02450
 \\Rejoice with me\\ (\\suncharte moi\\). Second aorist passive of
 \\sunchair\\, an old and common verb for mutual joy as in
 # Php 2:17
 Joy demands fellowship. Same form in verse
 # 9
 So the shepherd \\calls together\\ (\\sunkalei\\, note \\sun\\ again) both
 his friends and his neighbours. This picture of the Good Shepherd
 has captured the eye of many artists through the ages.

02451
 \\Over one sinner that repenteth\\ (\\epi heni hamartli metanoounti\\).
 The word sinner points to verse
 # 1
 Repenting is what these sinners were doing, these lost sheep
 brought to the fold. The joy in heaven is in contrast with the
 grumbling Pharisees and scribes. \\More than over\\ (\\ epi\\). There is
 no comparative in the Greek. It is only implied by a common idiom
 like our "rather than." \\Which need no repentance\\ (\\hoitines ou\\
 \\chreian echousin metanoias\\). Jesus does not mean to say that the
 Pharisees and the scribes do not need repentance or are perfect.
 He for the sake of argument accepts their claims about themselves
 and by their own words condemns them for their criticism of his
 efforts to save the lost sheep. It is the same point that he made
 against them when they criticized Jesus and the disciples for
 being at Levi's feast
 # Lu 5:31
 They posed as "righteous." Very well, then. That shuts their
 mouths on the point of Christ's saving the publicans and sinners.

02452
 \\Ten pieces of silver\\ (\\drachmas deka\\). The only instance in the
 N.T. of this old word for a coin of 65.5 grains about the value
 of the common \\dnarius\\ (about eighteen cents), a quarter of a
 Jewish shekel. The double drachma (\\didrachmon\\) occurs in the N.T.
 only in
 # Mt 17:24
 The root is from \\drassomai\\, to grasp with the hand
 # 1Co 3:19
 and so a handful of coin. Ten drachmas would be equal to nearly
 two dollars, but in purchasing power much more. \\Sweep\\ (\\saroi\\). A
 late colloquial verb \\saro\\ for the earlier \\sair\\, to clear by
 sweeping. Three times in the N.T.
 # Lu 11:25; 15:8; Mt 12:44
 The house was probably with out windows (only the door for light
 and hence the lamp lit) and probably also a dirt floor. Hence
 Bengel says: _non sine pulvere_. This parable is peculiar to
 Luke.

02453
 \\Her friends and neighbours\\ (\\tas philas kai geitonas\\). Note single
 article and female friends (feminine article and \\philas\\). \\Hes\\
 \\hou euri\\ here as in verse
 # 4
 only \\hou\\ added after \\hes\\ (until which time) as often. \\Which I\\
 \\lost\\ (\\hn aplesa\\). First aorist active indicative of \\apollumi\\.
 She lost the coin (note article). The shepherd did not lose the
 one sheep.

02454
 \\There is joy\\ (\\ginetai chara\\). More exactly, joy arises.
 Futuristic present of \\ginomai\\ (cf. \\estai\\ in verse
 # 7
 \\In the presence of the angels of God\\ (\\enpion tn aggeln tou\\
 \\theou\\). That is to say, the joy of God himself. The angels are in
 a sense the neighbours of God.

02455
 \\Had\\ (\\eichen\\). Imperfect active. Note \\echn\\ (verse
 # 4
 \\echousa\\ (verse
 # 8
 and now \\eichen\\. The self-sacrificing care is that of the owner in
 each case. Here (verses
 # 11-32
 we have the most famous of all the parables of Jesus, the
 Prodigal Son, which is in Luke alone. We have had the Lost Sheep,
 the Lost Coin, and now the Lost Son. Bruce notes that in the
 moral sphere there must be self-recovery to give ethical value to
 the rescue of the son who wandered away. That comes out
 beautifully in this allegory.

02456
 \\The portion\\ (\\to meros\\). The Jewish law alloted one-half as much
 to the younger son as to the elder, that is to say one-third of
 the estate
 # De 21:17
 at the death of the father. The father did not have to abdicate
 in favour of the sons, but "this very human parable here depicts
 the impatience of home restraints and the optimistic ambition of
 youth" (Ragg). \\And he divided\\ (\\ho de dieilen\\). The second aorist
 active indicative of \\diaire\\, an old and common verb to part in
 two, cut asunder, divide, but in the N.T. only here and
 # 1Co 12:11
 The elder son got his share also of the "substance" or property
 or estate (\\ts ousias\\), "the living" (\\ton bion\\) as in
 # Mr 12:44
 not "life" as in
 # Lu 8:14

