TEXT — Luke 12: 13–21 — Disciples’ attitude towards wealth and possessions
Request to act in dispute
13 One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.”
Jesus refuses
14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?”
Warning on greed
15 And he said to them, “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Parable of rich man
16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’
Sudden death
20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
Be rich toward God
21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
EXPLANATION
13 One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.”
“One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.” — Laws of inheritance were judged by the Rabbis. The questioner was having difficulties with his brother over his share of the inheritance and he approached Jesus for help, addressing him as Rabbi or “Teacher”.
14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?”
“But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?” — Jesus addresses the man sternly and condescendingly with the title “man” (Lk. 22: 60).
Jesus does not accept a role as judge over matters of inheritance and money. As has been said, “He came to bring men to God, not property to men”.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church quotes verses 13–14 to make the following comment: “By freeing some individuals from the earthly evils of hunger, injustice, illness and death, Jesus performed messianic signs. Nevertheless he did not come to abolish all evils here below (Lk. 12: 13–14), but to free men from the gravest slavery, sin, which thwarts them in their vocation as God’s sons and causes all forms of human bondage” (CCC 549).
15 And he said to them, “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
“And he said to them, “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” — The double warning, “Take heed, and beware” is particularly strong. The Greek for “beware” means ‘defend oneself against an attacker’. In Greek the word for “covetousness” means “grasping for more”, in such a way that the attacker is never satisfied and would injure and even kill the person attacked to gain possession. Paul says that greed is idolatry (Col. 3: 5. It is quite clear that greed and covetousness can and do commit all sorts of serious crimes and sins.
Jesus judges that the underlying reason for the request by one of the brothers is greed. He does not indicate which of the brothers is the greedy one, either he who will not give to the younger his share in the inheritance or the younger who is seeking more than he should from the older. The implication is that both brothers are seeking “the abundance of his possessions”, more than is due to each.
The reason for the warning against greed, avarice and covetousness is a fundamental principle: a person’s life, which is an everlasting gift from God, can never be measured by possessions which are always temporal.
16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; 17 and he thought to himself, `What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’
“And he told them a parable, saying, ‘The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully’” — the abundance was a sign of God’s blessing which enriched the land.
“and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do for I have nowhere to store my crops?’” — The man lived in a world of his own. He spoke not to other people but to himself; he spoke in the singular about himself with no thought for others, including God and his family.
“And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry’” — The man continued to consider only himself. As he saw it his future was secure for many years to come. He ignored the Jewish Law which imposed a duty on him to help the poor from his abundance: “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the Lord your God”. (Lv. 19: 9–10; 23: 22; Dt. 24: 21).
“eat, drink, be merry’” — This is the classic expression of hedonism. The rich man addressed his “soul” when he used these words, showing that he had no consideration for an after–life. What he wanted for his “soul”, a spiritual entity, was only material things such as food, drink and a good time. Jesus will say “life is more than food” (Lk. 12: 23).
20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
“But God said to him, ‘Fool!” — Again, the title addressed to the owner of the land and its produce was very stern. The word “Fool” implied not stupidity but maliciousness in refusing to be wise. It was God who called the man “Fool” in this context because he refused to be wise and left God out of his future which depended on God and which was swiftly drawing to a close that very night. The man made no provision for his death. That was real stupidity.
“This night your soul is required of you” — The Greek here means that God required the man’s soul. The man was a “fool” because he acted as if he had full control over his future.
“and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’” — The man had planned his future with no consideration for anyone but himself. He lived for himself. He judged himself on his possessions and wealth. He judged that he was “somebody” because he possessed abundantly. Then when he lost everything he had nothing. That meant, according to his thinking, that he was “nobody”, nothing.
21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
“So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” — Jesus added his conclusion — the person who accumulates wealth for himself, and does not share with those in need, has no lasting possession. Wealth is not condemned but what one does with it can be either laudable or blame–worthy. Because a person has nothing set aside for God he/she has no future with God. With death he loses his wealth and he has already lost God. That is foolishness!
A major theme in Luke’s Gospel is the danger of riches (Lk. 1: 53; 3: 25; 6: 24; 8; 14; 12: 16, 21; 14: 12; 16: 1, 19–22; 21: 1).
APPLICATION
Jesus
What does this passage tell us about Jesus? First, it tells us that there are two worlds, the material and the spiritual. Jesus lived for the spiritual and all that this meant. We know that Jesus was born into the material world after he had the choice of selecting his own family. He chose that this would be a poor family. In his public ministry, when he left his home, he continued to live a life of austerity: he had no place he could call his own on which to lay his head. He depended on others for his sustenance. He had no material security but depended on God his Father. This meant that he could teach about greed as something to be avoided and that he and his disciples had to put God as first place in their lives.
