Parable of the Rich Fool

Text and Content

This parable appears only in the Gospel of Luke, in Luke 12:13–21. A man in the crowd asks Jesus to tell his brother to divide the inheritance with him. Jesus declines, saying, "Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?" He then says, "Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Luke 12:15), and goes on to tell this parable.

When a rich man's land yields an abundant harvest, he decides to pull down his barns and build larger ones in which to store all his grain and goods. He then intends to say to his soul, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry." But God says to him, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?" Jesus concludes the parable with the words, "So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God" (Luke 12:21).

Background and Key Terms

In the Jewish society of the time, inheritance disputes are known to have been brought at times to teachers of the Law for arbitration.

• Covetousness: Translates the Greek pleonexia (πλεονεξία), meaning "the desire to have more."
• Fool: The Greek aphrōn (ἄφρων) means "one without understanding" or "one who lacks sense."
• Soul: The Greek psychē (ψυχή) can also refer to one's life or to oneself.

Commentators frequently note how often the first person recurs in the rich man's soliloquy, as in "my fruits," "my barns," and "my soul."

Significance in the Wider Bible

In the wisdom literature of the Old Testament, the "fool" is one who lives as though there were no God (Psalm 14:1). The futility of departing this life and leaving one's wealth to others is also addressed in Ecclesiastes 2:18–21 and Ecclesiastes 5:15.

In Luke, the parable is immediately followed by teaching against anxiety and on seeking the kingdom of God, together with the instruction to lay up treasure in heaven (Luke 12:22–34). This section overlaps with Matthew 6:24–34. The parable thus serves as an introduction to a body of teaching on wealth.

Along with the accounts of the Rich Man and Lazarus and the Rich Young Ruler, it is cited as evidence that Luke frequently addresses the question of wealth. It also resonates with James 4:13–15, which warns against presuming upon tomorrow, and with 1 Timothy 6:17–19, which charges the rich not to trust in uncertain riches. A similar story appears in the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas (saying 63).

Interpretation and Points of Discussion

• Is wealth the problem, or attitude? The text does not say that the rich man acquired his property dishonestly; his abundance came because "the ground... brought forth plentifully." Most interpretations therefore locate the problem not in wealth itself but in covetousness, in a self-centeredness that forgets God and neighbor, and in an attitude that forgets that one's life is in God's hands.
• The meaning of "rich toward God": Interpretations fall into three broad lines. One reads it as almsgiving and sharing, connecting it with "Sell that ye have, and give alms" in Luke 12:33; another reads it in terms of one's relationship with God and faith; and a third reads it as the responsibility of a steward entrusted with wealth. These readings are not mutually exclusive and are often mentioned together.
• Additions not found in the text: Explanations that the rich man hoarded grain to drive up prices in a time of famine, or that he ignored his poor neighbors, are interpretive additions not present in the text. Likewise, the rich man's death that night is only implied by God's words and is not directly narrated.
• Discussion in relation to prosperity theology: The parable is frequently cited by critics of prosperity theology. At the same time, some hold that it should not be read as condemning the legitimate accumulation of property or saving.

In the Korean Church

The parable is often used in sermons on attitudes toward material possessions, covetousness, and the brevity of human life. Because its subject is a grain harvest, it is also used as a sermon text for Thanksgiving or year-end services. The expression "a life rich toward God" is also used in settings that encourage sharing and offerings.