I suggest that in Luke 15-16, Jesus weaves teachings related to money with ideas of salvation history. Luke 15-16 is divided into seven labeled units in the ESV. These units are composed of twelve paragraph divisions. The NA28 Greek text breaks Luke 15-16 into eleven paragraph units. The flow of Luke 15 differs radically from that of Luke 16. Luke begins chapter 15 by establishing the setting for the parables of the lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7), lost coin (Luke 15:8-10), and lost son (Luke 15:11-32) that follow. Jesus’ parables, Luke notes, are Jesus’ response to the Pharisees and scribes who are complaining that Jesus welcomes tax collectors and sinners (Luke 15:1-2).
On the surface, it is more difficult to identify cohesive elements in Luke 16. The chapter begins with Jesus’ Parable of the Dishonest Manager (Luke 16:1-13). The fact that Jesus would commend deception proves difficult enough for some interpreters. Couple this with the interpretive difficulty of trying to follow the flow of thought Luke wishes for his readers to trace between the parables in chapter 15 and the teachings to come in the remainder of Luke 16. Following the Parable of the Dishonest Manager, Luke notes that Jesus turns again to the Pharisees and chastises them for their love of money (Luke 16:14-15). Jesus’ statements regarding the Law and the Prophets being valid until John (Luke 16:16-17) and prohibition of divorce in Luke 16:18 seem like random sayings. The ESV labels Luke 16:14-17, “The Law and the Kingdom of God” and Luke 16:18, “Divorce and Remarriage.” The fact that the ESV gives a heading to one verse of Scripture underscores what seems a collection of haphazard Jesus-sayings in Luke 16:14-18. Luke 16 concludes with the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (16:9-31).
In the table below, references to money are italicized and terms of salvation history presented in a standard font. Together, these two themes serve as cohesive elements for understanding not only Luke 16 but how it is an extension of the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son in Luke 15. Luke 15-16 is a cohesive unit of Jesus’ teachings against the Pharisees–who love their wealth and status in salvation history more than the kingdom of God inaugurated in Jesus’ presence among them.
| Reference in Luke | Lexical Form/Phrase | Semantic Domain in Louw & Nida (1989) |
| 15:1 | τελώνης | 57.184 (57. Possess, Transfer, Exchange: Tax, Tribute ([57.178–57.185]) |
| 15:1, 2, 7, 10 | ἁμαρτωλός (ἁμαρτάνω [88.289]: 15:18, 21) | 88.294 (88. Moral and Ethical Qualities and Related Behavior: Sin, Wrongdoing, Guilt [88.289–88.318]) |
| 15:2 | Φαρισαῖος | 11.49 (11. Groups and Classes of Persons and Members of Such Groups and Classes: Socio-Religious [11.12–11.54]) |
| 15:2 | γραμματεύς | 27.22 (27. Learn: Learn [27.1–27.26]) |
| 15:2 | προσδέχομαι (δέχομαι [18.1]: 16:4, 9) | 31.53 (31. Association: Welcome, Receive [34.53–34.56]) |
| 15:2 | συνεσθίω | 23.12 (Physiological Processes and States: Eat, Drink [23.1–23.39]) |
| 15:4*, 6, 8, 9, 17, 24, 32 | ἀπόλλυμι | 27.29 (27. Learn: Learn the Location of Something ([27.27–27.29]) |
| 15:4, 5, 6, 8, 9*, 24, 32 | εὑρίσκω | 13.17 (13. Be, Become, Exist, Happen: State [13.1-13.47]) |
| 15:5, 32 | χαίρω (συγχαίρω [25.126]: 15:6, 9; χαρά [25.123]: 15:7, 10) | 25.125 (25. Attitudes and Emotions: Happy, Glad, Joyful [25.116–25.134]) |
| 15:7, 18, 21; 16:17 | οὐρανός | 1.11 (1. Geographical Objects and Features: Regions Above the Earth [1.5–1.16)]) |
| 15:7 | δίκαιος (ἀδικία [88.21]: 16:8, 9, 10*, 11; δικαιόω [34.46]) | 34.47 (34. Association: Establish or Confirm a Relation [34.42–34.49]) |
| 15:7, 10; 16:30 | μετανοέω | 41.52 (41. Behavior and Related States: Change Behavior (41.50–41.54)]) |
| 15:8-9 | δραχμή | 6.76 (6. Artifacts: Money and Monetary Units [6.68-6.82]) |
| 15:10; 16:22 | ἄγγελος | 12.28 (12. Supernatural Beings and Powers: Supernatural Beings [12.1–12.42]) |
| 15:10; 16:13, 15*, 16 | θεός | 12.1 (12. Supernatural Beings and Powers: Supernatural Beings [12.1–12.42]) |
| 15:12 | μέρος | 63.14 (63. Whole, Unite, Part, Divide: Part [63.13–63.20]) |
| 15:12, 30 | βίος | 57.18 (57. Possess, Transfer, Exchange: Have, Possess, Property, Owner [57.1–57.21]) |
