Luke
16:1–13 Here in this chapter we see that Dr. Luke
records for us two stories about wealth. The first one is what we will study
today, and the second one (Luke 16:19-31) is directed at the Pharisees in response to
what they said in Luke 16:14-18. Last
week we studied one of the most well known and most taught parables, and today
we will study one that is not well known, hardly taught and often skipped by
Bible teachers because of its difficulty.
But because we go verse by verse, as Paul said the elders of the
Ephesian church in Acts
20:27, “For
I have >>not<< shunned to declare to you
the whole counsel of God.” (cf. Acts 26:22-23; 2 Corinthians
4:2; Galatians
1:7-10; 1 Thessalonians 2:4.) Jesus
told this Parable of
the Unjust Steward to teach that His disciples must use their wealth for
kingdom purposes.[1]
What we will study this morning
in The
Unjust Steward…01. The Shrewd
Steward (Luke
16:1-8a); 02. Heavenly
Stewardship (Luke 16:8b-12); and 03.
God or Money? (Luke 16:13).
01. The Shrewd
Steward (Luke 16:1-8a)
Luke
16:1 “He also said” or “said and He also” (Ἔλεγεν δὲ καὶ)
in the original Greek. From this we see that this story
is a continuation of Luke 15:1-32,
and this was a common phrase used by Dr. Luke to make a transition.
Luke
16:1 “to His disciples:” Here Jesus is specifically addressing His
disciples. The three preceding parables in Luke 15:1-32 exposed the special faults
of the Pharisees, “their hard exclusiveness, self-righteousness, and contempt
for others” (Plummer). This parable is given by Luke alone…It seems to mean
that at this same time, after speaking to the Pharisees (Luke 15:1-32), Jesus proceeds to speak a parable to the disciples (Luke 16:1–13),
the parable of the Unjust Steward. It is a hard parable to explain, but Jesus
opens the door by the key in Luke 16:9.[2]
Luke
16:1 “There was a certain rich man” ἄνθρωπός τις ἦν πλούσιος—This
opening phrase recurs at Luke 16:19
and binds this parable to the parable of
the rich man and Lazarus. The parable of the prodigal son also begins in a similar fashion (Luke 15:11—ἄνθρωπός τις εἶχεν).[3] Jesus told a couple of other parables
involving a rich man and his servants (Matthew
18:23–35; Matthew 25:14)
Luke
16:1 “who had a steward” (ὁς ᾐχεν οἰκονομον [hos ēichen oikonomon]). Imperfect active,
continued to have.[4]
Luke
16:1 “steward”
G3623 οἰκονόμος ŏikŏnŏmŏs, oy-kon om´-os; and
comes from two Greek words: G3624
οἶκος ŏikŏs, oy´-kos; which means
home or house, and…G3551 νόμος nŏmŏs, nom´-os; which means
law, but also means to disperse or parcel out.[5]
The steward is the one who
assigns to the members of the household their…duties, and pays to each his
wages…He kept the household stores under lock and seal, giving out what was
required; and for this purpose received a signet-ring from his master.[6]
The oikonómos is a steward from among
the slaves who is set over the house and property of the owner.[7]
We have previously studied about a steward Luke
12:42, when Jesus speaks on the need for being
watchful for the coming of the Son of Man. The
apostle Paul himself is an oikonómos in 1 Corinthians 4:1: as a minister of Christ he is entrusted with the treasures of
the gospel, and the first requirement is trustworthiness. Titus 1:7 describes the bishop as God’s steward, and 1 Peter 4:10 calls on every Christian, as a recipient of a gift, to be a
good steward of God’s varied grace.[8]
Luke
16:1 “an accusation was brought” (διεβληθη [dieblēthē]). First aorist indicative
passive, of διαβαλλω [diaballō], an old verb, but here only in
the N. T. It means to throw across or back and forth, rocks or words and
so to slander by gossip. The word implies malice even if the thing said is
true. [9]
It suggests a verbal assault. It
stresses the act rather than the author.[10] The verb is used to indicate secret denunciation,[11]
behind a person’s back.[12] The word διαβολος [diabolos] (slanderer) is this same root.[13]
What was the accusation brought secretly to the certain rich man? “that this man was wasting his goods.”
