This deals with the promise of Jesus that the Holy Spirit would give the Apostles the right words to say when they are persecuted for following and serving Him. They were fearful, but H\e assured them so they could have peace.

1. THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES THE RIGHT WORDS
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Luke 12:12 12forthe Holy Spirit will teach you at that
time what you should say."
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
Confessing Christ
Luke 12:8, 9
W. Clarkson
From these solemn words we gather -
I. THAT CHRISTIANITY CENTRESIN THE PERSON OF JESUS
CHRIST. Our Lord taught us much concerning ourselves - the inestimable
value of our spiritual nature; the realsource and spring of evil in our own
souls;the true excellencyof a human life; whom we should regardas our
neighbor, etc. But he taught us still more of himself - of his relations with the
Divine Father;of his essentialsuperiority even to the greatestamong
mankind; of his sorrow and his death on behalf of the human race;of his
mission to enlighten, to redeem, to satisfythe souls of men. And he not only
affirmed, but frequently and emphatically urged, the doctrine that, if we
would enter into life, we must come into the very closestpersonalrelationwith
himself - trusting in him, loving him, abiding in him, following him, making
him Refuge of the heart, Sovereignof the soul, Lord of the life. Not his truth,
but himself, is the Source of our strength and our hope.

2. II. THAT JESUS CHRIST DEMANDS AN OPEN CONFESSIONOF OUR
FAITH IN HIM. More than once (see Mark 8:38) he insisted upon a clear
recognitionof his authority and regalposition. He will have us "confess him
before men." How shall we do that?
1. In a heathen country, by avowing the Christian faith, renouncing
Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, etc., and declaring before all that Jesus
Christ is the one Teacheroftruth and Lord of man.
2. In a Christian country, by making it clearthat we have acceptedhim as the
Lord whom we are living to serve. We shall probably think it right to do this
by attaching ourselves to some particular Christian community; also by
regular, public worship of Christ; but certainly, in all cases,
(1) by paying honor to his Name;
(2) by upholding againsthis enemies the truth and worth of his religion;
(3) by translating his will into active human life in all its departments -
domestic, social, commercial, political, ecclesiastical.
III. THAT COMPLIANCE WITH HIS DEMAND WILL SOON PROVE TO
BE AN ACT OF THE FIRST IMPORTANCE. The day draws on when we
shall meet our Master:then will he tell us what he thinks of us. Then, if we
have failed to honor him, he will refuse to honor us "before the angels of
God." What is involved in that denial? The worstof all exclusions - exclusion
from the favor, from the home, of God. And then, if we have honored him, he
will acknowledgeus as his own. And what will that include?
1. Acceptance with the Judge of all.
2. The expressionof his Divine approval - the "welldone" of the Lord.
3. Admission to the heavenly kingdom, with all its advancing glory, its
deepening joy, its extending influence, its enlarging life. - C.

3. Biblical Illustrator
The Holy Ghostshall teachyou.
Luke 12:11, 12
Divine help for ministers in discharging their duties
James Foote, M. A.
The advice and promise contained in these verses were very suitable to the
disciples, many of whom were soonto be called before Jewishand Roman
courts of various kinds for the sake ofChrist. Plain and illiterate as the
disciples generallywere, they would be ready to be much alarmed at the
thought of appearing before civil and ecclesiasticalrulers and judges, not only
from the apprehensionthat they might be condemned if they did not plead
their cause aright, but still more from the apprehensionthat from some
failure in judgment, or memory, or eloquence, on their part, the cause ofthe
gospelmight suffer — which was dearerto them than their life. Their Lord,
therefore, wiselyand graciouslycounselledand encouragedthem in that
prospect. "Take ye no thought," said He; not that prudent thought was
unbecoming, or that they were to be rash, and speak unadvisedly with their
lips: but they were forbidden to take anxious, perplexing, and disquieting
thought, as the word might be rendered, and as He said on another occasion,
"Take no thought for the morrow." Such thought as that, at the time they
were speaking, wouldhave argued distrust in God, and would have thrown
them into such confusionas would have incapacitatedthem from speaking as
they ought. They were not to be studious of making a fine appearance;nor
were they to be apprehensive that the Lord would allow either them to be put
to shame, or His own cause to suffer. Nay, as spokento those who were under
the influence of plenary inspiration, these words forbade them to spend time
in premeditation on their defence of themselves, or on their declarationof the
gospel, for it is thus expressedin Mark, "Takeno thought beforehand what ye
shall speak, neither do ye premeditate." "Takeye no thought," as it is in
Luke, "how, or what thing," that is, either as to the manner or matter of what
"ye shall answer," orsayin defence of yourselves;"orwhat ye shall say," that
is, what ye shall say in declaring the truth before your accusersand audience,

