Luke 12:13

One. That is, one of the “multitude” (see verse 1) that awaited Christ in the street outside the home of the Pharisee who had entertained Him (see chapter 11:37). This man who addressed Jesus had heard the Lord’s stern denunciations against the scribes and Pharisees (see chapter 11:39-52; COL 253) and His counsel to the disciples about appearing before magistrates (see chapter 12:11; cf. COL 252). He reasoned that if Jesus should speak to his brother with the same bold authority, he would not dare to do otherwise than what Jesus told him to do. He conceived of the gospel of the kingdom as nothing more than a means for furthering his own selfish interests. Compare the attitude of Simon Magus toward salvation (Acts 8:9-24).

Company. Greek ochlos, “crowd.” Ochlos is translated “people” in verse 1. For the chronological setting of this incident see on verse 1.

Speak to my brother. Rather, “order my brother.” Apparently both brothers were covetous; otherwise there would have been little likelihood of a quarrel between them.

Divide the inheritance. According to the Mosaic law of inheritance, the older brother received two shares of his father’s goods, and the remaining brother or brothers a single share each (see on Deuteronomy 21:17). Perhaps it was the younger son who in this case appealed to Jesus and objected to the older brother’s actually taking the double portion assigned to him by law.