(Luke 16:1)
G1287 διασκορπίζω diaskŏrpizō, dee-as-kor-pid´-zo;
from 1223 and 4650; to dissipate, i.e.
(gen.) to rout or separate; spec. to winnow; fig. to squander:—disperse,
scatter (abroad), strew, waste.[15]
Dr. Luke provides a link between the Parable of the Forgiving Father and this
one using the same in Luke 15:13 and
Luke 16:1.[16]
Written in the active tense, was wasting; not merely a past offence, but something going on at the time
of the accusation.[17]
Luke
16:1 “his
goods.” (τα ὑπαρχοντα αὐτου [ta huparchonta autou]).
“His belongings”.[18] The
steward here wastes his master’s estate in a similar way that the prodigal
wasted his father’s estate. Both men are not wise with the possessions that
they have. Such a manager would be comparable to a modern-day financial
planner or trustee who controls the finances of an estate for the purpose of
making more money for that estate. The money did not belong to the manager but
was his to use for the estate.[19]
Luke
16:2 “What is
this I hear about [you]?” This type
of question reminds me of a couple of questions asked by YHWH in Genesis 3:9–11 and Genesis 4:9–10.
Luke
16:2 “[Give] an account of [your] stewardship,” meaning that the
steward is to give back and at once[20] the books. The steward, knowing that he cannot disprove the charges,
regards this demand for a reckoning as equivalent to dismissal.[21]
Here is the time of judgment for the steward, and like death it comes when it
is least expected. We all one day will have to give an account as well (Ecclesiastes 12:14; Matthew 12:36; Romans 14:12; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Peter 4:5; Revelation 20:12).
Luke
16:2 “you [can]
>>no<< longer be steward.” No
investigation is needed, no defense is possible; it is already a closed case.
The employer demands that due accounting be made; ἀπό in the aorist imperative expresses the idea of “due.” The
steward must go, close up his books, and turn them in with whatever they show.
The only explanation he receives is the announcement of his discharge: he can
no longer “be stewarding.”[22]
The steward makes no effort whatever to defend himself but admits his guilt. He
was charged with squandering his employer’s possessions.[23]
Luke
16:3 “within
himself,” (ἐν ἑαυτῳ [en heautōi]). As
soon as he had time to think the thing over carefully. He knew that he was
guilty of embezzlement of the Master’s funds.[24]
Luke
16:3 “I >>cannot<<
dig” His life of comfort, overseeing his masters household either
has made him lazy or soft, or both!
Luke
16:3 “I am
ashamed to beg.” (ἐπαιτειν αἰσχυνομαι [epaitein aischunomai]).
The infinitive with αἰσχυνομαι [aischunomai] means ashamed to begin to
beg. The participle, ἐπαιτων αἰσχυνομαι [epaitōn aischunomai] would mean, ashamed
while begging, ashamed of begging while doing it.[25] He at once
eliminates two distasteful courses. To earn his living by digging and downright
hard labor is out of the question because he has not the physical strength for
that; to go begging and to eke out an existence in that way are also out of
consideration because he is ashamed to come down so low after his prominence
for a long time.[26]
Luke
16:4 “I have
resolved” (ἐγνων [egnōn]). Second
aorist active indicative of γινωσκω [ginōskō]. It is a
burst of daylight to the puzzled, darkened man: I’ve got it, I see into it now,
a sudden solution.[27]
Luke
16:4 “they may
receive me” (δεξωνται [dexōntai]). He
wishes to put the debtors under obligation to himself.[28]
Luke
16:5
Luke
16:5 “every
one” He deals with them individually
and without witnesses. Only two are introduced as samples of the shrewd scheme,
but this rich man had a number of such debtors. Until his books and his papers
are turned over to his employer the steward is still in power, and, having
squandered his lord’s possessions heretofore, he does so once more with a
special purpose. He will make “his own lord’s” debtors his own debtors in
another sense and live off them.[29]
Luke
16:5 How much
do you [owe] my master?” The
steward shrewdly asks the man and makes him tell in order that the man may
realize the more what a gift the steward is making him.[30]
Luke
16:6 “A hundred
measures of oil.” ἑκατὸν βάτους ἐλαίου. The Greek word for “measures” is G943 βάτος batŏs, bat´-os, taken from
the Hebrew H1324 בַּת bath bath, which is a
measure for liquids. The
Hebrew liquid measurement “bath” is about 5.7 gallons, so this debtor owes “a hundred measures of oil”,
which is about 570 gallons. He then commands him to “[Take] [your] bill, and sit down quickly and [write] fifty” which makes the debt go from about 570 gallons to
about 285 gallons.
