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Luke

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Luke 16

Commentary · verses 1-13

Verses 1-13: the Parable of the Unjust Steward.

1And he said also unto the disciples, There was a certain rich man, who had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he was wasting his goods.

2And he called him, and said unto him, What is this that I hear of thee? render the account of thy stewardship; for thou canst be no longer steward.

1And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.

2And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.

Commentary · verse 2

It seemed the steward was not a good "steward" of his responsibilities.

3And the steward said within himself, What shall I do, seeing that my lord taketh away the stewardship from me? I have not strength to dig; to beg I am ashamed.

4I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.

5And calling to him each one of his lord’s debtors, he said to the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?

6And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bond, and sit down quickly and write fifty.

7Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. He saith unto him, Take thy bond, and write fourscore.

3Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.

4I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.

5So he called every one of his lord’s debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?

6And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.

7Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.

Commentary · verse 7

The steward used his position to forgive debts of others so that those people would give to him once he lost his job.

8And his lord commended the unrighteous steward because he had done wisely: for the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light.

8And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

Commentary · verse 8

The lord commended the steward because he understood Justice well enough to benefit from it in the long term. This parable also could have been directed at the Pharisees that were present who should have realized they were going to be removed by God and should have been "forgiving" Jesus' followers so that these followers would include these Pharisees in this new move of God.

9And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles.

10He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much.

9And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

10He 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.

Commentary · verse 10

The wise people are those who recognize the physical ought to be used to build spiritual value. Those who are faithful with little will be faithful with much. Those who are unjust with little will be unjust with much.

11If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

12And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?

13No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

11If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

12And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?

13No 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.

Commentary · verse 13

Jesus used the principle of non-contradiction to show us that you cannot serve God and mammon (money). We ought to serve God; money ought to serve us.

14And the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things; and they scoffed at him.

14And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

Commentary · verse 14

The Pharisees heard Jesus and scoffed (derided; turn up your nose) at Him. They equated God with money. Clearly Jesus' words were bringing conviction to the Pharisees.

15And he said unto them, Ye are they that justify yourselves in the sight of men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

15And 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.

Commentary · verse 15

The Pharisees were justifying themselves and not God, and they believed that justifying themselves did justify God.

16The law and the prophets were until John: from that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and every man entereth violently into it.

16The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

Commentary · verse 16

John the Baptist was the beginning of the widening of God's Doctrine beyond the Law.

17But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one tittle of the law to fall.

17And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.

Commentary · verse 17

Jesus was fulfilling the Law and widening it. Jesus did not believe doing the Law resulted in sin.

Doctrines on this passage

18Every one that putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth one that is put away from a husband committeth adultery.

18Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.

Commentary · verse 18

Doctrine: Putting away is the ending of the Marriage Covenant and the removal of one of the spouses from the greater community because of unbelief. Divorce, according to the Law, was the ending of the Marriage Covenant between believing spouses with both spouses remaining in community and able to remarry. If Jesus used the word "divorce" instead of "putting away," then Jesus would have been stating that doing the Law (divorce in Deuteronomy 24) resulted in sin, which would have contradicted Jesus' statement in verse 17. If believing spouses do not divorce, but instead put each other away, God still considers them to be married and any sexual intercourse after that to be adultery.

Putting Away and Divorce are two separate Doctrine.

19Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, faring sumptuously every day: 20and a certain beggar named Lazarus was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table; yea, even the dogs came and licked his sores.

19There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

Commentary · verses 19-21

Jesus was telling a historical fact. He gave specific names and did not begin this story with a metaphorical introduction such as: "...it is like a man sitting..." Instead, Jesus began this teaching with the line: "There was a certain rich man"...and there was "a certain beggar named Lazarus". This really happened.

22And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: and the rich man also died, and was buried.

22And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

Commentary · verse 22

"Abraham's Bosom" was the "holding place" in hell for the Righteous men and women before Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus first descended and led captivity captive (those in Abraham's Bosom) before He ascended (Ephesians 4:8-10). There are two more compartments in hell. One is called Hades and is where those who face eternal damnation are held. The other is called Tartarus and is for fallen angels according to Jude 1:6.

23And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.

23And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

Commentary · verses 23-24

Notice, these people still had physical attributes and felt physical sensations.

25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things: but now here he is comforted, and thou art in anguish.

26And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they that would pass from hence to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from thence to us.

25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

26And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

Commentary · verses 25-26

There was a great gulf that prevented people from leaving their compartment.

27And he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house; 28for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29But Abraham saith, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

27Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:

28For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

Commentary · verses 27-29

Moses (Torah) and the prophets (major and minor) ought to motivate us to avoid ending up in torment.

30And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent.

31And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, if one rise from the dead.

30And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

31And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Commentary · verses 30-31

A great miracle (someone raised from the dead) would have no effect on those who are determined not to believe, on those who resist everything written by Moses and the prophets. Belief leading to repentance is founded in a humble heart from a humble thought process. Someone in pride cannot be persuaded of anything other than what they already believe.

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