Chapter Sixteen

¹ There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused to him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said to him, How is it that I hear this of you? give an account of your stewardship; for you may be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord takes away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. So he called every one of his lord’s debtors to him, and said to the first, How much do you owe to my lord? And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said to him, Take your bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much do you owe? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said to him, Take your bill, and write fourscore. And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. And I say to you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. Every parable indirectly and figuratively sets forth the nature of certain things, not being in all points like to those things for the sake of which it was taken up. Wherefore neither ought we to be over-curious in scrutinizing minutely all the parts of the parables, but, reaping as much as suits the matter before us, to leave the rest, as subsisting together with the parable, and contributing nothing toward the matter in hand; which, indeed, we must do also in the parable here set before us. For if we set ourselves to examine all things minutely — who the steward is, who it is that sets him over the stewardship, and by whom he was accused, and who the debtors are, and for what cause the one [owed] oil and the other wheat, and why each is said to owe a hundred — and, simply, if we should examine all the rest over-curiously, we shall make the discourse dark, besides perhaps expounding ridiculous things through the constraint of our perplexity. We must, then, be profited from the present parable as much as is possible. I mean this: the Lord here wishes to teach us concerning the disposing well of the riches given to us. And first we learn this, that we are not lords of our money, for we have nothing of our own, but are stewards of things belonging to another, entrusted to us by the Master, that we may dispose of them well, and as he commands; next, that when we manage the stewardship of the riches not according to the mind of the Master, but use up the things given upon our own riotous living, we are accused stewards. For the will of the Master is to use the things given for the needs of our fellow-servants, not for our own luxuries; and being accused, and about to be removed from the stewardship of the money, that is, to be cut off from this life — when, plainly, we shall also give an account of the stewardship after the removal hence — if we are wise, we perceive, late though it be, what is fitting, and make to ourselves friends out of the money of unrighteousness. And those things are named money of unrighteousness which the Lord gave to be spent on the needs of the brethren and fellow-servants, but which we have held back for ourselves. But, late though it be, let us at least come to a sense [of it], how we are carried away, and that in that day we can neither labour — for then is no season for working — nor [is it] seemly to beg; for the virgins that begged are named foolish. What, then, remains? To make the brethren partakers with us of this money, that, when we fail hence — that is, depart from this life — the poor may receive us into the everlasting habitations; for to the poor in Christ the everlasting habitations have been allotted, into which they are able to receive those who here made themselves their friends through the giving of the money, which, being the Master’s, ought from the beginning to have been given to the poor. For these are the debtors, according to that which is said, The righteous shows mercy all the day, and lends; and again, He that has pity upon the poor lends to God. It behoved, then, that all should rather have been given at the first to these good debtors who repay an hundredfold. But since we are found stewards of unrighteousness, unjustly holding back what is set apart for others, we must not altogether abide in this inhumanity, but must impart to the poor, that we may be received by them into the everlasting habitations. Thus, then, taking the parable, nothing superfluous, or over-curious, or [like] a dream-interpretation, will meet us in the exposition. And the [saying], The children of this world are wiser, and what follows, seems to signify something strange. But it is neither hard to follow, nor odd. For he calls the children of this world those that devise all the things profitable to them in this life; and the children of light, those that ought to handle the spiritual riches in a way pleasing to God. This, then, he says: that men set as stewards of human administrations traffic in every way, that, after being removed from the stewardship, they may have a comfort; but [those] ranked as children of light — that is, entrusted with a spiritual administration of money — devise nothing toward being profited hereafter. The children of this world, then, are those entrusted with human administrations, and in their own generation — that is, in this life — wisely administering their own affairs. But the children of light are they that have received money so as to administer it in a way pleasing to God. We are found, then, in human administrations wisely administering and trafficking with our own affairs, that, even if we should ever fall out of the stewardship, we might have some refuge of life; but in the money that ought to be administered according to God we appear to take no forethought, lest we should give an account of the stewardship when removed from this life, and be found deprived of all comfort. Wherefore also we are called foolish, not being wise concerning the things that shall profit us hereafter; but let us make to ourselves friends [of] the poor, imparting to them of the riches of unrighteousness, that is, of that which was given us by God to become a weapon of righteousness, but was held back by us, and for this cause turned to unrighteousness. And if riches from sources accounted just, when not well administered and given to the poor, are reckoned unrighteousness and mammon, how much more those from unrighteousness! Out of these, then, let us make to ourselves friends, that, when we fail, and are faint, being condemned, they may receive us there.

