Greedy Heirs: Luke 12,13–15.16–21 between Hereditary Disputes and πλεονεξία

Abstract

The brief account of an inheritance dispute between brothers in Luke 12,13–15 marks a turning point in the broader discourse of Luke 12,1–34 and also serves as an introduction to the subsequent parable of the rich fool (12,16–21). The purpose of this study is threefold. First, a careful analysis of the scene shows how Luke employs the legal institution of the arbitratum to shape the episode. Second, nine petitions from Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt concerning inheritance disputes between siblings are selected in order to help imagine a similar social context in which familial greed could often degenerate into physical violence or other forms of abuse. Finally, the often neglected consequences of the problem of inheritance are explored in relation to the following parable, which curiously centers on a question from God about the future destination of goods (12,20b).