16:1-2 The owner of a large property is informed that one of his workers is behaving like a criminal. The owner speaks with the accused and asks him to account for himself, to prove himself innocent otherwise he will have lost his job.
16:3 The laborer proves to be guilty and begins to be anxious, he's too proud to do menial labor (the only kind of job he'll be hired for after this accusation) and he's also too proud to beg for his job back.
16:4-7 So, the crooked man decides to use his "street smarts" to make a living for himself and beings to make corrupt deals with people (using property that does not belong to him).
16:8 The owner again becomes informed of what this crooked man is doing behind his back, making deals and selling property that does not belong to him. The owner, a wise man, commends the criminal for dealing wisely...why? Well, the owner realizes something: there's a type of evil in the world which works intelligently to procure the desires of its greed and the owner is wise enough to understand how this criminal took a punishment and deceptively turned it around for his own benefit.
The owner did not give a proud commendation, he just recognized that the criminal was no idiot. Unfortunately for us, we are familiar with this kind of criminal. This verse references those types in the world today: sometimes a kind, innocent person is a little naive, a little too trusting and are therefore taken advantage of by the people "of this world" who have no sense of honor.
God wants you to realize the distinction between sons of God and sons of this world. Sons of this world are infatuated with lust, fame, wealth and power and will work deceptively to gain all of those things. Sons of God are filled with God's light (His wisdom, His kindness). You really want to distinguish yourself.
This story is a metaphor for us but also is a revelation of how Satan lived his life. We learn of Satan in many places but particular to this parable: Ezekiel 28. In the beginning of Satan's life, God trusted Him with a lot of responsibility... but Satan took advantage of all that he was given and therefore became the steward that the master kicked out.
We can learn from this parable that it's imperative that we be intelligent and wise and to do that we need to be perspective and observant. Children of God are honest and compassionate but they're also really strong, and really smart!
16:9 When a person makes friends with criminals, they walk into and reside in the life that the criminals live. By rejecting what God stands for, you take a claim in a place you really don't want to be -- so each person must distinguish between which way of life they want to life.
16:10-11 God gets to know who you truly are while you are here living. If you were trustworthy with the life and tasks and lessons that you encountered here, he knows He will be able to trust you there in heaven. If you were not trustworthy here, He will never take the chance of trusting you in heaven because you have already proven who you really are.
Mammon definition: criminally procured wealth.
16:12 You create a reputation for yourself... if nobody can trust you, you will never gain anything. Nobody will deal with you because you are a criminal, or unkind or dishonest.
16:13 Jesus is teaching that a person cannot be both. Either you're trustworthy or you're a liar. Either you're kind or you're unkind. Either you're a child of God or a child of the world. You cannot deal criminally and expect to be trusted by God.
16:14 The Pharisees continue to reject Jesus -- pay attention to WHY: they want to keep their wealth and power! They are sons of the world. We might not use the word "Pharisees" anymore but there are still people who above all else will protect their fortune, control or fame.
16:15 Jesus explains that a person can oppress people and get away with their corrupt works, they can hide their corruption from people, but they cannot ever hide it from God. God knows who we really are and He knows what we try to do in secret (if that's how we live).
16:16 God has always provided opportunity for people to hear His word -- He's sent prophets since the beginning of time. People have always listened to it and wanted to be a part of it but as we have read, the prophets are always killed by their adversaries.
16:17 Jesus is explaining how serious God is about what He believes in: He's never going to change or rid of anyone of His word. He stands for compassion and honesty, always. He's explaining that even if the Earth were to go away, even if Heaven were to go away, He will always stand for compassion and honesty and He will always be in the position of enforcing that love.
16:18 This verse can be a bit confusing but we must consider it in its context: at the time, women were not respected by society. When a husband would leave a wife, he was essentially leaving her to suffer without opportunity for survival. God wants both participants in a union to remain kind and committed to each other and He never wants one of the members to hurt the other one or leave them despondent. People do this everyday... humans just are not as committed as God is. Jesus teaches us to only participate in relationships if we are going to be compassionate in them, fair in respecting and maintaining the union.
Of course God would prefer that we remain united when we make a commitment but what Jesus is really teaching here is to not abruptly and harmfully leave a relationship to satisfy your own desire.
16:19-20 In these verses we have two men: one of the men is very rich, he lacks nothing. This man is well-fed, well-dressed and well-housed. The other man is very poor, he has absolutely nothing.
16:21 This man was so destitute that on top of having nothing, he was also very ill because of it. Interestingly, this verse points out that even the animals were kind to this man because of how poor and sick he was.
16:22 Both of the men died -- the poor man was taken directly into heaven with the prophets and the rich man was buried.
16:23 The rich man (as we will find out) rejected his opportunity to be in heaven and therefore suffered deep desperation and shame as he saw how loved and comforted the poor man was in heaven. (Again--I do not believe in "hell," the torment described as hell is an explanation of how horrible it feels to be left out of heaven).
16:24 The rich man describes to us how deeply tormented he is to be outside of heaven, he wishes for even just a tiny taste of what the poor man had -- that's how beautiful heaven is.
16:25 Abraham, one of the first faithful humans in the Bible, explains to the rich man that because he lived so greedily and selfishly during his life, he did not receive the home the poor man received. The poor man, Lazarus, had a long and difficult life but always remained compassionate and a good person.
16:26 Abraham explains that Heaven is inaccessible to the people who lived corrupt lives. Sometimes it's difficult to imagine this "great gulf" but sometimes I think of it like space! We cannot possible get from one galaxy to the next... think on a grand scale just how separate heaven is from the elimination that the evil are subject to.
16:27-28 The man wants to warn his brothers (who are also corrupt) of just how horrible it is to be rejected by God in heaven. This rich man thinks about saving his brothers now that he realizes the truth of God... he desperately wishes he would have taken it seriously.
16:29 Abraham explains to the man that the brothers were given ample opportunity to hear and learn the world but they also rejected it and paid it no attention during their lives.
16:30 Still the man tries... but God knows our true hearts, He knows that some people will never listen because they love their wealth too much. They don't listen until the facts are laid out right before them when they die.
16:31 God has realized that some humans are so infatuated with money that no matter what sign is sent to them, they reject it. God sends so many teachers and helpers to the people who want to learn the word and live it... but many people want money more.