² He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall 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 the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. He still teaches concerning the duty of administering the riches according to God. For he that is faithful in that which is least — that is, that has well administered the riches entrusted to him in this world — is faithful also in much; that is, in the age to come he is worthy of the riches that are truly [riches]. He calls, then, the earthly riches least, as being in truth small, or rather nothing, since it is fluid; but [the heavenly] much, as abiding for ever, and increasing. But he that is shown unjust in this earthly [riches], and has usurped to himself the things given him for the common need of the brethren, shall not be found worthy of that much either, but shall be cast out as unjust. And, interpreting what was said, he adds: If you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true [riches]? He named unjust mammon the riches that are with you; for if it were not unjust, it would not be present [with you], but now, since it is present with you, it is plain that, being held back and not distributed to the poor, it is unjust; and this is the embezzlement of another’s money, even of the poor man’s, and this is unrighteousness. If, then, you administer these riches ill and unfaithfully, how shall you be entrusted with the true riches? And to us, who have not faithfully disposed of that which is another’s — that is, the money (and these things are another’s, as set apart for the poor, and otherwise too, inasmuch as we brought nothing into the world, but were born naked) — who shall give that which is our own? And our own is the heavenly and divine riches, for there is our citizenship; whereas to man, created after the image of God, money and possessions are another’s, for none of these is like to him. But the enjoyment of the divine good things, and the participation of God — this is that which is our own. Up to this point, then, he taught us how we ought to administer the riches faithfully; for it is another’s, and not ours, since we are stewards, and not lords and masters. But since the administration of the riches according to God is not else rightly accomplished, except through freedom from passionate attachment, he adds this also to the teaching, saying, You cannot serve God and mammon; that is, it is impossible for him that is nailed to the riches, and holds back something by passionate attachment, to be a servant of God; so that, if you are to administer the riches faithfully, be not a servant to it — which is, have no [passionate] relation toward it — and you have truly served God. For everywhere the love of money is condemned, which is the passionate relation and friendship toward riches.

³ And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. And he said to them, You are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knows your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. The Pharisees derided the Lord, as being stung at his words; for they were displeased, as lovers of money, at hearing about possessionlessness, since it is said also, Godliness is an abomination to the sinner, and reproofs are bruises to the ungodly. But the Lord, uncovering their hidden wickedness, and showing that, even if they feign righteousness, they are abominable before God because of the self-conceit which they have concerning themselves, says: You are they that justify yourselves, and that suppose that to you alone it is given to understand what is fitting and to teach [it]; wherefore you also deride my words as those of a senseless man, wishing to be accounted by the multitude teachers of the truth. But it is not so; for God knows your hearts, and accounts you abominable because of your high-mindedness, and your desire of human glory. For that which is high among men is abomination before God, for every one that is high in heart is unclean before the Lord. It behoved you, then, O Pharisees, not to live for human esteem — for God has scattered the bones of the men-pleasers — but rather to justify yourselves before God.

