Luke 12 · Verse 14

Luke 12:14

And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
Luke 12:14, King James Version

Luke 12:14 in other translations

BSBBut Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed Me judge or executor between you?”
WEBBut he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”
ASVBut he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
YLTAnd he said to him, ‘Man, who set me a judge or a divider over you?'
DARBYBut he said to him, Man, who established me as a judge or a divider over you?
BBEBut he said, Man, who made me a judge or a maker of decisions for you?
WebsterAnd he said to him, Man, who made me a judge, or a divider over you?

What does Luke 12:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. Man, &c.--Contrast this style of address with "my friends," (Lu 12:4). who, &c.--a question literally repudiating the office which Moses assumed (Ex 2:14). The influence of religious teachers in the external relations of life has ever been immense, when only the INDIRECT effect of their teaching; but whenever they intermeddle DIRECTLY with secular and political matters, the spell of that influence is broken.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 14. Who made me a judge? It is not my business to settle controversies of this kind. They are to be settled by the magistrate. Jesus came for another purpose--to preach the gospel, and so to bring men to a willingness to do right. Civil affairs are to be left to the magistrate. There is no doubt that Jesus could have told him what was right in this case, but then it would have been interfering with the proper office of the magistrates; it might have led him into controversy with the Jews; and it was, besides, evidently apart from the proper business of his life. We may remark, also, that the appropriate business of ministers of the gospel is to attend to spiritual concerns. They should have little to do with the temporal matters of the people. If they can persuade men who are at variance to be reconciled, it is right; but they have no power to take the place of a magistrate, and to settle contentions in a legal way.

(n) "Man, who made me a judge" Jn 18:25

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 A judge - Without some judgment given in the case, no division could be made; therefore Jesus added the word judge. Pearce. A minister of Christ ought not to concern himself with secular affairs, any farther than charity and the order of discipline require it. Our Lord could have decided this difference in a moment; but the example of a perfect disengagement from worldly things was more necessary for the ministers of his Church than that of a charity applying itself to temporal concerns. He who preaches salvation to all should never make himself a party man; otherwise he loses the confidence, and consequently the opportunity of doing good to the party against whom he decides. Better to leave all these things to the civil magistrate, unless where a lawsuit may be prevented, and the matter decided to the satisfaction or acquiescence of both parties.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 12:13-21

Christ's kingdom is spiritual, and not of this world. Christianity does not meddle with politics; it obliges all to do justly, but wordly dominion is not founded in grace. It does not encourage expectations of worldly advantages by religion. The rewards of Christ's disciples are of another nature. Covetousness is a sin we need constantly to be warned against; for happiness and comfort do not depend on the wealth of…

Read the full comment on Luke 12:13-21 →

Luke 12:14 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὁho<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
εἶπενeipenHe saidG2036
αὐτῷ·autōto him;G846
ἄνθρωπε,anthrōpeMan,G444
τίςtiswhoG5101
μεmeMeG3165
κατέστησενkatestēsenappointedG2525
κριτὴνkritēna judgeG2923
ἢēorG2228
μεριστὴνmeristēnpartitionerG3312
ἐφ᾽eph᾽overG1909
ὑμᾶς;¶humasyou?G4771

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 12:14

  • Romans 9:20

    Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

  • Romans 2:3

    And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

  • John 6:15

    When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

  • Exodus 2:14

    And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.

  • Romans 2:1

    Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

  • Luke 5:20

    And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

  • Micah 6:8

    He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

  • John 18:35-36

    Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

  • John 8:11

    She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

  • Luke 22:58

    And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Man.
5:20; 22:58; Ro 2:1,3; 9:20
who.
Ex 2:14; Joh 6:15; 8:11; 18:35,36

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 12:13

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

  • Luke 12:14

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

  • Luke 12:15

    And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Read all of Luke 12

Luke 12:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas él le dijo: Hombre, ¿quién me puso por juez ó partidor sobre vosotros?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais il lui dit: Homme, qui est-ce qui m’a établi sur vous pour être votre juge et pour faire vos partages?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er aber sprach zu ihm: Mensch, wer hat mich zu einem Richter oder Erbteiler über euch gesetzt?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		At ille dixit illi: Homo, quis me constituit judicem, aut divisorem super vos?