Luke 16

He also said to his disciples, “There was a certain rich man who had a manager. An accusation was made to him that this man was wasting his possessions.

He called him, and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’

“The manager said within himself, ‘What will I do, seeing that my lord is taking away the management position from me? I don’t have strength to dig. I am ashamed to beg.

I know what I will do, so that when I am removed from management, they may receive me into their houses.’

Calling each one of his lord’s debtors to him, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe to my lord?’

He said, ‘A hundred batos of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’

Then he said to another, ‘How much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred cors of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’

“His lord commended the dishonest manager because he had done wisely, for the children of this world are, in their own generation, wiser than the children of the light.

I tell you, make for yourselves friends by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when you fail, they may receive you into the eternal tents.

He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

If you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?

No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to one and despise the other. You aren’t able to serve God and Mammon.”

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they scoffed at him.

He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

“The law and the prophets were until John. From that time the Good News of God’s Kingdom is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tiny stroke of a pen in the law to fall.

“Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery. He who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.

“Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day.

A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was taken to his gate, full of sores,

and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores.

The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.

In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom.

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 in anguish in this flame.’

“But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But here he is now comforted and you are in anguish.

Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that no one may cross over from there to us.’

“He said, ‘I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house—

for I have five brothers—that he may testify to them, so they won’t also come into this place of torment.’

“But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’

“He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’

“He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’”

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview.
This chapter contains two sharply contrasting parables about wealth, responsibility, and eternal destiny, followed by Jesus’ rebuke of the money-loving Pharisees and a solemn warning about unbelief. It explores how earthly stewardship reflects one’s spiritual condition, emphasizes the seriousness of rejecting God’s revealed word, and underscores the irreversible consequences of the choices made in this life.

Flow.

Jesus tells the parable of the dishonest manager, highlighting shrewdness in securing future favor through the use of worldly wealth, and calls His disciples to use “unrighteous mammon” to make eternal friends.
He teaches that faithfulness in small matters reflects character in all things, warns against divided loyalty between God and money, and draws the sharp line: one cannot serve both.
The Pharisees scoff, prompting Jesus to expose their self-justification and affirm that God judges hearts; He then declares the dawn of the Kingdom and the enduring authority of the Law.
The parable of the rich man and Lazarus illustrates the reversal of fortunes in the afterlife and concludes with a warning that even miraculous signs will not turn hearts that reject Scripture.

Connections.
Following chapter 15, which celebrates God’s joy in saving the lost through the parables of the lost sheep, coin, and son, chapter 16 shifts focus to the responsibilities of those who have received grace. It challenges disciples to live with eternal foresight, especially in the use of material blessings. The concern for stewardship and repentance continues into chapter 17, where Jesus teaches on temptation, faith, forgiveness, and the coming Kingdom—further unpacking what life under God’s rule demands. The gravity of unrepentance in chapter 16 sets the stage for the teaching on accountability and readiness that follows.

What it teaches.
True disciples demonstrate their faith through wise and faithful stewardship of earthly resources (WCF 1.6, LC 146). The heart’s allegiance is revealed in how one handles wealth, and service to God cannot coexist with service to Mammon (WCF 20.1, HC LD 32). The Law remains binding in its moral demands, and even the least of its commands retains divine authority (WCF 19.3). The fate of the rich man and Lazarus affirms the reality of conscious existence after death, the finality of judgment, and the sufficiency of Scripture for repentance and faith (HC LD 10, BC Article 37). God’s warnings are not to be scorned, and those who reject Moses and the prophets will not be convinced even by resurrection.

Apply.
Use what you’ve been given to invest in eternal realities, knowing that faithfulness in the temporary shapes your capacity for the eternal.

AI-generated. Not a substitute for Scripture, your pastor, or the confessions.