Give an account – Give a statement of your expenses and of your conduct while you have been steward. This is not to be referred to the day of judgment. It is a circumstance thrown into the parable to prepare the way for what follows. It is true that all will be called to give an account at the day of judgment, but we are not to derive that doctrine from such passages as this, nor are we to interpret this as teaching that our conscience, or the law, or any beings will accuse us in the day of judgment. All that will be indeed true, but it is not the truth that is taught in this passage.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 2. Give an account of thy, &c.] Produce thy books of receipts and disbursements, that I may see whether the accusation against thee be true or false. The original may be translated, Give up the business, , of the stewardship.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

And he called him,…. By the prophets, sent one after another; by John the Baptist, by Christ himself, and by his apostles:

and said unto him, how is it that I hear this of thee? of thy corrupting the word; of thy covetousness, rapine, and theft; of thy adultery and idolatry, and sad violation of the law; see Ro 2:21

give an account of thy stewardship: what improvement is made of thy gifts; what care has been taken of my vineyard, the Jewish church; and where are the fruits that might be expected to have been received at your hands:

for thou mayest be no longer steward. This was foretold by the prophets, that God would write a “Loammi” upon the people of the Jews; that he would cut off three shepherds in one month, and particularly lay aside the idol shepherd, by whom the Pharisees may be meant, Zec 11:8 and by John the Baptist, who declared the axe was laid to the root of the tree, and it was just ready to be cut down, Mt 3:10 and by Christ, that the kingdom of God should be taken from them, Mt 21:43 and by the apostles, who turned from them to the Gentiles, Ac 13:46.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

What is this that I hear? ( ;). There are several ways of understanding this terse Greek idiom. The Revised Version (above) takes to be equal to ; That is a possible use of the predicate . Another way is to take to be exclamatory, which is less likely. Still another view is that is ” Why”: “Why do I hear this about thee?” See Ac 14:15 where that is the idiom employed.

Render (). Second aorist active imperative of , Give back (and at once).

The account ( ). The reckoning or report. Common use of .

Stewardship (). Same root as (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 ( ).

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

How is it that I hear this [ ] ? Better as Rev., What is this that I hear?

Give an account [ ] . Lit., “give back” [] . Rev., render. The [] account which is due. Aristophanes has a striking parallel : “And now give back my signet; for thou shalt no longer be my steward” (” Knights, ” 947).

Thou mayest [] . More strictly, as Rev., thou canst.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “And he, called him, and said unto him,” (kai phonesas auton eipen auto) “And he called him (his steward) and chided him,” or inquired firmly. He did not dismiss him without inquiry, Act 16:37.

2) “How is it that I hear this of thee?” (ti touto akouo peri sou) “What is this that I hear of you?” of your handling and disposal of my property you have been managing? What is the grounds for the report? Have you a valid explanation? With vouchers, receipts, and records?

3) “Give an account of thy stewardship;” (apodos ton logon tes oikonomias sou) “Give or render an itemized report of your stewardship or management,” a satisfactory report of your stewardship over what I entrusted to your investment management for me, 1Co 4:2.

4) “For thou mayest be no longer steward,” (ou gar dune eti oikonomein) “For you may no longer be a steward or manager,” after the report is reviewed, after the record of your management is examined. The idea is that God just as surely requires an accounting of His church disciples and stewards as God did of the Jews in Israel, under the law, 2Co 5:10-11.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

(2) How is it that I hear this of thee?(1) The opening words of the stewards master imply wonder as well as indignation. They remind us so far of the words of the lord of the vineyard in another parable, Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? (Isa. 5:4). Speaking after the manner of men, it was a marvel and a mystery that men with so high a calling as the scribes and teachers of Israel should have proved so unfaithful to their trust. (2) The words that follow, Give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward, while they admit legitimately enough a personal application to each individual at the close of any period of trust and probation, and therefore at the close of life, are yet far from being limited to that application, and in their primary significance, do not even admit it. The close of a stewardship, for a party like the Phariseesfor a school like that of the scribesfor any Church or section of a Churchis when its day of judgment comes, when its work in the Kingdom is done, when history, and God in history, pass their sentence upon it. And that day of judgment was coming fast upon those who then heard the parable.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

2. Be no longer steward The voice of death is imperious; for it is the decree of God himself.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

“And he called him, and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Render the account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’ ”

The landlord thus calls for him to come to see him and explains what he has heard about him. Then he tells him that he is intending to replace him and that he should therefore prepare accounts revealing the details of his stewardship. The impression given is that he is simply being replaced for mismanagement, not for open dishonesty. There is no suggestion of any action being taken against him, but the estate manager’s silence indicates that he is aware that there is truth in the charges.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Luk 16:2 . ;] what is this that I hear concerning thee? quid hoc est, quod de te audio? A well-known contraction of a relative clause with an interrogative clause; Plat. Gorg . p. 452 D, and elsewhere. See Khner, II. 841. 1; Fritzsche, ad Marc . p. 780; Bornemann, Schol . p. 97, and in the Stud. u. Krit . 1843, p. 120. Comp. Test. XII. Patr . p. 715: ; Act 14:15 . The frequency of this usus loquendi , and the appropriateness of the sense just at the opening of the reckoning, gives to the interpretation the preference over this: wherefore do I hear, etc., Kuinoel, de Wette, Meuss, and others (comp. Luther, and so early as the Gothic version).

