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Robertson's Word Pictures of the NT

Luke 12:20

Thou foolish one

(αφρων). Fool, for lack of sense (α privative and φρην, sense) as in Luke 11:40; 2 Corinthians 11:19. Old word, used by Socrates in Xenophon. Nominative form as vocative.Is thy soul required of thee

(την ψυχην σου αιτουσιν απο σου). Plural active present, not passive: "They are demanding thy soul from thee." The impersonal plural (aitousin) is common enough (Luke 6:38; Luke 12:11; Luke 16:9; Luke 23:31). The rabbis used "they" to avoid saying "God."

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See also Luke 12:20 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Luke 12:20. THOU _FOOL!_] To imagine that a man's comfort and peace can depend upon _temporal_ things; or to suppose that these can satisfy the wishes of an immortal spirit! _THIS NIGHT_] How...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    THOU FOOL - If there is any supreme folly, it is this. As though riches could prolong life, or avert for a moment the approach of pain and death. THIS NIGHT ... - What an awful sentence to a man who,...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 12 _ 1. Warning Against Hypocrisy. (Luke 12:1)_ 2. Encouragements. (Luke 12:4) 3. Warning Against Covetousness. (Luke 12:15) 4. Warning Against Anxiety. ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOL. Lk. only. LUKE 12:13_. _ The crowd of Luke 12:1 reappears here. Luke 12:14. Jesus declines to usurp the functions of the civil judge....

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    One of the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." He said to him, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbitrator over you?" He said to them, "Watch and gua...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE CREED OF COURAGE AND OF TRUST (Luke 12:1-12)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    FOOL. See note on Luke 11:40. THIS NIGHT. this very night. THY SOUL. thy life. App-110. SHALL BE REQUIRED. they demand. Only here and Luke 6:30. Tr.. WI read "is required". But both are impersonal,...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Thou fool_ Literally, "_Senseless_" 1 Corinthians 15:36. _this night_ Compare the death of Nabal, 1 Samuel 25:36. _thy soul shall be required of thee_ Rather, THEY DEMAND THY SOUL OF THEE. Who are -...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Luke 9:51 to Luke 18:31_. Rejected by the Samaritans. A lesson of Tolerance._ This section forms a great episode in St Luke, which may be called the departure for the final conflict, and is identical...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ἌΦΡΩΝ. Literally, ‘_Senseless_!’ 1 Corinthians 15:36. Comp. Luke 11:40. The nom. is used for the voc., comp. Luke 8:54. ΤΑΎΤΗΙ ΤΗ͂Ι ΝΥΚΤΊ. Compare the death of Nabal,...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    CHAPS. Luke 9:51 to Luke 18:31 This section forms a great episode in St Luke, which may be called the departure for the final conflict, and is identical with the journey (probably to the Feast of the...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    EGOTISM REBUKED. THE RICH FOOL...

  • Catena Aurea Commentary

    Ver 16. And he spoke a parable to them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17. And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΆΦΡΩΝ (G878) _voc. sing._ неразумный, неумный, глупый, привыкший мыслить беспечно и поверхностно (AS), ΆΠΑΙΤΟΎΣΙΝ _praes. ind. act. от_ ΆΠΑΙΤΈΩ (G523) просить у кого-л., спрашивать. Безличный _pl._ ...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 1527 THE RICH FOOL Luke 12:20. _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 la...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    SHALL BE REQUIRED OF THEE:— It is in the original απαιτουσιν, _they shall require;_ which Elsner thinks alludes to the messengers sent to fetch away the soul; and he produces a remarkable and well-kno...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    APPLEBURY'S COMMENTS _The Man God Called a Fool Scripture_ Luke 12:13-21 And one out of the multitude said unto him, Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me. 14 But he said unto him, M...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    BUTLER'S COMMENTS SECTION 2 Astuteness in Alertness (Luke 12:13-34) 13 One of the multitude said to him, Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me. 14But he said to him, Man, who made m...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    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? BUT GOD SAID UNTO HIM, FOOL, THIS NIGHT THY SOUL SHALL B...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    14 See Exo_2:14. 15 Compare 1Ti_6:6-10. 15 A telling truth which would do more to ameliorate the ills of humanity than all government, were it heeded, is embodied in the phrase, "the superfluity of...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    12:20 required (b-13) Lit. 'they shall require.' see Note, ch. 6.38....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES. THE RICH FOOL 1-12. Jesus warns His followers against Pharisaic hypocrisy, and exhorts them to be courageous in face of opposition. This speech is not unsuitable to the co...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOL (peculiar to Lk). The parable teaches that since death and judgment are inevitable, men ought to devote their attention to laying up treasure in heaven, not on earth....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THIS NIGHT, etc.] lit. 'this night do they (i.e. the angels of vengeance) require thy soul of thee.' The righteous man willingly and joyfully commits his soul to God; but from the wicked man it is exa...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    LUKE’S GOOD NEWS LUKE _HILDA BRIGHT_ CHAPTER 12 JESUS WARNS AND ENCOURAGES HIS *DISCIPLES 12:1-12 1 WARNING ABOUT THE FALSE LIVES OF THE *PHARISEES 12:1-3 V1 Thousands of people had gathered. T...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    BUT GOD SAID UNTO HIM. — The bold anthropomorphic language seems intended to suggest the thought not only that death came suddenly, but that the man felt that it came from God as the chastisement of h...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 23 THE ESCHATOLOGY OF THE GOSPEL. COIFI, in his parable to the thanes and nobles of the North Humber country, likened the present life of man to the flight of a sparrow through one of their l...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 23 THE ESCHATOLOGY OF THE GOSPEL. COIFI, in his parable to the thanes and nobles of the North Humber country, likened the present life of man to the flight of a sparrow through one of their l...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _An interlude leading to a change of theme_, in Lk. only....

