Luke 12:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But in this he errs, that he thinks those things good which are indifferent. For there are some things good, some evil, some between the two. The good are chastity, and humility, and the like, which when a man chooses he becomes good. But opposed to these are the evil, which when a man chooses he becomes bad; and there are the neutral, as riches, which at one time indeed are directed to good, as to almsgiving, at other times to evil, as to covetousness. And in like manner poverty at one time leads to blasphemy, at another to wisdom, according to the disposition of the user.

Having said that the life of man is not extended by abundance of wealth, he adds a parable to induce belief in this, as it follows, And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.

Observe also in another respect the folly of his words, when he says, I will gather all my fruits, as if he thought that he had not obtained them from God, but that they were the fruits of his own labours.

Not indeed about to reap any good from his plenty of fruits, but that the mercy of God might the more appear, which extends its goodness even to the bad; sending down His rain upon the just and the unjust. But what are the things wherewith this man repays his Benefactor? He remembered not his fellow-creatures, nor deemed that he ought to give of his superfluities to the needy. His barns indeed bursting from the abundance of his stores, yet was his greedy mind by no means satisfied. He was unwilling to put up with his old ones because of his covetousness, and not able to undertake new ones because of the number, for his counsels were imperfect, and his care barren. Hence it follows, And he thought. His complaint is like that of the poor.

Now if any one lives so as to die daily, seeing that our life is naturally uncertain, he will not sin, for the greater fear destroys very much pleasure, but the rich man on the contrary, promising to himself length of life, secks after pleasures, for he says, Rest, that is, from toil, eat, drink, and be merry, that is, with great luxury.

If you embrace humility, you will escape the spirit of greed. The individual who hoards wealth in isolation conceals the vices of pride and rebellion. Conversely, the one who gathers prayers and charitable deeds becomes prosperous in the Lord. While others seek to accumulate wealth, you, O monk, should prioritize amassing prayers and acts of charity.

For in vain he amasses wealth who knows not how to use it. Neither are these things ours which we cannot take away with us. Virtue alone is the companion of the dead, mercy alone follows us, which gains for the dead an everlasting habitation.

One who relies on material wealth and fails to place their faith in God, the giver of earthly blessings, does not attain true richness in the sight of God. In divine terms, true wealth is the gathering of virtues.

O adversity, the child of plenty. For saying, What shall I do, he surely betokens, that, oppressed by the success of his wishes, he labours as it were under a load of goods.

For such a one is a fool, and will be taken off in the night. He then who wishes to be rich toward God, will not lay up treasures for himself, but distribute his possessions to the poor.

What does the Lord convey in the Gospels concerning the greedy individual who, despite the land's fruitful yield, hoarded his possessions without sharing with the less fortunate? He declares, “Madman, this night your soul shall be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?” (Luke 12:20). To clarify that this admonition is not directed at any specific individual from that era, He adds, “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21). Although this wealthy man did not acquire his riches through wickedness—after all, he is not to blame for the fruitful harvest—he still misused the abundant gifts from God. Since he did not share his wealth, nor was he rich in his generosity toward the needy, he rendered himself deserving of death for failing to utilize his resources wisely.

The genuine riches of Christianity lie in virtues; this wealth is accumulated here but is ultimately stored in heaven. On the final day, Christ the Judge will assess its worth in front of all (Matt. 25:35-36). The apostle denounces the desire for silver and wealth, labeling it as the source of all evils (1 Tim. 6:10). This longing leads individuals to steal, commit fraud, render unjust judgments, falsely accuse the innocent while exonerating the guilty, lie, take oaths in vain, misuse God’s name, and engage in deceit; in essence, it promotes all forms of wrongdoing that must be abandoned by Christians.

Let us turn away from our earthly possessions so that we can truly follow our Lord Jesus Christ. This renunciation is grounded in a correct perception of material goods. The Gospel provides us with a righteous understanding of these possessions (Luke 16:1-31); when we grasp this understanding, our hearts naturally recognize its truth. Material wealth does not genuinely belong to us, contrary to what those who have not contemplated this idea may assume. If it were truly ours, it would be permanent and unchanging. Instead, it circulates from one person to another, serving as a reminder that it is merely entrusted to us for our stewardship. God is the true owner of all things, and we are simply the caretakers. A diligent steward carries out the intentions of their master with care.

In gathering to oneself rather than to God, one becomes rich in worldly possessions (Luke 12:21). What does it mean to be 'rich in God'? This concept may not be immediately clear, especially when contrasted with the flawed perspective of 'hoarding for oneself.' Individuals accumulate wealth for their own storage, yet how can they be considered wealthy in God, who does not bring earthly riches into heaven, having no need for them?

In the parable shared by the Lord about the affluent man who planned to indulge in eating, drinking, and merry-making, only to be struck down before he could experience his desired delights, He concluded: 'So it is with him who stores up treasures for himself and is not rich toward God.' This means that such is the situation, or such a fate awaits both types of individuals. Those who seek wealth in the eyes of God are often preoccupied with worldly pleasures. To escape this sorrowful destiny, let them ‘not gather for themselves, but strive to be rich in God alone.’ As all riches come from the Lord, when they are received, they should be offered back to Him, resulting in divine prosperity. Share your abundance with those in need; doing so is akin to returning to God what is His.

So the individual who accumulates wealth solely for himself, rather than for God, appears prosperous. Who is this person who amasses for himself yet lacks true riches in God? It is the greedy and insatiable wealthy individual, longing to fill his storerooms. This unjust person claims the bounties of God as his possessions, hoarding treasures for himself, not for the benefit of others, but to indulge in his own desires, seeking comfort for himself, satisfaction, and the fulfillment of his base appetites. The arrogant and foolish wealthy man believes he can extend his days indefinitely; he is not rich in divine treasures, as he has no heavenly wealth and is estranged from all virtues and divine grace.

This is the fate of those who hoard riches for themselves and neglect to be affluent in God. Jesus cautioned the Apostles against greed, stating: ‘Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20). Accumulating treasures in heaven involves fulfilling God's will, which means loving our neighbors, offering assistance, alleviating their suffering, and sacrificing our lives for them. Those who engage in these acts will find themselves rich in virtue before God; in other words, they will be wealthy in God. At the final judgment, they will present justifying treasures that will grant them access to the Kingdom of Heaven. Conversely, how will one who has amassed only worldly possessions stand before the final judgment? What will be his justification for his life? He will approach God as a pauper and, in future remorse, will consider himself a fool.

A moral lesson can be drawn from a parable, illustrating that a person's existence is not defined by the abundance of their material wealth. What benefit is there in accumulating possessions solely for personal enjoyment? The Lord holds the power to end the life of a wealthy individual, rendering all their riches meaningless. It is essential to seek spiritual wealth, to cultivate virtues that will earn divine rewards; we must strive to collect treasures in heaven, treasures formed from virtuous deeds that endure eternally (cf. Lk. 12:33 and parallels). If worldly wealth lacks this lasting value, what merit is there in chasing after it?