Analysis of Luke Chapter 16
Luke Chapter 16 presents some of the most memorable parables Jesus shared, which include the Parable of the Unjust Steward and the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. These parables delve into themes of stewardship, wealth, justice, and the eternal consequences of our earthly decisions. In this analysis, we will examine each verse and section to uncover a deeper understanding of Jesus’ teachings and their implications.
The Parable of the Unjust Steward (Verses 1-13)
Verse 1: “He also said to His disciples: ‘There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.'”
Jesus begins by telling a story to His disciples about a rich man and his steward. The steward, who is responsible for managing the rich man’s assets, faces accusations of mismanagement. This sets the stage for the lesson Jesus intends to teach about stewardship and resourcefulness.
Verses 2-4: “So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’ Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’
Facing imminent termination, the steward contemplates his future. He acknowledges his limitations and devises a plan to secure his livelihood by ensuring others will feel obligated to help him once he loses his position. This moment illustrates the steward’s shrewdness and forethought.
Verses 5-7: “So he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’
The steward reduces the debts owed by his master’s debtors, thereby ingratiating himself with them. This action, while dishonest, is strategically designed to create goodwill and future favor from those debtors.
Verse 8: “So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.”
The rich man admires the steward’s cleverness, despite his dishonest methods. Jesus points out that people of the world often exhibit more prudence and practical wisdom in their dealings than “the sons of light” (believers). This is not an endorsement of dishonesty but a call for believers to be prudent and wise in their dealings, especially concerning spiritual matters.
Verse 9: “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.”
Jesus instructs His followers to use worldly wealth (“unrighteous mammon”) to do good, ensuring that their actions bear eternal rewards. The wealth itself is not condemned, but rather how it is used — be it selfishly or to serve others and further God’s kingdom.
Verses 10-12: “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?”
Faithfulness in small matters is indicative of how one will manage larger responsibilities. Jesus emphasizes the necessity of being trustworthy with earthly wealth to be entrusted with “true riches” (spiritual riches). Additionally, if one cannot be faithful with someone else’s property, it questions their capability of managing their own justly.
Verse 13: “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
In concluding this parable, Jesus explicitly states the incompatibility of serving God and pursuing wealth as a master. One’s loyalties will naturally lean towards one over the other, emphasizing the necessity for single-minded devotion to God.
The Law, the Prophets, and the Kingdom (Verses 14-18)
Verse 14: “Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.”
The Pharisees, known for their attachment to wealth, scorn Jesus’ teachings, demonstrating the very conflict Jesus described between God and mammon. Their reaction provides an immediate example of the consequences of misplaced priorities.
Verse 15: “And He said to them, ‘You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.’
Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for their external righteousness, which seeks human approval rather than divine. God’s judgment goes beyond appearances and discerns the true intentions and conditions of the heart, highlighting the discrepancy between human and divine valuations.
Verses 16-17: “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.”
Here Jesus marks a pivotal shift in God’s redemptive history — from the law and the prophets to the proclamation of the Kingdom of God initiated by John the Baptist. Despite this shift, the enduring validity and ultimate fulfillment of the law remain intact, underscoring the consistency and unchangeable nature of God’s word.
Verse 18: “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.”
In this seemingly out-of-context reference to divorce, Jesus likely challenges the lenient interpretations of the law by the Pharisees regarding moral and ethical standards. He stresses the sacredness of marriage and the seriousness of maintaining marital faithfulness, emphasizing the holistic integrity of God’s commands.
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Verses 19-31)
Verses 19-21: “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores.”
This parable contrasts two extreme conditions: the opulence of the rich man and the dire poverty of Lazarus. The rich man lives a life of luxury and excess, while Lazarus, in his destitution, suffers at the rich man’s gate, dependent even on scraps for survival. This stark contrast sets up the moral and spiritual lessons to follow.
Verses 22-23: “So it was that the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”
Upon their deaths, a dramatic reversal occurs. Lazarus finds comfort in “Abraham’s bosom,” a metaphor for paradise or heaven, while the rich man suffers in Hades. This reversal reflects the eschatological hope for the oppressed and the justice so often denied in earthly life.
Verses 24-26: “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you, there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
The rich man’s request for mercy from Abraham illustrates his recognition of his plight but also his unchanged attitude towards Lazarus, whom he still views as a servant. Abraham’s response emphasizes the justice of the afterlife: earthly circumstances are reversed to reflect divine justice. The fixed gulf signifies the permanence and unchangeability of one’s eternal fate based on earthly actions.
Verses 27-28: Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’
The rich man’s plea to warn his family indicates an acknowledgment of his failures and a concern that his relatives avoid his fate. It underlines a sense of responsibility and the longing for a residual impact even from torment.
Verses 29-31: “Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’
Abraham’s response highlights the sufficiency and authority of Scripture (“Moses and the prophets”) for guidance and salvation. The insistence that even a miraculous return from the dead wouldn’t convince the unrepentant underscores the hardened nature of disbelief and the significance of faith.
Conclusion
Luke Chapter 16 challenges readers to reflect on the stewardship of their resources, the condition of their hearts, and the ultimate fate that awaits them based on their earthly conduct. Through the Parable of the Unjust Steward, Jesus calls for prudence and faithfulness in all areas of life. The direct confrontation with the Pharisees over their love of wealth urges believers to examine their own priorities and seek approval from God rather than men.
The gripping Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus serves as a poignant reminder of the eternal consequences of our actions, particularly concerning justice and mercy towards the less fortunate. It underscores the permanence of the afterlife and reproaches the prosperity that neglects compassion.
Through these teachings, Jesus elucidates the profound truths of the Kingdom of God — a kingdom where the last will be first, and justice will ultimately prevail. Believers are called to live wisely, serve faithfully, and love compassionately, with eyes set on the eternal reality that transcends the temporal wealth and comforts of this world.