02457
 \\Not many days after\\ (\\met' ou pollas hmeras\\). Literally, after
 not many days. Luke is fond of this idiom
 # 7:6; Ac 1:5
 \\Took his journey\\ (\\apedmsen\\). First aorist active indicative of
 \\apodme\\ (from \\apodmos\\, away from home). Common verb. In the
 N.T. here and
 # Mt 21:33; 25:14; Mr 12:1; Lu 20:9
 He burned all his bridges behind him, gathering together all that
 he had. \\Wasted\\ (\\dieskorpisen\\). First aorist active indicative of
 \\diaskorpiz\\, a somewhat rare verb, the very opposite of "gathered
 together" (\\sunagogn\\). More exactly he scattered his property. It
 is the word used of winnowing grain
 # Mt 25:24
 \\With riotous living\\ (\\zn asts\\). Living dissolutely or
 profligately. The late adverb \\asts\\ (only here in the N.T.) from
 the common adjective \\astos\\ (\\a\\ privative and \\sz\\), one that
 cannot be saved, one who does not save, a spendthrift, an
 abandoned man, a profligate, a prodigal. He went the limit of
 sinful excesses. It makes sense taken actively or passively
 (_prodigus_ or _perditus_), active probably here.

02458
 \\When he had spent\\ (\\dapansantos autou\\). Genitive absolute. The
 verb is here used in a bad sense as in
 # Jas 4:3
 For \\dapan\\,
 see note on "Lu 14:28"
 \\He\\ (\\autos\\). Emphasis. \\To be in want\\ (\\hustereisthai\\). The verb is
 from \\husteros\\, behind or later (comparative). We use "fall
 behind" (Vincent) of one in straitened circumstances. Plummer
 notes the coincidences of Providence. The very land was in a
 famine when the boy had spent all.

02459
 \\Joined himself\\ (\\ekollth\\). First aorist passive of \\kolla\\, an
 old verb to glue together, to cleave to. In the N.T. only the
 passive occurs. He was glued to, was joined to. It is not
 necessary to take this passive in the middle reflexive sense. \\The\\
 \\citizens\\ (\\tn politn\\). Curiously enough this common word citizen
 (\\polits\\ from \\polis\\, city) is found in the N.T. only in Luke's
 writings
 # 15:15; 19:14; Ac 21:39
 except in
 # He 8:11
 where it is quoted from
 # Jer 38:34
 \\To feed swine\\ (\\boskein choirous\\). A most degrading occupation for
 anyone and for a Jew an unspeakable degradation.

02460
 \\He would fain have been filled\\ (\\epethumei chortasthnai\\).
 Literally, he was desiring (longing) to be filled. Imperfect
 indicative and first aorist passive infinitive. \\Chortasthnai\\ is
 from \\chortaz\\ and that from \\chortos\\ (grass), and so to feed with
 grass or with anything. Westcott and Hort put \\gemisai tn koilian\\
 \\autou\\ in the margin (the Textus Receptus). \\With the husks\\ (\\ek tn\\
 \\keratin\\). The word occurs here alone in the N.T. and is a
 diminutive of \\keras\\ (horn) and so means little horn. It is used
 in various senses, but here refers to the pods of the carob tree
 or locust tree still common in Palestine and around the
 Mediterannean, so called from the shape of the pods like little
 horns, _Bockshornbaum_ in German or goat's-horn tree. The
 gelatinous substance inside has a sweetish taste and is used for
 feeding swine and even for food by the lower classes. It is
 sometimes called Saint John's Bread from the notion that the
 Baptist ate it in the wilderness. \\No man gave unto him\\ (\\oudeis\\
 \\edidou auti\\). Imperfect active. Continued refusal of anyone to
 allow him even the food of the hogs.

02461
 \\But when he came to himself\\ (\\eis heauton de elthn\\). As if he had
 been far from himself as he was from home. As a matter of fact he
 had been away, out of his head, and now began to see things as
 they really were. Plato is quoted by Ackerman (_Christian Element
 in Plato_) as thinking of redemption as coming to oneself. \\Hired\\
 \\servants\\ (\\misthioi\\). A late word from \\misthos\\ (hire). In the N.T.
 only in this chapter. The use of "many" here suggests a wealthy
 and luxurious home. \\Have bread enough and to spare\\ (\\perisseuontai\\
 \\artn\\). Old verb from \\perissos\\ and that from \\peri\\ (around).
 Present passive here, "are surrounded by loaves" like a flood. \\I\\
 \\perish\\ (\\eg de limi hde apollumai\\). Every word here counts:
 While I on the other hand am here perishing with hunger. It is
 the linear present middle of \\apollumi\\. Note \\eg\\ expressed and
 \\de\\ of contrast.

