Luke 12:17

And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: AND HE SPAKE A PARABLE ... THE GROUND OF A CERTAIN RICH MAN BROUGHT FORTH PLENTIFULLY: AND HE THOUGHT WITHIN HIMSELF, SAYING, WHAT SHALL 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. Why is this man called a "fool"? First, Because he deemed a life of secure and abundant earthly enjoyment the summit of human felicity; and next, because, having acquired the means of realizing this, through prosperity in his calling, he flattered himself that he had a long lease of such enjoyment, and nothing to do but to give himself up to it. Nothing else is laid to his charge....

17._What shall I do? _Wicked men are driven to perplexity in their deliberations, because they do not know how any thing is to be lawfully used; (269) and, next, because they are intoxicated with a foolish confidence which makes them forget themselves. Thus we find that this _rich man _lengthens out his expectation of life in proportion to his large income, and drives far away from him the remembrance of death. And yet this pride is accompanied by distrust; for those men, when they have had their fill, are still agitated by insatiable desire, like this _rich man, _who enlarges his _barns, _as if his belly, which had been filled with his former _barns, _had not got enough. At the same time, Christ does not expressly condemn this man for acting the part of a careful householder in storing up his produce, but because his ravenous desire, like a deep whirlpool, swallows up and devours many...

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 12:17. _HE THOUGHT WITHIN HIMSELF_] Began to be puzzled in consequence of the increase of his goods. _Riches_, though ever so well acquired, produce nothing but vexation and embarrassment....

HE THOUGHT WITHIN HIMSELF - He reasoned or inquired. He was anxious and perplexed. Riches increase thought and perplexity. Indeed, this is almost their only effect - to engross the thoughts and steal the heart away from better things, in order to take care of the useless wealth. NO ROOM - Everything was full. TO BESTOW - To place, to hoard, to collect. MY FRUITS - Our word “fruits” is not applied to “grain;” but the Greek word is applied to all the produce of the earth - not only “fruit,” but also grain. This is likewise the old meaning of the English word, especially in the plural number....

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 THOUGHT WITHIN HIMSELF,.... And foolish thoughts they were; he did not think of God, or that there was one, and much less that he was the author, of all his outward prosperity and plenty; and was still further off of thinking of returning thanks to God for it: or of asking counsel of him, what he should do with it; but he consults himself only, and thought only within, and for himself; and not at all of his poor neighbours, or for the good of others; nor did he think even of his own soul, but altogether about his worldly substance: SAYING, WHAT SHALL I DO? he does not say what shall I do for God? for his interest service, and glory? for the poor, the hungry, and thirsty, and naked? or for my own soul, that that may be eternally saved? but what shall I do with my goods? BECAUSE I HAVE NO ROOM WHERE TO BESTOW MY FRUITS: he had gathered in his harvest, and filled his barns as full...

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