This parable addresses itself to the Lord's disciples. In the former, the Lord spoke to the Pharisees and Scribes. There, the reception of the sinner or Gentile in contrast with the Jew or self-righteous is stated, as dependent on the character and blessedness of God, for the gospel rests on and always puts forward God. It is the great principle of it, whether as to character or dispensation. Here, the Lord explains to His disciples the position of man, and consequently Israel, man entrusted before God as such, or who held, in responsibility laid on him, this place. Man who really had ceased entirely to be the steward of God, and who wasted rather the substance once entrusted to him so blessedly and confidentially, below all put in his hands as lord, as if it was his own, was again as on trial, and specifically for the manifestation of these things, set in this place in the Jews, the earthly blessings and privileges freely and fully conferred upon him on the responsibility of being faithful. And now it was reported of them (and oh, how true the report! Jesus would not willingly have borne it against beloved Jerusalem) that they had been unfaithful, that they had wasted the Lord's goods, and after the fullest trial man must be treated after the kindest and now repeated, repeated with the utmost care to instruct him in his duty, as a steward through proved unfaithfulness out of place. The goods of nature are in his hand, but he has lost his title really to distribute them. But they are in his hand, and the Lord instructs, the Christian may use them so as to turn them to real account. The steward made friends of his Lord's debtors with the goods, and authority de facto that he possessed. We also, the goods being thus left, though our authority is gone, have to use them to make friends that we may be received into everlasting habitations. It is the lowest transition point of service; the things are of the old man; the principle of using them of the new, and of the Lord. The men of this world are wise in their generation. The Lord gives us-it is a great grace-permission to turn this mammon of unrighteousness to good service according to His will-this, which has the stamp of evil and of the world upon it, to a purpose in which His favor is manifested, those He loves even consoled, excellent affections exercised, and thus His name honored, and acceptable service done, and we make gain through that which is acceptable to Him, friends according to Him with this evil thing. It is indeed a great grace to introduce such a thing into His kingdom, and turn the evil, or what represented it, round to good; but so the Lord has ordered it.
Our use of present things is always unrighteous, for we have lost our title. These riches represent now the alienation of the world from God, and the setting up, and realization of self and its enjoyments instead of God. But the Lord turns it round to good. Our natural character is unrighteous stewards of unrighteous mammon. But it becomes thus a matter of faithfulness so to use it, for spent on self it resumes its natural character of the expression and representation of selfishness. On the other hand, this use is a test of faithfulness, and he who is faithful in the least is faithful also in much; and he who has used or given this according to the mind of God, thus setting up God, and down self, God will entrust him on the same principle with more important, even the true riches, for there has been faithfulness to God and forgetfulness of self, which is the principle on which God can give, and on which alone we can use these true riches, our own proper riches as new creatures. On the one hand it is righteousness, on the other a real test of what hold the authority and excellency of God has on our mind. Besides, this object really becomes our master; in truth Satan governs by it. What governs our heart, our object, is our master, and the love of money thus rules, and God is not sound according to our natural character. This will manifest itself in loving one and hating the other, or at least cleaving to one and despising the other. These two forms of attachment are given, because the subtle and deceitful heart might plead against one form. But so it is—we cannot in effect serve God and mammon.
- 14. The Pharisees, in rejecting the Lord's doctrine, proved its truth. They cleaved to money and despised the Lord; they could not serve both. The Lord declares the judgment of God upon them, which indeed is needful where there is much influence, and that unholy. They justified themselves before men—easy when they suited to themselves, really to the same principles, and gave the credit of religion withal. But God knew their hearts, for what is exalted among men is nothing but an idolatrous abomination before God.
The Lord then pursues the instruction as to the change of economy, or however the passing away of all they rested in, and the enforcement doubly of what they violated, and the coming in withal of the energy of faith. This change, in general, the Lord states in verse 16; a terrible word for the Pharisees! They were left altogether out, and behind. The Law and the prophets were until John. A Law given to a people already such, and the prophets recalling a people, owned as such, back to the Law. John closed this scene, and now a kingdom was set up whereinto entry was to be made by the energy of individual faith, and thus the door opened to all who of God had it. This changed all. It was not Law nor prophets, but God's kingdom announced to all who had faith to enter in, those who clung to the flesh and self were left behind, acceptable perhaps to men, but left and deserted by the Lord in His kingdom. The testimony of Malachi, which shall have its full force before the second coming of the Lord, is evidently distinct from this. The great and terrible day of the Lord was not in question in the gracious presence of Christ in the flesh, except as the result of His rejection. But now the kingdom of God is preached, even on His rejection, for every man to press into it. The difference is manifest. It was not, however, to set aside or enfeeble the Law that the Lord Jesus came. The Law, and the prophets which recalled to it, were until John. But while He enforced its holiness, He suffered its malediction, or accomplished its ceremonies, did anything but set it aside. In its moral power it became (through our sin) a curse to us; He bore it. In its prefigurative ceremonies its value was purely what Jesus was, and He accomplished it; and even what was admitted in it, because of the hardness of their hearts, was now to revert to its original character. In the purpose and mind of God, " In the beginning it was not so." And the Lord hated putting away; now, it was condemned as sin. Further its supposed benedictions, as the flesh enjoyed them, were all set• on their true footing, and judged by the revelation of another state, and world. But while the passage following judges entirely the view the flesh took of the earthly blessings, really attached to the old covenant and Israelitish faithfulness, and threw the light of another world (always true) on the circumstances of this, and in doing so necessarily changes the sanctions and principles, so as to bring in a kingdom which admits all who believe, and are renewed in Spirit to receive heavenly things, and thus lift up the kingdom into heaven, it yet justifies the whole mind and goodness of God, all His part and way in the economy, the Law and the prophets, so much so that if Israel did not receive and be converted by them, it was useless to present to them a risen Messiah. The Lord might at once pass into the heavenly kingdom, and grace to all through faith. The circumstances of the history show evidently its bearing on the elements of the Jewish position, and also their fallen state on which the word did not act.
- 20. Lazarus is probably named to mark the interest which the Lord took. Poor and utterly despised, he was known by name before God. The rich man, known and waited on, was known only by his character; he was rich, and what was that before God? Luxurious, and that showed a heart alienated from Him. He had his " good things " in his life here below, and thus he was characterized. In the same manner angels wait upon the poor man. The rich man is buried far from Abraham; and here the circumstances are purely Jewish. He lifts up his eyes in Hades in torments. Lazarus is in the bosom of Abraham, the highest place of honor for a Jew. Hence it is also that the rich man says: " Father Abraham." It is addressed to Jews and covetous Pharisees, to explain the judgment of their evil, and the entire change which took place on their judgment, introducing the results of another world. The rich man had had his " good things " in this. The portion in the other world was a final one; they could not there change their position, or find assuagement. And, moreover, the resurrection (even of Christ) from the dead would not change when there was incredulity as to the Law and the prophets. They, the Pharisees, were condemned by the word of their own Law and prophets; they repented not at their call, and Jesus risen would not be sent to them. Nationally they were condemned on their own ground, the ground too they chose in pride—ground of God's righteousness withal. The prophets spake in grace, for it was to recall the wandering. Thus, while every principle of external sanction (so long abused as a system addressed to the flesh, and abused by the flesh) was changed, all that was passed as a testimony was validated in the highest degree, and given the fullest authority to. The house of His Father was in fact the Jewish people in their carnal glory, and on these the passage pronounces a full judgment.