4. be they what they may. And to encourage them to this, He assures them that
the Holy Spirit would suggestto them at the time whatever was proper to be
said, and would direct and strengthen them to say it in the best manner. Now,
all this is often exemplified very strikingly in the Acts of the Apostles, in which
we read of severalof the disciples being carried before different courts, where
they trusted in God, and had this promise so fulfilled to them as to enable
them to speak, and in every wayto conduct themselves, in the most becoming
and noble manner. As to the application of these words to the succeeding ages
of the Church; it becomes allChristians, and especiallyChristianministers,
neither presumptuously to abuse them, nor unbelievingly to neglectthe
legitimate encouragementwhich they contain. It would certainly be a gross
perversion of this passage, ifany preachers were now to imagine that it would
countenance them in ordinary casesin coming forward to preach without
previous study. Now that miraculous inspiration has ceased, theyhave to seek
their knowledge from the Word of God, and in the way of diligent,
persevering, and prayerful application of mind; that they may bring forward
abundance of suitable matter, in the best way of which, all their other duties
being considered, they are capable. Whatevermight be the rule in casesof
emergency, eventhe inspired teachers themselves were required thus to "stir
up the gift of God that was in them"; and therefore much more is such
diligence necessaryin those who have no such inspiration. It is no difficult
matter, indeed, for a man who abounds in self-confidence and readiness of
expressionto speak oftenand long, in a certain way, of the things of God with
little or no preparation, but it is a poor boast to boastof such a habit; it is a
poor compliment to the intelligence of his audience to indulge it; there will be
no need for him or his admirers to proclaim that his effusions are
extemporary, for that will be but too evident. In many casesthis is, doubtless,
under the guise of zeal, the refuge of indolence; and it would be well for him to
considerwhether he be not labouring under an error in imagining that there
is anything peculiarly spiritual or praiseworthy in offering to God that which
costs him nothing. The words which were addressedto inspired Timothy are
surely at leastas suitable in this view to ordinary teachers:"Give attendance
to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglectnotthe gift that is in thee,
which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the
presbytery. Meditate upon these things, give thyself wholly to them, that thy

5. profiting may appear to all. Take heedunto thyself, and unto the doctrine;
continue in them; for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that
hear thee." In a different sense, David "preparedwith all his might for the
house of his God." "Because the preacher, too, was wise, he still taught the
people knowledge,yea, he gave goodheed, and sought out, and setin order
many proverbs." If due diligence be not used, to expectthe help of the Spirit is
not faith, but presumption. At the same time there is much direction and
encouragementhere to ministers when they are in the way of duty. The spirit
of this passageteachesthem not to fail to declare the will of God when they
are suddenly calledon to do so in the course of providence. They are not to
hang back or to hesitate then, but are to discharge the duty in the best way
they can under God. On extraordinary occasions theymay expect, though not
miraculous, yet extraordinary, assistance. Theymay expectthat their strength
will be as their day; that their Master's grace willbe sufficient for them, and
that His strength will be made perfect in their weakness.Norneed they be
afraid to speak, in any circumstances,howevertrying or dangerous, into
which their Lord brings them.
(James Foote, M. A.)
Martyrs inspired by the Spirit
C. H. Spurgeon.
You will be struck in reading "Foxe's Acts and Monuments" to find how
many of the humblest men and women actedas if they were of noblestblood.
In every age the line of martyrs has been a line of true nobility. When the
King of France told Bernard Palissythat, if he did not change his sentiments,
he should be compelled to surrender him to the Inquisition, the brave potter
said to the king, "You sayI shall be compelled, and yet you are a king; but I,
though only a poor potter, cannotbe compelledto do other than I think to be
right," Surely the potter was more royal than the king. The casesare
numberless, and should be as householdwords among you, in which humble
men, feeble women, and little children have shown a heroism which chivalry
could not equal. The Spirit of God has takenthe wise in their own craftiness,

