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Luke 12:13–21
“[Jesus] said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions’” (v. 15).
Without a doubt, many who witnessed Jesus’ earthly ministry saw His evident authority. All three Synoptic Gospels indicate that the people who heard His teaching recognized that He taught with an authority that others lacked (Matt. 7:28–29; Mark 1:22; Luke 4:31–32). Moreover, Luke 12:8–12 features words from Christ that point to His authority. He states that His testimony in the heavenly courtroom determines our eternal state.
The recognition of Jesus’ authority, we see in Luke 12:13–21, led some to demand that our Lord exercise His crown rights to settle private disputes. Verse 13 says that a man in the crowd demanded that Jesus tell his brother to divide the inheritance between them. In this dispute, the petitioner was likely the younger brother; probably, the older brother was in charge of their father’s estate and the younger sibling did not think he was receiving what he was owed. The younger brother wanted Jesus to settle in his favor; he did not want Jesus to mediate between them so that they could come to a mutual agreement, but he demanded a certain outcome. One commentator notes that this reflects our frame of mind so often. We get so consumed with the details of our lives that we grow oblivious to kingdom matters and demand that God act a certain way instead of humbly seeking His assistance.
Jesus refused to intervene in the dispute (Luke 12:14), but the argument provided an opportunity to warn people against covetousness. Coveting led the brother to ignore concerns of salvation, forget his place as a servant of God, and sinfully demand something from Jesus. Our Lord reminded him and the others standing there that covetousness manifests a misunderstanding that the more we own, the better off we are. Our Lord does not mean that it is inherently wrong to want nice things or even to want more things than we currently possess. He is warning us about making material goods ultimate. This is plain enough in the parable of the rich fool, which Jesus delivers in verses 15–21. A rich man had plentiful crops. Even though we know that it is God who makes grass and all other things grow (Ps. 104:14), the man did not acknowledge the Lord as the source of blessing but sought only to preserve his wealth. He did not show any trust in God by giving a tithe or by giving to the poor. His covetous heart made him think only of himself. He thought he could trust in his riches, but in the end they could not save him.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
Today’s passage concludes by exhorting us to be rich toward God so that we do not meet the same end as the rich fool (Luke 12:21). John Calvin helpfully explains: “They are rich according to God, who do not trust in earthly things, but depend solely on his providence. It matters not whether they are in abundance or in want, provided that both classes present their sincere prayers to the Lord for their daily bread.”
for further study
- Proverbs 19:17
- Ecclesiastes 5:10
- Matthew 6:24
- 1 Timothy 6:6–10
the bible in a year
- Esther 1–3
- Acts 5:1–1