02462
 \\I will arise and go\\ (\\anastas proreusomai\\). This determination is
 the act of the will after he comes to himself and sees his real
 condition. \\I did sin\\ (\\hmarton\\). That is the hard word to say and
 he will say it first. The word means to miss the mark. I shot my
 bolt and I missed my aim (compare the high-handed demand in verse
 # 12

02463
 \\No longer worthy\\ (\\ouketi axios\\). Confession of the facts. He sees
 his own pitiful plight and is humble. \\As one\\ (\\hs hena\\). The
 hired servants in his father's house are high above him now.

02464
 \\To his father\\ (\\pros ton patera heautou\\). Literally, to his own
 father. He acted at once on his decision. \\Yet afar off\\ (\\eti autou\\
 \\makran apechontos\\). Genitive absolute. \\Makran\\ agrees with \\hodon\\
 understood: While he was yet holding off a distant way. This
 shows that the father had been looking for him to come back and
 was even looking at this very moment as he came in sight. \\Ran\\
 (\\dramn\\). Second aorist active participle of the defective verb
 \\trech\\. The eager look and longing of the father. \\Kissed\\
 (\\katephilsen\\). Note perfective use of \\kata\\ kissed him much,
 kissed him again and again. The verb occurs so in the older
 Greek.

02465
 The son made his speech of confession as planned, but it is not
 certain that he was able to finish as a number of early
 manuscripts do not have "Make me as one of the hired servants,"
 though Aleph B D do have them. It is probable that the father
 interrupted him at this point before he could finish.

02466
 \\The best robe\\ (\\stoln tn prtn\\). \\Stol\\ is an old word for a
 fine stately garment that comes down to the feet (from \\stello\\, to
 prepare, equip), the kind worn by kings
 # Mr 16:5; Lu 22:46
 Literally, "a robe the first." But not the first that you find,
 but the first in rank and value, the finest in the house. This in
 contrast with his shabby clothes. \\A ring\\ (\\daktulion\\). Common in
 classical writers and the LXX, but here only in the N.T. From
 \\daktulos\\, finger. See \\chrusodaktulios\\ in
 # Jas 2:2
 \\Shoes\\ (\\hupodmata\\). Sandals, "bound under." Both sandals and ring
 are marks of the freeman as slaves were barefooted.

02467
 \\The fatted calf\\ (\\ton moschon ton siteuton\\). The calf the fatted
 one. \\Siteuton\\ is the verbal adjective of \\sileu\\, to feed with
 wheat (\\sitos\\). The calf was kept fat for festive occasions,
 possibly in the hope of the son's return. \\Kill\\ (\\thusate\\). Not as
 a sacrifice, but for the feast. \\Make merry\\ (\\euphranthmen\\). First
 aorist passive subjunctive (volitive). From \\euphrain\\, an old
 verb from \\eu\\ (well) and \\phrn\\ (mind).

02468
 \\And is alive\\ (\\kai anezsen\\). First aorist active indicative of
 \\anaza\\, to live again. Literally, he was dead and he came back to
 life. \\He was lost\\ (\\n apolls\\, periphrastic past perfect active
 of \\apollumi\\ and intransitive, in a lost state) and he was found
 (\\heureth\\). He was found, we have to say, but this aorist passive
 is really timeless, he is found after long waiting (effective
 aorist) The artists have vied with each other in picturing
 various items connected with this wonderful parable.

02469
 \\As he came and drew nigh\\ (\\hs erchomenos ggisen\\). More exactly,
 "As, coming, he drew nigh," for \\erchomenos\\ is present middle
 participle and \\ggisen\\ is aorist active indicative. \\Music\\
 (\\sumphnias\\). Our word "symphony." An old Greek word from
 \\sumphnos\\ (\\sun\\, together, and \\phn\\, voice or sound), \\harmony,\\
 \\concord\\, by a band of musicians. Here alone in the N.T. \\And\\
 \\dancing\\ (\\kai chorn\\). An old word again, but here alone in the
 N.T. Origin uncertain, possibly from \\orchos\\ by metathesis
 (\\orcheomai\\, to dance). A circular dance on the green.

