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Pentecost Season · Year C

Proper 13

August 6, 2028

The Parable of the Rich Fool, Rembrandt van Rijn
The Parable of the Rich Fool, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1627Rembrandt, The Parable of the Rich Fool (1627) — Gemäldegalerie, Berlin
An early Rembrandt. An old man holds a coin up to a single candle in a room piled with ledgers and papers, squinting at it, entirely alone.You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. The painting is the night before.Rembrandt van RijnRembrandt (1606-1669) painted scripture as if it had happened in a room he had been in, and returned to the same stories across forty years, changing his mind about them in public.Rembrandt, The Parable of the Rich Fool (1627) — Gemäldegalerie, BerlinBerlin's old master collection, one of the finest in the world, rebuilt after the war split it between east and west.Rembrandt, The Parable of the Rich Fool (1627) — Gemäldegalerie, Berlin
Revised Common Lectionary
GospelLuke 12:13-21Lk 12:13-21
EpistleCol. 3:1-11Col 3:1-11
Old TestamentHos. 11:1-11Hos 11:1-11Alt. OTEccl. 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-23Eccl 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-23
PsalterPs. 107:1-9, 43Ps 107:1-9, 43Alt. PsalmPs. 49:1-12Ps 49:1-12

Overview & Insights

"So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God." (Luke 12:21)

A man in the crowd asks Jesus to settle an inheritance dispute, and Jesus refuses the role of arbitrator, telling a parable instead about a farmer who plans bigger barns for his surplus grain. That same night the man dies, and Jesus draws the lesson that life is not secured by an abundance of possessions.

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Take it further: Luke 12:13-21

Commentary

Commentary on Luke 12:13-21Commentary on Lk 12:13-21 Working Preacher

Frames the parable as Jesus refusing to arbitrate and instead exposing the danger of hoarding.

Luke 12:13-21 CommentaryLk 12:13-21 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching

Reads the rich man's fault as self-isolation from community and from God.

Luke 12 CommentaryLk 12 Commentary Enduring Word · David Guzik

Verse-by-verse walk through the inheritance dispute and the parable of the rich fool.

Luke 12:13 CommentariesLk 12:13 Commentaries BibleHub

Collects classic commentaries (Barnes, Gill, JFB) on the inheritance dispute and parable.

Luke 12 ResourcesLk 12 Resources Precept Austin

Verse-by-verse study notes and cross references for Luke 12.

Background & Word Study

Luke 12:13 InterlinearLk 12:13 Interlinear BibleHub

Greek text and parsing for the opening inheritance dispute.

Luke 10-24 Video OverviewLk 10-24 Video Overview BibleProject

Video overview of the travel-narrative section of Luke that contains this parable.

The Church Fathers

Luke 12Lk 12 Catena

Patristic comments on Luke 12 collected verse by verse.

Sermons & Reflections

Rich Toward God Journey with Jesus

Essay on the rich fool's self-focused interior monologue and what it means to be rich toward God.

Worship & Prayers

Proper 13, Year C The Lectionary Page

Full set of RCL propers and the collect for Proper 13C in one place.

Podcast

Sermon Brainwave Working Preacher

Weekly Luther Seminary faculty conversation on the coming Sunday's readings.

Art & Music

Revised Common Lectionary Art Index Vanderbilt

Searchable database of art keyed to the week's RCL readings.

Study Hub

Luke 12:13-21Lk 12:13-21 Textweek

Long-standing link list of commentary, sermons, and art for this passage.

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