He lived for God his Father. That was his way of living: he always did what pleased his Father. He did not put himself first, before his Father. His most frequent saying, expressed in various forms, was ‘God’s will be done, not mine’. By giving his life, he gave himself utterly and completely for others and their salvation.
In his life and death the salvation of people, a spiritual not material blessing, had priority. He never sought material possessions, only what was necessary to survive.
He showed his disciples how to live for the poor. He did not condemn riches as such but he did not approve of hoarding wealth as if it was given without any responsibility. Wealth is a gift from God but, like all God’s gifts, is given not for oneself but with moral responsibility.
The fundamental treasure?
The main point of this parable is to make all disciples think about their attitude to wealth and possessions, their trust in divine providence and living for God as the priority in their lives. All are challenged to answer the question, ‘What is the fundamental treasure in your heart? What is it that you set your heart on and work for more than anything else, including God and your neighbour?’
The example in the parable is of a rich man who thought of nothing but his own enrichment. He saw possessions and wealth as his security for life. He did not cast a thought about another life, eternal life, and how to attain it. St. Paul expresses this as follows: “Those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains” (I Tm. 6: 9–10).
Jesus was much stronger: “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation” (Lk. 6: 24). “No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Lk. 16: 13). For Jesus one who is a slave to money and possessions commits idolatry by making wealth his/her false god called mammon or materialism. One’s possessions become obsessions.
There are seven “deadly sins”. The name is given to those sins which produce other sins. They are pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy and sloth. Covetousness, mentioned in the ninth and tenth commandments, includes greed which is the desire to acquire more than we need and is not good for us. It is accompanied by causing damage to ourselves or to others.
Generosity is the antithesis of greed. Jesus was generous, giving his very life for others. He kept nothing for himself. The poor widow had only two cents to live on and, being generous, she gave “all she had to live on” to the Temple. To use the final words in today’s Gospel passage, she was “rich in the sight of God”. She had her priorities and knew the real value of living for God. Not alone was she generous to God in giving him all she had but down through the centuries she has enriched countless people by her example.
Commentary on 18th Sunday of the year C 31.07.2016
TEXT — Luke 12: 13–21 — Disciples’ attitude towards wealth and possessions
Request to act in dispute
13 One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.”
Jesus refuses
14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?”
Warning on greed
15 And he said to them, “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Parable of rich man
16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’
Sudden death
20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
Be rich toward God
21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
EXPLANATION
13 One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.”
“One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.” — Laws of inheritance were judged by the Rabbis. The questioner was having difficulties with his brother over his share of the inheritance and he approached Jesus for help, addressing him as Rabbi or “Teacher”.
14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?”
“But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?” — Jesus addresses the man sternly and condescendingly with the title “man” (Lk. 22: 60).
Jesus does not accept a role as judge over matters of inheritance and money. As has been said, “He came to bring men to God, not property to men”.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church quotes verses 13–14 to make the following comment: “By freeing some individuals from the earthly evils of hunger, injustice, illness and death, Jesus performed messianic signs. Nevertheless he did not come to abolish all evils here below (Lk. 12: 13–14), but to free men from the gravest slavery, sin, which thwarts them in their vocation as God’s sons and causes all forms of human bondage” (CCC 549).
15 And he said to them, “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
“And he said to them, “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” — The double warning, “Take heed, and beware” is particularly strong. The Greek for “beware” means ‘defend oneself against an attacker’. In Greek the word for “covetousness” means “grasping for more”, in such a way that the attacker is never satisfied and would injure and even kill the person attacked to gain possession. Paul says that greed is idolatry (Col. 3: 5. It is quite clear that greed and covetousness can and do commit all sorts of serious crimes and sins.
Jesus judges that the underlying reason for the request by one of the brothers is greed. He does not indicate which of the brothers is the greedy one, either he who will not give to the younger his share in the inheritance or the younger who is seeking more than he should from the older. The implication is that both brothers are seeking “the abundance of his possessions”, more than is due to each.
The reason for the warning against greed, avarice and covetousness is a fundamental principle: a person’s life, which is an everlasting gift from God, can never be measured by possessions which are always temporal.
16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; 17 and he thought to himself, `What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’
“And he told them a parable, saying, ‘The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully’” — the abundance was a sign of God’s blessing which enriched the land.
