“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”
My Notes
What Does Luke 12:15 Mean?
Jesus issues a direct warning about the danger of possessions: and he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Take heed, and beware — two words for the same warning: pay attention (horao — see, perceive) and guard yourselves (phulasso — watch, be on guard). The double command signals serious danger. Covetousness requires vigilance because it disguises itself as normal ambition, prudent planning, or reasonable desire.
Of covetousness (pleonexia) — the word means greediness, the desire for more, the insatiable appetite for possessions. Pleonexia literally means 'more-having' — the drive to acquire beyond what is needed. The word does not describe the desire for necessities. It describes the desire for excess — the belief that more possessions will produce more life.
For a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth — the thesis statement. Life (zoe — genuine life, the quality of existence that matters) is not constituted by (ouk estin ek) the abundance of possessions. The equation the world assumes — more stuff = more life — is false. Possessions do not produce life. Abundance does not create meaning. The correlation the culture relies on does not exist.
The context is a man asking Jesus to settle an inheritance dispute (v.13). Jesus refuses to arbitrate and instead addresses the root issue: the man's request is driven by covetousness — the belief that getting his share of the inheritance will give him life. Jesus says: even if you get everything, it will not give you what you think it will.
The parable of the rich fool follows (v.16-21): a man whose abundant harvest leads him to build bigger barns, retire early, and congratulate himself — only to die that night. God calls him a fool: thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee. The man had abundance. He did not have life.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Why does Jesus give a double warning ('take heed and beware') about covetousness — what makes it uniquely dangerous?
- 2.How does the statement 'life consisteth not in abundance' challenge the assumptions you live by?
- 3.How does the parable of the rich fool (v.16-21) illustrate the fatal flaw in equating possessions with life?
- 4.What are you pursuing in abundance that you are treating as though it constitutes life — and what would Jesus say about that pursuit?
Devotional
Take heed, and beware of covetousness. Two warnings. Take heed — pay attention. Beware — guard yourself. The double command means this danger is serious and this danger is sneaky. Covetousness does not announce itself. It disguises itself as ambition, as planning, as wanting a better life. You have to watch for it because it does not look like a threat. It looks like common sense.
For a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. This is the sentence that demolishes the world's operating assumption. More stuff does not equal more life. The abundance of possessions does not produce the quality of existence you are actually looking for. The house, the car, the account balance, the closet, the upgrade — none of it constitutes life. Not one possession in your entire inventory adds a single unit of genuine life.
The world says: get more, and you will live more. Jesus says: that equation is false. Life is not found in abundance. The richest person in the room may be the most empty. The person with the most possessions may have the least life. The correlation the culture depends on does not exist.
The rich fool (v.16-21) proves the point. He had everything — abundant harvest, full barns, early retirement. And God said: thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee. He had abundance. He did not have life. He had possessions. He did not have one more day. The barns were full. The soul was empty.
What are you chasing? More money? More stuff? More abundance? Jesus does not say those things are evil. He says they do not constitute life. And the person who builds their existence around acquiring more is building on a foundation that will not hold when the soul is required.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And he said unto them,.... Either to the two brethren, or to his disciples, as the Syriac and Persic versions read, or…
Beware of covetousness - One of these brothers, no doubt, was guilty of this sin; and our Saviour, as was his custom,…
Beware of covetousness - Or rather, Beware of all inordinate desires. I add πασης, all, on the authority of ABDKLM-Q,…
We have in these verses,
I. The application that was made to Christ, very unseasonably, by one of his hearers, desiring…
beware of covetousness The better reading is "of all covetousness," i.e. not only beware of avarice, but also of selfish…
Cross References
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