“Our Lord’s purpose was to show the contrast between the care, thoughtfulness, and devotion of men engaged in the money-making affairs of earth, and the half hearted ways of many who are professedly striving after spiritual riches. …
“… Take a lesson from even the dishonest and the evil; if they are so prudent as to provide for the only future they think of, how much more should you, who believe in an eternal future, provide therefor! … Emulate the unjust steward and the lovers of mammon, not in their dishonesty, cupidity [selfish greed], and miserly hoarding of the wealth that is at best but transitory [temporary], but in their zeal, forethought, and provision for the future” (Jesus the Christ,3rd ed. [1916], 463, 464).
“It is not intended that in making friends of the ‘mammon of unrighteousness’ that the brethren were to partake with them in their sins; to receive them to their bosoms, intermarry with them and otherwise come down to their level. They were to so live that peace with their enemies might be assured. They were to treat them kindly, be friendly with them as far as correct and virtuous principles would permit, but never to swear with them or drink and carouse with them. If they could allay prejudice and show a willingness to trade with and show a kindly spirit, it might help to turn them away from their bitterness. Judgment was to be left with the Lord” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 2 vols. [1953], 1:323).
“[God] will help you and guide you in compassionate acts of discipleship if you are conscientiously wanting and praying and looking for ways to keep a commandment He has given us again and again” (“Are We Not All Beggars?” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 41).
“The Savior makes all things right. No injustice in mortality is permanent, even death, for He restores life again. No injury, disability, betrayal, or abuse goes uncompensated in the end because of His ultimate justice and mercy” (“The Resurrection of Jesus Christ,”Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 112).
“The parable of the rich man and Lazarus refers to two different conditions in the postmortal spirit world: ‘Abraham’s bosom’ and ‘hell’ (see Luke 16:22–23). The former is depicted as a place of comfort in the company of the faithful (epitomized by father Abraham), the latter as a place of torment. … Between this abode of the faithful and ‘hell’ there was ‘a great gulf fixed’ (Luke 16:26), which prevented interchange between the two. …
“… Before Christ’s death, spirits from paradise could not visit those who were in spirit prison. His ministry in the spirit world bridged the gulf between paradise and the spirit prison, making it possible for the spirits in prison to receive the message of the gospel from authorized ministers sent from paradise (see D&C 138:18–37; John 5:25–29; 1 Peter 3:18–21; 4:6)” (New Testament Student Manual [Church Educational System manual, 2014], 173). For a visual representation of the gulf between these two conditions that Christ bridged, see the commentary for Luke 16:19–31 in the New Testament Student Manual.
As recorded in Joseph Smith Translation, Luke 16:16–23, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for “pervert[ing] the right way” (Joseph Smith Translation, Luke 16:21 [in the Bible appendix]). One way the Pharisees had done this was by pretending to follow the law of Moses and other scriptures while they were actually using them for wicked purposes. Jesus referred to one example of this when he called the Pharisees adulterers, to which they angrily responded by ridiculing Him again. Jesus then described the Pharisees’ unrighteous sanction of divorce for reasons other than fornication, which they tried to justify by twisting a law given by Moses (see also Matthew 19:3–9). The Savior also declared that in their hearts these men did not really believe in God.
Throughout His ministry, Jesus exposed the Pharisees’ abuse and twisted interpretations of the law of Moses and other teachings of ancient prophets. He became a threat to the social and political power the Pharisees had obtained through their wickedness. Because of this, many Pharisees sought to have Jesus killed.