Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Luke: Chapter 16]
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16:1 {Unto the disciples} (\kai pros tous math•tas\). The three
preceding parables in chapter 15 exposed the special faults of
the Pharisees, "their hard exclusiveness, self-righteousness, and
contempt for others" (Plummer). This parable is given by Luke
alone. The \kai\ (also) is not translated in the Revised Version.
It seems to mean that at this same time, after speaking to the
Pharisees (chapter 15), Jesus proceeds to speak a parable to the
disciples (16:1-13), the parable of the Unjust Steward. It is a
hard parable to explain, but Jesus opens the door by the key in
verse 9. {Which had a steward} (\hos •ichen oikonomon\).
Imperfect active, continued to have. Steward is house-manager or
overseer of an estate as already seen in Lu 12:42. {Was
accused} (\diebl•th•\). First aorist indicative passive, of
\diaball•\, an old verb, but here only in the N.T. It means to
throw across or back and forth, rocks or words and so to slander
by gossip. The word implies malice even if the thing said is
true. The word \diabolos\ (slanderer) is this same root and it is
used even of women, she-devils (1Ti 3:11). {That he was
wasting} (\h•s diaskorpiz•n\). For the verb see on ¯15:13. The
use of \h•s\ with the participle is a fine Greek idiom for giving
the alleged ground of a charge against one. {His goods} (\ta
huparchonta autou\). "His belongings," a Lukan idiom.
16:2 {What is this that I hear?} (\ti touto akou•;\). There are
several ways of understanding this terse Greek idiom. The Revised
Version (above) takes \ti\ to be equal to \ti estin touto ho
akou•\; That is a possible use of the predicate \touto\. Another
way is to take \ti\ to be exclamatory, which is less likely.
Still another view is that \ti\ is " Why": "Why do I hear this
about thee?" See Ac 14:15 where that is the idiom employed.
{Render} (\apodos\). Second aorist active imperative of
\apodid•mi\, Give back (and at once). {The account} (\ton
logon\). The reckoning or report. Common use of \logos\.
{Stewardship} (\oikonomias\). Same root as \oikonomos\ (steward).
This demand does not necessarily mean dismissal if investigation
proved him innocent of the charges. But the reason given implies
that he is to be dismissed: {Thou canst no longer} (\ou gar
dun•i\).
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/LU16.RWP.html (1 of 9) [28/08/2004 09:05:46 a.m.]
Word Pictures in the New Testament
(Luke: Chapter 16)