| Geneva Study Bible And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of {c} covetousness: for a man's life {d} consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. (c) By covetousness is meant that greedy desire to get, commonly causing hurt to other men. (d) God is the author and preserver of man's life; goods are not. People's New Testament 12:15 Beware of covetousness. A greedy desire for the goods of this world. A sin of all ages and a besetting sin of our times. A man's life consisteth not, etc. Comfort, happiness, and, above all, eternal interests, do not depend on the abundance of our goods. Why then should a man give his life to a greedy chase after wealth? Wesley's Notes 12:15 He said to them - Perhaps to the two brothers, and through them to the people. A man's life - That is, the comfort or happiness of it. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary 15. unto them-the multitude around Him (Lu 12:1). of covetousness-The best copies have "all," that is, "every kind of covetousness"; because as this was one of the more plausible forms of it, so He would strike at once at the root of the evil. a man's life, &c.-a singularly weighty maxim, and not less so because its meaning and its truth are equally evident. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 12:13-21 Christ's kingdom is spiritual, and not of this world. Christianity does not meddle with politics; it obliges all to do justly, but wordly dominion is not founded in grace. It does not encourage expectations of worldly advantages by religion. The rewards of Christ's disciples are of another nature. Covetousness is a sin we need constantly to be warned against; for happiness and comfort do not depend on the wealth of this world. The things of the world will not satisfy the desires of a soul. Here is a parable, which shows the folly of carnal worldling while they live, and their misery when they die. The character drawn is exactly that of a prudent, worldly man, who has no grateful regard to the providence of God, nor any right thought of the uncertainty of human affairs, the worth of his soul, or the importance of eternity. How many, even among professed Christians, point out similar characters as models for imitation, and proper persons to form connexions with! We mistake if we think that thoughts are hid, and thoughts are free. When he saw a great crop upon his ground, instead of thanking God for it, or rejoicing to be able to do more good, he afflicts himself. What shall I do now? The poorest beggar in the country could not have said a more anxious word. The more men have, the more perplexity they have with it. It was folly for him to think of making no other use of his plenty, than to indulge the flesh and gratify the sensual appetites, without any thought of doing good to others. Carnal worldlings are fools; and the day is coming when God will call them by their own name, and they will call themselves so. The death of such persons is miserable in itself, and terrible to them. Thy soul shall be required. He is loth to part with it; but God shall require it, shall require an account of it, require it as a guilty soul to be punished without delay. It is the folly of most men, to mind and pursue that which is for the body and for time only, more than that for the soul and eternity. | 