⁴ The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presses into it. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. Whoever puts away his wife, and marries another, commits adultery: and whoever marries her that is put away from her husband commits adultery. These things seem to be disconnected, and to have no fellowship with the things said before; but to him that attends they would appear not inconsequent, but rather very consequent upon what went before. For since he himself introduced possessionlessness by what he said above, and called the riches unjust mammon, while the law gave the blessings even in riches, and the prophets promised the good things of the earth — lest any one, deriding him, as the Pharisees did, should say, What do you say? do you oppose the law? It blesses even in riches, and do you teach possessionlessness? — for this cause he says: The law and the prophets had their season until John. And they taught well, inasmuch as the infancy of the hearers had [its] season. But from the time of John — who was well-near immaterial in his possessionlessness, and possessionless through his near-immateriality — when he came, and preached the kingdom of the heavens, no longer for the future have the good things of the earth their season, but the kingdom of the heavens is preached. Wherefore those that desire the heavens ought to practise possessionlessness on earth. Since indeed the prophets and the law, making no mention of the kingdom of the heavens, with reason promised the good things of the earth to those who were still more imperfect, and unable to conceive anything great and manly. So that with reason, O Pharisees, I teach possessionlessness, inasmuch as the imperfect ordinances of the law have no longer their season. Then, lest they should say that henceforth he sets at nought all [the law], he says [the rest], that rather now it is fulfilled and perfected. For all that the [law] sketched out, whether speaking typically about Christ, or about commandments, these are now fulfilled, and none of these shall fall down even to one tittle; for the things shadowily indicated there about Christ shall now be accomplished more manifestly. And the commandments of the law, then given suitably and correspondingly to the understanding of the imperfect, shall now have the loftier and more perfect [sense]; for that the law discoursed to the imperfect imperfectly is plain from this. For indeed concerning the dissolution of marriage it answered with respect to the hardness of heart of the Hebrews, that, if the man should hate the woman, he should have power to put her away, lest something worse should happen. For being murderers and bloodthirsty, they spared not even their nearest, so as even to sacrifice their sons and daughters to the demons; but this is the low and imperfect [part] of the law, for there was a season for such a lawgiving then; but now there is need of another, more perfect teaching. Wherefore I say, Whoever puts away his wife — saving for the cause of fornication, plainly — and marries another, commits adultery; so that it is no marvel if I also discourse about possessionlessness, though the law teach nothing so plainly. Behold, then, concerning the dissolution of marriage the law commanded indifferently, because of the murderousness of the Jews; but I, training the hearers toward the more perfect, forbid the putting away without cause — not declaring things contrary to that [law], but rather establishing its intent. For it was the will of the law that there should be no murders between man and woman; this I too mould, by teaching the married to care one for another, and to spare [one another], as their own members; so that the law also willed this; but since the hearers were imperfect, it ordained the dissolution of marriage, that even thus there might be sparing, and the man and the woman might not rage one against another. All the things of the law, then, Christ established; so that he said well that it is impossible, he says, for one tittle of the law to fall; for how should that fall which is rather set upright by Christ? […]

⁵ There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried. These things are consequent upon what was said before. For since he had first taught about disposing of the riches well, with reason he subjoins this parable also, which bears upon this very thing through the example of the rich man. For this too is a parable, and not, as some might senselessly suppose, a thing already come to pass. For not yet is the allotment of the good things to the righteous, nor of the contrary to the sinners, but the Lord framed the discourse to instruct the unmerciful what is laid up for them, and again to teach those that suffer ill what good things they shall enjoy in return for what they here endure. The rich man, then, he took in the parable without a name, as being not even worthy to be named before God, even as also he says through the prophet, I will not make mention of their names through my lips. But the poor man he mentions by name; for the names of the righteous are written even in the book of life. And there is a report, as the tradition of the Hebrews has it, that there was a certain Lazarus in Jerusalem at that time, who had been allotted extreme poverty and sickness, whom the Lord mentioned, taking him into the parable, as conspicuous and well known. The rich man, then, was prosperous on every side, for he was clothed both in purple and fine linen; and not only this, but he luxuriated also in all the rest of luxury. For he fared, it says, and not now indeed, and now not, but every day, and not moderately, but sumptuously, that is, riotously and lavishly. But Lazarus was both poor, and sick, and that grievously; for he was full of sores, it says. For it is possible to be sick, yet not to be full of sores. But here was an intensifying of the evil; and being laid at the gate of the rich man — another torment, to see others luxuriating, while he himself famished. For he desired to be fed, not with costly meats, but even with the very crumbs, and those with which the dogs are fed. But he was also bereft of any to tend him; for the dogs licked his sores, there being none to drive them away. Did Lazarus, then, being in so great evils, blaspheme? or revile the luxury of the rich man? or condemn his inhumanity? or blame providence? None of these things did he conceive, but with much philosophy he endured. Whence is it plain? From the fact that the angels received him when he died. For he would not, if he had been a murmurer and blasphemer, have been counted worthy of so great honour, and of the escort of angels. And the rich man also died, and was buried. For in truth, even while he lived, his soul was buried, carrying about the flesh as a tomb. Wherefore also, when he died, [he was] not [received] by angels, having never thought anything lofty or heavenly; but [to] the lowest [place] the Lord [appointed him], because his soul too always loved the lowest.

