32 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said also to his disciples,.... The Syriac version adds, "a parable", as the following is; and which is directed to the disciples, as those in the preceding chapter are to the Pharisees; and who also are designed in this; though it is particularly spoken to the disciples, because it might be of some use to them, with respect, to the...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The scope of Christ's discourse in this chapter is to awaken and quicken us all so to use this world as not to abuse it, so to manage all our possessions and enjoyments here as that they may make for us, and may not make against us in the other world; for they will do either the one or the other, according as we use them now. I. If we do good with...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he called him,.... By the prophets, sent one after another; by John the Baptist, by Christ himself, and by his apostles: and said unto him, how is it that I hear this of thee? of thy corrupting the word; of thy covetousness, rapine, and theft; of thy adultery and idolatry, and sad violation of the law; see Romans 2:21 give an account of thy...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then the steward said within himself,.... As the Scribes and Pharisees were wont to do, Matthew 3:9 what shall I do? he does not say, what will become of me? I am undone, and what shall I do to be saved? or what shall I do for my Lord and Master I have so much injured? or what shall I do to make up matters with him? or what account shall I give?...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
I am resolved what to do,.... Or "I know what to do"; I have a scheme in my head, and I am determined to execute it, which will provide for me, and secure me a maintenance: that when I am put out of the stewardship; drove from Jerusalem, and from the temple and the synagogues: they may receive me into their houses; either Jews or Gentiles, after...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So he called every one of his Lord's debtors,.... Either the Gentiles, who were greatly indebted to God, having sinned against him, and the law, and light of nature, at a great rate; into whose affections, houses, and palaces, the Jews found ways and means to introduce themselves; and, in process of time, got leave to have synagogues built, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said an hundred measures of oil,.... Or "baths of oil", the same quantity as in Ezra 7:22 where Aben Ezra (i) calls them, מדות, "measures", as we do here; and Jarchi (k) observes, that they were, לבלול מנחות, "to mingle with the meal, or flour offerings"; which illustrates the above observation, that they were for the temple service; and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then said he to another, and how much owest thou?.... To my Lord, as before: and he said, an hundred measures of wheat, or "cors of wheat"; the same with "homers", Ezekiel 45:14 the same quantity as in Ezra 7:22 where, as here, they are called an hundred measures of wheat; and were, as Jarchi on the place observes, למנחות, "for the meal, or flour...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord commended the unjust steward,.... Not the Lord Jesus Christ, who delivered this parable, as the Syriac version seems to suggest, rendering it, "our Lord"; but the Lord of the steward, or "God", as the Ethiopic version reads: not that he commended him for the fact he did, or the injustice of it for this is contrary to his nature and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I say unto you,.... These are the words of Christ, as are also the latter part of the preceding verse, accommodating and applying the parable to his disciples, and for their instruction: make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness: by "mammon" are designed riches, wealth, and substance; [See comments on Matthew 6:24] and is...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
He that is faithful in that which is least,.... In quantity and quality, especially the latter; in that which is of little value and worth, at least when compared with other things: is faithful also in much: in matters of greater consequence and importance: the sense of the proverb is, that, generally speaking, a man that acts a faithful part in a...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
If therefore ye have not been faithful,.... This is the application of the above proverbial expressions, and seems to be directed to the disciples of Christ, though not without a view to the covetous Scribes and Pharisees, who were in hearing of it, and were disturbed at it, Lu 16:14 and the meaning is, that whereas some of them might have been...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's,.... Which is not a man's own, but what is committed to him by another; בממון אחרים, "with the mammon of others (a)", to speak in the language of the Jews; and of mammon, our Lord is speaking, and here of another man's, of which they were only stewards, as he in the preceding parable...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
No servant can serve two masters,.... [See comments on Matthew 6:24].
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Pharisees also who were covetous,.... Or lovers of money, the love of which is the root of all evil; and that they were, is evident from their devouring widows' houses, under a pretence of making long prayers for them, Matthew 23:14 heard all these things; as well as the disciples, being in company with them, Lu 15:2 even the parable...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said unto them,.... That is, Jesus said unto them, as the Syriac and Persic versions express it: "ye are they which justify yourselves before men": from the sins of injustice, unfaithfulness, covetousness, and all others; and would be thought, and appear to be righteous; but it is only in the sight of men, who can only see the outside of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
The law and the prophets were until John,.... Till the time that John the Baptist began his ministry; for till then, the law and the prophets, with the Hagiographa, or holy writings, for into these three parts the Jews divided the books of the Old Testament, were the only writings they had; and which contained the whole of the revelation granted...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass,.... This is said by Christ, lest it should be thought by his saying, that the law and the prophets were until John, that they were no longer, nor of any more use; but were now abrogated and laid aside; whereas heaven and earth might sooner pass away, and the whole frame of nature be dissolved: than...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Whosoever putteth away his wife,.... For any other cause than for adultery, as the Jews used to do upon every trifling occasion, and for every little disgust: by which instance our Lord shows, how the Jews abused and depraved the law, and as much as in them lay, caused it to fail; and how he, on the other hand, was so far from destroying and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
There was a certain rich man,.... In Beza's most ancient copy, and in another manuscript of his it is read by way of preface, "he said also another parable": which shows, that this is not a history of matter of fact, or an historical account of two such persons, as the "rich" man and the beggar, who had lately lived at Jerusalem; though the...