Luke
16:7 “7 Then he said to another,
‘And how much do [you] [owe]?’ So he said,
‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ And he said
to him, ‘[Take] [your] bill, and [write] eighty.’”
Luke
16:7 “A hundred
measures of wheat.” ἑκατὸν κόρους σίτου. The Greek word for “measures” here
is G2884 κόρος kŏrŏs, taken from the Hebrew H3734 כֹּר kôr, kore,
which is a measure for dry goods.
The Hebrew dry measurement “kor”
may be about 4.3 bushels or 33 gallons, so “a hundred measures of wheat” is about 430 bushels
or 3300 gallons.
He then commands him to “[Take] [your] bill, and [write] eighty” which makes the debt go from about 3300 gallons
to about 2640 gallons. Why did the steward himself not
then alter them, he being an expert scribe? But he does not say, “I will
write,” but makes each debtor write. Documents that had been tampered with
would have been invalid, and the debtors would afterward be held liable for the
entire amount. Entirely newly written obligations, which were substituted for
the originals, would make the thing sure. So the debtor is also told to sit
down, which would not have been necessary for a slight alteration. Why the
difference in the reductions? Surely not, as has been thought, because the
steward knew each man and how much to give him. We cannot judge from the
quantities but must judge from the monetary value, and fifty bath of oil may
have been of no more value than twenty cor of wheat—the trouble is that we do
not know how these commodities were priced at just that time.[31]
We are to understand that there were other debtors with whom the steward dealt
in a similar manner; but these suffice as examples. The steward suits his terms
to the individual in each case, and thus his arbitrary and unscrupulous dealing
with his master’s property is exhibited.[32]
Luke
16:8 “So the
master commended the unjust steward because
he had dealt shrewdly.” When the rich man heard what he had done, the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. The
dishonest manager had not done a good thing. But he had been careful to plan ahead, using material things to insure a
secure future,[33]
thus providing for his future needs (Proverbs 6:6–8).
