The Meaning of Luke 12:16 Explained

Luke 12:16

KJV: And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

YLT: And he spake a simile unto them, saying, 'Of a certain rich man the field brought forth well;

Darby: And he spoke a parable to them, saying, The land of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly.

ASV: And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  he spake  a parable  unto  them,  saying,  The ground  of a certain  rich  man  brought forth plentifully: 

What does Luke 12:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 12:13-21 - The Doom Of The Money Lover
Our Lord did not come into our world as an earthly judge, adjusting differences between man and man. He lays down great principles, obedience to which will bring heaven into human lives. One of the greatest of these is here enunciated in Luke 12:15. Covetousness is as much a temptation of the poor man who is wronged as of his rich oppressor; and love for money will inevitably, in poor and rich, becloud the vision and disturb the inner peace. The worth of a man cannot be computed by the amount that stands to his credit. Not what you have but what you are! That is your value in the eyes of God. Some men live to get; see to it that you live to be.
It is absurd to suppose that the soul can take its ease, just because its barns are bursting with goods. Goods are not good! The soul cannot live on corn! Merriment cannot come to a heart that is smitten by remorse and shadowed by the remonstrances of an evil conscience! Besides, we cannot take with us our possessions when we cross the river. We can only take our character-our things pass into other hands. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 12

1  Jesus preaches to his apostles to avoid hypocrisy
13  and warns against covetousness, by the parable of the man who set up greater barns
22  We must not worry about earthly things,
31  but seek the kingdom of God;
33  give alms;
35  be ready at a knock to open to our Lord whensoever he comes
41  Jesus' disciples are to see to their charges,
49  and look for persecution
54  The people must take this time of grace;
57  because it is a fearful thing to die without reconciliation

Greek Commentary for Luke 12:16

A parable unto them [παραβολην προς αυτους]
The multitude of Luke 12:13, Luke 12:15. A short and pungent parable suggested by the covetousness of the man of Luke 12:13. [source]
Brought forth plentifully [ευπορησεν]
Late word from ευπορος — euphoros (bearing well), in medical writers and Josephus, here only in the N.T. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 12:16

James 5:4 Fields [χώρας]
The more general word, place, for ἀγρός , the ordinary word for a field; though the usage is warranted by classical Greek, and occurs Luke 12:16; John 4:35, the only two instances besides this in the New Testament. It implies a larger tract than ἀγρός , as is evident in all the New-Testament passages cited. In two cases it refers to a rich man's estates; and in John 4:35, the Lord directs the attention of the disciples to a broad area or series of fields. [source]
James 5:4 Labourers [εργατων]
Any one who works Genitive plural of the articular first aorist active participle of αμαω — amaō (from αμα — hama together), old verb, to gather together, to reap, here only in N.T.Fields Estates or farms (Luke 12:16).Which is of you kept back by fraud (ο απυστερημενος απ υμων — ho aphusterēmenos aph' humōn). Perfect passive articular participle of απυστερεω — aphustereō late compound (simplex υστερεω — hustereō common as Matthew 19:20), to be behindhand from, to fail of, to cause to withdraw, to defraud. Pitiful picture of earned wages kept back by rich Jews, old problem of capital and labour that is with us yet in acute form.The cries Old word from which βοαω — boaō comes (Matthew 3:3), here only in N.T. The stolen money “cries out” Genitive plural of the articular participle first aorist active of τεριζω — therizō (old verb from τερος — theros summer, Matthew 24:32), to reap, to harvest while summer allows (Matthew 6:26).Have entered Perfect active third person plural indicative of εισερχομαι — eiserchomai old and common compound, to go or come into. This late form is by analogy of the aorist for the usual form in ασι — ̇asi the Lord of Sabaoth “Of the Lord of Hosts,” quotation from Isaiah 5:9 as in Romans 9:29, transliterating the Hebrew word for “Hosts,” an expression for the omnipotence of God like Παντοκρατωρ — Pantokratōr (Revelation 4:8). God hears the cries of the oppressed workmen even if the employers are deaf. [source]
James 5:4 Fields [χωρας]
Estates or farms (Luke 12:16).Which is of you kept back by fraud (ο απυστερημενος απ υμων — ho aphusterēmenos aph' humōn). Perfect passive articular participle of απυστερεω — aphustereō late compound (simplex υστερεω — hustereō common as Matthew 19:20), to be behindhand from, to fail of, to cause to withdraw, to defraud. Pitiful picture of earned wages kept back by rich Jews, old problem of capital and labour that is with us yet in acute form.The cries Old word from which βοαω — boaō comes (Matthew 3:3), here only in N.T. The stolen money “cries out” Genitive plural of the articular participle first aorist active of τεριζω — therizō (old verb from τερος — theros summer, Matthew 24:32), to reap, to harvest while summer allows (Matthew 6:26).Have entered Perfect active third person plural indicative of εισερχομαι — eiserchomai old and common compound, to go or come into. This late form is by analogy of the aorist for the usual form in ασι — ̇asi the Lord of Sabaoth “Of the Lord of Hosts,” quotation from Isaiah 5:9 as in Romans 9:29, transliterating the Hebrew word for “Hosts,” an expression for the omnipotence of God like Παντοκρατωρ — Pantokratōr (Revelation 4:8). God hears the cries of the oppressed workmen even if the employers are deaf. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 12:16 mean?

He spoke then a parable to them saying Of a man certain rich brought forth abundantly the ground
Εἶπεν δὲ παραβολὴν πρὸς αὐτοὺς λέγων Ἀνθρώπου τινὸς πλουσίου εὐφόρησεν χώρα

Εἶπεν  He  spoke 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
παραβολὴν  a  parable 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: παραβολή  
Sense: a placing of one thing by the side of another, juxtaposition, as of ships in battle.
λέγων  saying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
Ἀνθρώπου  Of  a  man 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
τινὸς  certain 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
πλουσίου  rich 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: πλούσιος  
Sense: wealthy, abounding in material resources.
εὐφόρησεν  brought  forth  abundantly 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εὐφορέω  
Sense: to be fertile, bring forth plentifully.
χώρα  ground 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: χώρα  
Sense: the space lying between two places or limits.