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THE PARABLES OF JESUS, #013
A Chronological Study
"To Him who opened His mouth in parables and
uttered things hidden since the creation of the world."
Psalm 78:2
"The Rich Landowner"
Luke 12:13-21
INTRODUCTION
Leading Up To Our Parable
[Luke 12:1-12]:
Before we can
understand all that Jesus has to teach concerning “The Rich Land Owner” we
need to explore the verses leading up to our parable. There are 12 verses in
this first section of our study, and they give us insight into the meaning
of the parable which follows.
In the broader view of where we are in
the scriptures the Gospel of Luke sets apart Chapters 9 through 19 as “The
Savior’s Ministry in Judea. Our Study in Chapter 12 is a segment between
Chapters 11-13, “Teachings and works presenting the contrast between the
Kingdom of God and The Kingdom of Satan.” Our parable is right in the middle
of Jesus’ of these teachings.
#1 – Myriads of people following Jesus:
[Luke 12:1a]
Under these circumstances, after so many
thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one
another,”
Can you
imagine? Jesus is traveling all over Judea and North… and on certain days
there are “so many thousands of people” following Him and the disciples. The
English word that comes from the Greek is “Myriads” of people (too many to
count). Billy Graham without a stadium! When He stopped to teach, there was
no room for them to sit without stepping on each other.
In these 12
verses leading up to our parable Jesus is talking to His disciples – those
He hand-selected to become His “apostles,” (Gk Apostolos, one who has
been sent away, away from). With the intended meaning of being an
“emissary.” One sent away with a message. In the New Testament the message
is “The Gospel”, “The good news of Jesus Christ.” The importance here is
that what Jesus has to say… is being said to the first believers, so if you
are a believer… then these words are also directed to you. With that in
mind, I have highlighted all the occurrences of “You” (in English and in the
Greek [(you) in parenthesis].
#2 – “You,
beware”
[Luke 12:1b]
He began saying to His disciples… first of all,
“(You) Beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
It’s
interesting to me that Luke introduces this paragraph as “first of all.” How
many of us would have used this as an opportunity to emphasize “beware of
the Pharisees,” and let it go at that. But the Holy Spirit, by way of Luke,
takes this opportunity to clarify that it is not the physical Pharisee that
is to be warned of. Something else is more important than the unbelieving
and hostile individual. This is a lesion that we all should learn and store
in our hearts. Jesus said, “Love your enemies,” and that can be a difficult
task. Luke tells us that our enemy’s message is what is to not be trusted
until tested.
Leaven is
just yeast, or other biological product, that causes baked goods to rise.
The word “Leaven” can be used in both a positive fashion and a negative one.
What Jesus wants us to see is that this product enters into the mix and then
permeates it. He’s not stating that the leaven [yeast] is good or bad. In
this case His point is that “you” need to be aware that the “leaven” of
the Pharisees “is hypocrisy” [that which permeates the Pharisees is
hypocrisy]. You, beware of Pharisaical hypocrisy. They were God’s
earthly leaders, priests and servants, the purveyors of “God’s” religion.
They spoke for Him, they processed the people’ sacrifices, they were the
people’s mediators to God and God’s mediators to the people, and they were
the religious ruling class among the Jews – but they long ago had left
Almighty God out of their beliefs, their lives, and their synagogues and
temple. They had replaced what was once the wonderful Word of God… with
their own version of what God had given them and were worshipping the Law
and not the God of their father Abraham. The word hypocrisy comes from the
Greek theatre. It literally means actor, those who wear masks to hide who
they really are. They are playing a role; they were being “someone else.” So
Jesus’ message in this first verse is, “You… beware of becoming, or
being, a hypocrite.” Speaking of Christ and Christian values… and living
like the devil. Or even worse, pretending to be a Christian in order to lead
others away from Him. Beware of becoming one of them! Beware of living
and/or espousing a lie. One of our most common mistakes is to speak against
the freedoms found in Christ’s salvation and emphasize the Old Testament
pharisaical law as essential in the believer’s life. We might also consider
the Pharisaical leaven in our lives as our “love of each other as the
brethren…,” versus our gossip about them when we’re with someone else. Just
some things to think about.
#3 – God
knows everything – so, don’t think you can hide from Him:
[Luke
12:2-3] But there is nothing covered up that
will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 3 Accordingly,
whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and
what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the
housetops.
