Verses 1-12. Israel particularly, and man generally, is looked at in this chapter as an unfaithful steward who must give an account of his stewardship. The elder son (Chapter 15) said, “Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment.” God’s Word proves this was hypocrisy. Romans 3:9, 19, 239What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; (Romans 3:9)
19Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (Romans 3:19)
23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23), witness that all are guilty before God. It is a good thing when the soul takes its true place, and says, “I have sinned.” Real wisdom asks the question, “What am I to do?” The gospel replies, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Wisdom’s children justify God and condemn themselves, and this makes them think of the future, and to use the present things in view of the future. This is the true wisdom, and the children of God should practice it. In this they should take a lesson from this unjust, but wise, steward, who used the goods of his master which were in his hand to make a home for himself in the future.
Our home is prepared by divine love, and our title as in Christ is a perfect one to it. But we are stewards still, and we are to look upon what the Lord has put in our hands as a means of blessing for the future, and now. For the future, because what we do for the Lord will bring its reward from Him. Now, if we use what we have for the Lord, it proves a blessing to our souls in the fuller enjoyment of our spiritual blessings. But if the things of this world possess our hearts, they hinder us from enjoying our possessions in Christ. (See 1 Tim. 6:17-1917Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. (1 Timothy 6:17‑19)).
The mammon of unrighteousness can be used in such a way that we will be richer spiritually, it is laying up in store a good foundation against the time to come, a profitable investment for the believer’s capital. We need wisdom from the Lord for this also, and it matters not how little or how much we have for this, but if the child of God lets his mind dwell on and get engrossed with, this unrighteous mammon, who will commit to his trust the true riches? He is only a steward, and if he is unfaithful in this stewardship, who shall give him what is his own? The believer’s own are the blessings he has in Christ. (Eph. 1:33Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (Ephesians 1:3)).
Verse 13. He cannot serve two masters. Which are we serving? What is really life can only be enjoyed by having Christ as the object of the life. Let Him govern our hearts.
Verses 14-18. The Pharisees were covetous, and they derided Him. They lived in their own good estimation, but God condemned them, their religious lives and hypocritical ways were an abomination in God’s sight. They thought they had the blessing of Israel in their riches, according to the law, (Deut. 28), but theirs were the riches of fraud and deceit, robbing widows and orphans, and the law would not fail to judge them with its curse, (Matt. 23:1414Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. (Matthew 23:14)), and now that grace was coming in, everything was altered; Israel had broken Jehovah’s covenant, and were like a polluted woman put away for her sin, an adulteress. Here the Lord lifts the curtain, as none but He could do, and shows what is after death: how solemn it is!
Verse 19. Here we get the picture of a man in the best of circumstances, he has everything heart could desire, everything but God. He is poor for eternity.
Verses 20, 21. Here we get another man in miserable, wretched circumstances, neither comfort of health nor wealth, nothing has he, nothing but God. His name is Lazarus, signifying, “My help is in God.” He is rich for eternity, because God is his help. This poor beggar, poor in the world’s estimation, died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom, the Jewish figure of the place of bliss. The rich man also died, his riches could not keep him alive, and he was buried, doubtless a grand funeral with pomp and show, but alas! in hell (the state of the dead) he lift up his eyes being in torments. It is not the resurrection, nor the judgment of the wicked dead, yet he is in a prison of torments where he awaits that day. He seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom, and 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.” He still speaks as he professed on earth, to be a child of Abraham, but Abraham said, “Son, remember,” indeed he cannot forget, but his cry is answered. There is now no mercy for him, it is too late. He can remember his lustful, selfish, sinful life; his wasted opportunities of repentance, his sad neglect of the Word of God in his successful business life. It all comes back to him now, and if his five brethren come there through his influence, how it will increase his agonies! Did he warn them? or did he lead them the wrong road? did he help them to forget God and His Word—Moses and the prophets? O! that memory! the worm that never dies, for after the great white throne where he receives his eternal sentence, and is cast into the lake of fire which never shall be quenched, that worm will still continue its torments. There is no hope now, he is gone from among living men, is past mercy, there was living water flowing for him before, but he would not drink it then, now there is no mercy, no water, no, not one drop. And Abraham puts him in mind of his neglect and selfish life. He lived for self, and died a lost man, and he must learn now when it is too late, that all hope is over. The great, fixed, impassable gulf will not admit of anyone changing his place after death. Another deeply solemn lesson is added, he thinks of his father’s house, and his brethren. Could they be warned of his lost condition, lest they come into the same place of torment? And Abraham said, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.” They and he had the Word of God, why do they not hearken to it? Why did he not hearken? Why do men now not hearken? Because the god of this world has blinded their minds, they pay attention to everything but to God’s Word. And Abraham tells him what is so true, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” It had been the days of plenty with him on earth, now it was a terrible famine. No mercy, no water, nothing but a lost, undone eternity. How important to hear Moses and the prophets—the Word of God! It is God’s message to man. What excuse can they have?
“How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?”
“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”