1 And G1161 he said G3004 also G2532 unto G4314 his G846 disciples, G3101 There was G2258 a certain G5100 rich G4145 man, G444 which G3739 had G2192 a steward; G3623 and G2532 the same G3778 was accused G1225 unto him G846 that G5613 he had wasted G1287 his G846 goods. G5224
2 And G2532 he called G5455 him, G846 and said G2036 unto him, G846 How G5101 is it that I hear G191 this G5124 of G4012 thee? G4675 give G591 an account G3056 of thy G4675 stewardship; G3622 for G1063 thou mayest be G1410 no G3756 longer G2089 steward. G3621
3 Then G1161 the steward G3623 said G2036 within G1722 himself, G1438 What G5101 shall I do? G4160 for G3754 my G3450 lord G2962 taketh away G851 from G575 me G1700 the stewardship: G3622 I cannot G3756 G2480 dig; G4626 to beg G1871 I am ashamed. G153
4 I am resolved G1097 what G5101 to do, G4160 that, G2443 when G3752 I am put out G3179 of the stewardship, G3622 they may receive G1209 me G3165 into G1519 their G846 houses. G3624
5 So G2532 he called G4341 every G1538 one G1520 of his G1438 lord's G2962 debtors G5533 unto him, and said G3004 unto the first, G4413 How much G4214 owest thou G3784 unto my G3450 lord? G2962
6 And G1161 he said, G2036 An hundred G1540 measures G943 of oil. G1637 And G2532 he said G2036 unto him, G846 Take G1209 thy G4675 bill, G1121 and G2532 sit down G2523 quickly, G5030 and write G1125 fifty. G4004
7 Then G1899 said he G2036 to another, G2087 And G1161 how much G4214 owest G3784 thou? G4771 And G1161 he said, G2036 An hundred G1540 measures G2884 of wheat. G4621 And G2532 he said G3004 unto him, G846 Take G1209 thy G4675 bill, G1121 and G2532 write G1125 fourscore. G3589
8 And G2532 the lord G2962 commended G1867 the unjust G93 steward, G3623 because G3754 he had done G4160 wisely: G5430 for G3754 the children G5207 of this G5127 world G165 are G1526 in G1519 their G1438 generation G1074 wiser G5429 than G5228 the children G5207 of light. G5457
9 And I G2504 say G3004 unto you, G5213 Make G4160 to yourselves G1438 friends G5384 of G1537 the mammon G3126 of unrighteousness; G93 that, G2443 when G3752 ye fail, G1587 they may receive G1209 you G5209 into G1519 everlasting G166 habitations. G4633
10 He that is faithful G4103 in G1722 that which is least G1646 is G2076 faithful G4103 also G2532 in G1722 much: G4183 and G2532 he that is unjust G94 in G1722 the least G1646 is G2076 unjust G94 also G2532 in G1722 much. G4183
11 If G1487 therefore G3767 ye have G1096 not G3756 been G1096 faithful G4103 in G1722 the unrighteous G94 mammon, G3126 who G5101 will commit G4100 to your G5213 trust G4100 the true G228 riches?
12 And G2532 if G1487 ye have G1096 not G3756 been G1096 faithful G4103 in G1722 that which is another man's, G245 who G5101 shall give G1325 you G5213 that which is your own? G5212
13 No G3762 servant G3610 can G1410 serve G1398 two G1417 masters: G2962 for G1063 either G2228 he will hate G3404 the one, G1520 and G2532 love G25 the other; G2087 or else G2228 he will hold G472 to the one, G1520 and G2532 despise G2706 the other. G2087 Ye cannot G3756 G1410 serve G1398 God G2316 and G2532 mammon. G3126
14 And G1161 the Pharisees G5330 also, G2532 who were G5225 covetous, G5366 heard G191 all G3956 these things: G5023 and G2532 they derided G1592 him. G846
15 And G2532 he said G2036 unto them, G846 Ye G5210 are G2075 they which justify G1344 yourselves G1438 before G1799 men; G444 but G1161 God G2316 knoweth G1097 your G5216 hearts: G2588 for G3754 that which is highly esteemed G5308 among G1722 men G444 is G2076 abomination G946 in the sight G1799 of God. G2316
16 The law G3551 and G2532 the prophets G4396 were until G2193 John: G2491 since G575 that time G5119 the kingdom G932 of God G2316 is preached, G2097 and G2532 every man G3956 presseth G971 into G1519 it. G846
17 And G1161 it is G2076 easier G2123 for heaven G3772 and G2532 earth G1093 to pass, G3928 than G2228 one G3391 tittle G2762 of the law G3551 to fail. G4098
18 Whosoever G3956 putteth away G630 his G846 wife, G1135 and G2532 marrieth G1060 another, G2087 committeth adultery: G3431 and G2532 whosoever G3956 marrieth G1060 her that is put away G630 from G575 her husband G435 committeth adultery. G3431
19 G1161 There was G2258 a certain G5100 rich G4145 man, G444 which G2532 was clothed G1737 in purple G4209 and G2532 fine linen, G1040 and fared G2165 sumptuously G2988 every G2596 day: G2250
20 And G1161 there was G2258 a certain G5100 beggar G4434 named G3686 Lazarus, G2976 which G3739 was laid G906 at G4314 his G846 gate, G4440 full of sores, G1669
21 And G2532 desiring G1937 to be fed G5526 with G575 the crumbs G5589 which G3588 fell G4098 from G575 the rich man's G4145 table: G5132 moreover G235 G2532 the dogs G2965 came G2064 and licked G621 his G846 sores. G1668
22 And G1161 it came to pass, G1096 that the beggar G4434 died, G599 and G2532 was carried G667 by G5259 the angels G32 into G1519 Abraham's G11 bosom: G2859 the rich man G4145 also G1161 G2532 died, G599 and G2532 was buried; G2290
23 And G2532 in G1722 hell G86 he lift up G1869 his G846 eyes, G3788 being G5225 in G1722 torments, G931 and seeth G3708 Abraham G11 afar G3113 off, G575 and G2532 Lazarus G2976 in G1722 his G846 bosom. G2859
24 And G2532 G846 he cried G5455 and said, G2036 Father G3962 Abraham, G11 have mercy G1653 on me, G3165 and G2532 send G3992 Lazarus, G2976 that G2443 he may dip G911 the tip G206 of his G846 finger G1147 in water, G5204 and G2532 cool G2711 my G3450 tongue; G1100 for G3754 I am tormented G3600 in G1722 this G5026 flame. G5395
