1Er sprachG3004 aberG1161 auchG2532 zuG4314 [seinen]G846 JüngernG3101: Es warG2258 ein gewisserG5100 reicherG4145 MannG444, derG3739 einen VerwalterG3623 hatteG2192; undG2532 dieserG3778 wurde bei ihmG846 angeklagtG1225, alsG5613 verschwendeG1287 er seineG846 HabeG5224. 2UndG2532 er riefG5455 ihnG846 und sprachG2036 zu ihmG846: WasG5101 ist diesG5124, das ich vonG4012 dirG4675 höreG191 ? legeG591 die RechnungG3056 von deinerG4675 VerwaltungG3622 abG591, dennG1063 du wirst nichtG3756 mehrG2089 VerwalterG3621 sein könnenG1410. 3Der VerwalterG3623 aberG1161 sprachG2036 beiG1722 sich selbstG1438: WasG5101 soll ich tunG4160 ? dennG3754 meinG3450 HerrG2962 nimmtG851 G575 mirG1700 die VerwaltungG3622 abG851. Zu grabenG4626 vermag ichG2480 nichtG3756, zu bettelnG1871 schäme ich michG153. 4Ich weißG1097, wasG5101 ich tun werdeG4160, auf daßG2443 sie michG3165, wennG3752 ich der VerwaltungG3622 enthoben binG3179, inG1519 ihreG846 HäuserG3624 aufnehmenG1209. 5UndG2532 er riefG4341 jedenG1538 einzelnenG1520 der SchuldnerG5533 seinesG1438 HerrnG2962 herzuG4341 und sprachG3004 zu dem erstenG4413: WievielG4214 bist duG3450 meinem HerrnG2962 schuldigG3784 ? 6Der aberG1161 sprachG2036: HundertG1540 BathG943 ÖlG1637. UndG2532 er sprachG2036 zu ihmG846: NimmG1209 deinenG4675 SchuldbriefG1121 undG2532 setzeG2523 dich flugsG5030 hin und schreibeG1125 fünfzigG4004. 7DanachG1899 sprachG2036 er zu einem anderenG2087: Du aberG1161, wievielG4214 bist duG4771 schuldigG3784 ? Der aberG1161 sprachG2036: HundertG1540 KorG2884 WeizenG4621. UndG2532 er sprichtG3004 zu ihmG846: NimmG1209 deinenG4675 SchuldbriefG1121 undG2532 schreibeG1125 achtzigG3589. 8UndG2532 der HerrG2962 lobteG1867 den ungerechtenG93 VerwalterG3623, weilG3754 er klugG5430 gehandelt hatteG4160; dennG3754 die SöhneG5207 dieserG5127 WeltG165 sindG1526 klügerG5429 alsG5228 die SöhneG5207 des LichtsG5457 gegenG1519 ihr eigenesG1438 GeschlechtG1074. 9Und ichG2504 sageG3004 euchG5213: MachetG4160 euchG1438 FreundeG5384 mitG1537 dem ungerechtenG93 MammonG3126, auf daßG2443, wennG3752 er zu Ende gehtG1587, ihrG5209 aufgenommen werdetG1209 inG1519 die ewigenG166 HüttenG4633. 10Wer imG1722 GeringstenG1646 treuG4103 ist, istG2076 auchG2532 inG1722 vielemG4183 treuG4103, undG2532 wer imG1722 GeringstenG1646 ungerechtG94 ist, istG2076 auchG2532 inG1722 vielemG4183 ungerechtG94. 11WennG1487 ihr nunG3767 inG1722 dem ungerechtenG94 MammonG3126 nichtG3756 treuG4103 gewesen seidG1096, werG5101 wird euchG5213 das WahrhaftigeG228 anvertrauenG4100 ? 12undG2532 wennG1487 ihr inG1722 dem FremdenG245 nichtG3756 treuG4103 gewesen seidG1096, werG5101 wird euchG5213 das EurigeG5212 gebenG1325 ? 13KeinG3762 HausknechtG3610 kannG1410 zweiG1417 HerrenG2962 dienenG1398; dennG1063 entwederG2228 wird er den einenG1520 hassenG3404 undG2532 den anderenG2087 liebenG25, oderG2228 er wird dem einenG1520 anhangenG472 undG2532 den anderenG2087 verachtenG2706. Ihr könntG1410 nichtG3756 GottG2316 dienenG1398 undG2532 dem MammonG3126. 14DiesG5023 allesG3956 hörtenG191 aberG1161 auchG2532 die PharisäerG5330, welche geldliebendG5366 warenG5225, undG2532 sie verhöhntenG1592 ihnG846. 15UndG2532 er sprachG2036 zu ihnenG846: IhrG5210 seidG2075 es, die sich selbstG1438 rechtfertigenG1344 vorG1799 den MenschenG444, GottG2316 aberG1161 kenntG1097 eureG5216 HerzenG2588; dennG3754 was unterG1722 den MenschenG444 hochG5308 ist, istG2076 ein GreuelG946 vorG1799 GottG2316. 