William Burkitt Notes and Observations - Luke 16:9 - 16:9

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William Burkitt Notes and Observations - Luke 16:9 - 16:9


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

Here our Saviour makes application of the forgoing parable to his disciples.

Where note,

1. The title given by our Saviour to wealth and riches, he calls it Mammon and Mammon of unrighteousness: Mammon was the name given by the heathens to the god of riches; the mammon of unrighteousness, is riches unrighteously gotten.

2. The advice given by our Saviour to the men of wealth: Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that is, make God your friend by a charitable distribution, that he may bless you; make the poor your friends, that they may unitedly engage their prayers for you; make your own consciences your friends, that they may not reproach and shame you, sting and torment you.

Observe, 3. The argument used to excite the rich to this improvement of their wealth: That when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. When ye fail, that is, when you died, and your riches fail you, and can stand you in no farther stead, They may receive you; What they? Some understand it of the Holy Trinity, others of the blessed angels, whose office it is to convey the charitable and good man's soul to heaven, it's eternal habitation. Some understand it of riches themselves. They may receive you; that is, your estates, laid out for God in works of piety and charity, may ever before you into heaven, and open the gates of eternal life for you, not in a way of merit, but in a way of means.

Lastly, They may receive you: Some understand it of the poor themselves, whose bowels our charity has refreshed, that they will welcome us to heaven, and receive us with joyful acclamations into the eternal mansions, which are prepared for the merciful.

Others say the words, They may receive you, are impersonally put for, that you may be received into heaven when you die. This is to imitate the wise merchant in sending over our money into another country by bills of exchange.