| 15:13, 16:1 | διασκορπίζω | 57.151 (57. Possess, Transfer, Exchange: Spend, Waste [57.146-57.151]) |
| 15:13, 24, 32; 16:25 | ζάω | 23.93 (23. Physiological Processes and States: Live, Die [23.88–23.128]) |
| 15:14 | δαπανάω | 57.146 (57. Possess, Transfer, Exchange: Spend, Waste [57.146-57.151]) |
| 15:14, 17 | λιμός | 23.33 (23. Physiological Processes and States: Eat, Drink [23.1-23.39]) |
| 15:14 | ὑστερέω; ὑστέρησις | 57.37 (57. Possess, Transfer, Exchange: Need, Lack [57.37-57.47]) |
| 15:16; 16:21 | χορτάζω | 23.16 (23. Physiological Processes and States: Eat, Drink [23.1-23.39]) |
| 15:17 | ἄρτος | 5.1 (5. Foods and Condiments: Bread [5.1-5.22]) |
| 15:22 | στολή | 6.174 (6. Artifacts: Cloth, Leather, and Objects Made of Such Materials [6.152-6.187]) |
| 15:22 | δακτύλιος | 6.190 (6. Artifacts: Adornments [6.188-6.196]) |
| 15:23 | σιτευτός | 44.2 (44. Animal Husbandry, Fishing) |
| 15:24, 32; 16:30, 31 | νεκρός | 23.121 (23. Physiological Processes and States: Live, Die [23.88–23.128]) |
| 15:27 | ὑγιαίνω | 23.129 (23. Physiological Processes and State: Health, Vigor, Strength [23.129–23.141]) |
| 15:30 | πόρνη | 88.275 (88. Moral and Ethical Qualities and Related Behavior: Sexual Misbehavior [88.271–88.282]) |
| 15:29 | ἔριφος | 4.19 (4. Animals: Animals [4.1-4.37] |
| 16:1 | μαθητής | 27.16 (27: Learn: Learn [27.1–27.26]) |
| 16:1, 19 | πλούσιος | 57.26 (57. Possessions, Transfer, Exchange: Be Rich, Be Wealthy [57.25-57.35]) |
| 16:1 | οἰκονόμος | 46.4 (46. Household Activities) |
| 16:1 | ὑπάρχω | 57.16 (57. Possess, Transfer, Exchange: Have, Possess, Property, Owner [57.1-57.21]) |
| 16:3 | ἐπαιτέω | 33.173 (33. Communication: Ask For, Request [33.161-33.177]) |
| 16:4 | οἶκος | 7.2 (7. Constructions: Buildings [7.2-7.25]) |
| 16:5 | χρεοφειλέτης | 57.222 (57. Possess, Transfer, Exchange: Owe, Debt, Cancel [57.219-57.223]) |
| 16:5 | ὀφείλω | 57.219 (57. Possess, Transfer, Exchange: Owe, Debt, Cancel [57.219-57.223]) |
| 16:6 | ἔλαιον | 6.202 (6. Artifacts: Plant Products [6.197-202]) |
| 16:7 | σῖτος | 3.31 (3. Plants: Plants That Are Not Trees [3.13-3.32]) |
| 16:8 | υἱοὶ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου | 11.16 (11. Groups and Classes of Persons and Members of Such Groups and Classes: Socio-Religious [11.12–11.54]) |
| 16:8 | υἱοὶ τοῦ φωτός | 11.14 (11. Groups and Classes of Persons and Members of Such Groups and Classes: Socio-Religious [11.12–11.54]) |
| 16:9, 11, 13 | μαμωνᾶς | 57.34 (57. Possess, Transfer, Exchange: Be Rich, Be Wealthy [57.25-57.35]) |
| 16:14 | φιλάργυροι | 25.108 (25. Attitudes and Emotions: Enjoy, Take Pleasure In, Be Fond of Doing [25.102–25.115]) |
| 16:15 | καρδία | 26.3 (26. Psychological Faculties: καρδία [26.3]) |
| 16:16, 17 | νόμος (Μωϋσῆς [33.59]: 16:29, 31) | 33.55 (33. Communication: Written Language [33.35–33.68]) |
| 16:16, 29, 31 | προφήτης | 53.79 (53. Religious Activities: Roles and Functions ([53.66–53.95]) |
| 16:16 | Ἰωάννης | 93.190 (93. Names of Persons and Places: Persons [93.1–93.388]) |
| 16:16 | βασιλεία | 1.82 (1. Geographical Objects and Features: Governmental Administrative Areas [1.82–1.85]) |
| 16:16 | εὐαγγελίζω | 33.215 (33. Communication: Inform, Announce [33.189–33.217]) |
| 16:19 | πορφύρα | 6.169 (6. Artifacts: Cloth, Leather, and Objects Made of Such Materials [6.152-6.187]) |
| 16:19 | βύσσος | 6.166 (6. Artifacts: Cloth, Leather, and Objects Made of Such Materials [6.152-6.187]) |
| 16.19 | λαμπρῶς | 88.255 (88. Moral and Ethical Qualities and Related Behavior: Extravagant Living, Intemperate Living [88.252-88.255]) |
| 16:20 | πτωχός | 57.53 (57. Possess, Transfer, Exchange: Be Poor, Be Needy, Poverty [57.49-57.54]) |
| 16:20 | πυλών | 7.48 (7. Constructions: Parts and Areas of Buildings [7.26-7.53]) |
| 16:21 | ἕλκος | 23.179 (23. Physiological Processes and States: Sickness, Disease, Weakness [23.142–23.184]) |
| 16:22* | ἀποθνῄσκω | 23.99 (23. Physiological Processes and States: Live, Die [23.88–23.128]) |
| 16:22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30 | Ἀβραάμ | 93.7 (93. Names of Persons and Places: Persons [93.1–93.388]) |
| 16:23 | ᾅδης | 1.19 (1. Geographical Objects and Features: Regions Below the Surface of the Earth [1.17–1.25]) |
| 16:31 | ἀνίστημι | 17.7 (17. Stances and Events Related to Stances: Stand [17.1–17.11]) |