Inheritance

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(heirship). [HEIR.]

Concise Bible Dictionary:

The land of promise is constantly spoken of as the inheritance of Israel: the land flowing with milk and honey was given to them by God (Deut. 4:21²¹Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance: (Deuteronomy 4:21); Psa. 105:11,¹¹Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance: (Psalm 105:11) and more). So when Israel returns to take possession of the land in a future day, it is still called their inheritance (Ezek. 45:1,¹Moreover, when ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, ye shall offer an oblation unto the Lord, an holy portion of the land: the length shall be the length of five and twenty thousand reeds, and the breadth shall be ten thousand. This shall be holy in all the borders thereof round about. (Ezekiel 45:1) and more). This all shows that they were and will be an earthly people, but God blessed them on earth in relationship with Himself as Jehovah, and will again bless them on earth when they own the Lord Jesus as their Messiah. In connection with this God calls Israel His inheritance: He hath chosen them for His own inheritance (Psa. 33:12¹²Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. (Psalm 33:12); Psa. 78:62,⁶²He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance. (Psalm 78:62) and more).

The Christian has no inheritance on earth; his inheritance is with the saints in light (Col. 1:12¹²Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: (Colossians 1:12)): an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven (1 Pet. 1:4⁴To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, (1 Peter 1:4)). In the meanwhile the Holy Spirit is given as the earnest of the inheritance (Eph. 1:14¹⁴Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:14)). It is in Christ Himself the inheritance is obtained, for the Lord Jesus will possess all things in heaven and in earth (Eph. 1:18¹⁸The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, (Ephesians 1:18)).

From Anstey’s Doctrinal Definitions:

There are two aspects of the Christian’s inheritance in the New Testament:

• It is material things—i.e. every created thing in heaven and on earth (Eph. 1:11, 14, 18¹¹In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: (Ephesians 1:11)
¹⁴Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:14)
¹⁸The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, (Ephesians 1:18); Col. 3:24²⁴Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:24)).

• It is spiritual things that believers possess in Christ—i.e. our spiritual blessings (Acts 20:32; 26:18³²And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. (Acts 20:32)
¹⁸To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Acts 26:18); Col. 1:12¹²Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: (Colossians 1:12); 1 Peter 1:4⁴To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, (1 Peter 1:4)).

Viewed as material things, it is called “His (Christ’s) inheritance” (Eph. 1:18¹⁸The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, (Ephesians 1:18)) and “our inheritance” (Eph. 1:14¹⁴Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:14)) because we are “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17¹⁷And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:17)). Paul said, “All things are yours” (1 Cor. 3:21²¹Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; (1 Corinthians 3:21)), and this includes the inheritance. It is something that is ours now (Eph. 1:11¹¹In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: (Ephesians 1:11) – “we have obtained an inheritance”). It has been purchased for us by Christ’s work on the cross (Heb. 2:9⁹But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9) – “tasted death for every thing”). However, while it belongs to us now, it has yet to be redeemed (Eph. 1:14¹⁴Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:14)). The redemption of the inheritance has to do with Christ’s setting it free from sin, Satan, and the world, so that it can be used for the display of His glory in the world to come (the Millennium). This will occur at the Appearing of Christ through His warrior-judgments.

Viewed as spiritual things, the inheritance has to do with what believers possess spiritually in Christ—i.e. our spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (Ephesians 1:3)). Acts 26:18¹⁸To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Acts 26:18); Colossians 1:12¹²Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: (Colossians 1:12); and 1 Peter 1:4⁴To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, (1 Peter 1:4) speak of it in this way. The J. N. Darby Translation renders it “a portion” in Acts 26:18¹⁸To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Acts 26:18) and Colossians 1:12¹²Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: (Colossians 1:12) to distinguish it from the material side of inheritance. Seen from the perspective of the Christian being on earth, this aspect of the inheritance is viewed as being “in heaven.” J. N. Darby said, “The inheritance is the inheritance of all things that Christ created. But in 1 Peter, or in Colossians 1, the thing is in heaven” (Notes and Jottings, p. 101).

From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

Luke 15:12¹²And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. (Luke 15:12). The younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

Neither Jewish nor Roman law permitted the father to have the arbitrary disposal of all his estate. The property was entailed on the sons at the father’s death, the daughters not being allowed to inherit unless there were no sons. See Genesis 31:14¹⁴And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? (Genesis 31:14); Numbers 27:8⁸And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter. (Numbers 27:8). The general application to this law is seen in the fact that, when Job gave an inheritance to his daughters as well as to his sons, special mention is made of the act as though it were a remarkable occurrence. See Job 42:15¹⁵And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. (Job 42:15). The first-born son received a double share. See Deuteronomy 21:17¹⁷But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his. (Deuteronomy 21:17).

Some commentators, in illustrating this text, suppose that the sons had a right to demand a division of the property during the father’s life-time, and that the father could not refuse such a demand. The text, however, does not necessarily imply this. For all that here appears, it may have been merely a request urged by the son and granted by the father. There is nothing to show that the father was compelled to comply. He did comply, it is true but whether by compulsion or of his own volition is not stated. Mr. Burder (Oriental Customs, 1086) gives an extract from Halbed’s Code of Gentoo Laws, in which it is stated that under certain circumstances the sons had a right to demand of their father a division of his property during his lifetime. There is no evidence, however, that either Jews or Romans had any such law, though they may have been acquainted with it as existing in India.

The verisimilitude of the parable is sufficiently observed, without any reference to a law of compulsion, by supposing it customary sometimes for fathers of their own volition to divide their estate among their sons. This is said to have been sometimes done among the Romans, and that it may have been an occasional custom among the Jews is evident from the example of Abraham, who “gave all that he had” to his son Isaac. See Genesis 24:36; 25:5³⁶And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath. (Genesis 24:36)
⁵And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. (Genesis 25:5).

Inheritance

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

Concise Bible Dictionary:

From Anstey’s Doctrinal Definitions:

From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

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