John Calvin Commentary Luke 16:12

"And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another`s, who will give you that which is your own?" — Luke 16:12 (ASV)

And if you have not been faithful in what belongs to another. By the expression what belongs to another, He means what is not within man; for God does not bestow riches upon us on the condition that we shall be attached to them, but makes us stewards of them in such a manner that they may not bind us with their chains. And, indeed, it is impossible that our minds should be free and disengaged for dwelling in heaven if we did not look upon everything that is in the world as belonging to another.

Who shall entrust to you what is your own? Spiritual riches, on the other hand, which relate to a future life, are pronounced by Him to be our own, because the enjoyment of them is everlasting. But now He employs a different comparison. There is no reason, He tells us, to expect that we shall make a proper and moderate use of our own property if we have acted improperly or unfaithfully in what belonged to another.

Men usually care less about abusing and allow themselves greater liberty in squandering their own property, because they are not afraid that any person will find fault with them. However, when a thing has been entrusted to them, either in charge or on loan, and of which they must afterward render an account, they are more cautious and more timid.

We thus ascertain Christ’s meaning to be that those who are bad stewards of earthly blessings would not be faithful guardians of spiritual gifts. He next introduces a sentence: You cannot serve God and mammon; which I have explained at Matthew 6:24. There the reader will find an explanation of the word Mammon³⁰¹.

³⁰¹ “Et la aussi on trouvera la signification de ce mot Mammona, lequel est ici mis, et que nous avons traduit Richesses ” — “And ” — “And there will also be found the meaning of the word will also be found the meaning of the word Mammon, which is used here, and which we have translated which is used here, and which we have translated Riches.”—In an earlier portion of this Commentary, to which our author refers, (Harmony, vol. 1 ”—In an earlier portion of this Commentary, to which our author refers, (Harmony, vol. 1 p. 337,) no direct or formal explanation of the word ,) no direct or formal explanation of the word Mammon is to be found; but a careful reader of the expository remarks on is to be found; but a careful reader of the expository remarks on Matthew 6:24 will easily perceive that Calvin understands will easily perceive that Calvin understands riches to be one of the to be one of the two masters spoken of in that passage. An indirect definition of the term is afforded by his French version of the text, both in spoken of in that passage. An indirect definition of the term is afforded by his French version of the text, both in Matth. 6:24, and in , and in Luke 16:13, “, “Vous ne pouvez servir a Dieu et aux richesses;” — “;” — “you cannot serve God and riches.”