16Das GesetzG3551 undG2532 die ProphetenG4396 waren bis aufG2193 JohannesG2491; vonG575 daG5119 an wird das Evangelium des ReichesG932 GottesG2316 verkündigtG2097, undG2532 jederG3956 dringt mit GewaltG971 hineinG1519 G846. 17Es istG2076 aberG1161 leichterG2123, daß der HimmelG3772 undG2532 die ErdeG1093 vergehenG3928, als daßG2228 einG3391 StrichleinG2762 des GesetzesG3551 wegfalleG4098. 18JederG3956, der seinG846 WeibG1135 entläßtG630 undG2532 eine andereG2087 heiratetG1060, begeht EhebruchG3431; undG2532 jederG3956, der die vonG575 einem ManneG435 EntlasseneG630 heiratetG1060, begeht EhebruchG3431. 19Es warG2258 aberG1161 ein gewisserG5100 reicherG4145 MannG444, undG2532 er kleidete sichG1737 in PurpurG4209 undG2532 feine LeinwandG1040 undG2532 lebteG2165 alleG2596 TageG2250 fröhlich und in PrunkG2988. 20[Es war]G2258 aberG1161 ein gewisserG5100 ArmerG4434, mit NamenG3686 LazarusG2976, [der]G3739 anG4314 dessenG846 TorG4440 lagG906, voller GeschwüreG1669, 21undG2532 er begehrteG1937 sich vonG575 den BrosamenG5589 zu sättigenG5526, dieG3588 vonG575 dem TischeG5132 des ReichenG4145 fielenG4098; aberG235 auchG2532 die HundeG2965 kamenG2064 und lecktenG621 seineG846 GeschwüreG1668. 22Es geschahG1096 aberG1161, daß der ArmeG4434 starbG599 undG2532 vonG5259 den EngelnG32 getragen wurdeG667 inG1519 den SchoßG2859 AbrahamsG11. Es starbG599 aberG1161 auchG2532 der ReicheG4145 undG2532 wurde begrabenG2290. 23UndG2532 inG1722 dem HadesG86 seineG846 AugenG3788 aufschlagendG1869, als er inG1722 QualenG931 warG5225, siehtG3708 er AbrahamG11 vonG575 ferneG3113 undG2532 LazarusG2976 inG1722 seinemG846 SchoßeG2859. 24UndG2532 er riefG5455 und sprachG2036: VaterG3962 AbrahamG11, erbarme dichG1653 meinerG3165 undG2532 sendeG3992 LazarusG2976, daßG2443 er die SpitzeG206 seinesG846 FingersG1147 ins WasserG5204 taucheG911 undG2532 meineG3450 ZungeG1100 kühleG2711; dennG3754 ich leide PeinG3600 inG1722 dieserG5026 FlammeG5395. 25AbrahamG11 aberG1161 sprachG2036: KindG5043, gedenkeG3415, daßG3754 duG4771 deinG4675 GutesG18 völlig empfangen hastG618 inG1722 deinemG4675 LebenG2222, undG2532 LazarusG2976 gleicherweiseG3668 das BöseG2556; jetztG3568 G3592 aberG1161 wird er hier getröstetG3870, duG4771 aberG1161 leidest PeinG3600. 26UndG2532 zuG1909 diesemG5125 allemG3956 istG4741 zwischenG3342 unsG2257 undG2532 euchG5216 eine großeG3173 KluftG5490 befestigtG4741, damitG3704 die, welche von hierG1782 zuG4314 euchG5209 hinübergehenG1224 wollenG2309, nichtG3361 könnenG1410, nochG3366 die, welche von dortG1564 zuG4314 unsG2248 herüberkommenG1276 wollen. 27Er sprachG2036 aberG1161: Ich bitteG2065 dichG4571 nunG3767, VaterG3962, daßG2443 du ihnG846 inG1519 das HausG3624 meinesG3450 VatersG3962 sendestG3992, 28dennG1063 ich habeG2192 fünfG4002 BrüderG80, damitG3704 er ihnenG846 ernstlich Zeugnis gebeG1263, auf daßG3363 sieG846 nichtG3363 auchG2532 kommenG2064 anG1519 diesenG5126 OrtG5117 der QualG931. 29AbrahamG11 aber sprichtG3004 zu ihmG846: Sie habenG2192 MosesG3475 undG2532 die ProphetenG4396; laß sie dieG846 hörenG191. 30Er aberG1161 sprachG2036: NeinG3780, VaterG3962 AbrahamG11, sondernG235 wennG1437 jemandG5100 vonG575 den TotenG3498 zuG4314 ihnenG846 gehtG4198, so werden sie Buße tunG3340. 31Er sprachG2036 aberG1161 zu ihmG846: WennG1487 sie MosesG3475 undG2532 die ProphetenG4396 nichtG3756 hörenG191, so werden sie auch nichtG3761 überzeugt werdenG3982, wennG1437 jemandG5100 ausG1537 den TotenG3498 auferstehtG450.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 PARABLES OF THE UNJUST STEWARD AND OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS, OR, THE RIGHT USE OF MONEY. (Luke 16:1-31)
