Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
Luke Ch.16 / 24 Ch.s
LU:16
* The parable of the unjust steward. (1-12) Christ reproves the
hypocrisy of the covetous Pharisees. (13-18) The rich man and
Lazarus. (19-31)
#1-12 Whatever we have, the property of it is God's; we have
only the use of it, according to the direction of our great
Lord, and for his honour. This steward wasted his lord's goods.
And we are all liable to the same charge; we have not made due
improvement of what God has trusted us with. The steward cannot
deny it; he must make up his accounts, and be gone. This may
teach us that death will come, and deprive us of the
opportunities we now have. The steward will make friends of his
lord's debtors or tenants, by striking off a considerable part
of their debt to his lord. The lord referred to in this parable
commended not the fraud, but the policy of the steward. In that
respect alone is it so noticed. Worldly men, in the choice of
their object, are foolish; but in their activity, and
perseverance, they are often wiser than believers. The unjust
steward is not set before us as an example in cheating his
master, or to justify any dishonesty, but to point out the
careful ways of worldly men. It would be well if the children of
light would learn wisdom from the men of the world, and would as
earnestly pursue their better object. The true riches signify
spiritual blessings; and if a man spends upon himself, or hoards
up what God has trusted to him, as to outward things, what
evidence can he have, that he is an heir of God through Christ?
The riches of this world are deceitful and uncertain. Let us be
convinced that those are truly rich, and very rich, who are rich
in faith, and rich toward God, rich in Christ, in the promises;
let us then lay up our treasure in heaven, and expect our
portion from thence.
#13-18 To this parable our Lord added a solemn warning. Ye
cannot serve God and the world, so divided are the two
interests. When our Lord spoke thus, the covetous Pharisees
treated his instructions with contempt. But he warned them, that
what they contended for as the law, was a wresting of its
meaning: this our Lord showed in a case respecting divorce.
There are many covetous sticklers for the forms of godliness,
who are the bitterest enemies to its power, and try to set
others against the truth.
#19-31 Here the spiritual things are represented, in a
description of the different state of good and bad, in this
world and in the other. We are not told that the rich man got
his estate by fraud, or oppression; but Christ shows, that a man
may have a great deal of the wealth, pomp, and pleasure of this
world, yet perish for ever under God's wrath and curse. The sin
of this rich man was his providing for himself only. Here is a
godly man, and one that will hereafter be happy for ever, in the
depth of adversity and distress. It is often the lot of some of
the dearest of God's saints and servants to be greatly afflicted
in this world. We are not told that the rich man did him any
harm, but we do not find that he had any care for him. Here is
the different condition of this godly poor man, and this wicked
rich man, at and after death. The rich man in hell lifted up his
eyes, being in torment. It is not probable that there are
discourses between glorified saints and damned sinners, but this
dialogue shows the hopeless misery and fruitless desires, to
which condemned spirits are brought. There is a day coming, when
those who now hate and despise the people of God, would gladly
receive kindness from them. But the damned in hell shall not
have the least abatement of their torment. Sinners are now
called upon to remember; but they do not, they will not, they
find ways to avoid it. As wicked people have good things only in
this life, and at death are for ever separated from all good, so
godly people have evil things only in this life, and at death
they are for ever put from them. In this world, blessed be God,
there is no gulf between a state of nature and grace, we may
pass from sin to God; but if we die in our sins, there is no
coming out. The rich man had five brethren, and would have them
stopped in their sinful course; their coming to that place of
torment, would make his misery the worse, who had helped to show
them the way thither. How many would now desire to recall or to
undo what they have written or done! Those who would make the
rich man's praying to Abraham justify praying to saints
departed, go far to seek for proofs, when the mistake of a
damned sinner is all they can find for an example. And surely
there is no encouragement to follow the example, when all his
prayers were made in vain. A messenger from the dead could say
no more than what is said in the Scriptures. The same strength
of corruption that breaks through the convictions of the written
word, would triumph over a witness from the dead. Let us seek to
the law and to the testimony, #Isa 8:19,20|, for that is the
sure word of prophecy, upon which we may rest, #2Pe 1:19|.
Circumstances in every age show that no terrors, or arguments,
can give true repentance without the special grace of God
renewing the sinner's heart.