Luke 12:13 kjv
And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
Luke 12:13 nkjv
Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
Luke 12:13 niv
Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
Luke 12:13 esv
Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
Luke 12:13 nlt
Then someone called from the crowd, "Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father's estate with me."
Luke 12 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 20:17 | "You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife..." | Tenth Commandment against coveting. |
| Deut 1:16-17 | "And I charged your judges at that time, saying, 'Hear the cases between your brethren...'" | Israelite custom of judges for disputes. |
| Psa 49:6-7 | "Those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem..." | Futility of trusting in earthly wealth. |
| Prov 28:25 | "He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered." | Greed often leads to strife. |
| Isa 55:2 | "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy?" | Warns against misdirected desires. |
| Matt 6:19-21 | "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy..." | Contrast between earthly and heavenly treasures. |
| Matt 6:33 | "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." | Prioritizing spiritual over material. |
| Matt 7:1-5 | "Judge not, that you be not judged." | Jesus teaching against judgmentalism, but also His refusal to act as a worldly judge here. |
| Mark 8:36-37 | "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" | Soul's value over worldly possessions. |
| Luke 8:14 | "Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked..." | Concerns of wealth can choke the word. |
| Luke 12:14 | "But He said to him, 'Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?'" | Jesus explicitly clarifies His role is not earthly arbitration. |
| Luke 12:15 | "And He said to them, 'Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance...'" | Direct warning against the man's underlying sin. |
| Luke 12:16-21 | Parable of the Rich Fool (immediate context of Lk 12:13-14) | Illustrates the foolishness of earthly accumulation without God. |
| Luke 16:13 | "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal..." | Inability to serve both God and money. |
| Acts 6:1-4 | "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables." | Apostles prioritising spiritual ministry over physical tasks. |
| 1 Cor 6:1-8 | Paul warns against believers going to unbelieving courts for disputes among themselves. | Addresses legal disputes among brethren. |
| Phil 3:7-8 | "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ." | Renouncing worldly gain for spiritual riches in Christ. |
| Col 3:1-2 | "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is seated..." | Focus on heavenly things, not earthly. |
| Col 3:5 | "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." | Covetousness explicitly called idolatry. |
| 1 Tim 6:6-8 | "Now godliness with contentment is great gain... For we brought nothing into this world..." | Call for contentment, not pursuit of wealth. |
| 1 Tim 6:9-10 | "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts..." | Dangers of desiring wealth, the root of evil. |
| Heb 13:5 | "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have..." | Exhortation to live free from greed. |
| Jas 4:1-3 | "Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure..." | Desires as source of conflict. |
Luke 12 verses
Luke 12 13 Meaning
Luke 12:13 reveals a common human tendency to prioritize earthly concerns over spiritual truth. In the midst of Jesus' profound teachings on matters of eternal life, a man from the crowd abruptly interjects with a request for Jesus to arbitrate a family inheritance dispute. This act highlights the man's spiritual blindness, as he perceives Jesus as a mere earthly judge or legal arbiter rather than the divine teacher of God's Kingdom. His focus on material possessions and familial discord sharply contrasts with Jesus' immediate and ongoing warnings against greed, hypocrisy, and the dangers of earthly accumulation. Jesus' subsequent response and the parable of the Rich Fool directly address the man's underlying issue of covetousness.
Luke 12 13 Context
Luke 12:13 appears directly after Jesus has been giving solemn instructions to His disciples and a vast crowd. Prior to this verse, Jesus warned against hypocrisy (Lk 12:1-3), encouraged boldness in confessing Him despite fear of men (Lk 12:4-7), assured the Spirit's help in persecution (Lk 12:11-12), and pronounced grave warnings about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Lk 12:10). This setting is one of intense spiritual teaching, addressing matters of eternal significance and discipleship. The man's sudden, mundane request thus represents a significant shift from the profound spiritual realities Jesus was discussing to an earthly, materialistic dispute, indicating a complete misunderstanding of Jesus' immediate message and His overall mission. Historically, in Jewish society, such inheritance disputes were common and often brought before a rabbi or respected community elder for arbitration. The man was treating Jesus as he would such an authority.
Luke 12 13 Word analysis
- Then: Greek de (δὲ). Indicates a shift or a contrast, introducing a new event or speaker, highlighting the abrupt change in subject matter.
- one from the crowd: Greek tis ek tou ochlou (τις ἐκ τοῦ ὄχλου). Signifies that the interruption comes from a casual observer, not one of Jesus' close disciples. It implies a lack of deeper spiritual understanding or commitment on the part of the speaker.
- said to Him: Implies a direct and confident approach, indicating the man felt entitled to make such a demand of Jesus.
- 'Teacher': Greek Didaskale (διδάσκαλε). A common and respectful title used for a rabbi or wise instructor. The man acknowledges Jesus' authority as a teacher but only in a temporal sense, seeking His wisdom to resolve an earthly conflict rather than seeking spiritual instruction or salvation.
- 'tell my brother': This phrase reveals the relational conflict and the man's desire for an external authority to force a specific outcome. He doesn't ask for mediation, but for a command to be given.
- 'to divide': Greek merisasthai (μερίσασθαι). A verb in the aorist imperative, meaning "to share" or "to apportion." It implies an existing property or estate that needs to be legally and fairly distributed.
- 'the inheritance': Greek kleronomian (κληρονομίαν). Refers to a legacy, heritage, or property passed down, usually upon a death. In ancient times, this often involved land or other valuable assets, forming the basis of a family's security. The dispute concerns worldly possessions, not spiritual truth.
- 'with me': The focus is self-centered, demanding his portion of material wealth. The underlying issue is likely one of perceived injustice or a dispute over the prescribed division of assets according to Jewish law (e.g., Deut 21:17 for double portion to the firstborn).
Luke 12 13 Bonus section
- Misunderstanding of Jesus' Messiahship: The man's request implicitly demonstrates a widespread misconception of what the Messiah would do. Many expected a temporal, political, or legal deliverer who would solve practical problems, rather than a spiritual King whose reign centered on the hearts of individuals and preparation for eternity.
- Biblical precedent for firstborn inheritance: Jewish law, derived from Deut 21:17, stipulated that the firstborn son received a double portion of the inheritance. Any dispute over "division" could relate to this law, the specific terms of a will, or simple greed.
- Jesus' consistent spiritual focus: This verse highlights Jesus' unwavering commitment to His divine mission. He consistently refocused conversations from the mundane to the eternal, from the external to the internal state of the heart. He taught His disciples not to strive for earthly gain or to be embroiled in disputes over wealth (Luke 12:22-34).
Luke 12 13 Commentary
Luke 12:13 acts as a pivotal moment, shifting the narrative from Jesus' warnings about spiritual dangers to His teachings on material possessions and greed. The man's request, born of earthly concerns and familial strife, illustrates a profound misunderstanding of Jesus' messianic purpose. Jesus had been revealing profound spiritual truths about the Kingdom of God, God's provision, and courage in persecution. Yet, this man sees Jesus merely as a legal arbiter, fit to solve a property dispute. Jesus' refusal (Luke 12:14) to involve Himself in such matters powerfully delineates His mission: He came to save souls, establish the Kingdom, and teach eternal truths, not to arbitrate civil or property disputes. His true concern was not the distribution of material goods, but the condition of the human heart, specifically warning against covetousness, the root cause of such conflicts. The subsequent Parable of the Rich Fool serves as a direct, convicting illustration of the peril of earthly ambition without regard for God. This exchange stands as a timeless reminder that while material concerns are part of human experience, they must never overshadow our pursuit of spiritual realities and God's will.