steward--manager of his estate.
accused--informed upon.
had wasted--rather, "was wasting."
3 cannot dig . . . to beg, ashamed--therefore, when dismissed, shall be in utter want.
4 may receive me, &c.--Observe his one object--when cast out of one home to secure another. This is the key to the parable, on which there have been many differing views.
5 fifty . . . fourscore--deducting a half from the debt of the one, and a fifth from that of the other.
8 the lord--evidently the steward's lord, so called in
Luke 16:3,
Luke 16:5.
commended, &c.--not for his "injustice," but "because he had done wisely," or prudently; with commendable foresight and skilful adaptation of means to end.
children of this world--so
Luke 20:34; compare
Ps 17:14 ("their portion in this life");
Phil 3:19 ("mind earthly things");
Ps 4:6-
Ps 4:7.
their generation--or "for their generation"--that is, for the purposes of the "world" they are "of." The greater wisdom (or shrewdness) of the one, in adaptation of means to ends, and in energetic, determined prosecution of them, is none of it for God and eternity--a region they were never in, an atmosphere they never breathed, an undiscovered world, an unborn existence to them--but all for the purposes of their own grovelling and fleeting generation.
children of light--(so
John 12:36;
Eph 5:8;
1Thess 5:5). Yet this is only "as night-birds see better in the dark than those of the day owls than eagles" [CAJETAN and TRENCH]. But we may learn lessons from them, as our Lord now shows, and "be wise as serpents."
9 Make . . . friends of--Turn to your advantage; that is, as the steward did, "by showing mercy to the poor" (
Dan 4:27; compare
Luke 12:33;
Luke 14:13-
Luke 14:14).
mammon of unrighteousness--treacherous, precarious. (See on
Matt 6:24).
ye fail--in respect of life.
they may receive you--not generally, "ye may be received" (as
Luke 6:38, "shall men give"), but "those ye have relieved may rise up as witnesses for you" at the great day. Then, like the steward, when turned out of one home shall ye secure another; but better than he, a heavenly for an earthly, an everlasting for a temporary habitation. Money is not here made the key to heaven, more than "the deeds done in the body" in general, according to which, as a test of character--but not by the merit of which--men are to be judged (
2Cor 5:10, and see
Matt 25:34-
Matt 25:40).
10 He, &c.--a maxim of great pregnancy and value; rising from the prudence which the steward had to the fidelity which he had not, the "harmlessness of the dove, to which the serpent" with all his "wisdom" is a total stranger. Fidelity depends not on the amount entrusted, but on the sense of responsibility. He that feels this in little will feel it in much, and conversely.
11 unrighteous mammon--To the whole of this He applies the disparaging term "what is least," in contrast with "the true riches."
12 another man's . . . your own--an important turn to the subject. Here all we have is on trust as stewards, who have an account to render. Hereafter, what the faithful have will be their own property, being no longer on probation, but in secure, undisturbed, rightful, everlasting possession and enjoyment of all that is graciously bestowed on us. Thus money is neither to be idolized nor despised: we must sit loose to it and use it for God's glory.