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _Parable of the rich fool_, simply a story embodying in concrete form the principle just enunciated: teaching the lesson of Psalms 49, and containing apparent echoes of Sir 11:17-3....

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    εἶπε δὲ α., but God said to him, through conscience at the death hour (Euthy.). ἀπαιτοῦσι, they ask thy life = thy life is asked. τίνι ἔσται, whose? Not _thine_ at all events....

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE DOOM OF THE MONEY LOVER Luke 12:13-21 Our Lord did not come into our world as an earthly judge, adjusting differences between man and man. He lays down great principles, obedience to which will b...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Knowing that the enmity of the rulers against Him would proceed also against His disciples, He told them not to be afraid of those who kill the body, remembering ever their Father's care, as revealed...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    CHAPTER 25 LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES Luke 12:1. _“Meanwhile myriads of the multitude, having come together, so that they were treading on one another, He began to speak first to His disciples, Take hee...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    2 _d. To the People: Luke 12:15-21_. _The Rich Fool._ Πρὸς αὐτούς (“He said _unto them_ ”), Luke 12:15, stands in opposition to _His disciples_, Luke 12:22. This slight detail confirms the exactness o...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (13) And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. (14) And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge, or a divider, over you? (15) And he...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The ninth chapter opens with the mission not the setting apart, but the circuit of the twelve sent out by the Lord, who therein was working after a fresh sort. He communicates power in grace to men, c...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _THE RICH FOOL_ ‘And he said, This will I do … But God said unto him, Thou fool.’ Luke 12:18 How busy are the streets of a great city! How anxious and eager are some of the faces we meet! Look at t...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    20._Fool, this night they will demand thy soul from thee. _The word _soul _carries an allusion. Formerly, the _rich man _addressed his _soul _as the seat of all the affections: but now, he speaks of t...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    chapter 12 puts the disciples into this place of testimony by the power of the Holy Ghost, and with the world opposed to them, after the Lord's departure. It is the word and the Holy Ghost, instead of...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BUT GOD SAID UNTO HIM,.... He determined within himself he should die that night; for the time of a man's death, as well as of his birth, is fixed by God; or he sent the messenger of death, some disea...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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? Ver. 20. _Thou fool, this night, &c._] This rich fool, w...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    To illustrate his admonition, and give it the greater weight, our Lord here delivers an important parable. _The ground of a rich man brought forth plentifully_ This man, it appears, became rich, not b...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    THY SOUL SHALL BE REQUIRED; thou shalt die, and thy soul shall be required to go to judgment and give an account of its deeds while in the body. In trusting to riches for that happiness which can come...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The parable of the rich man:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    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?...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE PEOPLE WARNED AGAINST FALSE LEADERS (vs.1-12) At a time when the crowd was extremely large, the Lord addressed His disciples "first of all," warning them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees,...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    THY SOUL SHALL BE REQUIRED: _ Gr._ do they require thy soul...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    13-21 Christ's kingdom is spiritual, and not of this world. Christianity does not meddle with politics; it obliges all to do justly, but wordly dominion is not founded in grace. It does not encourage...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    SEE POOLE ON "LUKE 12:18...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book IV For so He says, "Fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee; and whose shall those things be which thou hast prepared? "[41] Cyprian Treatise IV On th...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Luke 12:20 But G1161 God G2316 said G2036 (G5627) him G846 Fool G878 This G5026 night G3571 your...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    “But God said to him, You foolish one, this night is your soul required of you, and the things which you have prepared, whose shall they be?” But that night God told him what a fool he was. For far fr...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE DANGER OF RICHES (12:13-21). We now come to the first of a series of parables in this section. It is the first demonstration of how distorted Israel (and the world) is and how it needs to be made...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    SECTION 5 (12:1-14:35). We commence here a new section of Luke. As we shall see this section centres around a mighty act of Jesus in delivering a woman bound by Satan, and thus doubled up and unable t...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Luke 12:20. BUT GOD SAID UNTO HIM. In contrast with what he had said to himself. God is represented as audibly uttering this judgment, to bring before the man the certainty of approaching death. Often...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Luke 12:13-21. WARNING AGAINST COVETOUS-NESS. Peculiar to Luke....

