Why did the Pharisees "scoff" at Jesus' teachings in Luke 16:14? Setting the Scene Luke 16 opens with Jesus telling the Parable of the Shrewd Manager (vv. 1-13). He closes the lesson with a firm declaration: “No servant can serve two masters… You cannot serve both God and money.” Immediately we read: “Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and scoffing at Him” (Luke 16:14). What “scoffing” looked like • The Greek verb carries the idea of turning up one’s nose—open contempt or ridicule. • Jesus’ words about wealth cut straight against their values, so they mocked Him to dismiss His authority. Why Their Hearts Reacted with Scoffing • Love of money: Luke explicitly states their affection: “lovers of money.” Jesus had just warned, “You cannot serve God and money” (Luke 16:13). His teaching exposed their idolatry. • Self-justification before men: “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts” (Luke 16:15). Pride resents confrontation. • Fear of losing influence: Their social standing rested partly on wealth and the appearance of piety (cf. Matthew 23:5-7). Jesus threatened that facade. • Spiritual blindness: “If your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness” (Matthew 6:23). Covetousness dulled their discernment, so truth sounded foolish. • Hardened hearts: Repeated rejection of Jesus’ earlier calls to repentance (Luke 11:42-44; 15:1-2) had calcified their resistance, leading to open ridicule. • Misplaced confidence in the Law: They assumed material prosperity proved divine favor (cf. Deuteronomy 28). When Jesus equated wealth with a spiritual liability, they balked. Supporting Scriptural Threads • 1 Timothy 6:10—“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” • Proverbs 16:18—“Pride goes before destruction.” • Luke 18:9-14—Another snapshot of Pharisaic self-righteousness. • Hebrews 3:13—Warns against being “hardened by sin’s deception.” How Jesus Exposed the Root Issue • He unveiled God’s evaluation: “What is exalted among men is detestable in God’s sight” (Luke 16:15). • He reaffirmed the permanence of the Law and Prophets (v. 17) while indicting their selective obedience. • He immediately illustrated the eternal consequences of misplaced trust in wealth with the account of the rich man and Lazarus (vv. 19-31). Timeless Lessons • Wealth is a tool, never a master; allegiance belongs solely to God. • External religiosity cannot mask covetous hearts—God sees the inner motives. • Scoffing at truth reveals, rather than conceals, spiritual need. • Humble repentance opens the ears; hardened pride shuts them forever. |
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