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I. COVETOUSNESS IN ITS BEARING UPON THE RECEPTION OF TRUTH.

1. Consider for a moment the truths which Jesus had just been uttering.

(1)  The sin of hypocrisy.

(2)  The sin of the man-fearing spirit.

(3)  The comprehensiveness of God's care.

(4)  The blessed consequences of confessing Christ, and the dreadful consequences of denying Christ.

(5)  The appalling sin — the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

(6)  The Divine help promised in times of persecution.

2. In the midst of utterances such as these, this man, filled with worldly thoughts, interrupted our Lord in His address.

(1)  Of how many in our day is this man a representative!

(2)  The most solemn truths uttered in the sanctuary, or spoken by friends, often fall as seed upon a hard-beaten road.

II. COVETOUSNESS IN ITS BEARING UPON THE SOUL'S TRUE JOY. Two things are here stated.

1. That our Lord's mission was not to interfere in secular affairs.

2. That "a man's life," in the sense of true joy, does not arise from wealth or position or fame.

III. COVETOUSNESS IN ITS BEARING ON OUR FINAL DESTINY.

1. The parable shows that the most selfish of men may be prospered in worldly affairs.

2. The parable shows that the most abundant prosperity of the worldly-minded only intensifies their selfishness and blinds their spiritual vision.

3. This parable shows that, however farsighted and shrewd worldly-minded men may be in their business affairs, it is by their spiritual condition that God judges them.

4. This parable shows that the uncertainty of the time of death should have its legitimate weight with them.Lessons:

1. The sin to which our attention is here called is the crying sin of our age.

2. This is one of the most subtle and unconscious of all classes of sins to which we may be exposed.

3. It is a sin the most difficult to be reached by truth.

4. It is no less heinous and damning, because it is so subtle and unconscious.

(D. C. Hughes, M. A.)

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KJV: And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

WEB: One of the multitude said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."