Luke 12:27
in Luke 12Consider how the lilies grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Consider the lilies, how they grow: they toil not, neither do they spin; yet I say unto you, Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
KJV
Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
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This verse in Luke 12
Commentary
18 notes on this verseNor does it seem of light moment, that a flower is either compared to man, or even almost more than to man is preferred to Solomon, to make us conceive the glory expressed, from the brightness of the colour to be that of the heavenly angels; who are truly the flowers of the other world, since by their brightness the world is adorned, and they breathe forth the pure odour of sanctification, who shackled by no cares, employed in no toilsome task, cherish the grace of the Divine bounty towards them, and the gifts of their heavenly nature.
This site's exposition
Consider the lilies how they grow
on Luke 12:27-28
Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not moves from the ravens’ provision to the lilies’ clothing, effortless growth standing in for the labor of spinning thread that produced every garment in that world. Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these sets the wealthiest king Israel remembered beside an ordinary wildflower and finds the flower the finer, a deliberate overturning of human standards of splendor. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith closes the argument with the same lesser to greater logic, a flower’s brief season set against a disciple’s abiding worth, and little faith names the actual disease anxiety diagnoses.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
The discourse of the Lord, using the comparison of flowers and grass, is especially persuasive. For what could be more moral for persuasion than to see that even irrational things are adorned by God's providence, so that they have no need for usefulness or ornamentation? Much more so, you should believe that a rational person, if he puts all his use in God and never desires to change his faith, will never be in need; precisely because he presumes on divine favor.
It must also be noted that lilies are not generated in the roughness of mountains and in the untamedness of forests, but in the pleasantness of gardens. For there are certain gardens of various fruitful virtues, according to what is written: A closed garden, my sister, my bride, a closed garden, a sealed fountain; because where there is integrity, where there is chastity, where there is piety, where there is faithful secrecy of secrets, where there is the brightness of angels, there the violets of confessors, the lilies of virgins, the roses of martyrs are. And it is not incongruous for anyone to compare angels to lilies, since Christ himself has mentioned the lily, saying: I am the flower of the field and the lily of the valley. And it is fitting that Christ is compared to a lily; for where there is the blood of martyrs, there is Christ, who is a sublime, immaculate, harmless flower; in him, the roughness of thorns does not offend, but the surrounding grace shines forth. For the thorns are like the roses, because they are the torments of the martyrs. Unoffended divinity has no thorns, which it has not felt the torments.
But if a man wishes to be adorned with precious raiment, let him observe closely how even down to the flowers which spring from the earth God extends His manifold wisdom, adorning them with divers colours, so adapting to the delicate membranes of the flowers dyes far superior to gold and purple, that under no luxurious king, not even Solomon himself, who was renowned among the ancients for his riches as for his wisdom and pleasures, has so exquisite a work been devised; and hence it follows, But I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Some have obtained dominion and honours and riches by praying for them, how then dost thou forbid us to seek such things in prayer? And indeed that all these things belong to the Divine counsel is plain to every one, yet are they conferred by God upon those that seek them, in order that by learning that God listens to our lower petitions, we may be raised to the desire of higher things; just as we see in children, who as soon as they are born cling to their mother's breasts, but when the child grows up it despises the milk, and seeks after a necklace or some such thing with which the eye is delighted; and again when the mind has advanced together with the body, giving up all childish desires, he seeks from his parents those things which are adapted to a perfect life. For to be careful about visible things is the part of those who possess no hope of a future life, no fear of judgment to come.
Or do you think that every believer is entitled to originate and establish a law, if only it be such as is agreeable to God, as is helpful to discipline, as promotes salvation, when the Lord says, "But why do you not even of your own selves judge what is right? " And not merely in regard to a judicial sentence, but in regard to every decision in matters we are called on to consider, the apostle also says, "If of anything you are ignorant, God shall reveal it unto you; " he himself, too, being accustomed to afford counsel though he had not the command of the Lord, and to dictate of himself as possessing the Spirit of God who guides into all truth.
11 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
Similarly He enjoins with respect to clothing, which belongs to the third division, that of things external, saying, "Consider the lilies, how they spin not, nor weave. But I say unto you, that not even Solomon was arrayed as one of these." And Solomon the king plumed himself exceedingly on his riches.
The Medieval Church4 voices
And the Lord put forth the example of the lilies for our greater instruction. For if God so clothes the lilies that the glory of Solomon could never compare with any one of them, and this when beauty is not necessary for the lilies, will …
Consider the lilies etc. Here now thirdly he takes an argument from plant life. And first he sets forth a sensible likeness, then he adds the application. He sets forth, therefore, the likeness when he says: Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; …
Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither labor nor spin. But these examples should not be discussed as allegories, so that we might seek what the ravens or the lilies signify; for they were set forth so that from lesser things greater could be …
But I say to you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these. And truly, what silk, what royal purple, what tapestry of weavers, can be compared to flowers? What blushes like the rose? What glows as the lily? The …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Note, Our inordinate cares are owing to the weakness of our faith; for a powerful practical belief of the all-sufficiency of God, his covenant-relation to us as a Father, and especially his precious promises, relating both to this life and that to come, would be mighty, through God, to the pulling down of the strong holds of these disquieting perplexing imaginations.