6. and answeredthe learned out of the mouths of babes. The answers of
uneducated persons among the martyrs were frequently so put to the point,
and hit the nail so well on the head, that you might almost suppose they had
been composedby an assembly of divines; they came from a better source, for
they were given by the Holy Spirit. The bearing of the bleeding witnessesfor
our Lord has been worthy of their office, and right well have they earned the
title of "The noble army of martyrs."
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Providential prompting
Some time ago a town missionary had in his district a man who never would
suffer any Christian man to come into his house. The missionary was warned
by many that he would get a broken head if he ventured on a visit. He
therefore kept from the house, though it troubled him to pass it by. He made a
matter of prayer of it, as was his wont, and one morning ventured into the
lion's den; when the man said, "What have you come here for? .... Well, sir,"
he said, "I have been conversing with people in all the houses along here, and
I have passedyou by because I heard you objectedto it; but somehow I
thought it lookedcowardlyto avoid you, and therefore I have called." "Come
in, then," the man said; "sit down. Now you are going to talk to me about the
Bible. Perhaps you do not know much about it yourself. I am going to ask you
a question, and if you can answerit, you shall come again; if you do not
answerit, I will bundle you downstairs. Now,"he said, "do you take me?"
"Yes," saidthe other, "I do take you." "Well, then, this is the question:
Where do you find the word 'girl' in the Bible, and how many times do you
find it?" The city missionary said, The word girl occurs only once in the Bible,
and that is in the Book ofJoel, the third chapter and the third verse:'They
sold a girl for wine.'" "You are right; but I would not have believed you knew
it, or else I would have askedyou some other question. You may come again."
"But," said the missionary, "I should like you to know how I came to know it.
This very morning I was praying for direction from God; and when I was
reading my morning chapter, I came upon this passage:'There shall be boys

7. and girls playing in the streets of Jerusalem';and I found that the word 'girl'
did not occur anywhere else but in Joel." The result of that story, however
odd it seems, was thatthe missionary was permitted to call; and the man took
an interest in his visits, and. the whole family were the better, the man and his
wife and one of his children becoming members of a Church some time
afterwards. Is not God the answererofprayer?
STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
For the Holy Ghost shall teachyou,.... Shall give both words and matter: in
the same hour; instantly, immediately:
what ye ought to say; what will be proper to be said, for the honour of Christ,
the defence of the Gospel, and the confusionof enemies;See Gill on Matthew
10:20.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on Luke 12:12". "The New JohnGill Exposition of
the Entire Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/luke-
12.html. 1999.

8. return to 'Jump List'
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
What ye ought to say (α δει ειπειν — hā dei eipein). Literally, what things it is
necessary(δει — dei) to say. This is no excuse for neglectin pulpit
preparation. It is simply a word for courage in a crisis to play the man for
Christ and to trust the issue with God without fear.
Copyright Statement
The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on Luke 12:12". "Robertson's WordPictures
of the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/luke-12.html. Broadman
Press 1932,33. Renewal1960.
return to 'Jump List'
The Fourfold Gospel
And when they bring you before the synagogues1,and the rulers, and the
authorities, be not anxious how or what ye shall answer, or what ye shall say2:
Luke 12:11,12
Before the synagogues. See Luke 12:11,12.
Be not anxious how or what ye shall answer, or what ye shall say. The captive
disciple planning his defense would be tempted to attempt hypocritical
concealmentor dissimulation. To prevent this, Jesus admonishes his hearers