⁶ And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And 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 tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and you are tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. As the Lord, casting Adam out of paradise, settled him over against it, that, by the continual sight, the suffering being renewed, he might give him a more exact sense of the falling away from the good things, so also he condemned this man over against Lazarus, that, seeing him in what state he was, he might perceive what things he had fallen from because of his inhumanity. And wherefore did he see Lazarus not with some other of the righteous, but in the bosom of Abraham? Because Abraham was a lover of strangers. That, then, a conviction of his own hatred of strangers might come to pass, for this cause he beholds [Lazarus] with that man. He [Abraham] drew even the passers-by into his own house, but this man overlooked even the one lying within. And wherefore does he not direct his word to Lazarus, but to Abraham? Perhaps he was ashamed; for he supposed, it may be, that Lazarus bore the memory of wrongs, and from his own case he judged also the things of Lazarus. For if I, enjoying so great prosperity, overlooked him pressed by so great evils, and imparted not even crumbs, much more will he that was despised bear the memory of wrongs, and will not consent to grant the favour. For this cause he makes his words to Abraham; for he supposed that the patriarch was ignorant of the things that had come to pass. What, then, [does] he [say]? He said not, O inhuman and cruel one, are you not ashamed? do you now make mention of love toward man? but how? Son. Behold a sympathetic and holy soul; for a certain wise man also says, Trouble not a soul that is humbled. For this cause he too says, Son, hinting through this, that thus far he has the power to name him so kindly, but beyond this he has authority over nothing. What I have, this I impart to you, [namely] a sympathetic voice; but to pass over from hence there is not ours, for all things have been shut up. And you indeed received your good things, but he the evil. And wherefore said he not, You took, but, You received back? For the [phrase] to receive back we are wont to use of those that take what was owed them. What, then, do we learn? That, even if certain ones be defiled, even if they have driven on to the extreme of vice, oftentimes they have wrought two good things. Whence this man too, having certain good things, having received the recompense through his prosperity in this life, is said to receive them back; and likewise Lazarus the evil things. For perhaps he too wrought one or two evil things, and through the pain which he here endured, received back the worthy recompense of these. Wherefore this man is comforted, but you are tormented. And the gulf signifies the standing apart and difference of the righteous from the sinners. For as their purposes were different, so also their abodes have a great distance, each receiving back the things suited to his purpose and life. And note hence a deduction against the Origenists, who say that, the punishment having an end, there shall be a season when the sinners shall be united to the righteous and to God, and thus God shall be all in all. For behold we hear Abraham saying that they which would [pass] from hence to you, or from thence pass to us, cannot. As, then, it is impossible to pass from the lot of the righteous into the place of the sinners, so it is impossible, Abraham teaches us, to pass from the place of punishment into the place of the righteous. And Abraham is surely more worthy of credit than Origen. And what is hades? Some say it is a subterranean and dark region; but others said that hades is the removal of the soul from the manifest into the unseen and formless. For as long as the soul is in a body, it appears through its own energies; but having removed from the body, it becomes formless; this, then, they said is hades. And by the bosom of Abraham [is meant] the compass of the good things laid up for the righteous, for those who out of the storm have come to the heavenly havens. Since at sea also we are wont to call bosoms the haven-like and restful places.

