Luke 12:15 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Luke 12:15

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‘The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.’ This is about covetousness, that is, loving, or wanting, or trusting in gain, getting things. This covers not only material gain, but also a lusting after advancement – getting more of anything: more power, more fame, more position, more money, more goods, more land, even more fun, more pleasure. Covetousness is wanting gain, and it is more than wanting it; it is also trusting in it, needing it, depending upon it. Covetousness is a policy of life whereby we say, ‘My happiness, my contentment, my fulfilment, all depend on my having more of something. I must have it, this is what I'm hungry for, this is my policy. If I can't improve my lot in one way or the other, then I shall be miserable.’ So the question is, what do we depend on for contentment, for happiness? Covetousness is when we depend upon gain in some area, satisfaction, enjoyment. Says the Lord Jesus Christ, ‘Beware of this; take heed of covetousness.’ There is nothing more destructive to the soul. It is a strong word in the Greek: watch out for this, don't be caught up, drugged, affected by this spirit. ‘For a man's life does not consist in the abundance of the things which he possesses.’

Application

Having a life is in the Bible, not the same thing as being alive. You can have life, biological life, but to be alive you need to know God, you need to know him and walk with him and feel him and receive his blessing. You cannot have that experience; you cannot in any way seek him or find him or know him or experience him, while you are covetous, while you are putting your hopes in gaining something on this earth. Yes, we all have life, but that's not the same as being alive in the biblical sense of knowing God. It's not what you have. You can have all sorts of pleasure on this earth; you can have money, you can have good health, but that doesn't mean to say you are anything in the sight of God, because with God it is not what you have, but it's what you are. When God looks at you, are you one of his children? Do you have spiritual life in you? Can he communicate with you? Do you communicate with him? Does he lead you, direct you, use you? Are you in his hands? Does he have your love? And do you have his love? Are you a child of God? Do you know him? ‘Oh,’ says the Lord, ‘beware of covetousness.’

At the end of the day covetousness is the cause of so many agonies and ills. Covetousness is the cause of nearly all unrest in the individual heart and life, that unrest that leads to all kinds of tension and trouble, because I must have something and I feel I am being deprived and somebody is standing in the way of my getting what I want in one area or another. That's the basis of so much hate, envy, hostility. This is at the bottom of so many disputes and bitterness and feuds; it is at the bottom of wars, industrial disputes, family disputes. Beware of covetousness. This philosophy, this idea that I can be happy and I can be contented and I can be fulfilled If I just have more of something: that will shut you off from God. It will create in you all kinds of tensions.

And yet material gain is the key recipe offered by this world for all your problems. You are unhappy, you are ill at ease, you feel deprived. What does this world say? Seek more of the very thing that got you into this problem, covet this world’s goods. Make advancement in some way or another; get more; develop something of an ego and go after things.

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Luke 12:15 Commentary and Bible Study