Text -- Luke 12:13-21 (NET)

The Parable of the Rich Landowner

12:13 Then someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 12:14 But Jesus said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator between you two?” 12:15 Then he said to them, “Watch out and guard yourself from all types of greed, because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 12:16 He then told them a parable: “The land of a certain rich man produced an abundant crop, 12:17 so he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 12:18 Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 12:19 And I will say to myself, “You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate!”’ 12:20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded back from you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 12:21 So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself, but is not rich toward God.”

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Luk 12:13

¹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

² sn Tell my brother. In 1st century Jewish culture, a figure like a rabbi was often asked to mediate disputes, except that here mediation was not requested, but representation.

NET Notes: Luk 12:14

¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn This term of address can be harsh or gentle depending on the context (BDAG 82 s.v. ἄνθρωπος 8). Here it is a rebuke.

³ tn The pronoun ὑμᾶς (Jumas) is plural, referring to both the man and his brother; thus the translation “you two.”

NET Notes: Luk 12:15

¹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

² tn See L&N 13.154 for this use of the middle voice of φυλάσσω (fulassw) in this verse.

³ tn Or “avarice,” “covetousness.” Note the warning covers more than money and gets at the root attitude – the strong desire to acquire more and more possessions and experiences.

NET Notes: Luk 12:16

¹ tn Grk “And he.” Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the connection to the preceding statement.

² tn Grk “a parable, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.

³ tn Or “yielded a plentiful harvest.”

NET Notes: Luk 12:17

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate that this is a result of the preceding statement.

² tn Grk “to himself, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.

³ sn I have nowhere to store my crops. The thinking here is prudent in terms of recognizing the problem. The issue in the parable will be the rich man’s solution, particularly the arrogance reflected in v. 19.

NET Notes: Luk 12:18

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

² sn Note how often the first person pronoun is present in these verses. The farmer is totally self absorbed.

NET Notes: Luk 12:19

¹ tn Grk “to my soul,” which is repeated as a vocative in the following statement, but is left untranslated as redundant.

NET Notes: Luk 12:20

¹ tn Grk “your soul,” but ψυχή (yuch) is frequently used of one’s physical life. It clearly has that meaning in this context.

² tn Or “required back.” This term, ἀπαιτέω (apaitew), has an economic feel to it and is often used of a debt being called in for repayment (BDAG 96 s.v. 1).

³ tn Grk “the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” The words “for yourself” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

NET Notes: Luk 12:21

¹ sn It is selfishness that is rebuked here, in the accumulation of riches for himself. Recall the emphasis on the first person pronouns throughout the parable.