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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Luke 16:19 - 16:19
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19. ἄνθρωπος δέ τις. He is left nameless, perhaps to imply that his name was not “written in heaven” (Luk 10:20). Legend gives him the name Nimeusis or Nineues. ‘Dives’ is simply the Latin for ‘a rich man.’ Our Lord in the parable continues the subject of His discourse against the Pharisees, by shewing that wealth and respectability are very differently estimated on earth and in the world beyond. The parable illustrates each step of the previous discourse:—Dives regards all he has as his very own; uses it selfishly, which even Moses and the Prophets might have taught him not to do; and however lofty in his own eyes is an abomination before God.
πορφύραν καὶ βύσσον. The two words express extreme luxury. He wore purple without, Egyptian byssus underneath. Robes dyed in the blood of the murex purpurarius were very costly and were only worn by the greatest men.
“Over his lucent arms
A military vest of purple flowed
Livelier than Melibaean or the grain
Of Sarra (Tyre) worn by kings and heroes old
In time of truce.”
Byssus is the fine linen of Egypt (Gen 41:42; Est 8:15; Pro 31:22; Eze 27:7; Rev 18:12), a robe of which was worth twice its own weight in gold.
εὐφραινόμενος καθ' ἡμέραν λαμπρῶς. Literally, ‘making merry (Luk 12:19) every day, splendidly.’ Luther, lebte herrlich und in Freuden. It indicates a life of banquets. The description generally might well apply to Herod Antipas, Luk 7:25; Mar 7:14; Mar 7:21.