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Luke 12

In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?

But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:

But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.

And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.

And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:

For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?

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.

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?

And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;

And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?

And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?

Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.

But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;

The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I if it be already kindled?

But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!

Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.

And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.

Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.

I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

What does Luke 12:19 mean?

Explanation

Luke 12:19 features a character in one of Jesus' parables, the rich fool, speaking to himself.

In this verse, the man has just concluded that he has sufficient wealth stored up to last for many years and that he can now relax and enjoy life.

The verse depicts the man's outlook on life as one focused entirely on material wealth and self-indulgence.

At a deeper level, the verse serves as a critique of complacency and misplaced priorities, cautioning against the assumption that wealth can guarantee security and a disregard for spiritual and eternal matters.

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Historical Context

Luke 12:19 is situated within the Gospel of Luke, which is believed to have been written around 80-110 AD.

The Gospel addresses a predominantly Gentile audience and emphasizes Jesus' ministry to the poor and marginalized.

The parable of the rich fool, which includes this verse, is part of Jesus' larger teachings on greed and the folly of relying solely on earthly riches.

The culture of the time highly valued the accumulation of wealth, which was seen as a sign of God's favor, so Jesus' teaching would have been countercultural and challenging for his audience to hear.

Theological Insights

Different theological perspectives view this verse through varied lenses.

An existential viewpoint might focus on the transient nature of human life and the ultimate futility of placing one's hope in material possessions.

A liberation theology perspective may emphasize the social injustice inherent in hoarding wealth while others are in need.

Traditional evangelical theology would likely interpret this as a warning against the idolatry of wealth and the need to prioritize a relationship with God over material success.

Practical Applications

"Luke 12:19" challenges individuals to consider their own attitudes towards wealth and personal security.

It invites self-reflection on how much one trusts in material possessions versus spiritual well-being.

In daily life, this verse might encourage charitable giving, a simplification of one's lifestyle to focus on what truly matters, and an intentional cultivation of spiritual practices that reinforce the transient nature of earthly riches.

Cross-References

Ecclesiastes 2:24 - "There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour.

This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God."

Luke 12:20-21 - "But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
1 Timothy 6:17 - "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;"

Language Study

Key words in Greek from this verse warrant closer examination:

"Soul" (ψυχή psychē): often refers to life or the essence of a person.
"Much goods" (πολλά polla): implies abundance or a great number of possessions.
"Laid up" (ἀποθησαυρίζω apothēsaurizō): to store up or treasure, with the implication of security and future use.
"Eat, drink, and be merry" (φάγω, πίω, εὐφραίνω phagō, piō, euphrainō): An expression that signifies indulgence and seeking pleasure in life's basic comforts.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the ancient Near East, many cultures, such as the Egyptian and the Babylonian, held similar views on wealth and life after death, often involving elaborate preparations for the afterlife that included the storage of goods.

Moreover, the Epicurean philosophy, which was prevalent in the Hellenistic world, espoused a similar sentiment to “eat, drink, and be merry,” focusing on pleasure as the chief good in life.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern psychological research supports the idea that material wealth does not necessarily lead to happiness or life satisfaction.

Studies in happiness economics suggest that after a certain point, increases in wealth have diminishing returns on overall well-being.

This aligns with the implicit warning in Luke 12:19 about not finding true fulfillment in material abundance alone.

commentaries

Biblical scholars and commentators offer various interpretations of Luke 12:19.

Some focus on the parable’s teaching about the unpredictability of life and the misunderstanding of what constitutes true security. Others draw attention to the self-centered nature of the rich man’s monologue, highlighting his lack of concern for others and failure to recognize God’s providence.

Commentators like Matthew Henry emphasize the folly in placing eternal hopes in temporary riches, while others consider the broader Lukan theme of social justice and the responsibility of sharing one's wealth.

Luke 12

Luke 12

What does Luke 12:19 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 12:19 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?