02470
 \\Servants\\ (\\paidn\\). Not \\douloi\\ (bondslaves) as in verse
 # 22
 The Greeks often used \\pais\\ for servant like the Latin _puer_. It
 could be either a hired servant (\\misthios\\, verse
 # 17
 or slave (\\doulos\\). \\He inquired\\ (\\epunthaneto\\). Imperfect middle,
 inquired repeatedly and eagerly. \\What these things might be\\ (\\ti\\
 \\an ei tauta\\). Not "poor" Greek as Easton holds, but simply the
 form of the direct question retained in the indirect. See the
 direct form as the apodosis of a condition of the fourth class in
 # Ac 17:18
 In
 # Ac 10:17
 we have the construction with \\an ei\\ of the direct retained in
 the indirect question. So also in
 # Lu 1:62
 : See Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 1044.

02471
 \\Is come\\ (\\hkei\\). Present indicative active, but a stem with
 perfect sense, old verb \\hk\\ retaining this use after perfect
 tenses came into use (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 893). \\Hath killed\\
 (\\ethusen\\). Aorist active indicative and literally means, \\did\\
 \\kill\\. Difficult to handle in English for our tenses do not
 correspond with the Greek. \\Hath received\\ (\\apelaben\\). Second
 aorist active indicative with similar difficulty of translation.
 Note \\apo\\ in compositions, like _re-_ in "receive," hath gotten
 him back (\\ap-\\). \\Safe and sound\\ (\\hugiainonta\\). Present active
 participle of \\hugiain\\ from \\hugis\\, to be in good health. In
 spite of all that he has gone through and in spite of the
 father's fears.

02472
 \\But he was angry\\ (\\rgisth\\). First aorist (ingressive) passive
 indicative. But he became angry, he flew into a rage (\\org\\). This
 was the explosion as the result of long resentment towards the
 wayward brother and suspicion of the father's partiality for the
 erring son. \\Would not go in\\ (\\ouk thelen eiselthein\\). Imperfect
 tense (was not willing, refused) and aorist active (ingressive)
 infinitive. \\Entreated\\ (\\parekalei\\). Imperfect tense, he kept on
 beseeching him.

02473
 \\Do I serve thee\\ (\\douleu soi\\). Progressive present tense of this
 old verb from \\doulos\\ (slave) which the elder son uses to picture
 his virtual slavery in staying at home and perhaps with longings
 to follow the younger son (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 879).
 \\Transgressed\\ (\\parlthon\\). Second aorist active indicative of
 \\parerchomai\\, to pass by. Not even once (aorist) in contrast with
 so many years of service (linear present). \\A kid\\ (\\eriphon\\). Some
 MSS. have \\eriphion\\, diminutive, a little kid. So margin of
 Westcott and Hort. B has it also in
 # Mt 25:32
 the only other N.T. passage where the word occurs. \\That I might\\
 \\make merry\\ (\\hina euphranth\\). Final clause, first aorist passive
 subjunctive of the same verb used in verses
 # 23,25

02474
 \\This thy son\\ (\\ho huios sou houtos\\). Contempt and sarcasm. He does
 not say: "This my brother." \\Came\\ (\\lthen\\). He does not even say,
 came back or came home. \\Devoured\\ (\\kataphagn\\). We say, "eaten
 up," but the Greek has, "eaten down" (perfective use of \\kata-\\).
 Suggested by the feasting going on. \\With harlots\\ (\\meta pornn\\).
 This may be true (verse
 # 13
 but the elder son did not know it to be true. He may reflect what
 he would have done in like case.

02475
 \\Son\\ (\\Teknon\\). Child. \\Thou\\ (\\su\\). Expressed and in emphatic
 position in the sentence. He had not appreciated his privileges
 at home with his father.

02476
 \\It was meet\\ (\\edei\\). Imperfect tense. It expressed a necessity in
 the father's heart and in the joy of the return that justifies
 the feasting. \\Euphranthnai\\ is used again (first aorist passive
 infinitive) and \\charnai\\ (second aorist passive infinitive) is
 more than mere hilarity, deep-seated joy. The father repeats to
 the elder son the language of his heart used in verse
 # 24
 to his servants. A real father could do no less. One can well
 imagine how completely the Pharisees and scribes (verse
 # 2
 were put to silence by these three marvellous parables. The third
 does it with a graphic picture of their own attitude in the case
 of the surly elder brother. Luke was called a painter by the
 ancients. Certainly he has produced a graphic pen picture here of
 God's love for the lost that justifies forever the coming of
 Christ to the world to seek and to save the lost. It glorifies
 also soul-saving on the part of his followers who are willing to
 go with Jesus after the lost in city and country, in every land
 and of every race.


