Luke 16:1

Unto the disciples (kai pro tou maqhta). The three preceding parables in chapter 15 exposed the special faults of the Pharisees, "their hard exclusiveness, self-righteousness, and contempt for others" (Plummer). This parable is given by Luke alone. The kai (also) is not translated in the Revised Version. It seems to mean that at this same time, after speaking to the Pharisees (chapter 15), Jesus proceeds to speak a parable to the disciples ( Matthew 16:1-13 ), the parable of the Unjust Steward. It is a hard parable to explain, but Jesus opens the door by the key in verse Matthew 9 . Which had a steward (o hcen oikonomon). Imperfect active, continued to have. Steward is house-manager or overseer of an estate as already seen in Luke 12:42 . Was accused (dieblhqh). First aorist indicative passive, of diaballw, an old verb, but here only in the N.T. It means to throw across or back and forth, rocks or words and so to slander by gossip. The word implies malice even if the thing said is true. The word diabolo (slanderer) is this same root and it is used even of women, she-devils ( 1 Timothy 3:11 ). That he was wasting (w diaskorpizwn). For the verb see on 15:13|. The use of w with the participle is a fine Greek idiom for giving the alleged ground of a charge against one. His goods (ta uparconta autou). "His belongings," a Lukan idiom.