⁷ Then he said, I pray you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham says to him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went to them from the dead, they will repent. And he said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. Having failed in his own behalf, the wretched rich man makes his supplication on behalf of others. See how, by the punishment, he came to a sense [of things], and he that before despised Lazarus lying at his feet, now takes thought for others that are absent, and entreats that Lazarus be sent from the dead to his father’s house. And not simply one of the dead, but Lazarus, that those who saw him in sickness and dishonour, and became witnesses of his poverty, might also become beholders of his glory, seeing him crowned, and in glory and health. For it is plain that he was to appear to them in glory, since he must needs be a herald worthy of credit. What, then, [says] Abraham? They have Moses. You care not, he says, so much for your brethren as the God who made them; for he set over them ten thousand teachers. But the rich man says, Nay, father. For since he himself, hearing the Scriptures, disbelieved, and supposed the things said to be fables, he reckoned his brethren to be in like case, and judging from himself, said that they hearken not to the Scriptures — as neither did he himself — but if one rose from the dead they will believe. Such also are they now who say, Who is he that has [seen] the things in hades? who that came from thence reported to us? But let them hear Abraham, that if we hear not the Scriptures, neither shall we believe those that come from hades. And this the Jews showed, who, since they hearkened not to the Scriptures, neither believed when they saw dead men raised, but even attempted to kill Lazarus, and, when at the crucifixion many dead arose, nevertheless leaped upon the apostles the more murderously. For if it profited us to faith, the Lord would have done this often. But now nothing so profits as the exact search of the Scriptures. And to raise the dead the devil could counterfeit in appearance, and through this might deceive the senseless, sowing down doctrines worthy of his own malice concerning the things in hades; but the Scriptures being soundly searched, he shall be able to devise no such thing; for these are a lamp and a light, and, this shining, the thief appears and is found out. To these, then, we must give credence, and not seek raisings of the dead. And it is possible to take this parable also more figuratively, saying that the Hebrew people is indicated by the rich man. For this [people] was rich of old, enriched in all knowledge and wisdom, and in the oracles of God that are more precious than much gold and costly stone; yea, and was clothed in purple and fine linen, having kingdom and priesthood, and being a royal priesthood to God. And the purple hints at the kingdom, and the fine linen at the priesthood. For the Levites used linen garments in the sacred services. And it fared sumptuously every day; for every day they offered sacrifices morning and evening, which they named also [the sacrifices] of continuance. But Lazarus was the people of the nations, poor of the divine graces and of wisdom, and lying before the gates; for it was not lawful for the Gentiles to enter into the house, for it seemed a defilement, as also in the Acts Paul is cried out against as having brought Gentiles into the temple, and having defiled this holy place. But he was also full of sores with the stinking sins, and fed the shameless dogs, the demons, with these sores. For our sores are a pleasure to them. And he desired the crumbs that fell from the table of the rich man; for he was altogether without share in the loaves that establish the heart, and had need of the finest and small and rational food, even as the Canaanite woman also, being a Gentile, sought to be nourished from the crumbs. What, then? The Hebrew people died to God, and their bones became dead, making no movement toward the good. And Lazarus also, the Gentile people, died to sin; and the Jews, dying in their sins, are burned up in the flame of envy, being jealous, as the Apostle says, that the Gentiles were received into the faith, while the once poor and dishonoured people of the nations, with reason, abides in the bosom of Abraham, the father of the nations. For Abraham too, being a Gentile, believed God, and passed over from idolatry to the knowledge of God. They, then, that are partakers of his change and of his faith, with reason rest also in his bosom, having been allotted the same lots and abodes and receptions of the good things as he. And the Jew desires one drop of the old sprinklings and purifications under the law, that his tongue might be cooled, and he might have boldness to say something to us, as though the law were yet working; but he obtains it not. For the law was until John; and, Sacrifice and offering you would not, it says, and what follows. And Daniel foretold that the anointing should be utterly destroyed, and the prophecy sealed — that is, that it should cease and be shut up. But take you the parable also morally, and, being rich in evils, overlook not your mind famishing, and cast down below, though created to be borne upward, and lying before the gates; but bring it within, and let it not be without and wandering about, nor let it lie, but let it work. For thus shall the [good] befall you. And the rest of the parable too is easy [to refer] to morals.