02477
 \\Unto the disciples\\ (\\kai pros tous mathtas\\). The three preceding
 parables in chapter 15 exposed the special faults of the
 Pharisees, "their hard exclusiveness, self-righteousness, and
 contempt for others" (Plummer). This parable is given by Luke
 alone. The \\kai\\ (also) is not translated in the Revised Version.
 It seems to mean that at this same time, after speaking to the
 Pharisees (chapter 15), Jesus proceeds to speak a parable to the
 disciples
 # 16:1-13
 the parable of the Unjust Steward. It is a hard parable to
 explain, but Jesus opens the door by the key in verse
 # 9
 \\Which had a steward\\ (\\hos ichen oikonomon\\). Imperfect active,
 continued to have. Steward is house-manager or overseer of an
 estate as already seen in
 # Lu 12:42
 \\Was accused\\ (\\dieblth\\). First aorist indicative passive, of
 \\diaball\\, an old verb, but here only in the N.T. It means to
 throw across or back and forth, rocks or words and so to slander
 by gossip. The word implies malice even if the thing said is
 true. The word \\diabolos\\ (slanderer) is this same root and it is
 used even of women, she-devils
 # 1Ti 3:11
 \\That he was wasting\\ (\\hs diaskorpizn\\). For the verb
 See note on "Lu 15:13"
 The use of \\hs\\ with the participle is a fine Greek idiom for
 giving the alleged ground of a charge against one. \\His goods\\ (\\ta\\
 \\huparchonta autou\\). "His belongings," a Lukan idiom.

02478
 \\What is this that I hear?\\ (\\ti touto akou;\\). There are several
 ways of understanding this terse Greek idiom. The Revised Version
 (above) takes \\ti\\ to be equal to \\ti estin touto ho akou\\; That is
 a possible use of the predicate \\touto\\. Another way is to take \\ti\\
 to be exclamatory, which is less likely. Still another view is
 that \\ti\\ is " Why": "Why do I hear this about thee?" See
 # Ac 14:15
 where that is the idiom employed. \\Render\\ (\\apodos\\). Second aorist
 active imperative of \\apodidmi\\, Give back (and at once). \\The\\
 \\account\\ (\\ton logon\\). The reckoning or report. Common use of
 \\logos\\. \\Stewardship\\ (\\oikonomias\\). Same root as \\oikonomos\\
 (steward). This demand does not necessarily mean dismissal if
 investigation proved him innocent of the charges. But the reason
 given implies that he is to be dismissed: \\Thou canst no longer\\
 (\\ou gar duni\\).

02479
 \\Within himself\\ (\\en heauti\\). As soon as he had time to think the
 thing over carefully. He knew that he was guilty of embezzlement
 of the Master's funds. \\Taketh away\\ (\\aphaireitai\\). Present
 (linear) middle indicative of \\aphaire\\, old verb to take away.
 Here the middle present means, He is taking away for himself. \\To\\
 \\beg I am not ashamed\\ (\\epaitein aischunomai\\). The infinitive with
 \\aischunomai\\ means ashamed to begin to beg. The participle,
 \\epaitn aischunomai\\ would mean, ashamed while begging, ashamed of
 begging while doing it.

02480
 \\I am resolved\\ (\\egnn\\). Second aorist active indicative of
 \\ginsk\\. A difficult tense to reproduce in English. I knew, I
 know, I have known, all miss it a bit. It is a burst of daylight
 to the puzzled, darkened man: I've got it, I see into it now, a
 sudden solution. \\What to do\\ (\\ti pois\\). Either deliberative
 first aorist active subjunctive or deliberative future active
 indicative. \\When I am put out\\ (\\hotan metastath\\). First aorist
 passive subjunctive of \\methistmi\\, (\\meta, histmi\\), old verb, to
 transpose, transfer, remove. He is expecting to be put out. \\They\\
 \\may receive me\\ (\\dexntai\\). First aorist middle subjunctive of
 \\dechomai\\, common verb. Subjunctive with final particle \\hina\\. He
 wishes to put the debtors under obligation to himself. \\Debtors\\
 (\\tn chreophiletn\\). A late word. In the N.T. only here and
 # Lu 7:41
 from \\chreos\\, loan, and \\opheilets\\, debtor. It is probable that he
 dealt with "each one" separately.

