“Who made Me a judge?”
Covetousness. The Rich Fool. Be not anxious.
(The Gospel History, Section 99)
And one out of the multitude said unto him, Master, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me. But he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
Commentary by J. R. Dummelow
Lk 12:13—21. Parable of the rich fool (peculiar to Lk). The parable teaches that since death and judgment are inevitable, men ought to devote their attention to laying up treasure in heaven, not on earth.
Lk 12:13. Divide the inheritance] Such questions were decided by the ‘bench of three’ of the local synagogues. Christ, as usual, refuses to be drawn into any political or semi-political action. The unseasonable request of the man (he appears to have interrupted our Lord’s discourse to make it), showed that his mind was too much set upon worldly things. 14. Who made me?] Cp. Ex 2:14.
“Who made Me a judge?”
(The Saviour of the World, Vol VI Book IV Poem XLV
A man stood there who knew the Judge at hand,
He, also, though his mean concern was all
For his advantage. “Master,” then spake he,
From hot resentful soul, “our father’s dead,
My brother hath seized on all belonged to him;
A word from Thee shall serve; bid him, I pray,
That he divide th’ inheritance with me.”
The listening crowd knew that the man spake truth,
Made sure their Rabbi, wise, would intervene,
And right a crying wrong. Christ taught two truths
Better than all inheritance of wealth,
And lasting through the ages. “Man,” He said,
“Who made Me judge or divider over you?
If an estate’s in dispute, there is the law
And the appointed judges; bid them act;
The powers that be, they are ordained of God?
Consider, what is this inheritance
The thought of which consumes thee with unrest?
A little land, a house, some furnishings—
Small price be these would a man sell his soul!
But ye shall keep your soul a holy place
Where goeth out and in the Lord your God!”
St. Luke xii. 13, 14.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | RSS