Moving from Luke 15 to Luke 16 is liable to give us theological whiplash. After grace-filled parables like the finding of the lost sheep and the return of the prodigal son, the reader slams headlong into the stony slab of Luke 16, which is full of admonitions about the love of money (it sounds dirtier in the original Greek: Phylargoria). The parable of the rich man and Lazarus needs its context to make sense. Jesus tells it to some Pharisees “who were lovers of money,” using Scripture to justify their greed (Luke 16:14). It is not a bad thing to have some money. Money in the gospel is actually pretty value-neutral. Jesus is more concerned with what we do with our money than whether or not we have it. Aside from the kingdom of God, Jesus talks more about money than just about anything else. The language of this parable is strong, which may make some of us uncomfortable. But this tale is sandwiched between stories of inclusion, mercy, kindness and forgiveness. In the stories of grace in chapter 15, no one – not even the rich – is left out. But grace, even God’s free grace, does not mean we can turn a blind eye to our faults. Let’s be honest: much of America enjoys comparative economic comfort, and our culture gives us plenty of ways to indulge ourselves. So whatever judgment this parable offers to the rich, to the lovers of money, it potentially offers us as well. You can find the rest of the commentary on our website.
Thank you to guest writer Rev. Dr. Baron Mullis. | 
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