9. to rely upon the Holy Spirit for their utterance at such times. How fully such
reliance was honored is shownin the apologyof Stephen before the Sanhedrin
(Acts 7:2-53), in Peter's defense before the tribunal (Acts 4:8-20), and in
Paul's justification of his course, both before Felix (Acts 24:10-21)and
Agrippa (Acts 26:1-29). See also Matthew 10:19;Mark 13:11.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
THE PROMISED POWER OF THE SPIRIT
IN THE NICK OF TIME!
For - term of explanation - explaining why there is no need to defend yourself
or congerup eloquent arguments to support your case. Whata striking
contrastwith the dangerof speaking AGAINST the Spirit (Lk 12:10), for here
the Spirit speaks to them and they will speak through Him! Matthew and
Mark state that it is actually the Holy Spirit Who speaks through the
disciples...
Matthew 10:20 For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father
Who speaks in you.
Mark 13:11 When they arrestyou and hand you over, do not worry
beforehand about what you are to say, but say whateveris given you in that
hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit.
And not only will the Spirit speak to and through us but Jesus promises "I
will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able
to resistor refute." (Lk 21:14,15)
The Holy Spirit will teachyou in that very hour - "The Holy Spirit will work
within you in such an effective manner, illumining the mind and sharpening

10. the powerof speech, that you will know exactly what to say." (Hendriksen)
This clearly calls for us to trust God to provide the words when the words are
needed and not before. There is a similar promise by Jesus in John
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He
will teachyou all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
(John 14:26)
We see these promises being fulfilled in Acts
Acts 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and
elders of the people, (Read Acts 4:8-12, 19, 20)
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered
togetherwas shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began
to speak the word of Godwith boldness.
Acts 6:10 But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with
which he was speaking.
Acts 16:6 (NEGATIVE BUT STILL EXAMPLE OF SPIRIT'S
ENABLEMENT)And they passedthrough the Phrygian and Galatianregion,
having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia;
See also answers ofPaul (Acts 21:39–22:21;23:1, 6; 24:10–21;26:1–23).
Leon Morris - Jesus is concernedwith the duty that rests compellingly on
believers even in such a time of danger. He is not telling them how to secure
acquittal. He is telling them how they may best serve God in their trying
situation. The Spirit will inspire them with such a defence that through it the
gospelwill be proclaimedand God’s purposes be set forward. (TNTC-Luke)
Spurgeon- I have often been amazed and delighted with the remarkable
answers whichwere given to bishops and priests by poor humble men and
women who were on trial for their lives. Perhaps you remember that Anne
Askew was asked, in order to entangle her in her speech, “Whatwould
become of a mouse if it ate the bread of the holy sacrament? “She saidthat
was too deep a question for a poor woman like her to answer, and she begged
the learnedbishop on the bench to tell her what would become of the mouse;

11. to which his lordship answeredthat it would be damned. Now, what reply
could be given to that but the one Anne Askew gave, “Alack, poormouse!” I
do not know that anything better could have been said; and, on other
occasions,there have been answers which have been deeply theological, and
there have been some which have been wiselyevasive and, also some full of
weight, and others full of grace and truth, for the Holy Ghost has helped his
saints, in time of persecution, to answerwell those who have accusedthem. He
has often done this. If you will read, in Foxe’s Book ofMartyrs, the answers
given even by unlearned, illiterate men and women, who were takenquite at
unawares, and assailedby subtle questions, you will see that they often
answeredin a remarkably wise way. They could not have answeredbetter if
the questions had been before them for months. They frequently burned their
cunning adversaries by their wisdom and sometimes by their wit, for the Holy
Ghosttaught them in the same hour what they ought to speak.
Will teach(1321)(didaskofrom dáo= know or teach;English = didactic; see
study of related noun didaskalia and the adjective didaktikos)means to
provide instruction or information in a formal or informal setting. To be
taught by the Spirit, we must make the (Spirit enabled) choice to set aside
your human reasons (initiated by our flesh).
Didasko is used of the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit in John 14:26 and 1
John 2:27-note.
Bock - God’s care for disciples was mentioned in Luke 12:6–7. Here Jesus
specifies anaspectof that care:God will provide the Spirit to help them
answertheir accusers. The answerwill come immediately....To those who
depend on God in the hour of testing the Spirit offers aid so that they can
confess their faith. Paul makes a similar requestfor boldness (Eph. 6:18–20;
Col. 4:3–4), as does the early church (Acts 4:24–30). (Ibid)
Guzik makes a goodpoint that Jesus'promise " isn’t a justification of poor
preparation in teaching and preaching God’s Word, but it is a promise of
strength and guidance for the persecutedthat have an opportunity to testify of
Jesus."

