Luke 16:1 — Community Reflections

LUKE 16:1 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.”

Jesus told his disciples: there was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions — the Dishonest Manager parable is addressed to the disciples (unlike the previous chapter's parables which were addressed to the Pharisees). The manager accused of wasting the rich man's possessions is the situation that produces the creative financial maneuver of the following verses.

Church Fathers on Luke 16:1

Having rebuked in three parables those who murmured because He received penitents, our Savior shortly after subjoins a fourth and a fifth on almsgiving and frugality, because it is also the fittest order in preaching that almsgiving should be added after repentance. Hence it follows, And he said to his disciples, There was a certain rich man.
Bede · 8th century

There is a certain erroneous opinion inherent in mankind, which increases evil and lessens good. It is the feeling that all the good things we possess in the course of our life we possess as lords over them, and accordingly we seize them as our especial goods. But it is quite the contrary. For we are placed in this life not as lords in our own house, but as guests and strangers, led whither we would not, and at a time we think not of. He who is now rich, suddenly becomes a…
Pseudo-Chrysostom · 5th century

From this we learn then, that we are not ourselves the masters, but rather the stewards of the property of others.
Ambrose · 4th century

Read all 8 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

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