Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Luke 16
Luke 16:10"One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much."
One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. This verse reminds us that our character is revealed in the small details of our lives.Luke 16:13No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
No servant can serve two masters... You cannot serve God and money. Jesus makes it clear that our ultimate loyalty cannot be divided. We must choose who sits on the throne of our hearts.Luke 16:31He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’
If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead. This highlights that God's Word is sufficient to lead us to repentance if we are willing to listen.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Shrewd Manager and Eternal Investments
Following the famous parables of the lost sheep and the prodigal son in Luke 15, Jesus turns His attention to the disciples to discuss the practicalities of living in God's kingdom. He begins with a puzzling story about a manager who is about to lose his job for wasting his master's property. Instead of giving up, the manager quickly cuts deals with his master's debtors to ensure he has friends to take him in later. Jesus uses this shrewdness to show that believers should be intentional about their eternal future, just as worldly people are about their earthly one.
The Great Reversal of the Rich Man and Lazarus
The scene shifts as the Pharisees, who were known for their love of money, begin to mock Jesus for His teachings on wealth. Jesus rebukes them, stating that God knows their hearts and that what people often value is actually offensive to God. To drive the point home, He tells the story of a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. This narrative moves from the gates of a luxury home to the reality of the afterlife, illustrating a dramatic reversal of fortunes and the fixed nature of eternity.
Lessons on Wealth and the Heart
In Luke 16:1-31, Jesus addresses a mixed crowd of disciples and critical Pharisees. He uses two distinct stories to illustrate how money can either be a tool for good or a barrier to God, emphasizing that our internal heart condition is what matters most to the Creator.
The Parable of the Dishonest Manager (Luke 16:1-9)
1 He also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions.
2 And he called him and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.'
3 And the manager said to himself, 'What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.
4 I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.
5 So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'
6 He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’
7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’
8 The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.
9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.
Commentary:
Jesus encourages us to be as strategic with our spiritual lives as worldly people are with their finances.
Related Verse Analysis
Faithfulness and the Two Masters (Luke 16:10-13)
10 "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much."
11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?
12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?
13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Commentary:
Our integrity in small financial matters reveals our readiness for greater spiritual responsibilities.
The Pharisees and the Law (Luke 16:14-18)
14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.
15 And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
16 "The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.
17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.
18 "Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery."
Commentary:
Jesus rebukes those who love money and reminds them that God's standards never change.
The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)
19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.
23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’
25 But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.
26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’
27 And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house -
28 for I have five brothers - so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’
Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'
30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’
Commentary:
The story of Lazarus warns that our treatment of others and our response to Scripture determine our eternal fate.
Spiritual Truths for Everyday Living
Stewardship as a Heart Test
This chapter reveals that everything we own is actually on loan from God. How we manage our time, money, and talents serves as a diagnostic tool for our spiritual health, showing whether we trust in ourselves or in God.
The Danger of Spiritual Blindness
The rich man wasn't punished for being rich, but for being blind to the needs of the person right in front of him. Jesus warns that wealth can create a 'bubble' that prevents us from seeing both our neighbors' needs and our own need for God.
The Sufficiency of God's Word
The conclusion of the chapter emphasizes that the Bible provides all the evidence and instruction we need to find God. We don't need spectacular signs or visits from the dead. We need a heart that is willing to listen to what God has already said.
Applying Luke 16 to Your Life
According to Luke 16:10, your faithfulness in 'very little' things - like being honest on your taxes or keeping your word - is the training ground for greater things. By being diligent in the small tasks today, you are proving to God that you are ready for the 'true riches' of His kingdom.
Luke 16:13 challenges you to look at your priorities and see if money or God is in the driver's seat. If you find yourself worrying more about your bank account than your relationship with God, it may be time to re-center your heart and remember that you cannot serve both.
The story of the rich man in Luke 16:20-21 reminds you to look for the people in your immediate circle who are in need. Application means moving beyond feeling bad for others and taking practical steps to share what you have with those who have less.
Choosing God Over Worldly Wealth
Jesus teaches that our hearts cannot be divided between the pursuit of money and the pursuit of God. He calls us to be wise managers of what we have been given, using temporary resources to make an eternal impact. The message is a wake-up call: our current choices echo into eternity, and God's Word is our only reliable guide for how to live.
What This Means for Us Today
Faithfulness is a daily choice that starts with how we view our possessions. Jesus invites us to look past the temporary glitter of wealth and see the eternal value of people and God's kingdom. Today, we can choose to be faithful in the small things, trusting that God is preparing us for true riches.
- What is one 'small thing' you can be more faithful with this week?
- Is there a 'Lazarus' in your life that you have been overlooking?
- How can you use your resources to point others toward the Kingdom of God?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
Connections Across Scripture
A parallel teaching from the Sermon on the Mount about storing up treasures in heaven rather than on earth.
Paul's instructions to the wealthy to be generous and rich in good deeds, echoing Jesus' call to stewardship.
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think Jesus used a dishonest character to teach a lesson about spiritual wisdom?
- In what ways can 'unrighteous wealth' be used to make 'eternal friends' today?
- Why does Abraham say that someone rising from the dead wouldn't be enough to convince those who ignore the Bible?