Original Meaning

A MAJOR OBSTACLE to one’s spiritual life, especially in the midst of persecution, can be the misuse of resources. Jesus already noted possessions as a threat to spirituality in the parable of the soils (8:4–15), and he will return to the topic in the parables of 16:1–13, 19–31; 18:18–30 (also 12:24–34; 14:12–33). The possessions and comfort pursued by this rich fool lead him to neglect the pursuit of God, so that he poorly uses the resources he has received.

The occasion for the present discussion is a complaint by one brother against another to give him a share of his inheritance. Jesus is being treated like a rabbi here, since he is asked to become an arbiter on this family squabble1—except that the request is not really to arbitrate, but to be an advocate for the petitioner against his brother. This may well be a clue to why Jesus responds as he does. He refuses to be drawn into choosing sides, preferring instead to raise a question about greed, which can cut through relationships, especially family relationships, like a dagger. This parable is unique to Luke.

Before he goes into the parable, Jesus issues a warning to everyone, not just the brother, against all forms of greed. This message occurs frequently in the New Testament (Rom. 1:29; 2 Cor. 9:5; Col. 3:5; Eph. 4:19; 5:3; 2 Peter 2:3, 14). The Greek present imperative in “be on your guard” calls for constant vigilance against greed, since life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.

The main issue in this parable is not wealth. Rather, it is one’s attitude to obtaining wealth. The man in the story happens to have a fruitful harvest, and he must decide what to do with the overflow. He did not acquire his harvest immorally; he simply had a good year. Prudently, he decides to build in order to store what has been provided. His error comes how he views what has become his. Five times in verses 17–19 he speaks of what “I” will do, as if he owns it all. Moreover, he speaks about “my” fruit, “my” barn, “my” goods, and “my” soul. He will not share his abundance, but keep it for his own private use. His goal is to ease back and withdraw from life. He will “eat, drink and be merry.” He feels no concern or responsibility for anyone else. The essence of greed is keeping what resources God brings your way for yourself.

Jesus then notes that God will require the man’s life that very night.2 God raises the rhetorical question: “Who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”3 The answer, of course, is that the man who thought he was set for the future will not get the fortune! This is the ultimate “you can’t take it with you” parable. Jesus calls the man a “fool” (v. 20), an Old Testament term that describes someone who either acts without God or acts without wisdom in a self-destructive way (Ps. 14:1; 53:1). His approach to his stumbling on wealth is to become self-centered and therefore self-destructive.4 He uses his resources in a way that displeases God.

Jesus concludes that this is how it will be for any who pile up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God. Richness towards God means responding to life and blessing in a way that he desires, in a way that honors him—through service and compassion (Eph. 4:28). The conclusion condemns greed as the attitude that piles up stuff simply for one’s own use.

Bridging Contexts

JESUS AGAIN TREATS fundamental attitudes of the disciple here. The issue of possessions and its relationship to the spiritual life is as real today as it was in Jesus’ day, though it may well be a more pronounced word for our era. In many Western cultures, there are so many resources available that the tension may be more acute for people today than it was then. It does not, after all, take a megamillionaire to be rich by the world’s standards. It is fair to say that many Westerners are wealthy, not only by present-day world standards, but also by the standards that apply across the centuries.

Our wealth opens up choices for us that allow us to pursue our own interests in a variety of ways. Such pursuits can easily keep us from using resources in a way most honoring to God. Note that Jesus is not condemning wealth as such, but its use. How do we use what God has given us? Do we seek to pile up treasure for ourselves? Is generosity our habit? Or does compassion take a back seat to our personal desires? The questions raised here are timeless. The fact that greed is a vice in the New Testament makes Jesus’ teaching here one of significant ethical import.

Another subtle issue is raised here. We tend to hoard our possessions because we are convinced that this life is all there is; at least, that is the view our culture feeds us. A familiar old cultural proverb is “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may die.” The contemporary equivalent is the commercial jingle, “You only go around once in the life, so grab for all the gusto you can get.” There is no accountability, no sense of a future with God, or no sense of honoring values that he has set forth in this now-or-never approach. Jesus’ statement, “This very night your life will be demanded from you,” challenges our culture’s worldview much like an Old Testament prophet. The point of the passage calls for us to reflect about how we make the choices we do, as well as about the perspective that informs those choices.

The proper use of our resources raises important questions. Do we provide for our family responsibly? Do we save for college for our children? Do we prepare for retirement? The rich fool’s error was his desire to provide only for himself. Jesus does not condemn the use of our resources for the benefit of family and for others. While we need not always provide the “best” or most expensive item, we should not ignore making wise and responsible provisions for our children. The fundamental test for the use of resources is whether they become tools of service that benefit others and enable them to be in a position to serve God better. Note that Romans 12:8 actually lists contributing to the needs of others as one of God’s gifts to the church.

Contemporary Significance

THIS TEXT CALLS for self-examination. How do I feel about what God has given to me? Is it mine? Am I a steward of what has come my way? Am I generous? Do I take the things God has given to me and store them up for my own purposes? Do I seek to grab what others have? Both the wise use of resources and the absence of greed are addressed here, since one attitude is the cause of the other.

The implications of this text extend beyond simply what we do with what we have. How we relate to others and what we leave for them is also in view. Even in the Old Testament the corners of the fields were left for those in need (Deut. 24:19–22)—a principle the rich fool ignored in his storing up goods just for his own use. We must ask ourselves about the most basic resources of the earth: Is it right for us in some parts of the world to consume the vast amounts of food and other resources when others have little of any access to such benefits?

A test of our heart is how we give. Are we generous or are we hoarders? This is a test that we have to engage in privately before the Lord. No one can tell someone else exactly how to answer such questions, for there is no magic percentage that is to be reached. The Old Testament standard of a tithe (10 percent) might be too low for what we are capable of doing (2 Cor. 8–9). But the issue of our potential generosity can and should be raised as a matter for spiritual reflection. That is the function this parable performs.

My wife and I annually discuss what our tax returns often reveal, namely, that we could probably afford to give more to others and to the Lord. As a result, we often look for additional people in the Lord’s work to support. Though we still have a long way to go, we try to expand our giving each year. Sometimes we have delayed or decided against getting something new because it was not necessary. That choice often frees us up to use our resources more generously. We should all perhaps ask ourselves similar questions.

As I write, I am personally facing the opportunity to give to two major building projects from organizations to which I belong. A crucial question for me in the next few years will be how I will contribute to these necessary efforts. Will I simply figure what my percentage will be to make it happen, and give no more? Or will I contribute generously, perhaps enabling someone else to benefit because my gift picked up the share that they were unable to give? When it comes to using our resources, these are the kinds of questions we must honestly ask ourselves. We must also remember that how we used our wealth is one of the aspects of stewardship that God will examine one day. That prospect should lead us to reflect on how we use what God gives us.