. . .] give the (due) reckoning of thy stewardship . The master desires to see the state of affairs made plain. On , (Mat 12:36 ; Act 19:40 ; Rom 14:12 ), see Schweighuser’s Lex. Herod . II. p. 74. Comp. , Dem. 868. 5.

] for thou shalt not , etc. The master decides thus according to what he had heard, and what he regards as established.

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.

Ver. 2. Give an account of thy stewardship ] Villicus rationem cum Domino suo crebro putet, said Cato. Stewards should often account with their masters.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

2. ] It makes very little difference either in admissibility of construction or of sense, whether we render, ‘ why do I hear this of thee?’ i.e. ‘what is the ground of this report? what occasion hast thou given for this being brought to me?’ or, ‘ What is this that I hear of thee?’ i.e. ‘give some account of it.’ There is the same ambiguity in Mar 11:3 , ; I prefer rather the former, because no opportunity of explanation what it is, is given him, but he is commanded to produce his books, to shew how it has arisen.

] give up the account of thy stewardship; for (taking for granted the correctness of the report, the steward not denying it) thou wilt not be able to retain thy stewardship any longer, in ordinary English, thou canst not, &c.

in the nature of things thou art precluded from.

The interpretation of this announcement to the steward, is the certainty , spoken by God in every one of our consciences, that we must give up and give an account of our stewardship at death . The great truth lies in the background, that that dismissal, death itself, is the consequence of the , the wages of sin .

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Luk 16:2 . , etc. may be exclamatory = what! do I hear this of thee? or interrogatory: what is this that I hear of thee? the laconic phrase containing a combination of an interrogative with a relative clause. : the reference may be either to a final account previous to dismissal, already resolved on (so usually taken), or to an investigation into the truth or falsehood of the accusation = produce your books that I may judge for myself (so Hahn). The latter would be the reasonable course, but not necessarily the one taken by an eastern magnate, who might rush from absolute confidence to utter distrust without taking the trouble to inquire further. As the story runs, this seems to be what happened.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

How is it . . . ? = What is this . . ?

of = concerning. Greek. peri. App-104. Not the same word as in Luk 16:9.

give = render.

an = the.

stewardship = the office of the steward (Luk 16:1).

mayest = canst.

no. Greek. ou. App-105.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

2. ] It makes very little difference either in admissibility of construction or of sense, whether we render, why do I hear this of thee? i.e. what is the ground of this report?-what occasion hast thou given for this being brought to me? or, What is this that I hear of thee? i.e. give some account of it. There is the same ambiguity in Mar 11:3, ; I prefer rather the former, because no opportunity of explanation what it is, is given him, but he is commanded to produce his books, to shew how it has arisen.

] give up the account of thy stewardship; for (taking for granted the correctness of the report, the steward not denying it) thou wilt not be able to retain thy stewardship any longer,-in ordinary English, thou canst not, &c.

-in the nature of things-thou art precluded from.

The interpretation of this announcement to the steward, is the certainty, spoken by God in every one of our consciences, that we must give up and give an account of our stewardship at death. The great truth lies in the background, that that dismissal, death itself, is the consequence of the ,-the wages of sin.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Luk 16:2. , what is this?) The rich man speaks as if something had happened which he was not expecting. This implies that God puts trust in man.-, I hear) from the complaints which have been made to Me concerning thee. God is represented as hearing of his proceedings, as if He did not see them Himself. Thus the steward was left to himself.[166]- ) the account [libellum, the account-book].

[166] That is, to his own free agency, the rich master not interfering with him: just as God seems, as it were, not to interfere with man, and only to hear of mans doings, though He really sees and controls all things.-E. and T.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

How: Gen 3:9-11, Gen 4:9, Gen 4:10, Gen 18:20, Gen 18:21, 1Sa 2:23, 1Sa 2:24, 1Co 1:11, 1Ti 5:24

give: Luk 12:42, Ecc 11:9, Ecc 11:10, Ecc 12:14, Mat 12:36, Rom 14:12, 1Co 4:2, 1Co 4:5, 2Co 5:10, 1Pe 4:5, 1Pe 4:10, 1Ti 4:14, Rev 20:12

for: Luk 12:20, Luk 19:21-26

Reciprocal: Gen 40:20 – lifted up Gen 47:14 – Joseph brought Job 15:29 – neither shall Job 21:16 – Lo Pro 18:9 – is brother Dan 6:2 – that Hos 2:8 – her corn Mat 13:12 – from Mat 18:23 – which Mat 20:8 – unto Mat 25:19 – reckoneth Luk 8:18 – from Luk 10:42 – which Luk 12:48 – For Luk 19:15 – that he Luk 19:24 – Take Luk 19:25 – Lord Act 5:9 – How 1Co 7:31 – use Heb 13:17 – give account Jam 3:1 – knowing Jam 4:3 – ye may

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

CALLED TO ACCOUNT

Give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.

