Chapter 16:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Lightfoot
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| McGee
| Wesley
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| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Mark John
Luke 16
And he said also to his disciples - Not only to the scribes and
Pharisees to whom he had hitherto been speaking, but to all the
younger as well as the elder brethren: to the returning prodigals
who were now his disciples. A certain rich man had a steward -
Christ here teaches all that are now in favour with God,
particularly pardoned penitents, to behave wisely in what is
committed to them.
Verse 3. To beg I am ashamed - But not ashamed to cheat! This was
likewise a sense of honour! "By men called honour, but by angels
pride."
Verse
4. I know - That is, I am resolved, what to do.
Verse
8. And the Lord commended the unjust steward - Namely, in this
respect, because he had used timely precaution: so that though the
dishonesty of such a servant be detestable, yet his foresight, care,
and contrivance, about the interests of this life, deserve our
imitation, with regard to the more important affairs of another.
The children of this world - Those who seek no other portion than
this world: Are wiser - Not absolutely, for they are, one and all,
egregious fools; but they are more consistent with themselves;
they are truer to their principles; they more steadily pursue their
end; they are wiser in their generation - That is, in their own way,
than the children of light - The children of God, whose light
shines on their hearts.
Verse
9. And I say to you - Be good stewards even of the lowest talents
wherewith God hath intrusted you. Mammon means riches or
money. It is termed the mammon of unrighteousness, because of
the manner wherein it is commonly either procured or employed.
Make yourselves friends of this, by doing all possible good,
particularly to the children of God: that when ye fail, when your
flesh and your heart faileth, when this earthly tabernacle is
dissolved, those of them who have gone before may receive, may
welcome you into the everlasting habitations.
Verse
10. And whether ye have more or less, see that ye be faithful as
well as wise stewards. He that is faithful in what is meanest of all,
worldly substance, is also faithful in things of a higher nature; and
he that uses these lowest gifts unfaithfully, is likewise unfaithful
in spiritual things.
Verse
11. Who will intrust you with the true riches? - How should God
intrust you with spiritual and eternal, which alone are true riches?
Verse
12. If ye have not been faithful in that which was another's - None
of these temporal things are yours: you are only stewards of them,
not proprietors: God is the proprietor of all; he lodges them in
your hands for a season: but still they are his property. Rich men,
understand and consider this. If your steward uses any part of
your estate (so called in the language of men) any farther or any
otherwise than you direct, he is a knave: he has neither conscience
nor honour. Neither have you either one or the other, if you use
any part of that estate, which is in truth God's, not yours, any
otherwise than he directs. That which is your own - Heaven,
which when you have it, will be your own for ever.
Verse
13. And you cannot be faithful to God, if you trim between God
and the world, if you do not serve him alone. Matt. vi, 24.
Verse
15. And he said to them, Ye are they who justify yourselves
before men - The sense of the whole passage is, that pride,
wherewith you justify yourselves, feeds covetousness, derides the
Gospel, ver. 14, and destroys the law, ver. 18. All which is
illustrated by a terrible example. Ye justify yourselves before men
- Ye think yourselves righteous, and persuade others to think you
so.
Verse
16. The law and the prophets were in force until John: from that
time the Gospel takes place; and humble upright men receive it
with inexpressible earnestness. Matt. xi, 13.
Verse
17. Not that the Gospel at all destroys the law. Matt. v, 18.
Verse
18. But ye do; particularly in this notorious instance. Matt. v, 31;
xix, 7.
Verse
19. There was a certain rich man - Very probably a Pharisee, and
one that justified himself before men; a very honest, as well as
honourable gentleman: though it was not proper to mention his
name on this occasion: who was clothed in purple and fine linen -
and doubtless esteemed on this account, (perhaps not only by
those who sold it, but by most that knew him, ) as encouraging
trade, and acting according to his quality: And feasted splendidly
every day - And consequently was esteemed yet more, for his
generosity and hospitality in keeping so good a table.
Verse
20. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, (according to
the Greek pronunciation) or Eleazer. By his name it may be
conjectured, he was of no mean family, though it was thus
reduced. There was no reason for our Lord to conceal his name,
which probably was then well known. Theophylact observes,
from the tradition of the Hebrews, that he lived at Jerusalem. Yea,
the dogs also came and licked his sores - It seems this
circumstance is recorded to show that all his ulcers lay bare, and
were not closed or bound up.
Verse
22. And the beggar - Worn out with hunger, and pain, and want of
all things, died: and was carried by angels (amazing change of the
scene!) into Abraham's bosom - So the Jews styled paradise; the
place where the souls of good men remain from death to the
resurrection. The rich man also died, and was buried - Doubtless
with pomp enough, though we do not read of his lying in state;
that stupid, senseless pageantry, that shocking insult on a poor,
putrefying carcass, was reserved for our enlightened age!
Verse
23. He seeth Abraham afar off - And yet knew him at that
distance: and shall not Abraham's children, when they are together
in paradise, know each other!
Verse
24. Father Abraham, have mercy on me - It cannot be denied, but
here is one precedent in Scripture of praying to departed saints:
but who is it that prays, and with what success? Will any, who
considers this, be fond of copying after him?
Verse
25. But Abraham said, Son - According to the flesh. Is it not
worthy of observation, that Abraham will not revile even a
damned soul? and shall living men revile one another? Thou in
thy lifetime receivedst thy good things - Thou didst choose and
accept of worldly things as thy good, thy happiness. And can any
be at a loss to know why he was in torments? This damnable
idolatry, had there been nothing more, was enough to sink him to
the nethermost hell.
Verse
26. Beside this there is a great gulf fixed - Reader, to which side
of it wilt thou go?
Verse
28. Lest they also come into this place - He might justly fear lest
their reproaches should add to his own torment.
Verse
31. Neither will they be persuaded - Truly to repent: for this
implies an entire change of heart: but a thousand apparitions
cannot, effect this. God only can, applying his word.
Chapter 16:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Lightfoot
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| McGee
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Mark John
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
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