Luke 12:15

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 SAID UNTO THEM - the immense multitude before Him, (), TAKE HEED, AND BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS - `of all covetousness,' or, 'of every kind of covetousness,' is beyond doubt the true reading here. Since this was one of the more plausible forms of it, the Lord would strike at once at the root of the evil. FOR A MAN'S LIFE CONSISTETH NOT IN THE ABUNDANCE OF THE THINGS WHICH HE POSSESSETH. A singularly weighty maxim, and not the lees so, because its meaning and its truth are equally evident....

15._Take heed and beware of covetousness. _Christ first guards his followers against _covetousness, _and next, in order to cure their minds entirely of this disease, he declares, that _our life consisteth not in abundance. _These words point out the inward fountain and source, from which flows the mad eagerness for gain. It is because the general belief is, that a man is happy in proportion as he possesses much, and that the happiness of life is produced by riches. Hence arise those immoderate desires, which, like a fiery furnace, send forth their flames, and yet cease not to burn within. If we were convinced that riches, and any kind of _abundance, _are evils of the present life, which the Lord bestows upon us with his own hand, and the use of which is accompanied by his blessing, this single consideration would have a powerful influence in restraining all wicked desires; and this is wh...

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 expectations of worldly advantages by religion. The rewards of Christ's disciples are of another nature. Covetousness is a sin we need constantly to be warned against; for happiness and comfort do not depend on the wealth of this world. The things of the world will not satisfy the desires of a soul. Here is a parable, which shows the folly of carnal worldling while they live, and their misery when they die. The character drawn is exactly that of a prudent, worldly man, who has no grateful regard to the providence of God, nor any right thought of the uncertainty of human affairs, the worth of his soul, or the importance of eternity. How many, even among professed Christians, point out simila...

Verse Luke 12:15. _BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS_] Or rather, _Beware of all_ _inordinate desires_. I add πασης, _all_, on the authority of ABDKLM-Q, _twenty-three_ others, both the _Syriac_, all the _Persic_, all the _Arabic, Coptic, AEthiopic, Armenian, Vulgate_, all the _Itala_, and several of the _primitive fathers_. _Inordinate desires_. πλεονεξιας, from πλειον, _more_, and εχειν, _to have_; the desire to have _more_ and _more_, let a person possess whatever he may. Such a disposition of mind is never satisfied; for, as soon as one object is gained, the heart goes out after another. _CONSISTETH NOT IN THE ABUNDANCE_] That is, _dependeth not on the_ _abundance_. It is not _superfluities_ that support man's life, but _necessaries_. What is _necessary_, Go

BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS - One of these brothers, no doubt, was guilty of this sin; and our Saviour, as was his custom, took occasion to warn his disciples of its danger. COVETOUSNESS - An unlawful desire of the property of another; also a desire of gain or riches beyond what is necessary for our wants. It is a violation of the tenth commandment Exodus 20:17, and is expressly called idolatry Colossians 3:5. Compare, also, Ephesians 5:3, and Hebrews 13:5. A MAN’S LIFE - The word “life” is sometimes taken in the sense of happi

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 foregoing scene (Luke 11:1.), when the Master addressed his bitter reproaches to the learned and cultivated of the great Pharisee party, took place in a private house belonging to an apparently wealthy member of this, the dominant class. The name of the large village or provincial town where all this happened is unknown. The crowd who had been listening to the great Teacher before he accepted the Pharisee's invitation still lingered around the house. Many from the adjoining villages, hearing that Jesus was in this place and was publicly teaching, had

AND HE SAID UNTO THEM,.... Either to the two brethren, or to his disciples, as the Syriac and Persic versions read, or to the whole company: TAKE HEED, AND BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS; of all covetousness, as read the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, and some copies; that is, of all sorts of covetousness, and every degree of it, which of all vices is to be avoided and guarded against, being the root of all evil; and as the Persic version renders it, is worse than all evil, and leads into it: FOR A MAN'S LIFE CONSISTETH NOT IN THE ABUNDANCE OF THE THINGS WHICH HE POSSESSETH; of flocks and beasts, as the Persic version renders it: a man's natural life cannot be prolonged by all the good things of the world he is possessed of; they cannot prevent diseases nor death; nor do the comfort and happiness of life, lie in these things; which are either not enjoyed by them, but kep...

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 and trial. Indeed, it has been said, with much truth, that the Old Testament promise was one of prosperity, but that the New Testament promise is one of tribulation. You may rest assured that, if it had been best for us to be taken away to heaven directly we were converted, the Lord would have done it, and that, as he has not done so, there are wise reasons why he keeps his people here for a while. The gold must go through the fire ere it has its place in the king's crown, and the wheat must be exposed to the winnowing fan ere it can be taken into the heavenly garner. Luke 12:1. In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode...

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. (Luke 12:22) 5. The Disciples Comfort and Hope. (Luke 12:32) 6. The Parable of the Steward. (Luke 12:41) 7. The Purpose of God and the Resulting Division. (Luke 12:49) 8. Concerning signs.

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. Luke 12:15 is an editorial link between the incident (in which there is no allusion to covetousness, unless indeed that term be taken to cover the claiming of one's rights) and the parable. Tr. a man's life is not part of his possessions because he has ample wealth (Moffatt). Luke 12:20. this night: apparently just when he has carried his plans through. thy so