Luk 16:2

We call this parable the Parable of the Unjust Stewardi.e. a fraudulent, dishonest stewardand such undoubtedly he did become; but not deliberately dishonest up to the time when his lord called him suddenly to account. He was accused to his lord that he had wasted his goods; not a purposed and continued fraud, but a long-continued faithlessness to his trust. He had forgotten that he was the trustee for his lords possessions, and he had lived on neglecting plain duties, until at last the goods began to perish.

The man, then, was guilty of being unfaithful to his trust. And it is this that gives the parable its terrible significance for us.

I. This, then, is the question which each of us has to ask of himself and of his own life: What manner of steward have I been of those things that my Lord has entrusted to me? God has given each one of us something to do in His household. Every one of us is, in a larger or smaller degree, a steward of the Lord. Two great gifts of God, at least, are given to every oneTime and Opportunity.

(a) Timethat fleets so swiftly, and so often unheeded, passing by moments and days, and running up to years, bringing life to a close, is Gods great trust to every one of us.

(b) And Opportunitythose moments fraught with blessings and help, or hindrance and evil, to ones fellow-men, and which may become the means of increasing the Masters goods or of diminishing them.

II. We have to give an account, sooner or later, to our Lord and Master of how we have used these great gifts, and many another besides; but of these two surely every one of us has to give an account. Think for a moment of the many stewardships we all have from time to time given us; and how these stewardships are terminatednow, at one time, one stewardship, and now, at another time, another.

(a) There is the parents stewardship of the child.

(b) The master, the employer, the statesman, the citizen, who fills any place of trust, the parish pastorall who have any charge, any duties, any power or influenceall these have some great trust of their Lords to answer for, and sooner or later there rests upon each the question: Have I been faithful to my stewardship?

If a man has not kept his Lords trust, and has to answer to Him for wasted time and wholly neglected opportunities, how awful must be his account!

Archbishop Magee.

Illustration

In spiritual things, the effective use of stewardship is the being permitted to do true work for God. The joy of success, the joy of safety, the happiness of accomplishments, is solemnised, irradiated by the assurance within the soul of its real and vital union with Christ. Rejoice not, Jesus said to His disciples, after successful exercise of ministry, rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. And then, just as the faithful use of one earthly post finds its reward in opportunities of a greater and wider field of usefulness, so a true use of the trust of earthly life shall one day have its exceeding reward in the greater opportunities of what Jesus called the true riches, even the fuller service and trust of the Kingdom of Heaven. To one who, in giving account of his stewardship, can show an increase in proportion to the trust bestowed, who, receiving five talents, brings other five talents, or having but two talents yet brings other two talents, Christ will say in the day of the final account of all stewardship, Well done, good and faithful servant.

Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary

2

Give an account stands for the warning that all mankind will have to give an account of personal conduct to God (Rom 14:12).

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Luk 16:2-4. And he called him, and said, How is it that I hear this of thee His lord, having called him, told him what was laid to his charge; and as he did not pretend to deny the accusation, he ordered him to give in his accounts, because he was determined he should occupy his office no longer. Then the steward said, What shall I do? The steward, having heard his doom pronounced, began to consider with himself, how he should be supported when he was discarded. He was of a disposition so prodigal, that he had laid up nothing; he thought himself incapable of bodily labour, (being old, perhaps,) or could not submit to it, and to beg he was ashamed. He was not, however, as appears from what follows, ashamed to cheat! This was likewise, says Mr. Wesley, a sense of honour! By men called honour, but by angels, pride. I am resolved what to do So he said within himself after a little consideration; a lucky thought, as he doubtless accounted it, coming into his mind. He was not yet turned out of his office; he therefore resolved to use his power in such a manner as to make himself friends, who would succour him in his need. That they may receive me into their houses That the tenants or debtors of his lord, who paid their rents or debts, not in money, but in wheat, oil, or other produce of the ground they rented or possessed, might give him entertainment in their houses, or provide for him some other means of subsistence.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Verse 2

Give an account; prepare the accounts for settlement.

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

There is no indication in the parable whether the agent failed his master innocently or deliberately. That is unimportant. For whatever reason his boss fired him and asked him to turn in his account books that would show what he had done (cf. Mat 12:36; Act 19:40; Heb 13:17; 1Pe 4:5).

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)