An Atheistic Bible Study Of The Gospel – The Parable Of The Rich Fool

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Luke 12:13-21 Another parable Luke kept to himself. While addressing the multitude, or a multitude (it can’t be the same one every time), Jesus is interrupted by a man who demands that Jesus helps him to persuade his brother to share his inheritance with him. It is not clear if the wealthy brother is present too, or why Jesus should see this as any of his business. It seems like it has as much chance as my request for half of Stephen Spielberg’s income. Jesus tells the man to avoid covetousness, i.e., not to be greedy, and that the man should not expect him (Jesus) to mediate in such matters. He actually asks the man why he think he (Jesus) should judge over him, even though Jesus as God stands in judgement over everyone come Judgment Day a far as believers are concerned. Adding that a man’s life is not measured by his wealth or property Jesus launches into a parable. He tells them of an arable crop farmer who finds his fields producing an unexpectedly large crop. Realizing that he hasn’t got enough barns to store it all, so he decides he will build bigger barns and keep the grain stocked for much longer. He tells himself that he can then effectively retire and live off the crop for many years to come. Unfortunately, God turns up and tells the man that he will die that very night, so all his long term plans are worthless. God accuses the man of taking wealth for himself and not giving wealth to God instead. There is a lot to say for saving, investing or sharing wealth or even hoarding it. Stockpile grain for too long and it will go off, especially in pre-refrigeration times. God doesn’t even give the farmer a chance though in promising to kill him the very night the crop came through. This is like dying of a heart attack the day you win the lottery. Jesus is effectively saying that we should not try to make ourselves better off in this World or this life because we should be thinking of the afterlife. If anything, this should justify the man getting the brother to share the inheritance rather than hoarding it. Either or both of them could die before it ever gets used otherwise. Given that there is likely to be no afterlife using the crops to feed others in need of food might be better advice, in parables and in life. Arthur Chappell