Luke 12:4

“And I say unto you, my friends, etc.] Whom he dearly loved, and had taken into the greatest intimacy and familiarity; making known to them whatever he had heard from his Father; giving them the best instructions, the most faithful and friendly advice, and proper precautions; all which, and more, showed them to be his friends, and for whom he after laid down his life: be not afraid of them that kill the body; though he would have them beware of the Pharisees, he would not have them be afraid of them; he would have them know them, and avoid their hypocrisy, and guard against it; but not fear them, or the worst they could do unto them, which was to kill the body; and that they had no need to be…”

“I say, &c.--You will say, That may cost us our life. Be it so; but, "My friends, there their power ends." He calls them "my friends" here, not in any loose sense, but, as we think, from the feeling He then had that in this "killing of the body" He and they were going to be affectingly one with each other.”

“Nothing covered - See the notes at Matthew 10:26-32. Luke 12:3 Shall be proclaimed upon the housetops - See the notes at Matthew 10:27. The custom of making proclamation from the tops or roofs of houses still prevails in the East. Dr. Thomson (“The Land and the Book,” vol. i. p. 51, 52) says: “At the present day, local governors in country districts cause their commands thus to be published. Their proclamations are generally made in the evening, after the people have returned from their labors in the field. The public crier ascends the highest roof at hand, and lifts up his voice in a long-drawn call upon all faithful subjects to give ear and obey. He then proceeds to announce, in a set…”

“But I say to you, Fear not - Let not the fear of man make you act the hypocrite, or conceal any thing which I have commissioned you to publish. Luke 12:5”

“my: Sol 5:1, Sol 5:16; Isa 41:8; Joh 15:14; Jam 2:23 Be: Isa 51:7-13; Jer 1:8, Jer 1:17, Jer 26:14, Jer 26:15; Eze 2:6; Dan 3:16, Dan 3:17; Mat 10:28; Act 4:13, Act 20:24; Phi 1:28; Pe1 3:14; Rev 2:10 Luke 12:5”