Fighting over the Inheritance- Luke 11-12

 Luke 12:13-15 (ESV)

The Parable of the Rich Fool

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

First, imagine this actually taking place.  Can you imagine a Sunday morning church service and right in the middle of the teaching time some one shouts out to the teacher, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”    That is quite amazing.   

Second, there has obviously been a death in this family.  Others around Christ are asking for the dead to raised again.  Others want a real miracle.  This guy wants a mediator for financial gain.   There is nothing like a death, however, to divide families via the distribution of the inheritance.  

Third, Jesus ignores points #1 and #2.   He uses this moment as a teaching moment to not just the man but those who are listening.  This man, and others (including us), need to know that point here is the man’s coveting of treasure.   It might have been his by law. It might have been a legitimate desire.  Perhaps his brother was a thief and was actually taking his and other family members’ right due.   That does not spark Jesus’ teaching however.  He goes right for the man’s heart of coveting treasure (whether earned, deserved or not).   Jesus takes the man to the last of the 10 Commandments: Thou Shalt Not Covet!   The man’s heart is not right.   Jesus goes on to give him and all listening a parable about a man who accumulated a lot of goods and thought he was okay and could relax in life.  That is the time his accumulation meant nothing since God would take his life before he could enjoy them.   Jesus conclusion for this guy and all those listening?

Luke 12:20-21 (ESV)

But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

To Jesus the man’s request for arbitration was not a matter of the law, but a matter of the heart.