This post has been in the making for a while. The parable of Jesus in Luke 16 about the dishonest steward has long been a source of consternation to me. I have read commentaries, watched videos, listened to sermons and interviewed preachers about their thoughts on this hard lesson from Jesus. And bless their heart, each person did their level best to explain this parable in the best way they could.
The problem is, every explanation left me sensing that something wasn’t right. In one way or another, you had Jesus–God on earth–commending dishonesty and it just didn’t sit right with me. Commending evil is not in Jesus’ character. I mean, He was about to die a most excruciating death precisely because of sins like this steward was guilty of committing. When the master in the parable praised the man for his shrewdness, I had a tough time believing that Jesus’ point was that this man’s sinful answer to his dilemma was praiseworthy.
Recently, I approached this parable from a different angle, an angle that I have been using for more and more approaches to Scripture. I began to ask myself, how would first century citizens hear this parable in the light of their culture? Then it hit me like a ton of bricks and the meaning of the parable became crystal clear to me. I don’t think the hearers of this parable struggled with the meaning at all. It’s only when we listen to it through a 21st century culture that we walk away scratching our heads.
Before we jump into this parable, I think it’s best to read it in its entirety because there will be some very challenging concepts we will need to maneuver through. Hopefully, when we are done, we will have a better appreciation of this parable and the wonderful message it has for you and me as we continue preparing ourselves for Kingdom living.
“He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions.
And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’
And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.
I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’
So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’
Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’
The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.
And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” (Luke 16:1-9 ESV).
Up until now, the best explanation I heard about this parable was that Jesus was commending the work ethic the dishonest manager was putting into finding a solution to his problem, not the way he arrived at the solution. It was akin to saying that if a drug dealer would put all of his energy, talents, sweat, and hard work into doing something constructive as he puts into breaking the law, he’d be able to accomplish great things. This was the best lesson I could walk away with up until now.
But this discernment stretches the limits of this parable in my opinion and requires something more than a simple reading to come up with that solution. We walk away seeing the master commending the servant for the solution he used without addressing the way in which he accomplished it. And to make matters more confusing, it was precisely for this kind of activity the master was firing the manager for in the first place: “charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions.”
Still, it was the best I could come up with.
Then, I did a level set and asked myself, “What about this parable would the original hearers understand about the manager and master that may be different from the way our society looks at managers and masters?” I have spent over 30 years in highly regulated financial industries where fiduciary responsibilities are written into law. Fiduciary responsibilities simply mean that if you are over someone’s money or possessions, you have a legal obligation to make the best decisions in handling their assets to the best of your ability. If you don’t, they can hold you responsible for any losses they incur at your negligent hands.
In our society, instead of praising the man for his shrewdness, a jury would award losses to the master if the manager cooked the books for his own benefit. We all know of people who spent years in prison for doing what this unjust manager did.
But in the 1st century, these roles were handled a little differently. When a wealthy man hired a manager (as opposed to a slave filling this role), the manager had the responsibility to ensure that the master’s affairs were settled and that the master collected what was due him. It was common that in payment for his services, the manager could tack on an extra fee when he collected what was due to the master. This extra fee was his wages. We would call it a commission.
This was how the Romans collected taxes. Tax collectors would call in a citizen and not only assess what they owed to Rome, but also a fee for their services. Since the Romans were only concerned about getting their cut, they didn’t care about how much over their fee the tax collectors collected, as long as Rome got what was coming to them.
This led many tax gatherers to gouge the people, and the people had little choice but to pay the exorbitant commissions. It helps us understand why there was such a hatred the Jews had for their brethren who served as tax collectors.
Armed with this knowledge, I reread the parable. I believe it may be likely the unjust manager had a ledger that included how much each person owed his master, and that total included both the actual debt and the commission he was collecting.
When the unjust manager realized his predicament, he shrewdly did whatever he had to do to make provisions for himself when he was out of a job. He had to find a way to make these clients feel obligated to him when he didn’t have a livelihood anymore.
What I think the master commended him for was quickly meeting with each client and reducing the amount they owed by subtracting his commission from the total. This lowering of the debt owed would engender goodwill from the master’s clients toward him and they would remember his charity when he needed their help.
Reading the parable this way makes it easy to understand how Jesus could commend the unjust manager, and then give a powerful lesson to His own followers. Listen to what He tells us:
“The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.
And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” (Luke 16:8-9 ESV).
The first lesson for us is to look at how sons of this world are willing to do whatever it takes to get the things they want. They will plan and go to great lengths to prepare for their future. Even today, people will take great risks to start a company, go to school for years to get the knowledge they need to build a bright future for themselves, and often work long hours without pay in the early years as they build their new business.
But do those of us who are sons of light put in the same sacrifice and commitment as we build up a future that is far more valuable than fleeting wealth, as these men put into ensuring their own future? Could you imagine what we could accomplish if we would literally do anything to make sure we were preparing for our spiritual future? What are we leaving on the table because we are not as shrewd as the sons of this world?
