Luke chapter 12

vs 11

So you will have to defend yourselves against these people. The whole idea of being persecuted by your own religious authorities must have sucked total ass. Especially when your beliefs are a fulfilment of theirs. It's not like you were an apostate. So Jesus tells them that yes, this will happen, but don't worry about it. He'll take care of it.

vs 12

He will take care of it by having the Holy Spirit tell you what to say at the time. He won't zap them, or beam you up to heaven, you may end up dying horribly, but you will have defended your faith and Christ effectively.

vs 13

It is possible that an heir would deny part of the inheritance to his brothers. It is also possible that the father told him to. This is why we have rule of law. Even today, legal problems surrounding wills and inheritance are enormous.

vs 14

Notice here - Jesus isn't saying he isn't a judge - just not a judge between them. He will judge them both, judge us all, just not between each other. Especially in this petty way.

vs 15

You would think that this message was written directly into the 21st century western world! But no, it was in fact spoken to people who lived a good 1700 years before Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations. Capitalism didn't inspire or create greed. It might grease the wheels, or be greased by greed, but people have been greedy forever before that.

vs 16

Nice.

vs 17

Oh no! Crops may as well be money in these times. And if you can't store them, they're useless. The ability to store crops, interestingly, is one of those basic necessities for civil improvement. If a people group has never gotten above the stone age, I'll bet that they have no way of storing food.

vs 18

Sounds like a worthwhile investment strategy. Gotta spend money to make money and all that.

vs 19

In fact, it's not just an investment - it's a superannuation! It's a retirement nest egg. He looks forward to a comfy life.

vs 20

But oh no! He doesn't get even a day to enjoy his good crops, because he dies. Gets hit by the proverbial bus. Now his kids get it, of course.

vs 21

I had to throw this verse in to finish that parable. There will always be rich people. Jesus isn't saying "This is how it will be for rich people. Suck it Kerry Packer!". Instead, he is saying "This is how it will be for rich people who don't also have a rich relationship with God. Suck it, Kerry Packer!" A rich person, Christian or not, god-fearing or not, is still going to die and leave all his stuff to sons. But he won't have that shock of not getting to enjoy his retirement nest-egg, because he was building up a better one: in heaven.