God knows
everything that all think and do. Ten years ago, that would be pretty hard
to imagine – but today! Today we have the internet, Alexa, Siri (and a
myriad of others), Facebook, Twitter, Tik Tok, (and a myriad of others) who
record us and store it all so it can be recalled from the mega-terra-bytes
of electronic storage almost instantly. Nothing is forgotten. With God… so
much more! You will notice that Jesus is directing His talk to those who are
hypocritical in a negative fashion and in such a way that their words and
actions will need to be “covered up, hidden, and not revealed or known.” He
makes it clear that neither darkness or private placed discussions can hide
you (the believer involved in Pharisaical hypocrisy) and it will eventually
be known and broadcast – concerning your hypocrisy (these are not my words,
but His!).
#4 – My
friends… Fear God, don’t fear anyone else:
[Luke
12:4-5a] “I say to you, My friends,
do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that
they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who,
after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell [Gehenna];
First,
Jesus calls His disciples “My Friends.” And if you are a believing friend of
Jesus… don’t be afraid of anyone who may kill your body. We are all going to
die. Some sooner than later. Then there is eternity with God the Father, God
the Son, and God the Holy Spirit… in perfect harmony with them, and the
angels, and other created creatures. Earth, and God’s will for us for our
time here, is a testing and proving time. Our lives are a mere instant of
time compared to eternity. DO NOT BE AFRAID. Jesus says that those who may
take a life… have NO MORE they can do to you after that – they become
powerless – and you go on with Jesus. So, whom shall we fear?
This second portion of this text needs to be
strongly explained… nowhere here does it teach that God will take your life
and cast you, the believer, into Hell. Jesus is explaining that there is a
God, He does take lives, and He does have the authority to cast into Hell.
But that is not the believer’s destiny – but He does do those things to
those who do not, and will not, believe – the Old and New Testament is full
of the assurance of the believer to be eternally bound to His Son Jesus with
an eternal destination of being “Children of the eternal God,” and “brothers
and sisters of Jesus Christ,” “wherever He is – I / you will be.”
#5 –
(Refrain) My friends… Fear God, don’t fear anyone else:
[Luke
12:5b-7] yes, I tell you, (you)
fear Him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is
forgotten before God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all
numbered. (You) Do not fear; you are more valuable than many
sparrows.
Here’s a
quick story from my past… A bible teacher I knew was speaking on “The Fear
of God.” He gave the illustration of visiting a young family with a newborn
child. While mom, dad, and visitor were speaking together about “The Fear of
God,” the mom excused herself and went quietly to the child’s bedroom door
and peeked in. When she returned, their visitor said to her, “do you fear
your newborn? That’s the way you acted when you went to her.” The mom said,
“No, I… Oh, now I understand… I respect, care about, am concerned about,
worry about, and I love her so much… I fear waking her, disturbing her,
disrupting her peace and sleep.” So, I am to come to Him with love, care,
and trust.” Yes, that’s it! Fear the Lord, and don’t be afraid…
“You are more valuable (way more valuable) than
many sparrows!” You are His child,
you are a brother or sister of His Son, Jesus.
#6 – Where
does your confession lay?
[Luke
12:8-9] “And I say to you,
everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him
also before the angels of God; 9 but he who denies Me before men will be
denied before the angels of God.
Here Jesus
speaks to His disciples and shares with them one of the most important
messages of the Christian faith. If you do not truly believe in Him, His
power, His authority, His deity, His saving grace… then you will not be able
to stand up before His detractors and confess your love and your eternal
destination. That means that at the day of judgment Jesus will not be
shouting out your name from the book of life at that great assembly –
because your name won’t be there.
[Matthew
7:21-23]
“Not everyone who says to
Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the
will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord,
have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done
many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew
you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
This is a
good place to remind each of us that Jesus was talking to His disciples and
the crowd around Him before His death and resurrection. To Jesus
“lawlessness” was what the scribes and Pharisees were engaged in. They had
perverted the Law of God and no longer truly worshipped Almighty God – they
only paid “lip-service” to Him and His Law. They perverted the law and
justice to suit their own needs. It wouldn’t be very long after He said
these words that He would be arrested and hung on the Cross for opposing
them. That was His destiny, but they will be responsible. His message is
pointed toward these things. Jesus is not directing His words here to
Christian believers who would follow the Cross. We are not called to be
under the yoke of the Law of Moses, that is instead supposed to be our
“school master,” teaching us how to fear God and love Him. We who believe
have already been judged, in Christ, and found to be hidden in His salvation
and forgiveness.