02481
02482
 \\Measures\\ (\\batous\\). Transliterated word for Hebrew _bath_, between
 eight and nine gallons. Here alone in the N.T. Not the same word
 as \\batos\\ (\\bush\\) in
 # Lu 6:44
 \\Thy bond\\ (\\sou ta grammata\\). Thy writings, thy contracts, thy
 note. \\Quickly\\ (\\taches\\). It was a secret arrangement and speed
 was essential.

02483
 \\Measures\\ (\\korous\\). Another Hebrew word for dry measure. The
 Hebrew _cor_ was about ten bushels. Data are not clear about the
 Hebrew measures whether liquid (\\bath\\) or dry (\\cor\\).

02484
 \\His lord commended\\ (\\epinesen ho kurios\\). The steward's lord
 praised him though he himself had been wronged again (see verse
 # 1
 "wasting his goods"). \\The unrighteous steward\\ (\\ton oikonomon ts\\
 \\adikias\\). Literally, the steward of unrighteousness. The genitive
 is the case of genus, species, the steward distinguished by
 unrighteousness as his characteristic. See "the mammon of
 unrighteousness" in verse
 # 9
 See "the forgetful hearer" in
 # Jas 1:25
 It is a vernacular idiom common to Hebrew, Aramaic, and the
 _Koin_. \\Wisely\\ (\\phronims\\). An old adverb, though here alone in
 the N.T. But the adjective \\phronimos\\ from which it comes occurs a
 dozen times as in
 # Mt 10:16
 It is from \\phrone\\ and that from \\phrn\\, the mind
 # 1Co 14:20
 the discerning intellect. Perhaps "shrewdly" or "discreetly" is
 better here than "wisely." The lord does not absolve the steward
 from guilt and he was apparently dismissed from his service. His
 shrewdness consisted in finding a place to go by his shrewdness.
 He remained the steward of unrighteousness even though his
 shrewdness was commended. \\For\\ (\\hoti\\). Probably by this second
 \\hoti\\ Jesus means to say that he cites this example of shrewdness
 because it illustrates the point. "This is the moral of the whole
 parable. Men of the world in their dealings with men like
 themselves are more prudent than the children of light in their
 intercourse with one another" (Plummer). We all know how stupid
 Christians can be in their co-operative work in the kingdom of
 God, to go no further. \\Wiser than\\ (\\phronimteroi huper\\). Shrewder
 beyond, a common Greek idiom.

02485
 \\By the mammon of unrighteousness\\ (\\ek tou mamn ts adikias\\). By
 the use of what is so often evil (money). In
 # Mt 6:24
 mammon is set over against God as in
 # Lu 16:13
 below. Jesus knows the evil power in money, but servants of God
 have to use it for the kingdom of God. They should use it
 discreetly and it is proper to make friends by the use of it.
 \\When it shall fail\\ (\\hotan eklipi\\). Second aorist active
 subjunctive with \\hotan\\, future time. The mammon is sure to fail.
 \\That they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles\\ (\\hina\\
 \\dexntai humas eis tas ainious sknas\\). This is the purpose of
 Christ in giving the advice about their making friends by the use
 of money. The purpose is that those who have been blessed and
 helped by the money may give a welcome to their benefactors when
 they reach heaven. There is no thought here of purchasing an
 entrance into heaven by the use of money. That idea is wholly
 foreign to the context. These friends will give a hearty welcome
 when one gives him mammon here. The wise way to lay up treasure
 in heaven is to use one's money for God here on earth. That will
 give a cash account there of joyful welcome, not of purchased
 entrance.

02486
 \\Faithful in a very little\\ (\\pistos en elachisti\\). Elative
 superlative. One of the profoundest sayings of Christ. We see it
 in business life. The man who can be trusted in a very small
 thing will be promoted to large responsibilities. That is the way
 men climb to the top. Men who embezzle in large sums began with
 small sums. Verses
 # 10-13
 here explain the point of the preceding parables.

02487
 \\Faithful in the unrighteous mammon\\ (\\en ti adiki mamni\\). In
 the use of what is considered "unrighteous" as it so often is.
 Condition of the first class, "if ye did not prove to be" (\\ei ouk\\
 \\egenesthe\\). Failure here forfeits confidence in "the true riches"
 (\\to althinon\\). There is no sadder story than to see a preacher
 go down by the wrong use of money, caught in this snare of the
 devil.