12. In that very hour - His grace is sufficient and is provided when it is needed. At
the moment of need, then and not before, you will know what to say. This may
entail waiting on (and trusting in) the Lord as Isaiahsays
Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up
with wings like eagles,Theywill run and not get tired, They will walk and not
become weary. (Isaiah 40:31-note)
Ought (better = "Must" or "what is necessaryto say")(1163)(deifrom deo =
to bind or tie objects together, put in prison and also rootof doulos, bond-
servant) refers to what is not optional but needful (binding) out of intrinsic
necessityor inevitability. Dei refers to inward constraint which is why it is
often translated "must". Dei describes that which is under the necessityof
happening or which must necessarilytake place, and as stated above, conveys
a sense ofinevitability. To express the sense ofnecessitydei is translated "one
ought", "one should", "one has to" or "one must".
“Alice Driver, martyr, at her examination, put all the doctors to silence, so
that they had not a word to say, but lookedupon another. Then she said, Have
ye no more to say? God be honored; you be not able to resist the Spirit of God
in me, a poor woman … So the chancellorcondemnedher, and she returned
to the prison as joyful as the bird of the day.” (Trapp) She was burned at the
stake two weeks before the end of Queen Mary’s reign (Bloody Mary).
ILLUSTRATION - When we look at the life of Martin Luther, we find that
the Lord helped him in a time of dangerand oppression. When Martin Luther
first stoodbefore the Diet at Worms, John Eck, the Archbishop of Trier,
askedhim, "Martin Luther, do you recant of the heresies in your writings?...
Do you defend them all, or do you care to rejecta part?" Martin gave the
quiet answer, "This touches God and His Word. This affects the salvationof
souls. Of this Christ said, 'He who denies me before men, him will I deny
before the Father.' To say too little or too much would be dangerous. I beg
you, give me time to think it over." Luther askedfor twenty-four hours to

13. considerthe situation he was facing in his life. John Eck and the whole
assemblywere amazed. How could the supreme intellectual leaderof this
movement ask for more time to think? Was he succumbing to fear? What was
going on in this man's heart? That night Luther and his colleagues
passionatelycalledout to God in prayer. With the rising of the sun, another,
largerhall was chosen, and it was so crowdedthat scarcelyanyone exceptthe
emperor could sit. John Eck spoke long and eloquently in the flickering
candlelight, concluding, "I ask you, Martin, answercandidly and without
horns, do you or do you not repudiate your books and the errors which they
contain?" Luther spoke, and his voice rang. He spoke first in German and
then in Latin: "Since then your Majestyand your lordships desire a simple
reply, I will, answerwithout horns and without teeth. Unless I am convicted
by Scripture and plain reason, I do not acceptthe authority of popes and
councils, for they have contradictedeachother. My conscienceis captive to
the Word of God. I cannotand I will not recant anything, for to go against
conscienceis neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen." (See Christian
History article; See also Blog by John MacArthur - A Conscience Captive to
God's Word) At that towering moment Luther's massive fearof God freed
him from the smaller fear of men! (Pr 29:25)Let me ask, "Are your fears
keeping you from serving the Lord or standing up for Him?" If so, it does not
have to be this way. Spend time with the Lord in prayer and His Word and
you will find the encouragementand strength you need to live for Him. (Rod
Mattoon)