THEOSISJerome of Stridon
I have observed a profound evil under the heavens, often manifesting in individuals. A man who has been blessed by God with wealth, material possessions, and renown, having every desire fulfilled, yet lacks the ability to enjoy these blessings—another enjoys them instead. This exemplifies the futility and wickedness of the highest order: if a man were to father a hundred children and live many years, his days stretching far into the future, without his soul being satisfied with good things, and if he has no proper burial, I would argue that the stillborn is better off than him. For he arrives in vanity and departs in darkness, with his name concealed in obscurity.
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Although he may never have witnessed the sun, his rest surpasses that of the one who has endured oppression and distress throughout life. Even if he lived for two thousand years without encountering any goodness, are we not all heading to the same destination? This paints the picture of a miserly rich man, highlighting a common malady among humanity: possessing all that is deemed valuable in this world, yet plagued by the folly of avarice, hoarding wealth that only benefits others. To emphasize this, it is stated that even if he fathered a hundred children and lived as long as Adam, or even longer, if his soul is tormented by greed, his fate is worse than that of a stillborn, who departed as soon as they arrived into life. Those individuals have not experienced good or evil, while the one consumed by worry and pain possesses fewer moments of peace than the one who never drew breath. Still, both share the same inevitable conclusion, being taken by death.
This may pertain to Israel—God endowed them with the law, the prophets, the covenant, and the promise, yet the Savior declares: “The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and it shall be given to a nation producing its fruits” (Matthew 21:43). This gift is extended to a gathered people of the Gentiles, while the Israelites observe the blessings and do not take advantage of them. We, considered as if stillborn and regarded as the last by those who pride themselves on their lineage, declare, “Our father is Abraham” (John 8:39). Both groups, however, are destined for the same reckoning before God. The mention of not receiving a proper burial implies that the rich man disregards his mortality, hardly making provisions for a tomb, or perhaps due to violent circumstances, he meets his end unceremoniously. The most profound interpretation suggests he fails to engage in any meaningful deeds, leaving no legacy for future generations, living an existence as unmarked as cattle, despite having the means to assert his presence in the world.