When Jesus ends verse nine by telling us to make friends by means of unrighteous wealth so we may be received into eternal dwellings, I think He is teaching a lesson similar to what He taught in Matthew 6:
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,
but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21 ESV).
This is a message of generosity with the things that God has entrusted to us. Rather than being stingy with our blessings, we should use them to God’s glory by helping those in need. Moths and rust will destroy earthly treasures we lay up for ourselves, but by using earthly wealth generously for those who are in need, how many people will meet us in heaven and say, “You know, because of you, I was able to feed my family, I had clothes to wear, or I had a place to sleep?”
To me, the point of this parable gives us an amazing insight into what Jesus expects from us. We can look at the passion sinners have to build a temporary future for themselves on earth and see how that shrewdness and passion should be ours as we take Kingdom living seriously and build an eternal future for ourselves.
While we may not see the storehouses of wealth on earth, when we are generous with our blessings and use them to God’s glory, we will see it one day in heaven, and it will grow exponentially as the Lord keeps what we’ve entrusted to Him.
I hope this perspective of the parable not only helps us understand Jesus’ commendation to the unjust servant, but causes each of us to reexamine our own commitment to using our earthly treasures for generous and spiritual purposes as we shrewdly invest in our eternal future.
Down from Heaven.
Seven times, John 6 says Jesus came down from Heaven. This is a huge statement that sets Jesus apart from any prophet who came before him.
Other prophets went up to heaven, but He is the only one who came down from Heaven. What does this mean?
While mere men die and go to be with God, Jesus was with God in Heaven and came down from Heaven to be with man.
This is a strong claim of deity. He is the bread that came down from Heaven. And because He came down from Heaven, He is uniquely qualified to show us the way to Heaven.
He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Him, the only one who came down from Heaven where the Father lives.
I am in the book of 1 Samuel in my daily Bible reading. We read about the great things God did for David, but sometimes we forget about the years of fear and running from King Saul David had to endure.
There were times when David seemed on the brink of depression, even saying that there was but a step between him and death.
Yet, even when David wrestled with some of the most trying emotional and mental struggles he would endure, he was able to lean into the Lord for his strength and comfort.
When David was walking in the Shadow of the Valley of Death, he knew the Lord was with him. As hard as life may get for us, if we can always remember the Lord is with us, we can find solid footing through our faith when we deal with stressful mental and emotional struggles, even when those struggles endure for years as they did with David.
Jesus had some pretty unambiguous claims about who He was. It’s true He waited for the right time before He overtly allowed the news of He being the Messiah to spread unencumbered.
But He was unambiguous in His claim to be something unique among men.
“You have heard it said… but I say unto you.” Even the people who heard this sermon on the mount were amazed because He spoke as one who had authority and not as one of the Scribes.
On more than one occasion, Jesus put it out there that He would be the one who would judge everyone on that last day. He even told us that the Father would judge no one because the Father committed all judgment to Him.
Jesus cut off any other possible way to the Father by claiming He was the only way, the only truth, and the only life. He unambiguously said that there is no other way to the Father but through Him.
Jesus made some pretty bold claims about Himself. If He was wrong, then we have no business following Him or His apostles. But if He is right, then we have no other option but to kneel before Him as our Lord and King.
He left no other options for us to consider.
Do we have a fear of a divine judgment, or have we hardened our hearts so much that we can live a sinful, self-directed life with no desire to submit to the Creator and King of the universe?
The Day is coming soon when we all will give an account for our answer to this question.
Remember, no matter where we are today,
at a coffee shop,
at a sporting event,
at a friend’s house,
at work,
at school,
at a church function,
at lunch with friends,
at a movie theater,
at the pool,
Never forget that we are still agents of the Kingdom of Heaven.
We must always conduct ourselves as royal citizens of King Jesus’ domain.
We never stop being citizens of our spiritual homeland.
Today, we worship the King.
When we decide to be teachers, not only will we be held to account for the things we say, but also the things we do not say.
We are less than 10 years away from the 2000 year anniversary of the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.
Does that mean anything?
Maybe not. But for those who believe in the young Earth, it’s interesting to note that from creation to Abraham is roughly 2000 years.
From Abraham to Jesus is roughly 2000 years.
From Jesus to today is roughly 2000 years.
God created the universe in 6 days and rested on the 7th day.
Leviticus talks about six years and then the Sabbath year’s rest.
While I do not believe we can know the day or the hour (or the year or millennium) of the Lord’s return, I do find it interesting that there are periods of 6 followed by a seventh rest throughout the Bible.
I do not want us to walk away thinking I am predicting the time of the Lord’s return,
But I do want us to walk away with the absolute understanding that it could literally be at any moment,
and live like we believe it.