Luke 16

1 dicebat autem et ad discipulos suos homo quidam erat dives qui habebat vilicum et hic diffamatus est apud illum quasi dissipasset bona ipsius

2 et vocavit illum et ait illi quid hoc audio de te redde rationem vilicationis tuae iam enim non poteris vilicare

3 ait autem vilicus intra se quid faciam quia dominus meus aufert a me vilicationem fodere non valeo mendicare erubesco

4 scio quid faciam ut cum amotus fuero a vilicatione recipiant me in domos suas

5 convocatis itaque singulis debitoribus domini sui dicebat primo quantum debes domino meo

6 at ille dixit centum cados olei dixitque illi accipe cautionem tuam et sede cito scribe quinquaginta

7 deinde alio dixit tu vero quantum debes qui ait centum choros tritici ait illi accipe litteras tuas et scribe octoginta

8 et laudavit dominus vilicum iniquitatis quia prudenter fecisset quia filii huius saeculi prudentiores filiis lucis in generatione sua sunt

9 et ego vobis dico facite vobis amicos de mamona iniquitatis ut cum defeceritis recipiant vos in aeterna tabernacula

10 qui fidelis est in minimo et in maiori fidelis est et qui in modico iniquus est et in maiori iniquus est

11 si ergo in iniquo mamona fideles non fuistis quod verum est quis credet vobis

12 et si in alieno fideles non fuistis quod vestrum est quis dabit vobis

13 nemo servus potest duobus dominis servire aut enim unum odiet et alterum diliget aut uni adherebit et alterum contemnet non potestis Deo servire et mamonae

14 audiebant autem omnia haec Pharisaei qui erant avari et deridebant illum

15 et ait illis vos estis qui iustificatis vos coram hominibus Deus autem novit corda vestra quia quod hominibus altum est abominatio est ante Deum

16 lex et prophetae usque ad Iohannem ex eo regnum Dei evangelizatur et omnis in illud vim facit

17 facilius est autem caelum et terram praeterire quam de lege unum apicem cadere

18 omnis qui dimittit uxorem suam et ducit alteram moechatur et qui dimissam a viro ducit moechatur

19 homo quidam erat dives et induebatur purpura et bysso et epulabatur cotidie splendide

20 et erat quidam mendicus nomine Lazarus qui iacebat ad ianuam eius ulceribus plenus

21 cupiens saturari de micis quae cadebant de mensa divitis sed et canes veniebant et lingebant ulcera eius

22 factum est autem ut moreretur mendicus et portaretur ab angelis in sinum Abrahae mortuus est autem et dives et sepultus est in inferno

23 elevans oculos suos cum esset in tormentis videbat Abraham a longe et Lazarum in sinu eius

24 et ipse clamans dixit pater Abraham miserere mei et mitte Lazarum ut intinguat extremum digiti sui in aqua ut refrigeret linguam meam quia crucior in hac flamma

25 et dixit illi Abraham fili recordare quia recepisti bona in vita tua et Lazarus similiter mala nunc autem hic consolatur tu vero cruciaris

26 et in his omnibus inter nos et vos chasma magnum firmatum est ut hii qui volunt hinc transire ad vos non possint neque inde huc transmeare

27 et ait rogo ergo te pater ut mittas eum in domum patris mei

28 habeo enim quinque fratres ut testetur illis ne et ipsi veniant in locum hunc tormentorum

29 et ait illi Abraham habent Mosen et prophetas audiant illos

30 at ille dixit non pater Abraham sed si quis ex mortuis ierit ad eos paenitentiam agent

31 ait autem illi si Mosen et prophetas non audiunt neque si quis ex mortuis resurrexerit credent

Luke 16 Commentary

Chapter 16

The parable of the unjust steward. (1-12) Christ reproves the hypocrisy of the covetous Pharisees. (13-18) The rich man and Lazarus. (19-31)

Verses 1-12 Whatever we have, the property of it is God's; we have only the use of it, according to the direction of our great Lord, and for his honour. This steward wasted his lord's goods. And we are all liable to the same charge; we have not made due improvement of what God has trusted us with. The steward cannot deny it; he must make up his accounts, and be gone. This may teach us that death will come, and deprive us of the opportunities we now have. The steward will make friends of his lord's debtors or tenants, by striking off a considerable part of their debt to his lord. The lord referred to in this parable commended not the fraud, but the policy of the steward. In that respect alone is it so noticed. Worldly men, in the choice of their object, are foolish; but in their activity, and perseverance, they are often wiser than believers. The unjust steward is not set before us as an example in cheating his master, or to justify any dishonesty, but to point out the careful ways of worldly men. It would be well if the children of light would learn wisdom from the men of the world, and would as earnestly pursue their better object. The true riches signify spiritual blessings; and if a man spends upon himself, or hoards up what God has trusted to him, as to outward things, what evidence can he have, that he is an heir of God through Christ? The riches of this world are deceitful and uncertain. Let us be convinced that those are truly rich, and very rich, who are rich in faith, and rich toward God, rich in Christ, in the promises; let us then lay up our treasure in heaven, and expect our portion from thence.

Verses 13-18 To this parable our Lord added a solemn warning. Ye cannot serve God and the world, so divided are the two interests. When our Lord spoke thus, the covetous Pharisees treated his instructions with contempt. But he warned them, that what they contended for as the law, was a wresting of its meaning: this our Lord showed in a case respecting divorce. There are many covetous sticklers for the forms of godliness, who are the bitterest enemies to its power, and try to set others against the truth.

Verses 19-31 Here the spiritual things are represented, in a description of the different state of good and bad, in this world and in the other. We are not told that the rich man got his estate by fraud, or oppression; but Christ shows, that a man may have a great deal of the wealth, pomp, and pleasure of this world, yet perish for ever under God's wrath and curse. The sin of this rich man was his providing for himself only. Here is a godly man, and one that will hereafter be happy for ever, in the depth of adversity and distress. It is often the lot of some of the dearest of God's saints and servants to be greatly afflicted in this world. We are not told that the rich man did him any harm, but we do not find that he had any care for him. Here is the different condition of this godly poor man, and this wicked rich man, at and after death. The rich man in hell lifted up his eyes, being in torment. It is not probable that there are discourses between glorified saints and damned sinners, but this dialogue shows the hopeless misery and fruitless desires, to which condemned spirits are brought. There is a day coming, when those who now hate and despise the people of God, would gladly receive kindness from them. But the damned in hell shall not have the least abatement of their torment. Sinners are now called upon to remember; but they do not, they will not, they find ways to avoid it. As wicked people have good things only in this life, and at death are for ever separated from all good, so godly people have evil things only in this life, and at death they are for ever put from them. In this world, blessed be God, there is no gulf between a state of nature and grace, we may pass from sin to God; but if we die in our sins, there is no coming out. The rich man had five brethren, and would have them stopped in their sinful course; their coming to that place of torment, would make his misery the worse, who had helped to show them the way thither. How many would now desire to recall or to undo what they have written or done! Those who would make the rich man's praying to Abraham justify praying to saints departed, go far to seek for proofs, when the mistake of a damned sinner is all they can find for an example. And surely there is no encouragement to follow the example, when all his prayers were made in vain. A messenger from the dead could say no more than what is said in the Scriptures. The same strength of corruption that breaks through the convictions of the written word, would triumph over a witness from the dead. Let us seek to the law and to the testimony, ( isaiah 8:19 isaiah 8:20 ) , for that is the ( 2 Peter. 1:19 ) Circumstances in every age show that no terrors, or arguments, can give true repentance without the special grace of God renewing the sinner's heart.