Luke 16:31

31. Neither… persuaded though one rose from the dead Jesus was expecting soon to be on his way to raise a Lazarus from the dead. Many did believe on him in consequence. Hence, our Lord is not to be understood as saying no one would have been convicted or converted by a message from the dead. But there are Sadducees, both of the sensual and intellectual character, whom no miracle would convince. Indeed, an isolated single miracle or testimony from the dead, perhaps, ought not to convince a man. The miracles of the Bible are a great system of miraculous dealings of God with man. They are to be embraced as a great whole; as the one comprehensive miracle, embracing and consisting of many subordinate miracles.

Upon this parable, note:

1 . It was a terrible rebuke to the silver-loving Pharisees of Luke 16:15; men of worldly hearts, and who probably were but the panders to the profligate Sadducee, Herod Antipas and his court.

2 . It was a fit completion of the parable of the rich fool. The latter traces the worldly sinner to death, and this pursues and pictures him in the world after death.

3 . It is a striking counterpart to the parable of the unjust steward. The latter so made friends of mammon as to secure his eternal life; this rich man so made a master of mammon as to secure eternal death.