Who provides for his subsistence on losing his stewardship. from me the steward beg I am ashamed, SECT. 43 cxxiv. What shall I do? for himself, in the reasonings of his own mind, my lord taketh away What shall I do in this unhappy situation of my ship: I cannot dig, to affairs for my lord is taking away my steward-Luke ship, and with it I shall lose my subsistence. I XVI. 3. am not able to dig, or to apply myself to any other laborious work of husbandry ; nor can I expect, under this load of infamy, to be trusted by another in the business I have been accustomed to; [and] I am utterly ashamed to beg my bread, after having lived so handsomely in the 4 I am resolved what world thus long. And, after a pause, he added, 4 put out of the steward- I have at length bethought myself, and now ship, they may receive know what I will do; an expedient offers itself to my mind by which I may secure myself friends, so that when I am removed from my office, they may receive me into their houses. to do, that when I am me into their houses. 5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors to the first, How much unto him, and said un And, in pursuance of this scheme, having call-5 ed every one of his lord's debtors to him whom he could hope to oblige by so fraudulent a proposal, owest thou unto my he determined to lower the several articles in his lord? book which stood chargeable to the account of each; and said, for instance, to the first, How 6 And he said, An much owest thou to my lord? And he said, An 6 hundred measures of hundred baths of oil. And he said to him, Take to him, Take thy bill, thy bill, in which thou hast acknowledged the and sit down quickly, receipt of it, and sit down directly, and write oil. And he said un and write fifty, a I am not able to dig, or to apply my self to-husbandry.] Raphelius (Annot.er Xen. p. 104, 105), and Elsner (Observ. Vol. I. p. 251), have shewn that the word oxanlar signifies, in general, to cultivate the land, and especially to prepare it for seed; which was one of the most laborious parts of the husbandman's work in which day. labourers were employed; and consequently inost fit to be mentioned by this steward, who, having been used to a delicate and luxurious way of living, would naturally think of such a change of life in the most discouraging view. The expression, ex xvw, I am not able, or strong enough, to do it, has also a peculiar beauty in this view, which is lost in our translation, and in most others. b An hundred baths of oil.] The Greek word Sales is evidently derived from the Hebrew, which we render baths in the Old Testament. (1 Kings vii. 26. 2 Chron. ii. 10. Ezra vi. 22.) According to Bishop Cumberland it contained about seven gallons, two quarts, and half a pint. Compare Joseph. Antiq. lib. viii. cap. 2. § 9.-The measure of wheat, nous mentioned in the next verse, is the VOL. VII. F another, cor, or homer of the Hebrews, containing c Tuke thy bill, in which thou hast ac- his own stock, he undertaking to pay his he 44 7 Then said he to an The wisdom shewn by the children of this world. SECT. another, in which thou shalt acknowledge the cxxiv. receipt of but fifty, and I will alter my book Luke agreeable to that Then he said to another, And XVI.7.how much dost thou owe? And he said, An hundred homers of wheat. And he says to him, Take thy bill back, and write down an acknowledg- sures of wheat. And ment of but fourscore; and remember how easy thy bill, and write I have made thine account. other, And how much said, An hundred mea owest thou? And he he said unto him, Take fourscore. neration wiser than 8 And when the master heard of it, though he 8 And the lord 9 9 And I say unto And I also say to you, Endeavour to make yourselves sure friends with these riches which you, Make to yourmay not improperly he called the unrighteous or deceitful mammon (as so little confidence can he would have let the account remain un- d In their generation.] It here signifies be selves friends of the mammon tion of the owners; and in that view is opposed to true riches, ver. 11.—The mammon of unrighteousness is plainly such a hebraism as the steward of unrighteousness, ver. 8. and the judge of unrighteousness, chap. xviii. 6. Gr. which our translators have with perfect fidelity changed into the unjust steward and the unjust judge; and had they taken the same liberty in many other places, they had made many scriptures plainer than they now appear to an English reader.-See Eisner, Observ. Vol. I. p. 252, where he has shewn that adixia significs unfaithfulness, on which account it is often opposed to truth. Compare Rom. i. 18. ii. 8. and Deut. xix. 19. Mic. vi. 12. Heb. f That A faithful improvement should be made of our riches. Luke 45 mammon of unrigh- be reposed in them); that when you fail, and die SECT. teousness; that when ye fail, they may reout of this world, they may receive you into cxxiv. ceive you into ever- everlasting habitations, and you may for ever lasting habitations. enjoy the reward of your pious charity and XVI. 9. love, in an everlasting friendship with all those truly worthy persons who have been relieved by it. 10 He that is faith ful in that which is least, is faithful also ip much: and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much. 11 If therefore ye have not been faith the true riches? Let this exhortation be regarded, not only by 10 those that abound in wealth, but by all others: for he who, acting on strict principles of integrity and piety, is faithful in the smallest [trust], is, and would in fact appear to be faithful also in one of much greater importance if it were committed to him; and he who is unjust in the least, matter, is, if he can attempt it with views of impunity, unjust also in much. If therefore it appears that you have not been 11 ful in the unrighteous faithful in the management of the unrighteous or mammon, who will deceitful mammon, as I before called those precommit to your trust carious treasures, who will intrust you with the true [riches]? And I repeat it again, if you 12 not been faithful in have not been faithful in what was really anthat which is another other's, and only was committed to your care and man's, who shall give management for a little while; who do you think you that which is your will give you [that which shall be your own by 12 And if ye have own? 13 No servant can scrve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, an unalienable right and eternal possession ? But, as I formerly have said, I tell you now 13 again, No domestic whatever can serve two different masters; for he assuredly will either hate