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    THIS division of the Gospel of Luke, embracing nearly one third of the whole, contains for the most part matter peculiar to this Evangelist. A number of the incidents probably belong to an earlier per...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    CHAPTER 12 is made up of a series of discourses following each other in immediate succession, but with less of unity and logical connection than are found in most of our Lord's recorded sermons. Some...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Luke 12:13 The folly of the rich fool appears: I. In the fact that he completely ignored his responsibility to God in the matter of his possessions. He speaks of " _my_fruits," and " _my_goods," and...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Luke 12:13. _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?_ Our Lord...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Luke 12:13. _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?_ Our Lord...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    In this chapter, our Saviour dispels the fears of his disciples concerning temporal things, and especially their fear of persecution and their fear of want. Luke 12:1. In the mean time, when there we...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    The teaching of our Lord, in this chapter, has very much to do with Christianity in connection with this present life, and its cares and troubles. God has nowhere promised us exemption from affliction...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Jesus warns of leaven of the Pharisees. Parable of the rich fool. Parable of the second coming. Parable of the steward and his servants. Christ, the divider of men. CHARACTERS: Jesus, disci...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Luke 12:1. _There were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people._ The Greek is myriads, or ten thousands of people. Luke 12:5. _Power to cast into hell._ The Greek is Gehenna, as on Isaiah...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    YOU FOOL! His fellow men may have thought he was wise, but he is _a fool_ in God's view. THIS EVERY NIGHT YOU WILL HAVE TO GIVE UP YOUR LIFE. He thought he had long years ahead of him, but instead his...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully_ A SUCCESSFUL WORLDLY POLICY I. THE PICTURE OF A SUCCESSFUL WORLDLY POLICY. 1. No sin in worldly success. 2. No sin in wise and thoughtf...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    LUKE—NOTE ON LUKE 12:19 Though these verses do not prohibit wealth, Jesus clearly warns his hearers about its dangers. Wealth tends to lead to self-sufficiency and greed. ⇐...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER 12 VER. 1. _In the mean time when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people._ The Greek has "the myriads of the multitude." A myriad contains exactly ten thousand, and is...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    _But God said unto him._ God said this, not in word but in deed, sending him a fever or some other mortal disease, and causing his conscience by this means to speak thus to him. "God said this to the...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ Luke 12:13. ONE OF THE COMPANY.—Rather, “one out of the multitude” (R.V.). Perhaps the mention of magistrates and powers suggested to him Christ’s acting as a judge and giving a decis...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION LUKE 12:1 _The Lord_,_ after leaving the Pharisee_'_s house_,_ speaks at great length to a numerous crowd waiting for him_,_ addressing his words principally to his own disciples. _The for...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we turn in our Bibles to Luke's gospel, chapter 12. We are dealing with the final month in the ministry of Jesus. He has returned to Jerusalem. He will soon be leaving Jerusalem to go down to th...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 16:10; 1 Kings 16:9; 1 Samuel 25:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:3;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Fool [α φ ρ ω ν]. Senseless. In Xenophon's "Memorabilia," Socrates, addressing Aristodemus, says, "Which do you take to be the more worthy of admiration, those who make images without sense [α φ ρ ο ν...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Thou fool — To think of satisfying thy soul with earthly goods! To depend on living many years! Yea, one day! They — The messengers of death, commissioned by God, require thy soul of thee!...

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Old Testament