16:1 And
he said also unto his disciples, 1 There
was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him
that he had wasted his goods.
(1) Seeing that men often purchase friendship for
themselves at the expense of others, we are to be ashamed if we do not please
the Lord or procure the good will of our neighbours with the goods which the
Lord has bestowed on us freely and liberally, making sure that by this means
riches, which are often occasions of sin, are used for another end and
purpose.
16:8
And the lord commended a the unjust
steward, because he had done wisely: for the b
children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
(a) This parable does not approve the steward's
evil dealing, for it was definitely theft: but parables are set forth to show
a thing in a secret way, and as it were, to present the truth by means of an
allegory, even though it may not be exact: so that by this parable Christ
means to teach us that worldly men are more clever in the affairs of this
world than the children of God are diligent for everlasting life.
(b) Men that are given to this present life,
contrary to whom are the children of light: Paul calls the former carnal and
the latter spiritual.
16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends
of the mammon c of unrighteousness;
that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting d
habitations.
(c) This is not spoken of goods that are gotten
wrongly, for God will have our bountifulness to the poor proceed and come from
a good fountain: but he calls those things riches of iniquity which men use
wickedly.
(d) That is, the poor Christians: for they are
the inheritors of these habitations; Theophylact.
16:102 He
that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is
unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
(2) We ought to take heed that we do not abuse
our earthly work and duty and so be deprived of heavenly gifts: for how can
they properly use spiritual gifts who abuse worldly things?
16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the
unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the c
true [riches]?
(c) That is, heavenly and true riches, which are
contrary to material wealth which is worldly and quickly departing.
16:12 And if ye have not been faithful in that
which is f another man's, who shall
give you that which is your own?
(f) In worldly goods, which are called other
men's because they are not ours, but rather entrusted to our care.
16:133 No
servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the
other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve
God and mammon.
(3) No man can love God and riches
simultaneously.
16:154
And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God
knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination
in the sight of God.
(4) Our sins are not hidden to God, although they
may be hidden to men, yea although they may be hidden to those who committed
them.
16:165 The
law and the prophets [were] until John: since that time the kingdom of God is
preached, and every man presseth into it.
(5) The Pharisees despised the excellency of the
new covenant with respect to the old, being ignorant of the perfect
righteousness of the law; and Christ declares by the seventh commandment how
they were false expounders of the law.
16:18 Whosoever putteth away
his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her g
that is put away from [her] husband committeth adultery.
(g) They that gather by this passage that a man
cannot be married again after he has divorced his wife for adultery, while she
lives, reason incorrectly: for Christ speaks of those divorces which the Jews
had which were not because of adultery, for adulterers were put to death by
the law.
16:196
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in h
purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
(6) The end of the poverty and misery of the
godly will be everlasting joy, as the end of riotous living and the cruel
pride of the rich will be everlasting misery, without any hope of mercy.
(h) Very gorgeously and sumptuously, for purple
garments were costly, and this fine linen, which was a kind of linen that came
out of Achaia, was as precious as gold.
16:23
And in hell i he lift up his eyes, being
in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
(i) Heavenly and spiritual things are expressed
and set forth using language fit for our senses.
16:277 Then he said, I pray thee therefore,
father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
(7) Seeing that we have a most sure rule to live
by, laid forth for us in the word of God, men seek rashly and vainly for other
revelations.
Luke 16 Bible Commentary
The Geneva Study Bible
(1) Seeing that men often purchase friendship for themselves at the expense of others, we are to be ashamed if we do not please the Lord or procure the good will of our neighbours with the goods which the Lord has bestowed on us freely and liberally, making sure that by this means riches, which are often occasions of sin, are used for another end and purpose.
16:8 And the lord commended a the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the b children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
(a) This parable does not approve the steward's evil dealing, for it was definitely theft: but parables are set forth to show a thing in a secret way, and as it were, to present the truth by means of an allegory, even though it may not be exact: so that by this parable Christ means to teach us that worldly men are more clever in the affairs of this world than the children of God are diligent for everlasting life.
(b) Men that are given to this present life, contrary to whom are the children of light: Paul calls the former carnal and the latter spiritual.
16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon c of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting d habitations.
(c) This is not spoken of goods that are gotten wrongly, for God will have our bountifulness to the poor proceed and come from a good fountain: but he calls those things riches of iniquity which men use wickedly.
(d) That is, the poor Christians: for they are the inheritors of these habitations; Theophylact.
16:10 2 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
(2) We ought to take heed that we do not abuse our earthly work and duty and so be deprived of heavenly gifts: for how can they properly use spiritual gifts who abuse worldly things?
16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the c true [riches]?
(c) That is, heavenly and true riches, which are contrary to material wealth which is worldly and quickly departing.
16:12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is f another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
(f) In worldly goods, which are called other men's because they are not ours, but rather entrusted to our care.
16:13 3 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
(3) No man can love God and riches simultaneously.
16:15 4 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
(4) Our sins are not hidden to God, although they may be hidden to men, yea although they may be hidden to those who committed them.
16:16 5 The law and the prophets [were] until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
(5) The Pharisees despised the excellency of the new covenant with respect to the old, being ignorant of the perfect righteousness of the law; and Christ declares by the seventh commandment how they were false expounders of the law.
16:18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her g that is put away from [her] husband committeth adultery.
(g) They that gather by this passage that a man cannot be married again after he has divorced his wife for adultery, while she lives, reason incorrectly: for Christ speaks of those divorces which the Jews had which were not because of adultery, for adulterers were put to death by the law.
16:19 6 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in h purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
(6) The end of the poverty and misery of the godly will be everlasting joy, as the end of riotous living and the cruel pride of the rich will be everlasting misery, without any hope of mercy.
(h) Very gorgeously and sumptuously, for purple garments were costly, and this fine linen, which was a kind of linen that came out of Achaia, was as precious as gold.
16:23 And in hell i he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
(i) Heavenly and spiritual things are expressed and set forth using language fit for our senses.
16:27 7 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
(7) Seeing that we have a most sure rule to live by, laid forth for us in the word of God, men seek rashly and vainly for other revelations.