Luke 16:28

Syriac Peshitta (NT Only)

ܚܰܡܫܳܐ ܓ݁ܶܝܪ ܐܰܚܺܝܢ ܐܺܝܬ݂ ܠܺܝ ܢܺܐܙܰܠ ܢܣܰܗܶܕ݂ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܕ݁ܠܳܐ ܐܳܦ݂ ܗܶܢܽܘܢ ܢܺܐܬ݂ܽܘܢ ܠܕ݂ܽܘܟ݁ܬ݂ܳܐ ܗܳܕ݂ܶܐ ܕ݁ܬ݂ܰܫܢܺܝܩܳܐ ܀

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

lest: Psalms 49:12, Psalms 49:13

Reciprocal: Genesis 42:21 - they said Job 21:21 - For what Psalms 17:14 - leave Psalms 37:10 - wicked Psalms 52:5 - pluck Ecclesiastes 2:18 - I should Luke 16:23 - being Galatians 5:3 - testify Hebrews 12:1 - witnesses

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For I have five brethren,.... Meaning his brethren and countrymen, according to the flesh; who when he was alive, stood in such a relation to him; said to be "five", in allusion it may be to the children of Israel coming out of Egypt, חמשים, "by fives", or five in a rank, Exodus 13:18 as a learned man m conjectures, to whom I am beholden for several hints, in the explanation of this parable; and certain it is, that these five brethren were Jews, since they had the writings of Moses and the prophets with them,

Luke 16:29. Wherefore I shall venture to propose another conjecture, though it may be liable to exception, as all conjectures usually are: it is plain that there were "six" brethren in all; let it be observed then, that the Jewish nation were usually divided into "three" parts, "priests, Levites, and Israelites"; of these three the great sanhedrim usually consisted n; and these read the law every sabbath day; first a priest, then a Levite, and then "five Israelites" o; (let that number also be remarked;) now these were again divided into "three" sects, "Pharisees, Sadducees", and "Essenes". The former of these are represented in this parable; this I only propose, I lay no stress on it: it may be, that the twice five, or ten tribes of Israel, which were not known where they were, nor are they to this day, may be designed by a "synechdoche", of a part for the whole; whose return the Jews are yet expecting, and for whose welfare they are greatly concerned.

That he may testify unto them: that is, preach unto them, as the word is used in Acts 2:40. Christ, when here on earth, did testify to that people of their sins, showed them the heinousness of them, inveighed against them, and reproved for them; and of their righteousness, and showed the hypocrisy, deficiency, and insufficiency of it to justify them; of himself as the Messiah; of truth in general; and of their ruin, temporal and eternal; but he had now finished his testimony, and which, though faithful, was not heard nor received by them; the reason of this request is,

lest they also come into this place of torment; as hell is, and which these brethren of his, he left behind, were deserving of, and in danger of coming into; and his concern for them did not arise from any regard to Christ, and the enlargement of his interest; nor from any love to his testimony, the Gospel; nor from any real notion or desire of converting grace for his brethren; nor from true love to them; but from a selfish principle, lest his own torments should be aggravated by their coming: this, as it may regard the Jews in their affliction, and if the ten tribes should be meant by the five brethren, may design the very passionate concern the Jews had, and still have for them, who yet, to this day, hope for the return of them; see Manasseh ben Israel's book, called, "Spes Israelis".

m Teelmannus. n Maimon Hilchot Sanhedrin, c. 2. sect. 2. o Ib. Hilchot Tephilla, c. 12. sect. 16.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Five brethren - The number “five” is mentioned merely to preserve the appearance of verisimilitude in the story. It is not to be spiritualized, nor are we to suppose that it has any hidden or inscrutable meaning.

May testify unto them - May bear “witness” to them, or may inform them of what is my situation, and the dreadful consequences of the life that I have led. It is remarkable that he did not ask to go himself. He knew that he could not be released, even for so short a time. His condition was fixed. Yet he had no wish that his friends should suffer, and he supposed that if one went from the dead they would hear him.