25 But G1161 Abraham G11 said, G2036 Son, G5043 remember G3415 that G3754 thou G4771 in G1722 thy G4675 lifetime G2222 receivedst G618 thy G4675 good things, G18 and G2532 likewise G3668 Lazarus G2976 evil things: G2556 but G1161 now G3568 G3592 he is comforted, G3870 and G1161 thou G4771 art tormented. G3600
26 And G2532 beside G1909 all G3956 this, G5125 between G3342 us G2257 and G2532 you G5216 there is G4741 a great G3173 gulf G5490 fixed: G4741 so that G3704 they which would G2309 pass G1224 from hence G1782 to G4314 you G5209 cannot; G3361 G1410 neither G3366 can they pass G1276 to G4314 us, G2248 that would come from thence. G1564
27 Then G1161 he said, G2036 I pray G2065 thee G4571 therefore, G3767 father, G3962 that G2443 thou wouldest send G3992 him G846 to G1519 my G3450 father's G3962 house: G3624
28 For G1063 I have G2192 five G4002 brethren; G80 that G3704 he may testify G1263 unto them, G846 lest G3363 they G846 also G2532 come G2064 into G1519 this G5126 place G5117 of torment. G931
29 Abraham G11 saith G3004 unto him, G846 They have G2192 Moses G3475 and G2532 the prophets; G4396 let them hear G191 them. G846
30 And G1161 he said, G2036 Nay, G3780 father G3962 Abraham: G11 but G235 if G1437 one G5100 went G4198 unto G4314 them G846 from G575 the dead, G3498 they will repent. G3340
31 And G1161 he said G2036 unto him, G846 If G1487 they hear G191 not G3756 Moses G3475 and G2532 the prophets, G4396 neither G3761 will they be persuaded, G3982 though G1437 one G5100 rose G450 from G1537 the dead. G3498
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Luke 16
Commentary on Luke 16 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 16
The scope of Christ's discourse in this chapter is to awaken and quicken us all so to use this world as not to abuse it, so to manage all our possessions and enjoyments here as that they may make for us, and may not make against us in the other world; for they will do either the one or the other, according as we use them now.
Luk 16:1-18
We mistake if we imagine that the design of Christ's doctrine and holy religion was either to amuse us with notions of divine mysteries or to entertain us with notions of divine mercies. No, the divine revelation of both these in the gospel is intended to engage and quicken us to the practice of Christian duties, and, as much as any one thing, to the duty of beneficence and doing good to those who stand in need of any thing that either we have or can do for them. This our Saviour is here pressing us to, by reminding us that we are but stewards of the manifold grace of God; and since we have in divers instances been unfaithful, and have forfeited the favour of our Lord, it is our wisdom to think how we may, some other way, make what we have in the world turn to a good account. Parables must not be forced beyond their primary intention, and therefore we must not hence infer that any one can befriend us if we lie under the displeasure of our Lord, but that, in the general, we must so lay out what we have in works of piety and charity as that we may meet it again with comfort on the other side death and the grave. If we would act wisely, we must be diligent and industrious to employ our riches in the acts of piety and charity, in order to promote our future and eternal welfare, as worldly men are in laying them out to the greatest temporal profit, in making to themselves friends with them, and securing other secular interests. So Dr. Clarke. Now let us consider,
Luk 16:19-31
As the parable of the prodigal son set before us the grace of the gospel, which is encouraging to us all, so this sets before us the wrath to come, and is designed for our awakening; and very fast asleep those are in sin that will not be awakened by it. The Pharisees made a jest of Christ's sermon against worldliness; now this parable was intended to make those mockers serious. The tendency of the gospel of Christ is both to reconcile us to poverty and affliction and to arm us against temptations to worldliness and sensuality. Now this parable, by drawing the curtain, and letting us see what will be the end of both in the other world, goes very far in prosecuting those two great intentions. This parable is not like Christ's other parables, in which spiritual things are represented by similitudes borrowed from worldly things, as those of the sower and the seed (except that of the sheep and goats), the prodigal son, and indeed all the rest but this. But here the spiritual things themselves are represented in a narrative or description of the different state of good and bad in this world and the other. Yet we need not call it a history of a particular occurrence, but it is matter of fact that is true every day, that poor godly people, whom men neglect and trample upon, die away out of their miseries, and go to heavenly bliss and joy, which is made the more pleasant to them by their preceding sorrows; and that rich epicures, who live in luxury, and are unmerciful to the poor, die, and go into a state of insupportable torment, which is the more grievous and terrible to them because of the sensual lives they lived: and that there is no gaining any relief from their torments. Is this a parable? What similitude is there in this? The discourse indeed between Abraham and the rich man is only an illustration of the description, to make it the more affecting, like that between God and Satan in the story of Job. Our Saviour came to bring us acquainted with another world, and to show us the reference which this world has to that; and here is does it. In this description (for so I shall choose to call it) we may observe,