13 can serve--be entirely at the command of; and this is true even where the services are not opposed.
hate . . . love--showing that the two here intended are in uncompromising hostility to each other: an awfully searching principle!
14 covetous . . . derided him--sneered at Him; their master sin being too plainly struck at for them to relish. But it was easier to run down than to refute such teaching.
15 justify yourselves--make a show of righteousness.
highly esteemed among men--generally carried away by plausible appearances. (See
1Sam 16:7; and
Luke 14:11).
16 The law, &c.--(See
Matt 11:13).
and every man presseth, &c.--Publicans and sinners, all indiscriminately, are eagerly pressing into it; and ye, interested adherents of the mere forms of an economy which is passing away, "discerning not the signs of this time," will allow the tide to go past you and be found a stranded monument of blindness and obstinacy.
17 it is easier, &c.--(See on
Matt 5:17-
Matt 5:18)
18 putteth away his wife, &c.--(See on
Matt 19:3-
Matt 19:9). Far from intending to weaken the force of the law, in these allusions to a new economy, our Lord, in this unexpected way, sends home its high requirements with a pungency which the Pharisees would not fail to feel.
19 purple and fine linen, &c.--(Compare
Esth 8:15;
Rev 18:12); wanting nothing which taste and appetite craved and money could procure.
20 laid--having to be carried and put down.
full of sores--open, running, "not closed, nor bound up, nor mollified with ointment" (
Isa 1:6).
21 desiring to be fed with--but was not [GROTIUS, BENGEL, MEYER, TRENCH, &c.]. The words may mean indeed "was fain to feed on," or "gladly fed on," as in
Luke 15:16 [ALFORD, WEBSTER and WILKINSON, &c.]. But the context rather favors the former.
licked, &c.--a touching act of brute pity, in the absence of human relief. It is a case of heartless indifference, amidst luxuries of every kind, to one of God's poorest and most afflicted ones, presented daily before the eye.
22 died--His burial was too unimportant to mention; while "the rich man died and was buried"--his carcass carried in pomp to its earthly resting-place.
in to Abraham's bosom--as if seen reclining next to Him at the heavenly feast (
Matt 8:11).
23 in hell--not the final place of the lost (for which another word is used), but as we say "the unseen world." But as the object here is certainly to depict the whole torment of the one and the perfect bliss of the other, it comes in this case to much the same.
seeth Abraham--not God, to whom therefore he cannot cry [BENGEL].
24 Father Abraham--a well-founded, but unavailing, claim of natural descent (
Luke 3:8;
John 8:37).
mercy on me--who never showed any (
Jas 2:3).
send Lazarus--the pining victim of his merciless neglect.
that he may--take me hence? No; that he dares not to ask.
dip . . . tongue--that is the least conceivable and the most momentary abatement of his torment; that is all. But even this he is told is (1) unreasonable.
25 Son--stinging acknowledgment of the claimed relationship.
thou . . . Lazarus, &c.--As it is a great law of God's kingdom, that the nature of our present desires shall rule that of our future bliss, so by that law, he whose "good things," craved and enjoyed, were all bounded by time, could look for none after his connection with time had come to an end (
Luke 6:24). But by this law, he whose "evil things," all crowded into the present life, drove him to seek, and find, consolation in a life beyond the grave, is by death released from all evil and ushered into unmixed and uninterrupted good (
Luke 6:21). (2) It is impossible.
26 besides all this--independently of this consideration.
a great gulf fixed--By an irrevocable decree there has been placed a vast impassable abyss between the two states, and the occupants of each.
27 Then he said--now abandoning all hope for himself.
send him to my father's house, &c.--no waking up of good in the heart of the lost, but bitter reproach against God and the old economy, as not warning him sufficiently [TRENCH]. The answer of Abraham is, They are sufficiently warned.
30 Nay--giving the lie to Abraham.
but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent--a principle of awful magnitude and importance. The greatest miracle will have no effect on those who are determined not to believe. A real Lazarus soon "rose from the dead," but the sight of him by crowds of people, inclined thereby to Christ, only crowned the unbelief and hastened the murderous plots of the Pharisees against the Lord of glory; nor has His own resurrection, far more overpowering, yet won over that "crooked and perverse nation."