02488
 \\That which is your own\\ (\\to hmeteron\\). But Westcott and Hort read
 \\to hmeteron\\ (our own) because of B L Origen. The difference is
 due to itacism in the pronunciation of \\h-\\ and \\h\\ alike (long
 \\i\\). But the point in the passage calls for "yours" as correct.
 Earthly wealth is ours as a loan, a trust, withdrawn at any
 moment. It belongs to another (\\en ti allotrii\\). If you did not
 prove faithful in this, who will give you what is really yours
 forever? Compare "rich toward God"
 # Lu 12:21

02489
 \\Servant\\ (\\oikets\\). Household (\\oikos\\) servant. This is the only
 addition to
 # Mt 6:24
 where otherwise the language is precisely the same, which see.
 Either Matthew or Luke has put the \\logion\\ in the wrong place or
 Jesus spoke it twice. It suits perfectly each context. There is
 no real reason for objecting to repetition of favourite sayings
 by Jesus.

02490
 \\Who were lovers of money\\ (\\philarguroi huparchontes\\). Literally,
 being lovers of money. \\Philarguroi\\ is an old word, but in the
 N.T. only here and
 # 2Ti 3:2
 It is from \\philos\\ and \\arguros\\. \\Heard\\ (\\kouon\\). Imperfect
 active, were listening (all the while Jesus was talking to the
 disciples (verses
 # 1-13
 \\And they scoffed at him\\ (\\kai exemuktrizon\\). Imperfect active
 again of \\ekmuktriz\\. LXX where late writers use simple verb. In
 the N.T. only here and
 # Lu 23:35
 It means to turn out or up the nose at one, to sneer, to scoff.
 The Romans had a phrase, _naso adunco suspendere_, to hang on the
 hooked nose (the subject of ridicule). These money-loving
 Pharisees were quick to see that the words of Jesus about the
 wise use of money applied to them. They had stood without comment
 the three parables aimed directly at them (the lost sheep, the
 lost coin, the lost son). But now they do not remain quiet while
 they hear the fourth parable spoken to the disciples. No words
 were apparently spoken, but their eyes, noses, faces were
 eloquent with a fine disdain.

02491
 \\That justify yourselves\\ (\\hoi dikaiountes heautous\\). They were
 past-masters at that and were doing it now by upturned noses. \\An\\
 \\abomination in the sight of God\\ (\\bdelugma enpion tou theou\\).
 See note on "Mt 24:15"
 See note on "Mr 13:14"
  for this LXX word for a detestable thing as when Antiochus
 Epiphanes set up an altar to Zeus in place of that to Jehovah.
 There is withering scorn in the use of this phrase by Jesus to
 these pious pretenders.

02492
 \\Entereth violently into it\\ (\\eis autn biazetai\\). A corresponding
 saying occurs in
 # Mt 11:12
 in a very different context. In both the verb \\biazetai\\, occurs
 also, but nowhere else in the N.T. It is present middle here and
 can be middle or passive in Matthew, which see. It is rare in
 late prose. Deissmann (_Bible Studies_, p. 258) cites an
 inscription where \\biazomai\\ is reflexive middle and used
 absolutely. Here the meaning clearly is that everyone forces his
 way into the kingdom of God, a plea for moral enthusiasm and
 spiritual passion and energy that some today affect to despise.

02493
 \\One tittle\\ (\\mian kerean\\).
 See note on "Mt 5:18"

02494
 \\Committeth adultery\\ (\\moicheuei\\). Another repeated saying of
 Christ
 # Mt 5:32; Mr 10:11; Mt 19:9
 Adultery remains adultery, divorce or no divorce, remarriage or
 no marriage.

02495
 \\He was clothed\\ (\\enedidusketo\\). Imperfect middle of \\endidusk\\, a
 late intensive form of \\endu\\. He clothed himself in or with. It
 was his habit. \\Purple\\ (\\porphuran\\). This purple dye was obtained
 from the purple fish, a species of mussel or \\murex\\ (1Macc. 4:23).
 It was very costly and was used for the upper garment by the
 wealthy and princes (royal purple). They had three shades of
 purple (deep violet, deep scarlet or crimson, deep blue). See
 also
 # Mr 15:17,20; Re 18:12
 \\Fine linen\\ (\\busson\\). \\Byssus\\ or Egyptian flax (India and Achaia
 also). It is a yellowed flax from which fine linen was made for
 undergarments. It was used for wrapping mummies. "Some of the
 Egyptian linen was so fine that it was called _woven air_"
 (Vincent). Here only in the N.T. for the adjective \\bussinos\\
 occurs in
 # Re 18:12; 19:8,14
 \\Faring sumptuously\\ (\\euphrainomenos lamprs\\). \\Making merry\\
 \\brilliantly\\. The verb \\euphrainomai\\ we have already had in
 # 12:19; 15:23,25,32
 \\Lamprs\\ is an old adverb from \\lampros\\, brilliant, shining,
 splendid, magnificent. It occurs here only in the N.T. This
 parable apparently was meant for the Pharisees (verse
 # 14
 who were lovers of money. It shows the wrong use of money and
 opportunity.

