The Meaning of Luke 12:14 Explained

Luke 12:14

KJV: And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

YLT: And he said to him, 'Man, who set me a judge or a divider over you?'

Darby: But he said to him, Man, who established me as a judge or a divider over you?

ASV: But he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  he said  unto him,  Man,  who  made  me  a judge  or  a divider  over  you? 

What does Luke 12:14 Mean?

Verse Meaning

By asking this question, Jesus forced the man to consider who Jesus was. This was the fundamental issue for this man. He had appealed to Jesus as a Judges , as the Jews often appealed to rabbis to settle such disputes. [1] Jesus asked if he realized what He was doing. Really God had appointed Jesus as this man"s judge as well as everyone else"s judge. Hopefully the man faced the question of Jesus" authority over him and became a believer, but this was not Luke"s concern in recording this incident.
By answering as He did, Jesus was also refusing to pass judgment on the situation the man had presented to Him. He was competent to deal with it, but He refused to do so because He wanted to deal with another issue, namely, the man"s materialism.
"He [2] came to bring men to God, not to bring property to men." [3]

Context Summary

Luke 12:13-21 - The Doom Of The Money Lover
Our Lord did not come into our world as an earthly judge, adjusting differences between man and man. He lays down great principles, obedience to which will bring heaven into human lives. One of the greatest of these is here enunciated in Luke 12:15. Covetousness is as much a temptation of the poor man who is wronged as of his rich oppressor; and love for money will inevitably, in poor and rich, becloud the vision and disturb the inner peace. The worth of a man cannot be computed by the amount that stands to his credit. Not what you have but what you are! That is your value in the eyes of God. Some men live to get; see to it that you live to be.
It is absurd to suppose that the soul can take its ease, just because its barns are bursting with goods. Goods are not good! The soul cannot live on corn! Merriment cannot come to a heart that is smitten by remorse and shadowed by the remonstrances of an evil conscience! Besides, we cannot take with us our possessions when we cross the river. We can only take our character-our things pass into other hands. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 12

1  Jesus preaches to his apostles to avoid hypocrisy
13  and warns against covetousness, by the parable of the man who set up greater barns
22  We must not worry about earthly things,
31  but seek the kingdom of God;
33  give alms;
35  be ready at a knock to open to our Lord whensoever he comes
41  Jesus' disciples are to see to their charges,
49  and look for persecution
54  The people must take this time of grace;
57  because it is a fearful thing to die without reconciliation

Greek Commentary for Luke 12:14

A judge or a divider [κριτην η μεριστην]
Jesus repudiates the position of judge or arbiter in this family fuss. The language reminds one of Exodus 2:14. Jesus is rendering unto Caesar the things of Caesar (Luke 20:25) and shows that his kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). The word for divider or arbiter (μεριστης — meristēs) is a late word from μεριζομαι — merizomai (Luke 12:13) and occurs here only in the N.T. [source]
Made [κατέστησεν]
Appointed or constituted. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 12:14

Luke 12:44 Over all [επι πασιν]
See Matthew 24:47 for επι — epi with locative in this sense. Usually with genitive as in Luke 12:42 and sometimes with accusative as in Luke 12:14. [source]
Titus 1:5 Ordain elders [καταστήσῃς πρεσβυτέρους]
Καθιστάναι appointor constitute. In Paul only Romans 5:19. For the sense here comp. Matthew 24:45, Matthew 24:47; Luke 12:14; Acts 6:3. The meaning of the injunction is, that Titus should appoint, out of the number of elderly men of approved Christian reputation, certain ones to be overseers ( ἐπίσκοποι ) of the churches in the several cities. The eldership was not a distinct church office. See on 1 Timothy 5:1. [source]
1 Peter 4:15 A busybody in other men's matters [ἀλλοτριοεπίσκοπος]
Only here in New Testament. Lit., the overseer of another's matters. One who usurps authority in matters not within his province. Rev., meddler. Compare Luke 12:13, Luke 12:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:11. It may refer to the officious interference of Christians in the affairs of their Gentile neighbors, through excess of zeal to conform them to the Christian standard. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 12:14 mean?

- And He said to him Man who Me appointed a judge or partitioner over you
δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἄνθρωπε τίς με κατέστησεν κριτὴν μεριστὴν ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς

  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
εἶπεν  He  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
αὐτῷ  to  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
Ἄνθρωπε  Man 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
με  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
κατέστησεν  appointed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: καθιστάνω 
Sense: to set, place, put.
κριτὴν  a  judge 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: κριτής  
Sense: one who passes or arrogates to himself, judgment on anything.
μεριστὴν  partitioner 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: μεριστής  
Sense: a divider.
ἐφ’  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.