Fear him who hath power to cast into hell - Even to his peculiar friends, Christ gives this direction. Therefore the fearing of God as having power to cast into hell, is to be pressed even on true believers. Are not five sparrows - But trust as well as fear him.
Consider the lilies how they grow,....
He stirs them up to watchfulness for their Master's coming, from the consideration of the reward of those who are then found faithful, and the punishment of those who are found unfaithful,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
We have in these verses—a collection of striking arguments against over-anxiety about the things of this world. At first sight they may seem to some minds simple and common. But the more they are pondered—the more weighty will they appear. An abiding recollection of them would save many Christians an immense amount of trouble. Christ bids us consider the RAVENS. "They neither sow nor reap. They have neither storehouse nor barn. But God feeds them."
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
We have in these verses—a collection of striking arguments against over-anxiety about the things of this world. At first sight they may seem to some minds simple and common. But the more they are pondered—the more weighty will they appear. An abiding recollection of them would save many Christians an immense amount of trouble. Christ bids us consider the RAVENS. "They neither sow nor reap. They have neither storehouse nor barn. But God feeds them." Now if the Maker of all things provides for the needs of birds, and orders things so that they have a daily supply of food—then we surely ought not to fear that He will let His spiritual children starve! Christ bids us look at the LILIES. "They do not toil nor spin—yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Now if God every year provides these flowers with a fresh supply of living leaves and blossoms—then we surely ought not to doubt His power and willingness to furnish His believing children with all needful clothing. Christ bids us to remember that a Christian should be ashamed of being as worried as the heathen are. The pagan world may well be worried about food, and clothing and the like. They are sunk in deep ignorance, and know nothing of the real nature of God. But the man who can say of God, "He is my Father," and of Christ, "He is my Savior—ought surely to be above such anxieties and cares. A clear faith in God's providential care, should produce a light trustful heart. Finally, Christ bids us think of the perfect knowledge of God. Our Father knows that we have need of food and clothing. That thought alone, ought to make us content. All our needs are perfectly known to the Lord of Heaven and earth. He can relieve those needs—whenever He sees fit. He will relieve them—whenever it is good for our souls.
The words behind it
23 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| κατανοήσατε | katanoesate | do consider | G2657 → | 14 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κρίνα | krina | lilies | G2918 → | |
| πῶς | pos | how | G4459 → | 103 times |
| αὐξάνει· | auxanei | they grow: | G837 → | 23 times |
| οὐ | ou | Not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| κοπιᾷ | kopia | do they labor | G2872 → | |
| οὐδὲ | oude | nor | G3761 → | 141 times |
| νήθει. | nethei | do they spin. | G3514 → | |
| λέγω | lego | I say | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὑμῖν· | humin | to you; | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| οὐδὲ | oude | not even | G3761 → | 141 times |
| Σολομὼν | solomon | Solomon | G4672 → | 12 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| πάσῃ | pase | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| τῇ | tea | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δόξῃ | doxe | glory | G1391 → | 165 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| περιεβάλετο | periebaleto | was arrayed | G4016 → | |
| ὡς | hos | as | G5613 → | 500 times |
| ἓν | hen | one | G1520 → | 343 times |
| τούτων. | touton | of these. | G3778 → | 1381 times |
κατανοήσατεdo consider
katanoesateG2657 →14 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
κρίναlilies
krinaG2918 →
πῶςhow
posG4459 →103 times
αὐξάνει·they grow:
auxaneiG837 →23 times
οὐNot
ouG3756 →1664 times
κοπιᾷdo they labor
kopiaG2872 →
οὐδὲnor
oudeG3761 →141 times
νήθει.do they spin.
netheiG3514 →
λέγωI say
legoG3004 →1325 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ὑμῖν·to you;
huminG4771 →2973 times
οὐδὲnot even
oudeG3761 →141 times
ΣολομὼνSolomon
solomonG4672 →12 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
πάσῃall
paseG3956 →1235 times
τῇthe
teaG3588 →19766 times
δόξῃglory
doxeG1391 →165 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
περιεβάλετοwas arrayed
periebaletoG4016 →
ὡςas
hosG5613 →500 times
ἓνone
henG1520 →343 times
τούτων.of these.
toutonG3778 →1381 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 12:24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!
it leads to
- Luke 12:7
And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
- Matthew 10:31
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
- Psalms 147:9
He provides food for the animals, and for the young ravens when they call.
- Job 38:41
Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God as they wander about for lack of food?
- Psalms 145:15–16
The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in season.
- Luke 12:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Luke
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 16 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Ambrose of Milan, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Ambrose of Milan, Exposition of the Gospel of Luke, 7.125; Ambrose of Milan, Exposition of the Gospel of Luke, 7.128; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 12; Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor Book 2; Eusebius of Caesarea, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Gregory of Nyssa, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, De Corona and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Luke.