Luke 16:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.

NIV: The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.

NASB: Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were ridiculing Him.

CSB: The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and scoffing at him.

NLT: The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, heard all this and scoffed at him.

KJV: And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

NKJV: Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.

Jesus has told a parable about how His disciples need to use their money and resources wisely (Luke 16:1–13). They should not place a high priority on keeping money but on using it for others. If they love money, they prove they don't love God.

The Pharisees don't want to hear this. They want to be seen as devoted to God, but they also love money. Elsewhere Jesus condemns them for pledging money to the temple in a way that allows them to keep it and not use it to support their needy parents (Mark 7:9–13). Jesus says certain religious leaders "devour widows' houses" (Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47).

The idea that Pharisees love money isn't well-developed in Scripture but it is entirely consistent with the passages that show how much they love things of the world. They prove this every time they criticize Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. They're so threatened by Jesus' true love for God and others that they claim He is empowered by Satan (Luke 11:14–15). In response, Jesus calls them "unmarked graves" (Luke 11:44).

The only weapon the Pharisees have at this moment is to ridicule Jesus: to snort and sneer at Him. Their power comes from their popularity with the people they intimidate and manipulate. They claim to love the Mosaic law, but they are quick to abandon it if it doesn't suit them, following their manmade traditions instead. Jesus warns that what they value "is an abomination in the sight of God" (Luke 16:15). He tells them that salvation isn't about rote behavior, but the Law still teaches how they can show love for God and others (Luke 16:16–17).

Luke 16:14–18 exposes the Pharisees' twisted relationship between their hearts, the Mosaic law, and the kingdom of God. They love money, and so reject Jesus' assertions about the antagonistic relationship between chasing wealth and following God. Jesus points out that this is a problem with their hearts, not the Law. He then gives another example: the callous way in which men divorce their wives. Next, Jesus will tell the story of the rich man and Lazarus, warning the Pharisees to let the Scriptures lead them to Him (Luke 16:19–31).

Teaching His disciples and confronting the Pharisees, Jesus offers several lessons about wealth and devotion to God. The first is a parable about a dishonest manager. This illustrates the value of being careful and clever with earthly resources. Jesus then uses remarks about the Law and marriage to introduce the story of the rich man and Lazarus. This not only highlights the dangers of greed, but it also debunks the common claim that a non-believer would submit to God if only they saw "a little more evidence" or a miracle.

The prior chapter included Jesus' teachings centered on lost things: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. Luke 16 includes several of Jesus' lessons about living in the kingdom of God compared to the world system, beginning and ending with parables (Luke 16:1—17:10). Chapter 16 includes the parable of the dishonest manager, Jesus' teaching on how money reveals faith, and the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Luke 17:1–10 teaches about whether Christ-followers bear responsibility for others' sin, lessons about faith, and the parable of the unworthy servants.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.