and despise the one, and love the other; or at least he will adhere to the commands of the one, and neglect those of the other: so, in like manner, you cannot faithfully serve God, and yet at the same time be the servant of mammon, having your hearts engrossed by worldly interests and pursuits. (Compare Mat. vi. 24. Vol. VI. p. 227.) And the Pharisees also, who were extremely coretous, stood by and heard all these things; and' they contemptuously derided him as a poor visionary, That when you fail, and die out of this world] It is with apparent propriety that our Lord suggests the thoughts of death as an antidote against covetousness. Strange it is that so many on the very borders of the grave should be so wretchedly inslaved to that unreasonable passion! if you have not been faithful in what was another's, &c.] This is well expressed, though not exactly rendered, in the version They derided him.] The word în;ikov F 2 14 46 The covetous Pharisees deriding him, are reproved. all SECT. visionary, who did not understand human life, covetous, heard cxxiv. or only appeared to despise the world, because these things: and they Luke (as they supposed) it was out of his reach. XVI.15. derided him. hearts: for that which God. 16 The law and the were until And he said to them, You Pharisees are they 15 And be said nnto that justify yourselves before men, and find out a them, Ye are they which justify yourgreat many plausible excuses for possessing and selves before men; but pursuing the world as you do; but God knows God knoweth your your hearts, and knows that it is not by love to is highly esteemed him, but to yourselves, that you are animated, among men, is abomieven in the most specious and pompous of your nation in the sight of actions: for that which is highly esteemed among men is, in many instances, an abomination before God, who observes the vile purposes from which it often proceeds, and cannot be imposed upon by any glittering misrepresentation or disguise. 16 (Compare 1 Sam. xvi. 7.) But a dispensation is now opening upon the world which will put prophets John: since that time you to deserved shame; for the law and the pro- the kingdom of God is phets [were] the only Divine revelation among preached, and every you until John the Baptist appeared; but from man presseth into it. that time the kingdom of God is publicly and plainly preached, and every one forces his way into it; for considerable numbers, notwithstanding all your sophistry, stand well disposed to receive it, and are willing to secure its blessings at any rate. (Compare Mat. xi. 12, 13. Vol. VI. 17 p. 306.) Yet I would not be understood as if 17 And it is easier I intended by what I say to put any slight on for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle former revelations; for I rather establish and of the law to fail. vindicate them, and again declare it to you as a most solemn truth, That it is much easier for heaven and earth to pass away, and the whole system of created nature to be destroyed, than for one tittle of the law of God to fail, or the least precept of it to be set aside as faulty. (See Mat. 18 V. 18. Vol. VI. p. 205.) And, far from doing any thing to lessen or abate the force of it, I rather assert it in its utmost extent and spirituality; insomuch that you know I have before declared, and whosoever mar notwithstanding all your boasted, but dangerous, traditions, that whosoever puts away his wife, and marries another, unless it be on account of a breach of the most fundamental article of ed. There was a gravity and dignity in our the 18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another committeth adultery : rieth i Forces his way into it, εις αυτην βιαζεται.] Some think this intimates that those who should have been readiest to open the door, rather attempted to keep them out: it certainly implies that there were strong obstacles in the way. Reflections on a due improvement of our stewardship. 47 rieth her that is put the marriage-covenant, commits adultery; and SECT. away from her hus- whosoever marries her that is put away from her band, committeth adultery. cxxiv. former husband for any less important cause, Luke commits adultery with her, as the first contract XVI. 18. still continues in force by which she is the wife of another. p. 212.) (Compare Mat. v. 32. Vol. VI. IMPROVEMENT. compara. MAY the wisdom of the children of this world in their tively trifling concerns excite a holy emulation in the children 8 of light! Is it not much better worth our while to employ all the attention of our thoughts in observing opportunities for the good of our souls, and to exert all the force of our resolutions in improving them, than to labour merely for the meat which perishes, for that deceitful mammon, that treacherous friend, which will at 9 best only amuse us for a few years, and will for ever forsake us in our greatest extremity. Ver. Let us take occasion, from this parable, to think how soon we 1, 2 must part with all our present possessions; how soon we must give an account of our respective stewardships as those who must be no longer stewards. Let us therefore manage them in such a manner as may most effectually promote the great purposes of our everlasting happiness. To this end, iet us remember how absolutely necessary it is that we abound in works of charity and benevolence, and that we endeavour to abstract our hearts from an over-eager attachment to these lying vanities; for surely the tri fles of earth are no better. Let us not imagine that our particular address can find out the secret of serving God and mammon, since 13 Christ represents it as an impossibility and contradiction. May we be found faithful in what God has committed to us, 10--12 whether it be little or much; and govern ourselves, not by the maxims of this vain world, but by those of the gospel! And if the same temper that led the covetous Pharisees to deride our Lord, 14 engage the children of this world to pour contempt upon us as visionaries and enthusiasts, we have much greater reason to be grieved for them than for ourselves. Their censures can be matter of but little account to us, when we consider that the things which are highly esteemed by men are often an abomination in the 15 sight of God. His law is sacred, and the constitutions of his king- 16--17 dom are unalterable: may the temper of our minds be so altered and disposed as may suit it! For another day, and another world, will shew that real Christianity is the only wisdom; and that all the refinements of human policy without it are but specious madness and laborious ruin! SECT. |