul or spiritual condition. What matters most is if our relationship is right with God and that we are seeking his kingdom more than seeking the comforts of life. We often focus too much on our body (sōma) and what is on the outside and miss out on the more important inside. Yet, as creatures of this world, we live in a body, and so that often takes priority in our thinking.
Jesus illustrates his point by pointing to ravens. Luke is more specific than Matthew who only records “birds of the air.” Jesus uses his common form of argumentation form the lesser to the greater. Ravens are mentioned in Psalm 147:9 and Job 38:41 as creatures that God gives special care to. If God feeds these common birds, then surely he will care for those in his family. Ravens can gather their food in nature as needed and do not need barns, like the rich farmer of verses 13-21. The point is clear that God is the source of all we need, and he cares for us.
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