The parable of the

ST. LUKE, XVI.

unjust steward.

24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; 24 us eat, and make merry: for this my son he was lost, and is found. And they began to be

merry.

was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be

25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he 25 merry. Now his elder son was in the came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

1 Gr. bond-servants.

29

field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called to him one of the 1 servants, and inquired what these things might be. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe 28 and sound. But he was angry, and would not go in: and his father came out, and intreated him. But he answered and said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a commandment of thine: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make 30 merry with my friends: but when this thy son came, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him the 31 fatted calf. And he said unto him, 2 Son, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine 32 is thine. But it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

2 Gr. Child.

24. Dead-lost. A real climax. One lost is worse than one dead.

25. Music and dancing. This, and the "let us eat and be merry" of verse 23, and the "began to be merry of verse 24, would not be used by our Saviour so pleasantly as part of the good side of the story, if innocent pastime were an offence to him, or if asceticism were the principle of a Christian life.

27. Safe and sound. One word in Greek, ὑγιαίνοντα. In good health.

28. He was angry. Anger at a brother's welfare is not a mark of a child of God. The elder brother is, therefore, not a true child, but a Pharisee, wearing the semblance. His father. The phenomenal statement.

29. He had performed the outward services, but where was his heart? Thou never gavest me a kid. Literally true, but yet how false! All that the father had was his, if he had wished it (verse 31); but he had never sought any thing beyond service. But service without the affections brings no joy.

32. A heart-act stirs up heaven to joy. Mere ritual touches no heavenly chord.

CHAPTER XVI.

1. The parable of the unjust steward. 14. Christ reproveth the hypocrisy of the covetous Pharisees. 19. The rich glutton, and Lazarus the beggar.

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

his goods.

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

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

3 Then 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.

What is this that I hear of thee? render the account of thy stewardship; for thou 3 canst be no longer steward. And the steward said within himself, What shall I do, seeing that my lord taketh away the stewardship from me? I have not

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

am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may re

5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors 5 ceive me into their houses. And calling unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?

to him each one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first, How much owest thou

1. The purport of this parable is to show that ordinary wisdom should make men prepare for the future state. A steward who is to be removed from office makes friends, who, when he is removed, will take care of him. That the steward may be a bad man, and employ bad means, does not touch the point of the parable; to wit, his wisdom. 4. They. My lord's debtors.

A servant cannot

ST. LUKE, XVI.

serve two masters.

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

1 measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bond, and sit down quickly and

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

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

unrighteous steward because he had done wisely: for the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons

to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the

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

children of light.

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

10 He that is faithful in that which is least is 10 eternal tabernacles. He that is faithful faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the

least is unjust also in much.

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

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

ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your

12 And if ye have not been faithful in that 12 trust the true riches? And if ye have which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?

not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is

7

13 No servant can serve two masters: for 13 your own? No servant can serve two 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.

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

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.

14

15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth 15 scoffed at him. And he said unto them,

And the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things; and they

your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

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

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

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

1 Gr. baths, the bath being a Hebrew measure. See Ezek. 45:10, 11, 14.2 Gr. writings. 3 Gr. cors, the cor being a Hebrew measure. See Ezek. 45:14. Gr. the steward of unrighteousness. Or, age. Gr. out of. Some ancient authorities read our own. 8 Gr. household-servant.

6. A hundred measures of oil. Literally, "a hundred baths" (a Hebrew liquid-measure), equal to seven hundred and fifty gallons. Thy bond. This bond, or γράμμα, cannot be the bill, or account, as the Old Version has it; for the debtor would not make that out himself, and his handwriting (if done by collusion with the steward) would betray the cheat to the lord. The bond must be a promise to pay, or an order of payment, like our modern check. We may suppose that the steward, having, of course, saved up some small amounts, paid part of the debts of several debtors. Thus the first, owing a hundred baths of oil, wrote a bond for fifty; and the steward, in order to make him a friend, made up the other fifty. He is called "the unrighteous steward" (verse 8), not because of any unrighteousness in this transaction, but because he had wasted his lord's goods (verse 1).

7. A hundred measures of wheat. Literally, "a hundred cors" (a Hebrew dry-measure), equal to a thousand bushels.

8. Commended. His lord would not have commended him for an act that cheated him. He would have been 80 angry as not to see the smartness.

9. By means of. If the ordinary interpretation be given to the "bond," or "bill" (viz., that the steward reduced the amounts due), then he did not make friends by means of money, but by means of cheating about money; whereas, if he paid half himself, then he made friends by means of money. Mammon. Chaldee or Aramaic word for "riches." By "mammon of unrighteousness," or "unrighteous mammon," is meant riches, which so generally minister to unrighteousness. When it shall fail. Not "when ye fail," as in Old Version. The authorities here are very satisfactory. The meaning of this verse is, "So use your worldly wealth, that, when it goes, you will have something better." The eternal tabernacles. Not the temporary tents, in which the debtors sheltered the steward.

10. Faithfulness and unrighteousness show themselves in the smallest matters. As we say, straws show which way the wind blows. This verse leaves the parable, and directly attacks the subject.

11. How can God confide the wealth of his heavenly kingdom, with its attendant duties and responsibilities, to him who has not used his earthly gifts to his glory?

12. If, when God has intrusted you with wealth as his steward, you have been unfaithful in its use, how can he confer wealth upon you to be your own, knowing you will, of course, misuse that also? This latter wealth is "the true riches" of verse 11. In these two verses the parable is referred to only on the point of stewardship, not on its main point of wisdom.

13. See Matt. 6:24.

14. Who were lovers of money. Money-lovers do not like to hear about a future world and stewardship. 15. That which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. Man's "success" is

God's contempt.

16. See on Matt. 11:12. Entereth violently into it. Forceth his way into it, as an enemy.

The rich man

ST. LUKE, XVI.

and Lazarus.

18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and mar- 17 man entereth violently into it. But it is

rieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.

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

easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one tittle of the law to fall. 18 Every 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.

20 And there was a certain beggar named Laza- 19 rus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs

came and licked his sores.

Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, 20 1 faring sumptuously every day: and a certain beggar named Lazarus was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed

21

with the crumbs that fell from the rich 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, man's table; yea, even the dogs came and and was carried by the angels into Abraham's 22 licked his sores. And it came to pass,

bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

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

24 And 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 24 bosom. And he cried and said, Father

tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

25 But 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.

that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels into Abraham's bosom: and the rich man also died, and 23 was buried. And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his

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 25 am in anguish in this flame. But 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

us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they which would pass from hence to you may not be able, and that none may cross

26 And 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 26 in anguish. And beside all this, between

they pass to us, that would come from thence.

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