Yes, the tax collectors and sinners around the Lord understood this parable, and no doubt joy shone on their faces. Only the Pharisees and scribes, who reproached Jesus for his association with sinners, did not understand it. They expressed their lack of understanding of the meaning of the parable of the unfaithful steward very boldly: they laughed at Jesus Christ. The Evangelist explains the reason for their insolent laughter by their love of money.

These money-loving scribes and Pharisees were the true exponents of the views of most Jews of their time on wealth. Wealth is the golden idol that they worshipped, which they served. The Jews were distinguished by their love of money from ancient times, and then, led into captivity in Babylon and after their release from captivity, did not return to the Promised Land, but were scattered throughout all the countries of the world (only 42,000 returned), the Jews were everywhere strangers, guests, and very unwelcome at that. Aware of their alienation from the whole world, they became even more covetous, since they saw their full strength only in money. They remembered the prophecy of Moses: The Lord your God will set you above all the nations of the earth... and you will lend to many nations, but you yourself will not borrow (Deuteronomy 28:1, 12). And they turned all their efforts to the accumulation of silver and gold, and passed on these distinctive traits of their character to their descendants, who to this day sacredly preserve the precepts of their ancestors.

It is understandable that the money-loving scribes and Pharisees found Jesus' teachings about the return of everything unrighteously acquired to their place ridiculous. To return money, even if it is ill-gotten gained, when it contains all the power, and, consequently, all the happiness of such imaginary righteous people as these scribes and Pharisees? Yes, this is ridiculous! And they began to laugh.

The Lord meekly answered them to their impudent laughter: "You show yourselves righteous before men; you try to deceive them with your imaginary righteousness; but God knoweth your hearts" (Luke 16:15). You consider money and riches in general to be an earthly force that elevates people; but know then that wealth, which, according to you, is so high, so powerful among men, is nothing before God, an abomination that prevents many from attaining the bliss of eternal life. You comfort yourself with the fact that you observe exactly all the rites established by Moses and the tradition of the elders, and through this you will enter the Kingdom of the Messiah, as if it were prepared for you. But you are mistaken: by fulfilling the will of God, expressed in the law and prophecies, you were saved only until the appearance of John. With his coming, the Kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone by effort (and not only by belonging to the family of Israel) enters into it (Luke 16:16).

Chapter 32. Jesus' Last Journey to Jerusalem. The Healing of the Ten Lepers. The parable of the unrighteous judge. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. A conversation with a rich young man and students about wealth. The parable of the laborers in the vineyard.

Jesus' ministry was coming to an end. He had to go to Jerusalem, in order to suffer from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and to be killed, and on the third day to rise again (Matt. 16:21), about which He repeatedly spoke to His Apostles.

Jesus' Last Journey to Jerusalem

From which city or village He set out on His journey is unknown; The Evangelist says only that it was necessary to go through Samaria. Although Jesus was known in Samaria, the Samaritans' hatred of the Jews compelled Jesus to send messengers ahead (Luke 9:52) to prepare for Him and the Apostles who accompanied Him a room for lodging or daytime rest.

Not receiving Him in Samaria; the desire of James and John to punish the Samaritans. How those sent fulfilled the commission given to them is unknown; but when Jesus and the Apostles entered the village of Samaria, where they intended to rest, the Samaritans refused Him the usual hospitality, since He and His companions had the appearance of travelers to Jerusalem, that is, Jews. Then two of the Apostles, James and John, whom Jesus called "the sons of thunder," in their indignation at the Samaritans who had insulted Christ, wanted to punish them immediately, as the Prophet Elijah punished those sent to him from King Ahaziah (4 Kings 1:1-12). "Do you want," they asked Jesus, "that we should say that fire should come down from heaven and destroy them, as Elijah did? (Luke 9:54).

Jesus' Instruction on This Matter

Jesus gave the Apostles the authority to perform miracles, and they undoubtedly performed them, because only those who had experienced the power of their words could say so confidently that fire would descend from heaven at their word. But in this case, the "sons of thunder," the ardent brothers James and John, forgot that this power was given to them to do good, and not evil, and that their Teacher commanded them to forgive offenders, and not to take revenge on them. 44).

Jesus made them remember this commandment by forbidding them to take revenge on the inhospitable Samaritans. "You do not know what kind of spirit you are," He said to them, "for the Son of Man came not to destroy human souls, but to save them" (Luke 9:55-56), then His disciples must be imbued with the same spirit of love and forgiveness.

Not accepted by the Samaritans, Jesus and the Apostles went to another village (Luke 9:56), which probably lay outside of Samaria, since on their way to Jerusalem they went between Samaria and Galilee (Luke 17:11); perhaps they had to return to Galilee for this.

The Healing of the Ten Lepers