“and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do for I have nowhere to store my crops?’” — The man lived in a world of his own. He spoke not to other people but to himself; he spoke in the singular about himself with no thought for others, including God and his family.
“And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry’” — The man continued to consider only himself. As he saw it his future was secure for many years to come. He ignored the Jewish Law which imposed a duty on him to help the poor from his abundance: “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the Lord your God”. (Lv. 19: 9–10; 23: 22; Dt. 24: 21).
“eat, drink, be merry’” — This is the classic expression of hedonism. The rich man addressed his “soul” when he used these words, showing that he had no consideration for an after–life. What he wanted for his “soul”, a spiritual entity, was only material things such as food, drink and a good time. Jesus will say “life is more than food” (Lk. 12: 23).
20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
“But God said to him, ‘Fool!” — Again, the title addressed to the owner of the land and its produce was very stern. The word “Fool” implied not stupidity but maliciousness in refusing to be wise. It was God who called the man “Fool” in this context because he refused to be wise and left God out of his future which depended on God and which was swiftly drawing to a close that very night. The man made no provision for his death. That was real stupidity.
“This night your soul is required of you” — The Greek here means that God required the man’s soul. The man was a “fool” because he acted as if he had full control over his future.
“and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’” — The man had planned his future with no consideration for anyone but himself. He lived for himself. He judged himself on his possessions and wealth. He judged that he was “somebody” because he possessed abundantly. Then when he lost everything he had nothing. That meant, according to his thinking, that he was “nobody”, nothing.
21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
“So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” — Jesus added his conclusion — the person who accumulates wealth for himself, and does not share with those in need, has no lasting possession. Wealth is not condemned but what one does with it can be either laudable or blame–worthy. Because a person has nothing set aside for God he/she has no future with God. With death he loses his wealth and he has already lost God. That is foolishness!
A major theme in Luke’s Gospel is the danger of riches (Lk. 1: 53; 3: 25; 6: 24; 8; 14; 12: 16, 21; 14: 12; 16: 1, 19–22; 21: 1).
APPLICATION
Jesus
What does this passage tell us about Jesus? First, it tells us that there are two worlds, the material and the spiritual. Jesus lived for the spiritual and all that this meant. We know that Jesus was born into the material world after he had the choice of selecting his own family. He chose that this would be a poor family. In his public ministry, when he left his home, he continued to live a life of austerity: he had no place he could call his own on which to lay his head. He depended on others for his sustenance. He had no material security but depended on God his Father. This meant that he could teach about greed as something to be avoided and that he and his disciples had to put God as first place in their lives.
He lived for God his Father. That was his way of living: he always did what pleased his Father. He did not put himself first, before his Father. His most frequent saying, expressed in various forms, was ‘God’s will be done, not mine’. By giving his life, he gave himself utterly and completely for others and their salvation.
In his life and death the salvation of people, a spiritual not material blessing, had priority. He never sought material possessions, only what was necessary to survive.
He showed his disciples how to live for the poor. He did not condemn riches as such but he did not approve of hoarding wealth as if it was given without any responsibility. Wealth is a gift from God but, like all God’s gifts, is given not for oneself but with moral responsibility.
The fundamental treasure?
The main point of this parable is to make all disciples think about their attitude to wealth and possessions, their trust in divine providence and living for God as the priority in their lives. All are challenged to answer the question, ‘What is the fundamental treasure in your heart? What is it that you set your heart on and work for more than anything else, including God and your neighbour?’
The example in the parable is of a rich man who thought of nothing but his own enrichment. He saw possessions and wealth as his security for life. He did not cast a thought about another life, eternal life, and how to attain it. St. Paul expresses this as follows: “Those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains” (I Tm. 6: 9–10).
Jesus was much stronger: “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation” (Lk. 6: 24). “No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Lk. 16: 13). For Jesus one who is a slave to money and possessions commits idolatry by making wealth his/her false god called mammon or materialism. One’s possessions become obsessions.
There are seven “deadly sins”. The name is given to those sins which produce other sins. They are pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy and sloth. Covetousness, mentioned in the ninth and tenth commandments, includes greed which is the desire to acquire more than we need and is not good for us. It is accompanied by causing damage to ourselves or to others.
Generosity is the antithesis of greed. Jesus was generous, giving his very life for others. He kept nothing for himself. The poor widow had only two cents to live on and, being generous, she gave “all she had to live on” to the Temple. To use the final words in today’s Gospel passage, she was “rich in the sight of God”. She had her priorities and knew the real value of living for God. Not alone was she generous to God in giving him all she had but down through the centuries she has enriched countless people by her example.