Parable of the Rich Fool

Luke 12:16-21

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Biblical Text

And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'

Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."'

But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God."

— Luke 12:16-21 (NIV)

Context

Jesus told this parable in response to someone who asked Him to settle an inheritance dispute. He used the opportunity to warn against all kinds of greed and the futility of finding security in material wealth.

Theological Interpretation

This parable exposes the foolishness of living for material wealth while neglecting spiritual riches. The man's fatal flaw wasn't his wealth or success, but his self-centered focus and failure to recognize God as the source of his abundance. His life demonstrates the emptiness of pursuing wealth without eternal perspective.