And 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. Ver. 1. _A certain rich man which had a steward_] Masters had need look well, 1. To the choosing of their servants. Solomon saw Jeroboam, that he w... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 2. _Give an account of thy stewardship_] _Villicus rationem cum Domino suo crebro putet, _ said Cato. Stewards should often account with their mas... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 3. _I cannot dig, &c._] They that will get wisdom must both dig and beg, Proverbs 2:3,4 .... [ Continue Reading ]
I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. Ver. 4. _They may receive me_] This is that wit he showed for himself, and for the which he is here commended: teaching us by all lawful means (not by any unlawful, as he) to provide for our... [ Continue Reading ]
So he called every one of his lord's debtors _unto him_, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? Ver. 5. _How much owest thou?_] Some are ever owing; and may say of debt, as the strumpet Quartilla did of her virginity, _Iunonem meam iratam habeam, si unquam me meminerim virginem... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Ver. 6. _Take thy bill_] The scope of this parable is, _ut profusionem charitate erga pauperes compensemus, _ saith Beza, that we expiate, as it were, our prodigality, by showing mer... [ Continue Reading ]
Then 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. Ver. 7. See Luke 16:5 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 8. _And the lord commended_] Gr. ο κυριος, that lord, viz the steward's lord, not the Lord Christ who relateth this parable. Or if we... [ Continue Reading ]
And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. Ver. 9. _Make unto yourselves friends_] _Quibus officia praestita fidem defuncti apud Deum testificentur, illa comprobantem, et gratis coronantem_... [ Continue Reading ]
He 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. Ver. 10. _He that is faithful_] Mr Diodati's note here is, "The right use of riches in believers is a trial of their loyal use of their spiritual graces and gifts. And, on... [ Continue Reading ]
If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true _riches_ ? Ver. 11. _In the unrighteous mammon_] Or the uncertain, vain, deceitful wealth of this world, which yet most rich men trust in, as if simply the better or safer for their abundance. H... [ Continue Reading ]
And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? Ver. 12. _In that which is another man's_] Riches are not properly ours, but God's, who hath intrusted us, and who doth usually assign them to the wicked, those men of his hand, for their por... [ Continue Reading ]
No 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. Ver. 13. See Matthew 6:24 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. Ver. 14. _And they derided him_] Gr. εξεμυκτηριζον, they blew their noses at him in scorn and derision. They fleered and jeered, when they should have feared, and fled from the wrath to come. _Naso suspendere a... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 15. _For that which is highly esteemed, &c._] A thing that I see in the night may shine, and that shining proceed... [ Continue Reading ]
The law and the prophets _were_ until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. Ver. 16. See Matthew 11:11 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. Ver. 17. See Matthew 5:18 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from _her_ husband committeth adultery. Ver. 18. See Matthew 5:32; Matthew 19:9; Mark 10:5 ;... [ Continue Reading ]
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: Ver. 19. _There was a certain rich man_] Not once named, as Lazarus was, though never so little esteemed of men. God knew him by name, as he did Moses; when the rich man's name is written in t... [ Continue Reading ]
And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, Ver. 20. _A certain beggar named Lazarus_] Or Eleazar (as Tertullian and Prudentius call him), who having been Abraham's faithful servant, now resteth in his bosom.... [ Continue Reading ]
And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. Ver. 21. _And desiring to be fed with the crumbs_] Many poor folk have but prisoners' pittances, which will neither keep them alive nor suffer them to die. _ The dogs came and... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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; Ver. 22. _Into Abraham's bosom_] A metaphor from feasts, say some; from fathers, say others, who imbosom and hug their children when wearied with long running about... [ Continue Reading ]
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Ver. 23. _Being in torments_] Having punishment without pity, misery without mercy, sorrow without succour, crying without compassion, mischief without measure, torments without end, and past i... [ Continue Reading ]
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 tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. Ver. 24. _And cool my tongue_] In his tongue he was most tortured, _quia plus lingua peccaverat, _ saith Cyprian. So Nesto... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 25. _Son, remember, &c._] Son he calls him, with respect either _ad procreationem carnis, aut ad aetatem, _ saith Piscator. B... [ Continue Reading ]
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 they pass to us, that _would come_ from thence. Ver. 26. _There is a great gulf fixed_] viz. By the unmovable and immutable decree of God, called mountains of bra... [ Continue Reading ]
Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: Ver. 27. _I pray thee therefore_] Are not the Popish doctors hard driven, when they allege this text to prove that the dead do take care of the living, and pray for them?... [ Continue Reading ]
For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Ver. 28. _Lest they also come into this place_] This he wisheth, not for their good, but for his own. For he knew that if they were damned, he should be double damned, because they were brought... [ Continue Reading ]
Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. Ver. 29. _Let them hear them_] Hell is to be escaped by hearing the word read and preached, John 5:25; Isaiah 55:3 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. Ver. 30. _They will repent_] Bellarmine is of the opinion that one glimpse of hell were enough to make a man not only turn Christian and sober, but anchorite and monk; to live after the strictest rule that... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. Ver. 31. _Though one rose from the dead_] As Lazarus did, and yet they listened as little to him as to Christ, John 12:10; but sought to kill him also.... [ Continue Reading ]