Matins Devotion: May 20, 2025

Luke 12:13-34

“Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you.” It’s a rather funny response Jesus gives the man who wants Him to tell his brother to divide his inheritance. Who made Jesus a judge? His Father did. Jesus has authority over all things. There is no area where He doesn’t have the right to judge between disputes. Jesus has very much come to be the all-encompassing judge over all mankind. That’s on the one hand.

On the other hand, what is this man actually asking Jesus to do? He’s not asking Jesus to judge, to weigh the evidence, to find truth and make peace. He’s asking Jesus to share the conclusion the man has already reached. He’s innocent. His brother is guilty. He deserves more money, his brother less. And so, in the end, the man doesn’t want Jesus to be a judge. He wants Jesus to be a sycophant, a revenue stream. He wants Jesus to reaffirm him in his victimhood, in his greed, in his bitterness. And Jesus has no interest in doing this.

So don’t ask Jesus to be a false judge in your foolish wars of sin, a judge who dutifully reads the verdict you’ve already written. Don’t use Jesus as a tool to gain access to the vices that will kill you. He will not draw near to you in response to such a request.

But ask Him to be your advocate, and He will draw near. Ask Him to be your defender, to speak to His Father the judge and declare you worthy of eternal life, and He will. Please for the blood He already gave you, the blood that took away your every sin, the blood that made you holy and pure, and He will provide it. Jesus Christ has all authority to judge and arbitrate. Beg Him to use that authority to save you. And He will.