02496
 \\Beggar\\ (\\ptchos\\). Original meaning of this old word.
 See note on "Mt 5:3"
 The name Lazarus is from \\Eleazaros\\, "God a help," and was a
 common one. _Lazar_ in English means one afflicted with a
 pestilential disease. \\Was laid\\ (\\ebeblto\\). Past perfect passive
 of the common verb \\ball\\. He had been flung there and was still
 there, "as if contemptuous roughness is implied" (Plummer). \\At\\
 \\his gate\\ (\\pros ton pulna autou\\). Right in front of the large
 portico or gateway, not necessarily a part of the grand house,
 porch in
 # Mt 26:71
 \\Full of sores\\ (\\heilkmenos\\). Perfect passive participle of
 \\helko\\, to make sore, to ulcerate, from \\helkos\\, ulcer (Latin
 _ulcus_). See use of \\helkos\\ in verse
 # 21
 Common in Hippocrates and other medical writers. Here only in the
 N.T.

02497
 \\With the crumbs that fell\\ (\\apo tn piptontn\\). From the things
 that fell from time to time. The language reminds one of
 # Lu 15:16
 (the prodigal son) and the Syro-Phoenician woman
 # Mr 7:28
 Only it does not follow that this beggar did not get the scraps
 from the rich man's table. Probably he did, though nothing more.
 Even the wild street dogs would get them also. \\Yea, even the\\
 \\dogs\\ (\\alla kai hoi kunes\\). For \\alla kai\\ see also
 # 12:7; 24:22
 \\Alla\\ can mean "yea," though it often means "but." Here it depends
 on how one construes Luke's meaning. If he means that he was
 dependent on casual scraps and it was so bad that even the wild
 dogs moreover were his companions in misery, the climax came that
 he was able to drive away the dogs. The other view is that his
 hunger was unsatisfied, but even the dogs increased his misery.
 \\Licked his sores\\ (\\epeleichon ta helk autou\\). Imperfect active of
 \\epileich\\, a late vernacular _Koin_ verb, to lick over the
 surface. It is not clear whether the licking of the sores by the
 dogs added to the misery of Lazarus or gave a measure of comfort,
 as he lay in his helpless condition. "Furrer speaks of witnessing
 dogs and lepers waiting together for the refuse" (Bruce). It was
 a scramble between the dogs and Lazarus.

02498
 \\Was borne\\ (\\apenechthnai\\). First aorist passive infinitive from
 \\apopher\\, a common compound defective verb. The accusative case
 of general reference (\\auton\\) is common with the infinitive in
 such clauses after \\egeneto\\, like indirect discourse. It is his
 soul, of course, that was so borne by the angels, not his body.
 \\Into Abraham's bosom\\ (\\eis ton holpon Abraam\\). To be in Abraham's
 bosom is to the Jew to be in Paradise. In
 # Joh 1:18
 the Logos is in the bosom of the Father. Abraham, Isaac, and
 Jacob are in heaven and welcome those who come
 # Mt 8:11
 4Macc. 14:17). The beloved disciple reclined on the bosom of
 Jesus at the last passover
 # Joh 13:23
 and this fact indicates special favour. So the welcome to Lazarus
 was unusual. \\Was buried\\ (\\etaph\\). Second aorist (effective)
 passive of the common verb \\thapt\\. Apparently in contrast with
 the angelic visitation to the beggar.

02499
 \\In Hades\\ (\\en ti Hidi\\). See on
 # Mt 16:18
 for discussion of this word. Lazarus was in Hades also for both
 Paradise (Abraham's bosom) and Gehenna are in the unseen world
 beyond the grave. \\In torments\\ (\\en basanois\\). The touchstone by
 which gold and other metals were tested, then the rack for
 torturing people. Old word, but in the N.T. only here,
 # Lu 16:28; Mt 4:24
 \\Sees\\ (\\hori\\). Dramatic present indicative. The Jews believed that
 Gehenna and Paradise were close together. This detail in the
 parable does not demand that we believe it. The picture calls for
 it. \\From afar\\ (\\apo makrothen\\). Pleonastic use of \\apo\\ as
 \\makrothen\\ means \\from afar\\.
