Bible Text: Luke 12:13-21 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes
When Mike and I moved to the Comox Valley we moved from a 700 square foot basement apartment on Fort St. in Victoria to our current 1400 square foot home across the street. In the basement apartment we had one bedroom and one small office/storage space and we moved to, a two bedroom and two bathroom home. As with some town-homes we discovered that we also have a 5 foot high crawl space that spans the entire footprint of our home. When we first told family of our new home we said it was rather palatial especially compared to our little apartment and we had no idea what we would do with all that space. We couldn’t conceive that we would fill it. Ever! Funny that, we seemed to have filled our space no problem. In fact, it strikes me that no matter how big the kitchen is, it is never big enough for two people. I don’t think I’m alone here in this idea that we can fill whatever space we have with all kinds of things in no time. It is kind of a cyclical self-fulfilling prophecy. The more room you have- the more stuff you have. Which is one of the warnings we receive from this parable in our Gospel reading.
It’s a funny parable which includes a rather strange request. Jesus has been engaging in debates, storytelling and warnings with his disciples as well as Pharisees, scribes and men and women along the way, but this is different. I get the impression that someone sitting in the crowd listening to all of these previous debates jumps up while there is a lull and says, “Jesus, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance!” It’s rather unique because this person makes a demand of Jesus that is out of character. There are no other examples quite like this and this story only appears in Luke’s Gospel. Now the history behind inheritance is an interesting one- there are many ancient cultures who have patrilineal inheritance and others that have matrilineal. Within the Hebrew tradition, which is what we assume this person in the crowd is from, although it is never stated, land was the most important inheritance. This makes sense considering the close relationship that the Ancient Israelites had with the land- for it was understood that God had given them this land of milk and honey. The principal heirs were indeed the legitimate sons while daughters were provided a dowry, but in the event that there were no sons the estate could be granted to daughters. While often shares would be divided equally we actually have laws in Deuteronomy 21 that discuss how shares are to be divided- particularly if a father loves one son more than the first born son. So it is all very complicated, yet there are rules in place. I suppose this man in the crowd called upon Jesus to solve the issue not because he felt Jesus was the appropriate mediator but rather because Jesus had demonstrated throughout the preceding interactions that Jesus had a strong knowledge of the law- including the complicated inheritance laws.
Jesus, however, replies that it is not his business to judge or arbitrate this issue. It does nevertheless, inspire a teaching moment. Jesus warns, “Take care! Protect yourselves against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.” There are somethings that Jesus says that are dated and only relevant when viewed through a particular socio-historical lens. This comment by Jesus, however, seems timeless. It is a sad fact that since Adam and Eve, greed- the desire for more, more knowledge, more power, more things, more wealth has driven moments in history. Yet, if ever there was a society that has demonstrated time and time again the event of building bigger barns, it is us! One does not need to look deep into our cultural behaviour to discover that we seek more- often. But this attachment to greed is what separates us from God. Inheritance, greed and accumulation of wealth are all important aspects of this parable but the greater message is that when our attention is placed on anything else but God than we are living foolish lives.
Throughout the following weeks many of the Gospel stories will not only come from Luke but will relay this message in different forms. Here Jesus drives home his point about greed by telling the story of the Rich Fool. Jesus uses the image of a farmer because it would have spoken to those who are in the crowd, including the one who asked Jesus to arbitrate for his inheritance. If Jesus told this parable today perhaps he would have used a stock market investor, or a reality TV star, or any number of corporate CEOs, maybe even a church. It is important to note that within this particular parable, the abundant harvest is not actually a bad thing. In fact, when a harvest so unexpectedly large occurs elsewhere in the Bible it is signalled as a miracle. That God is actively doing something great for God’s people. It is usually cause for celebration throughout the entire community. But the issue in this parable is not: when is enough, enough. The issue in the parable is not even that this farmer tears down what he has already to build a bigger barn.
The Message, a contemporary translation of the Bible, has a great translation of this story, “The farmer said, “Here’s what I will do: I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll gather in all my grain and goods and I’ll say to myself, Self, you’ve done well! You’ve got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!” Then God showed up and said, “Fool! Tonight you will die. And your barnful of goods- who gets it?” That’s what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God.”
This farmer not only was greedy but then in deciding what should happen the farmer does not consult God, and the greatest sin is that the farmer does not celebrate with thanks and gratitude to God. Rather than thanks to God for the bountiful harvest this farmer elevates himself to the highest position. His self-congratulating ways is what makes him a fool. And how often is that what happens to us. We accomplish something, we receive something, we have an abundant crop and we congratulate- ourselves. Of course we should take pride in our efforts- but along with greed, pride can get out of control. We end up filling our barns with self and not with God. We are fools if we think all that is done in this world is thanks to us!
The term fool in this passage occurs only one other time in Luke and it is used to refer to the Pharisees in chapter 11 who were too foolish with greed and neglected justice and love of God. The Greek word is aphron and is literally translated as “unperceptive” and is used throughout the Bible to describe someone who lacks true moderation because they fail at understanding cause-and-effect relationships. The Greek word aphron actually combines the term alpha, meaning Godly wisdom, and phren, meaning without. A fool is someone who lacks Godly wisdom and of course God is the one who understands best the interconnectedness of all relationships. A fool is someone who thinks they can play God but do not understand how God works. And when we congratulate ourselves with no regard for God then we are fools- believing that it is we who have developed the wisdom and the wealth.
Jesus concludes this parable with a hint of hope. The world will always be full of fools but we can make every effort to be rich toward God rather than ourselves. Grace ultimately transcends greed. Because the lesson right after this story of the fool is the story of God providing for even the birds. Greed begets greed but grace begets grace. While accumulation of wealth and things is a downward spiral that often involves fear and anxiety, a sense of isolation and separation from God, Jesus offers the antidote- that we do not need to be rich in things for then we only think of our self- rather let us be rich in God. For we have been blessed with abundance. Thanks be to God! Amen