John Gill Commentary Luke 12:19

"And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry." — Luke 12:19 (ASV)

And I will say to my soul Himself, see (Psalms 49:18) or to his sensual appetite, which he sought to indulge and gratify, for he was wholly a sensual and carnal man:

soul, you have much goods laid up for many years : he foolishly promises himself a long life, when no man can boast of tomorrow, or knows what a day will bring forth; or can assure himself he shall live a day, an hour, or moment longer: and he also depended upon the safety of your goods, thus laid up; whereas his barns might be consumed by fire at once, or your goods be devoured by vermin, or plundered by thieves, and by various ways taken out of your hands; for riches are uncertain things, and make themselves wings and fly away:

take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry ; spend your life in ease, luxury, and mirth; put away the evil day far from you: never trouble yourself about a future state, tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundantly; and you have enough to make yourself happy, and let nothing disturb you, and give a loose to all sensual pleasures, and carnal joys. This is the language of epicure among the Jews, and is forbidden to be used, especially on fast days; for so it is said, ^F9``let not a man say I will go to my house, "and I will eat and drink", (and say) (yvpn Kyle Mylv) , "peace to you, O my soul"; if he does so, of him the Scripture says, (Isaiah 22:13Isaiah 22:14) "Behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die---surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you, till you die"''

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FOOTNOTES:

• F9: T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 11. 1.