AND HE SAID ALSO TO HIS DISCIPLES,.... The Syriac version adds, "a parable", as the following is; and which is directed to the disciples, as those in the preceding chapter are to the Pharisees; and who also are designed in this; though it is particularly spoken to the disciples, because it might be... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE CALLED HIM,.... By the prophets, sent one after another; by John the Baptist, by Christ himself, and by his apostles: AND SAID UNTO HIM, HOW IS IT THAT I HEAR THIS OF THEE? of thy corrupting the word; of thy covetousness, rapine, and theft; of thy adultery and idolatry, and sad violation of... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE STEWARD SAID WITHIN HIMSELF,.... As the Scribes and Pharisees were wont to do, Matthew 3:9 WHAT SHALL I DO? he does not say, what will become of me? I am undone, and what shall I do to be saved? or what shall I do for my Lord and Master I have so much injured? or what shall I do to make up... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM RESOLVED WHAT TO DO,.... Or "I know what to do"; I have a scheme in my head, and I am determined to execute it, which will provide for me, and secure me a maintenance: THAT WHEN I AM PUT OUT OF THE STEWARDSHIP; drove from Jerusalem, and from the temple and the synagogues: THEY MAY RECEIVE ME... [ Continue Reading ]
SO HE CALLED EVERY ONE OF HIS LORD'S DEBTORS,.... Either the Gentiles, who were greatly indebted to God, having sinned against him, and the law, and light of nature, at a great rate; into whose affections, houses, and palaces, the Jews found ways and means to introduce themselves; and, in process of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID AN HUNDRED MEASURES OF OIL,.... Or "baths of oil", the same quantity as in Ezra 7:22 where Aben Ezra i calls them, מדות, "measures", as we do here; and Jarchi k observes, that they were, לבלול מנחות, "to mingle with the meal, or flour offerings"; which illustrates the above observation,... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID HE TO ANOTHER, AND HOW MUCH OWEST THOU?.... To my Lord, as before: AND HE SAID, AN HUNDRED MEASURES OF WHEAT, or "cors of wheat"; the same with "homers", Ezekiel 45:14 the same quantity as in Ezra 7:22 where, as here, they are called an hundred measures of wheat; and were, as Jarchi on th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD COMMENDED THE UNJUST STEWARD,.... Not the Lord Jesus Christ, who delivered this parable, as the Syriac version seems to suggest, rendering it, "our Lord"; but the Lord of the steward, or "God", as the Ethiopic version reads: not that he commended him for the fact he did, or the injustic... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I SAY UNTO YOU,.... These are the words of Christ, as are also the latter part of the preceding verse, accommodating and applying the parable to his disciples, and for their instruction: MAKE TO YOURSELVES FRIENDS OF THE MAMMON OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS: by "mammon" are designed riches, wealth, and su... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT IS FAITHFUL IN THAT WHICH IS LEAST,.... In quantity and quality, especially the latter; in that which is of little value and worth, at least when compared with other things: IS FAITHFUL ALSO IN MUCH: in matters of greater consequence and importance: the sense of the proverb is, that, genera... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THEREFORE YE HAVE NOT BEEN FAITHFUL,.... This is the application of the above proverbial expressions, and seems to be directed to the disciples of Christ, though not without a view to the covetous Scribes and Pharisees, who were in hearing of it, and were disturbed at it, Luke 16:14 and the meani... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF YE HAVE NOT BEEN FAITHFUL IN THAT WHICH IS ANOTHER MAN'S,.... Which is not a man's own, but what is committed to him by another; בממון אחרים, "with the mammon of others a", to speak in the language of the Jews; and of mammon, our Lord is speaking, and here of another man's, of which they were... [ Continue Reading ]
NO SERVANT CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS,.... Matthew 6:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PHARISEES ALSO WHO WERE COVETOUS,.... Or lovers of money, the love of which is the root of all evil; and that they were, is evident from their devouring widows' houses, under a pretence of making long prayers for them, Matthew 23:14 HEARD ALL THESE THINGS; as well as the disciples, being in... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO THEM,.... That is, Jesus said unto them, as the Syriac and Persic versions express it: "ye are they which justify yourselves before men": from the sins of injustice, unfaithfulness, covetousness, and all others; and would be thought, and appear to be righteous; but it is only in the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS WERE UNTIL JOHN,.... Till the time that John the Baptist began his ministry; for till then, the law and the prophets, with the Hagiographa, or holy writings, for into these three parts the Jews divided the books of the Old Testament, were the only writings they had; and whic... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT IS EASIER FOR HEAVEN AND EARTH TO PASS,.... This is said by Christ, lest it should be thought by his saying, that the law and the prophets were until John, that they were no longer, nor of any more use; but were now abrogated and laid aside; whereas heaven and earth might sooner pass away, an... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSOEVER PUTTETH AWAY HIS WIFE,.... For any other cause than for adultery, as the Jews used to do upon every trifling occasion, and for every little disgust: by which instance our Lord shows, how the Jews abused and depraved the law, and as much as in them lay, caused it to fail; and how he, on the... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE WAS A CERTAIN RICH MAN,.... In Beza's most ancient copy, and in another manuscript of his it is read by way of preface, "he said also another parable": which shows, that this is not a history of matter of fact, or an historical account of two such persons, as the "rich" man and the beggar, who... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE WAS A CERTAIN BEGGAR NAMED LAZARUS,.... By whom is designed, not any particular beggar in the times of Christ, that went by this name; though there were such persons in Israel, and in the times of our Lord; as blind Bartimaeus, and others: nor David, in the times of Saul, who was poor and... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DESIRING TO BE FED WITH THE CRUMBS,.... The offal food, broken bread, fragments of meat: that food which falls from the knife, or plate, in eating, and from thence on the ground; and literally understood, may express the low condition Christ was in, in his human nature: he assumed a true body, l... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS THAT THE BEGGAR DIED,.... The death of Christ was not a casual thing, a fortuitous event; it was agreed unto, and settled in the covenant of grace; it was spoken of by the prophets of the Old Testament; it was typified by the sacrifices of the law, and other things; it was foreto... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IN HELL HE LIFT UP HIS EYES, BEING IN TORMENTS,.... Which may design the place of torment, and the miserable state the Scribes and Pharisees, as all wicked men, enter immediately into upon death, Psalms 9:17 who in their lifetime were blind, and are called blind guides, blind watchmen, blind lea... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE CRIED AND SAID, FATHER ABRAHAM,.... The Jews used to call Abraham their father, and were proud of their descent from him, Matthew 3:9 and so persons are after death represented by them, as speaking to, and discoursing with him; as in the passage cited in the note Luke 16:22 to which the follo... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT ABRAHAM SAID, SON,.... He calls him "son", not in a spiritual sense; he was not one of Abraham's spiritual seed, that trod in the steps of his faith; but because he was so according to the flesh; and in return to his calling him father: good men have not always good children, nor is any trust to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BESIDES ALL THIS,.... The different circumstances of each, both past and present, which should be observed and considered: BETWEEN US AND YOU THERE IS A GREAT GULF FIXED; as this may regard the state of the Pharisees after death, it intends not the natural distance between heaven and hell; thou... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN HE SAID, I PRAY THEE THEREFORE FATHER,.... The Cambridge, copy of Beza's, and the Ethiopic version read, "father Abraham"; finding he could have no redress of his misery, nor any relief for himself, he applies for others: THAT THOU WOULDST SEND HIM TO MY FATHER'S HOUSE; the house of Israel and... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I HAVE FIVE BRETHREN,.... Meaning his brethren and countrymen, according to the flesh; who when he was alive, stood in such a relation to him; said to be "five", in allusion it may be to the children of Israel coming out of Egypt, חמשים, "by fives", or five in a rank, Exodus 13:18 as a learned m... [ Continue Reading ]
ABRAHAM SAID UNTO HIM..... In reply to this his request: THEY HAVE MOSES AND THE PROPHETS; that is, their writings; which shows this man, and his five brethren, to be Jews; for to them were the oracles of God committed; and these had the writings of Moses and the prophets read to them every sabbath... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, NAY, FATHER ABRAHAM,.... He contradicts his father Abraham, or at least desires it might not be so; this way he suggests, was not so right, and would not succeed; for he knew his brethren were a rebellious, and stiffnecked people, and would not hear Moses and the prophets, notwithstandi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO HIM..... That is, Abraham said unto him, as the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions express it: IF THEY HEAR NOT MOSES AND THE PROPHETS; as they did not, nor regarded what they said of Christ, but disbelieved both him and them: NEITHER WILL THEY BE PERSUADED: or brought to repen... [ Continue Reading ]