Verse 12
Whosoever hath, to him shall be given - This is an allusion to a common custom in all countries: he who possesses much or is rich, to such a person, presents are ordinarily given.
Whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath - That is, the poor man: he that has little may be easily made a prey of, and so lose his little. This is a proper sense of the word εχειν in sacred and profane writers. In 1 Corinthians 11:22 , τους μη εχοντας , those who have not, means simply The Poor: and Aristophanes uses τους εχοντας , those that have, for the Rich or Opulent. See a variety of pertinent examples in Kypke on Luke 8:18 . There is one example in Juvenal, Sat. iii. l. 208, 209, that expresses the whole of our Lords meaning, and is a beautiful illustration of this apparently difficult passage.
Nil habuit Codrus: quis enim negat?
et tamen illud Perdidit infelix Totum Nil
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