Then and
Now:
[Luke
12:10] And everyone who speaks a
word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who
blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him.
Jesus
brings this up again, and it is still pointed at the scribes, Pharisees, and
rulers who told the crowds around Jesus that He was performing His miracles
based on the power of the devil, Satan. Those who do this were, nor will be,
ever forgiven for it.
In our age
this is still true. I’d sure there are individuals and cults out there who
speak those words. For the most part, however, those who never come to faith
in Jesus will also never be forgiven.
11 When they
bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities,
(you) do not worry about how or what you are to speak in
your defense, or what you are to say; 12 for the Holy Spirit will
teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
So, this is
the last part of the text before we get to our parable. What should we be
prepared for in those days that are before us in this changing world. The
situation in Jesus’ time was so much worse than we must bare today. The
Roman government was burning Christians on crosses in order to provide light
at night in the Colosseum and along the streets in various places in their
kingdom. Pornographic and phallic statues were everywhere in Rome and many
other cities in their empire. Individuals, like Saul – before He became Paul
– were given official permission by the government to murder Christians,
just because they felt that religious problems should just be “swept under
the rug.” I say this so that we might realize how much freedom we have. And
then, there is the “but.” For if history does repeat itself, and our culture
continues to disintegrate… then, perhaps even in our own lives, we may see
such arrogant and cruel persecution. What does Jesus say to us?
“(you)
do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your
defense. for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what
you ought to say.”
"The Rich Landowner and
You”
“The Rich Landowner”
Luke 12:13-21
13 Someone
in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family
inheritance with me.” 14 But He said to him,
“Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over
you?”
So, we should
ask the question, “Why does this man want Jesus to intervene in this
property dispute?” Was not the “law of the land” able to satisfy him? We
need to look at the rest of the paragraph. Jesus is speaking to those who
have problems with possessing “things” and not possessing “the Kingdom of
God.” I expect that Jesus read the intentions of the man’s heart… greed. “My
brother has wealth and I want it!” Jesus gave him and answer that would lead
him, and the crowd around them, to ask deeper questions. That’s a good
point! How often do we stop and ask ourselves if what we want for ourselves
is steeped in greed – are our motives for wanting (especially something that
someone else has) righteous motives, or are we actually experiencing greed?
Do we go to Jesus, the Father, the Spirit asking with greed in our hearts?
When we go to Him, we need to go to Him in righteousness, asking for
righteousness to be done.
In each
society there are laws in place to take care of civil issues. Make sure that
when you go to the Lord that you are not going with a desire to “get God to
see your side of things.” See if there be any greed, lust, evil desire, in
your heart first, fix it, and then Go to Him in righteousness.
15 Then He
said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against
every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life
consist of his possessions.”
What’s the age old saying…
“You can’t take it with you!” Trying to store up things is like speeding on
a road with many stoplights. It was missionary to South America - Jim Elliot
- who said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he
cannot lose.”
[1]
16 And He
told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man
was very productive. 17 And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What
shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’
This seems like a logical
conclusion to come to as a farmer whose crops are doing well. But there in
this statement one little catch… “a rich man.” We should also note that it
doesn’t say that the rich man was doing very well, but that his land was.
Now, the point of Jesus’ parable rests upon its last line.
21 So is the man who stores up
treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
So, having seen the end of
Jesus’ parable we can now look with care to see what His words will be
concerning those who live their lives with no emphasis on being rich toward
God – rich in God – rich for God. There’s nothing wrong with being rich, in
fact it can be a great blessing to you, your friends and neighbors, your
community, and your church – If… the object of being rich is to glorify God
by righteously administering the wealth that He has sent your way.
18 Then he said, ‘This is what
I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will
store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you
have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink
and be merry.”’
Now, we see in verse 19
what his problem is in this lesson. He is laying up wealth so that He,
alone, can “take his ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” We see no evidence
here of honoring God with the wealth that God has provided him with. No
mention of ministry, no mention of thankfulness.
20 But God said to him,
‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you
[Lit.
“they are demanding your soul from you;”];
and now who will own what you have prepared?’ 21 So is the man who stores up
treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
I didn’t think about the
importance of seeing the Greek literal text for this verse until I saw it
noted on the bottom of the New American Standard Bible. When I read it I
thought, “How odd!” Who are “They”?
