JESUS DID not stay long in the village of Ephraim. He went down the mountains to the river Jordan, crossed it, and began preaching in the land of Perea, going to the places where his seventy messengers had given the news of his coming.
Everywhere the people thronged in great crowds to see him and to hear him. The rich and the poor met in the crowd, the rulers and the common people, the Pharisees who were his enemies, and the publicans or tax-collectors who had been leading lives full of sin. There was a great desire among the people to listen to the Teacher and Prophet from Galilee, of whom they had heard so much, and whom they had not seen before. Many went to see him because they believed that he was the long-looked-for Christ, who was at last on his way to Jerusalem to sit on his throne and rule all the lands. So great were the crowds to see and hear Jesus that it is said that the thousands trod on each other around him.
While he was speaking in one place to a great multitude of people, a voice was heard from the throng.
"Teacher," cried out a man, "tell my brother to divide with me the property which belongs to our family."
This man supposed that Jesus, being the King of Israel, would rule in all matters of difference between the people. But Jesus answered him:
"Man, who made me a judge or a settler of disputes over your affairs?"
Then he added, "Take care to avoid the love of money; for no matter how rich one may be, his true life does not depend on what he owns."
Home of a rich man in Palestine
And he gave to them the parable or story of "The Poor Rich Man." He said: