“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.”
My Notes
What Does Luke 12:19 Mean?
Jesus tells a parable about a rich man who addresses his own soul: soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years. Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. The man talks to himself about his wealth and concludes: relax. You have enough.
God's response (v.20): thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee. The man who planned many years of ease has hours to live. The goods he accumulated belong to someone else after tonight.
The parable illustrates the danger of building security on wealth while ignoring mortality. The man was not evil. He was foolish — he calculated his future without considering death.
"So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God" (v.21) — the application is direct. Accumulating earthly wealth while neglecting spiritual wealth is foolishness of the highest order.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What is the difference between being financially prudent and being the 'fool' in this parable?
- 2.How does 'this night thy soul shall be required' challenge your assumptions about the future?
- 3.What does it mean to be 'rich toward God' — and how do you measure it?
- 4.What are you saying to your soul that this parable challenges?
Devotional
Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. The man talks to his soul. His conclusion: you are set. Relax. Enjoy. You have enough for years.
Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee. God interrupts the retirement plan. Tonight. Not in many years. Tonight. The soul the man was promising ease will be demanded back before morning.
The man was not wicked. He was foolish. The difference matters. He did not steal the wealth. He grew it. He did not oppress anyone. He simply forgot to factor in death.
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. That is the diagnosis. Rich toward yourself and poor toward God. The barns are full and the soul is empty. The retirement account is funded and the eternal account is bankrupt.
What are you saying to your soul? Are you promising ease based on accumulated goods — while ignoring the one who can require your soul tonight?
The question is not whether you have enough. The question is: are you rich toward God?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And I will say to my soul,.... Himself, see Psa 49:18 or to his sensual appetite, which he sought to indulge and…
Much goods - Much property. Enough to last a long while, so that there is no need of anxiety or labor. Take thine ease -…
Soul, thou hast much goods - Great possessions are generally accompanied with pride, idleness, and luxury; and these are…
We have in these verses,
I. The application that was made to Christ, very unseasonably, by one of his hearers, desiring…
I will say to my soul, Soul "What folly! Had thy soul been a sty, what else couldst thou have promised to it? Art thou…
Cross References
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