Christ the Greatest Hero in Battle

consists in the abundance of his possessions. original: "davon, daß Er viel Güter hat." This completes the quote from the previous page: "for no one's life depends on the fact that he has many possessions." // *) — A subsequent narrative was intended to present this truth even more touchingly and convincingly. This refers to the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21), which Jesus tells immediately after the warning against greed. Whenever He expressed His opinion in general terms about avarice Geiz: a stingy or miserly form of greed and greed Habsucht: the obsessive desire to acquire possessions, it was primarily aimed at Judas, which a single glance during the speech could sufficiently indicate. But in general, the excellent example of the Teacher unceasingly put the degenerate disciple to shame. Who acted more disinterestedly than Jesus? Who sacrificed more of His own advantages than He? Who conducted Himself more magnanimously than He on those occasions where splendor, prestige, power, and treasures were to be gained? Who practiced stricter self-denial than He, in order to prefer every duty over personal inclination? — To have such an example before one's eyes daily, to be constantly in such a school of living morality, and yet to remain unimproved, reveals a heart entirely without feeling for virtue and moral beauty. Sad effect of vice Laster: a deeply ingrained moral flaw or wicked habit! Whoever is once ruled by it has a sense only for that which [serves] vice

*) Luke 12:13–21. Original: "Lukas 12, 13 — 21."