How about: Things, money,
houses, cars [horses, camels, chariots], barns (storage units) to keep your
stuff in, lots of income producing investments, etc. And how about
influencers – those who offer opportunities to “invest?” According to Jesus,
“they are demanding your soul from you!” Each of us need to take some time
and review our desires for wealth, retirement, and the acquisition of stuff.
What will we leave behind and why? For many this will be a hard discipline.
Certainly, we wish to take care of our families as much as we can. We may
have charities and churches we wish to leave something, but the big question
is what do you collect, invest, bank, gather, store, etc. And why? Are you
honoring God? Are you listening to Jesus? Are you gathering… that you may
“take your ease, eat, and drink and be merry,” with little or no thought of
the spiritual ramifications of just living for yourself?
FOLLOW-UP QUESIONS WITHOUT
ANSWERS
1. Based on
the beginning of Chapter 12, how popular is Jesus and His ministry?
2. Define
what Jesus means by the term “the leaven of the Pharisees.
3. Why does
Jesus warn His disciples concerning hypocrisy?
4. Can anyone
hide from God?
5. What are
you worth in God’s eyes?
6. So, what
is the parable of the Rich Landowner about and why is it important?
FOLLOW-UP QUESIONS WITH ANSWERS
At that time in Jesus’ ministry there
are literally “too many to count” who are following Him. The Greek word is
“myriads” of people, often translated thousands.
2. Define
what Jesus means by the term “the leaven of the Pharisees.
Leaven is an allusion to yeast when
mixed into bread dough. Over time it spreads throughout the whole loaf of
dough and affects all of it. We are to understand from the interactions
between Jesus and the Pharisees (and scribes, and rulers, etc.) that it is
the evil that they represent that Jesus has in mind. Over time (throughout
Israel’s history) evil (hypocracy) in the religious leaders has cause great
harm to the nation and to the purposes of God in His people.
3. Why does
Jesus warn His disciples concerning hypocrisy?
Jesus directly addresses His disciples
as “You.” “You beware!” It’s not jus any hypocrisy. It is the “Hypocrisy of
the Pharisees.” Jesus’ disciples will become the religious leaders of early
Christianity. They will be in charge of the spiritual growth and life of the
Church. The particular hypocrisy of the Pharisees was that they also were in
charge of the life and spiritual condition of the nation of Israel – and
they saw no value in their God, His Spirit, and His Word, they were only
interested in the people’s keeping of the Law, politics, money, political
freedom, and independence for Israel from Rome – at any cost.
4. Can anyone
hide from God?
“No.” Such a simple answer yet so hard
for so many to understand it’s depth. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I
know how often sin creeps into a life and how we lie to ourselves. What
rules our lives when we are alone? What kinds of things do we not do when
we’re with others? Especially spouses and our children. What is it about us
that we don’t want anyone to know and see? God sees it all – and so often we
still do what we should not do, especially since God is our witness.
5. What are
you worth in God’s eyes?
It’s probably easy to say, “God
sacrificed His Son for me on the Cross,” but what does that really mean to
you? The God of the universe (and much more) chose mankind to be His unique
family members – sons and daughters of the Living God. Many have decided to
reject Almighty God for many bad reasons. They will not become the very
children of God. Those who believe Him, have faith in Him, continue with
Him, will become the very children of God. We must understand the God
reveals Himself to us in three persons, all the same God. So, when we say
“Him"… we mean the one God who is Jesus, Father, and Spirit. He is One. All
this to say that if you are In-Christ… you are of so much value to Him that
God became a man in order to die as one of us so that we might spend
eternity as one of His own children. Think on that!
6. So, what
is the parable of the Rich Landowner about and why is it important?
It’s all about GREED. Our lesson flows
from thousands of people coming to see Jesus. It moves on to “You Beware” of
religious hypocrisy, and “You Cannot Hide from God,” then as a believer you
have Great Value to God. And we end up with probably the most devastating
sin (apart from blaspheming the Holy Spirit of God) that is common to all of
mankind – greed. The heart is desperately wicked… who can know it! Greed
affects our everyday lives, what we think, who we fellowship with, what we
do for a living, where we go to church, and on and on. BEWARE… the crowd,
BEWARE… the hypocrisy, BEWARE… trying to hide from God, BEWARE… your great
value is at risk, BEWARE… of your greedy heart!
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Jeremiah 18:15
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2023-06-13 updated