Lucas 16
Ambrose of Milan · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Lucas 16:1-7
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] From this we learn then, that we are not ourselves the masters, but rather the stewards of the property of others. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 16:9
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Or he spoke of the unrighteous Mammon, because by the various enticements of riches covetousness corrupts our hearts, that we may be willing to obey riches. Or else, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that by giving to the poor we may purchase the favour of angels and all the saints. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 16:9
He says, "Make for yourself friends of the mammon of iniquity," so that by giving to the poor, we may match the grace of the angels and all the saints for ourselves. He does not rebuke the steward. By this, we learn that he does not belong to the Lord himself but to the riches of others. Although he has sinned, he is praised because he sought help for himself in the future through the Lord's mercy. He fittingly mentions the mammon of iniquity, because greed tempted our dispositions with different enticements of wealth, so that we were willing to be the slaves of riches. — Exposition of the Gospel of Luke
Lucas 16:12
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Riches are foreign to us, because they are something beyond nature, they are not born with us, and they do not pass away with us. But Christ is ours, because He is the life of man. Lastly, He came unto His own. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 16:13
"No servant can serve two masters," not because there are two, but the Lord is One. Although there are those who serve mammon, he still does not possess any rights to sovereignty, but they impose on themselves the chains of slavery. Power is not just, but slavery is unjust. — Exposition of the Gospel of Luke
Lucas 16:13
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Not because the Lord is two, but one. For although there are who serve mammon, yet he knoweth no rights of lordship; but has himself placed upon himself a yoke of servitude. There is one Lord, because there is one God. Hence it is evident, that the power of the Father and the Son is one: and He assigns a reason, thus saying, For either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 16:16-17
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Not that the Law failed, but that the preaching of the Gospel began; for that which is inferior seems to be completed when a better succeeds. For the Law delivered many things according to nature, as being more indulgent to our natural desires, that it might call us to the pursuit of righteousness. Christ breaks through nature as cutting off even our natural pleasures. But therefore we keep under nature, that it should not sink us down to earthly things, but raise us to heavenly. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 16:18
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] But we must first speak, I think, of the law of marriage, that we may afterwards discuss the forbidding of divorce. Some think that all marriage is sanctioned by God, because it is written, Whom God hath joined, let not man put asunder. (Matt. 19:6.) How then does the Apostle say, If the unbelieving depart, let him depart? (Mark 10:9, 1 Cor. 7:15.) Herein he shows that the marriage of all is not from God. For neither by God's approval are Christians joined with Gentiles. Do not then put away thy wife, lest thou deny God to be the Author of thy union. For if others, much more oughtest thou to bear with and correct the behaviour of thy wife. And if she is sent away pregnant with children, it is a hard thing to shut out the parent and keep the pledge; so as to add to the parents' disgrace the loss also of filial affection. Harder still if because of the mother thou drivest away the children also. Wouldest thou suffer in thy lifetime thy children to be under a step-father, or when the mother was alive to be under a step-mother? How dangerous to expose to error the tender age of a young wife. How wicked to desert in old age one, the flower of whose growth thou hast blighted. Suppose that being divorced she does not marry, this also ought to be displeasing to you, to whom though an adulterer, she keeps her troth. Suppose she marries, her necessity is thy crime, and that which thou supposest marriage, is adultery. But to understand it morally. Having just before set forth that the kingdom of God is preached, and said that one tittle could not fall from the Law, He added, Whosoever putteth away his wife, &c. Christ is the husband; whomsoever then God has brought to His son, let not persecution sever, nor lust entice, nor philosophy spoil, nor heretics taint, nor Jew seduce. Adulterers are all such as desire to corrupt truth, faith, and wisdom. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 16:18
He had above proposed that the kingdom of God should be preached. When he had said that one tittle cannot fall from the law, he added, "Everyone who puts away his wife, and marries another, commits adultery." The apostle rightly admonishes, saying that this is a great sacrament concerning Christ and the church. You find a marriage that doubtlessly was joined by God, when he himself says, "No man comes to me, unless my Father who sent me has drawn him." He alone could join this marriage. Solomon mystically said, "A wife will be prepared for a man by God." The man is Christ, and the wife is the church that is a wife in love and a virgin in innocence. Do not let him whom God has drawn to the Son be separated by persecution, distracted by extravagance, ravaged by philosophy, tainted by Manichaeus, perverted by Arius, or infected by Sabellius. God has joined; let not a Jew separate. All who desire to defile the truth of faith and wisdom are adulterers.… Come, Lord Jesus, to find your bride not tainted or polluted. She has not defiled your house or disregarded your commandments. Let her say to you, "I found him whom my soul loved." Let her lead you into the house of wine. Wine makes glad the heart of man. Let the Spirit saturate her. Let her recognize the mystery and speak the prophecy. — Exposition of the Gospel of Luke
Lucas 16:19
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] But not all poverty is holy, or all riches criminal, but as luxury disgraces riches, so does holiness commend poverty. It follows, And he was clothed in purple and fine linen. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 16:19-21
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Or else, Lazarus is poor in this world, but rich to God; for not all poverty is holy, nor all riches vile, but as luxury disgraces riches, so holiness commends poverty. Or is there any Apostolical man, poor in speech, but rich in faith, who keeps the true faith, requiring not the appendage of words. To such a one I liken him who oft-times beaten by the Jews offered the wounds of his body to be licked as it were by certain dogs. Blessed dogs, unto whom the dropping from such wounds so falls as to fill the heart and mouth of those whose office it is to guard the house, preserve the flock, keep off the wolf! And because the word is bread, our faith is of the word; the crumbs are as it were certain doctrines of the faith, that is to say, the mysteries of the Scriptures. But the Arians, who court the alliance of regal power that they may assail the truth of the Church, do not they seem to you to be in purple and fine linen? And these, when they defend the counterfeit instead of the truth, abound in flowing discourses. Rich heresy has composed many Gospels, and poor faith has kept this single Gospel, which it had received. Rich philosophy has made itself many gods, the poor Church has known only one. Do not those riches seem to you to be poor, and that poverty to be rich? — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 16:20
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] This seems rather a narrative than a parable, since the name is also expressed. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 16:21
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] But the insolence and pride of the wealthy is manifested afterwards by the clearest tokens, for it follows, and no one gave to him. For so unmindful are they of the condition of mankind, that as if placed above nature they derive from the wretchedness of the poor an incitement to their own pleasure, they laugh at the destitute, they mock the needy, and rob those whom they ought to pity. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 16:24
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] He is tormented also because to the luxurious man it is a punishment to be without his pleasures; water is also a refreshment to the soul which is set fast in sorrow. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 16:26
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Between the rich and the poor then there is a great gulf, because after death rewards cannot be changed. Hence it follows, So that they who would pass from hence to you cannot, nor come thence to us. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 16:27-28
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] But it is too late for the rich man to begin to be master, when he has no longer time for learning or teaching. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 16:29-31
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] In this place our Lord most plainly declares the Old Testament to be the ground of faith, thwarting the treachery of the Jews, and precluding the iniquity of Heretics. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas