The Rich Fool - Luke

 

Luk 12:1  In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

 

Luk 12:13  And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

Luk 12:14  And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

Luk 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.

 

Luk 12:16  And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

Luk 12:17  And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

Luk 12:18  And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

Luk 12:19  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.

Luk 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?

Luk 12:21  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

 

Key words:

A certain rich man = one of the chief priests (Luke 16:1) (Luke 16:19) (Exo 28:5-6)

Eat, drink and be merry = acting like a dumb dog  (Isa 56:9-12) (Psa 52:6-7) (Jer 17:11) (Mat 23:13)

 

In other words:

Jesus uses this “certain rich man” in three parables: this one “The Rich Fool”, “The Unjust Steward”, and “The Rich Man and Lazarus”.  As a chief priest he was no doubt well versed in scripture and so received ample warning from Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Jesus himself in his sermon condemning the whole crowd which was running the temple (Matthew chapter 23).  Three days later this man together with the rest of his crew of scribes and Pharisees had Jesus crucified.

 

Scriptural references:

Luk 16:1  And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.

 

Luk 16:19  There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

 

Exo 28:5  And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen.

Exo 28:6  And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work.

 

Isa 56:9  All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.

Isa 56:10  His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

Isa 56:11  Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

Isa 56:12  Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

 

Psa 52:6  The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:

Psa 52:7  Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.

Psa 52:8  But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

Psa 52:9  I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.

 

Jer 17:11  As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.

 

Mat 23:13  But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.