servant = domestic household servant. Greek. oiketes. Occurs only here; Acts 10:7 . Rom 14:4 . 1 Peter 2:18 . can = isable to. serve = do bondservice. Greek. douleuo. As in Luke 15:29 . masters = lords, as in verses: Luke 16:3 , Luke 16:5 , Luke 16:5 , Luke 3:8 . the other . Same as "another" in Luke 16:7 . cannot = are not (Greek. ou. App-105 ) able to. God. See App-98 . read more
the Pharisees . See App-120 . were = being then. Greek. huparcho, as in Luke 16:23 , and see on Luke 7:25 . covetous = money-lovers (referring to mammon, verses: 11, 13); Occurs only here, and 2 Timothy 3:2 . derided = were turning up their noses at. Occurs only here and Luke 23:35 . Found in the LXX. Pas. Luke 2:4 ; Luke 22:7 ; Luke 22:35 . is. This was the immediate cause of the second Parable (verses: Luke 16:19-30 ), and the solemn application (Luke 16:31 ). read more
No servant can serve two masters: 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.This contrasts God and Mammon (personified) as deities between whom every soul must choose. Any attempt to serve both is actually the service of Mammon. Summers pointed out that Luke here used a word for "servant" which actually means "house servant";[23] and this gives an equivalent meaning that "nobody can be a house boy in... read more
And the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things; and they scoffed at him.CONNECTIVE TEACHINGLovers of money ... One finds it simply impossible to understand why some commentators strive to question a statement of this kind. Ray Summers, for example, implied that the other synoptics do not fully support Luke's charge here that the Pharisees were lovers of money; but he neglected to explain why the sacred historian needed any such support. If there had not been another word in... read more
Luke 16:13. No servant can serve, &c.— "Beware of indulging even the least degree of covetousness, for it is absolutely inconsistent with piety; insomuch that a man may as well undertake at one and the same time to serve two masters of contrary dispositions and opposite interests, as pretend to please God, while he is anxiously pursuing the world for its own sake." In this manner did our Lord recommend the true use of riches, power, knowledge, and the other advantages of the present life,... read more
Luke 16:14. And they derided him.— The original word is very emphatical; εξεμυκτηριζον : "They mocked him by a scornful motion of the mouth and nose,"—as well as by what they spake to him. The word might be rendered they sneered. There was a gravity and dignity in our Lord's discourse, which, insolent as they were, would not permit them to laugh out; but by some scornful air they hinted to each other their mutual contempt. read more
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! read more
14-18. 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. read more
1. Discipleship as stewardship 16:1-13Jesus instructed His disciples about their use of material possessions. He taught them to be prudent in the use of wealth and to beware of the danger of loving it (cf. 1 Timothy 6:10). read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Luke 16:1-17
103. The shrewd manager (Luke 16:1-17)This story was told not to the Pharisees but to the disciples of Jesus. It concerned a shrewd businessman whom the owner of a business appointed as manager. In this business, dealings were made by exchange of goods rather than payment of money, a practice that enabled the manager to cheat the owner. When the owner found out, he decided to dismiss him (Luke 16:1-2).The manager then thought of a plan to ensure help from his business friends after his... read more