Luke 12:13

King James Version (KJV)

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

Translations

Luke 12:13 - Amplified Bible

Someone from the crowd said to Him, Master, order my brother to divide the inheritance {and} share it with me.

Luke 12:13 - American Standard Version

And one out of the multitude said unto him, Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.

Luke 12:13 - Bible in Basic English

And one of the people said to him, Master, give an order to my brother to make division of the heritage with me.

Luke 12:13 - Darby Bible

And a person said to him out of the crowd, Teacher, speak to my brother to divide the inheritance with me.

Luke 12:13 - English Standard Version

Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."

Luke 12:13 - King James Version

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

Luke 12:13 - La Biblia de las Americas

Uno de la multitud le dijo: Maestro, dile a mi hermano que divida la herencia conmigo.

Luke 12:13 - The Message

Someone out of the crowd said, "Teacher, order my brother to give me a fair share of the family inheritance."

Luke 12:13 - New American Standard Bible

Someone in the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the {family} inheritance with me."

Luke 12:13 - Nueva Biblia Latinoamericana de Hoy

Uno de la multitud Le dijo: "Maestro, dile a mi hermano que divida la herencia conmigo."

Luke 12:13 - World English Bible

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

Luke 12:13 - Young's Living Translation

And a certain one said to him, out of the multitude, `Teacher, say to my brother to divide with me the inheritance.`

Luke 12:13 - Additional Comments

As Jesus moved toward Jerusalem, huge crowds were drawn to Him. Luke tells us that "a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another" (Luke 12:1). At the same time, His enemies had begun "to oppose Him fiercely and to besiege Him with questions, waiting to catch Him in something He might say" (11:53-54). In that context of popular acclaim and deep hostility, the Lord called His disciples to bold and fearless witness on His behalf (12:1-3).
One of the men in the crowd had little interest in such matters. He had come with a family problem that was related to an inheritance. Apparently he was the younger of two brothers. According to Jewish law, his older brother would have been both the executor of the estate and the largest recipient of the inheritance and would usually have tried to maintain the estate intact. But that wasn't the younger brother's plan. He wanted money of his own to use as he pleased.
Since it was common to bring disputed points of the law to an accredited rabbi, he blurted out his concern to Jesus: "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me". His words are revealing. He doesn't ask the Lord to make a judgment, but to side with him to provide ammunition against his brother. Like many since his time, he wanted to use Jesus to meet his monetary desires.
The Lord refused to be drawn into such a role: "Man, who appointed Me a judge or an arbiter between you?" (v.14). Jesus had no legal standing as an accredited rabbi to be involved in such cases. But more important, such a task was not part of His divine mission. As Leon Morris observes, "He came to bring men to God, not property to man".
That is an important truth to embrace when some teach us that believers can and should expect the Lord to provide physical well-being and prosperity. Even if this man was being wronged by his brother, getting his rights may not have been best for him. There is a deeper issue involved, and a greater danger than being cheated out of one's inheritance.
It is that danger the Lord had in mind when He turned from the man to the multitudes ("to them", verse 15): "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

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