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LUKE 16:15 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Luke 16:14Luke 16:16
“And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”
He said to them, you are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God's sight — you justify yourselves in the eyes of others: the self-justification that the Pharisees perform before the human audience. God knows your hearts: the divine audience whose evaluation contradicts the human evaluation. What people value highly is detestable in God's sight: the reversal principle that underlies the Beatitudes.

Church Fathers on Luke 16:15

Christ had told the Pharisees not to boast of their own righteousness, but to receive penitent sinners, and to redeem their sins by almsgiving. But they derided the Preacher of mercy, humility, and frugality; as it is said, And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard these things; and derided him: it may be for two reasons, either because He commanded what was not sufficiently profitable, or cast blame upon their past superfluous actions.

Bede · 8th century

But the Lord detecting in them a hidden malice, proves that they make a presence of righteousness. Therefore it is added, And he said to them, you are they which justify yourselves before men.

Theophylact · 11th century

Not that the Law failed, but that the preaching of the Gospel began, for that which is inferior seems to be completed when a better succeeds.

Ambrose · 4th century
Read all 14 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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Luke 16:15 — Community Reflections | HolyStudy