Luke
16:8 “So the
master commended” (ἐπῃνεσεν ὁ κυριος [epēinesen ho kurios]). The steward’s
lord praised him though he himself had been wronged again.[34] (cf. Luke 16:1 “was wasting his goods”) The rich man praised the steward when he heard
about the shrewd way that the steward took care of his future needs at the very
last moment. More than likely the rich man commended the steward for his
shrewdness because he was shrewd as well. The
entire parable is a genuine picture of worldliness.[35]
02. Heavenly
Stewardship (Luke 16:8b-12)
Luke
16:8b–9
Luke
16:8 “in their
generation” Not, “in their generation,” but, “towards their own generation”…The steward knew the men with whom he had to deal:
they would see that it was to their own interest to serve him. The sons of
light ought to be equally on the alert to make use of opportunities.[36]
The average professed Christian today uses the utmost ingenuity
and puts forth his utmost effort to bring things to pass in business and other
affairs of this brief present world. But when it comes to matters that affect
eternity he is content with the exercise of the least possible amount of
ingenuity and with the putting forth of the smallest effort that will satisfy
his conscience. [37]
By the use of what is so often
evil (money)…Jesus knows the evil power in money, but servants of God have to
use it for the kingdom of God. They should use it discreetly and it is proper
to make friends by the use of it.[39] Jesus was
not teaching that His disciples should be dishonest. He was teaching that they
should use material things for future spiritual benefit. This was a good lesson
from a bad example…Jesus applied the parable story to His disciples who had to live
with nonbelievers in the world…One should use money to win people into the
kingdom (Luke
16:8b–9). Jesus said, The people of this world are more shrewd in
dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. Here Jesus
set His disciples apart from the dishonest manager. The dishonest manager was a
person of “this world,” seeking a way to make his life more comfortable. The
disciples, “the people of the light” (cf. Luke
11:33–36; Ephesians
5:8), should act in a shrewd (wise, not dishonest) manner. Jesus
plainly taught that the people of light should use worldly wealth (Luke 16:9)…In Luke 16:9 Jesus was saying that one
is to use wealth, not store it up or be a servant of it. Wealth should be a
disciple’s servant, not vice versa. The disciples were to use wealth to gain friends, the same reason the
dishonest manager used the rich man’s wealth. The disciples would then be welcomed into eternal dwellings. The
disciples’ wise use of wealth would help lead others to believe the message of
the kingdom and bring them to accept that message.[40] It is a
simple fact: in matters of their own generation worldlings are decidedly
shrewder than Christians.[41]
Luke
16:9 “they may receive” δέξωνται—This third person impersonal plural is used for God and may be
understood as a passive: you will be received by God into the eternal tents.[42]
Luke
16:9 “they may receive you
into an everlasting home.” (ἱνα δεξωνται ὑμας εἰς τας αἰωνιους σκηνας [hina dexōntai humas eis tas aiōnious skēnas]).
Christ and God alone receive in heaven and not even the angels of whom some
have thought and have forgotten that only by making God and Christ our friends
do we make the angels our friends. Matthew
25:40 makes the matter plain: what we do for the least of our brethren we
do for Christ who will receive us into the heavenly mansions. This also bars
out anything like meriting heaven, for all the works enumerated in Matthew 25:35 are evidences of faith
and no more. So Jesus here speaks to disciples who already have heaven by faith
and by the fruits and evidences of faith must show that their faith still
endures.[43]
Luke
16:10 “faithful
in what is least” (πιστος ἐν ἐλαχιστῳ [pistos en elachistōi]). Elative
superlative. One of the profoundest sayings of Christ. We see it in business
life. The man who can be trusted in a very small thing will be promoted to
large responsibilities. That is the way men climb to the top. Men who embezzle
in large sums began with small sums.[44]
(cf. Matthew 25:21;
Luke 19:17; Hebrews 3:2)
Luke
16:11–12 Trustworthiness
does not depend on the amount for which one is responsible, but on character
(cf. 1 Timothy
3:5). Faithfulness in the use of money now, demonstrates a
trustworthy character that God will reward with responsibility for greater
riches in the kingdom later. Unfaithfulness does not just demonstrate
untrustworthiness but unrighteousness. By using the word “mammon,” Jesus probably
intended the disciples to include all the worldly things in which people trust,
not just money. These would include one's time and talents, in addition to his
or her treasure. If disciples squander what God has entrusted to their care on
the earth, “who will” give (“entrust to”) them their own things to manage in
heaven, such as authority over others in the kingdom (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:17)?
The rhetorical question answers itself. God will not.[45]
Earthly wealth is ours as a loan, a
trust, withdrawn at any moment. It belongs to another (ἐν τῳ ἀλλοτριῳ [en tōi allotriōi]).
If you did not prove faithful in this, who will give you what is really yours
forever?” (Luke 12:16-21).[46]
03. God or Money?
(Luke 16:13)
Luke
16:13 What we see from here is that Jesus was bringing up is that a
person cannot serve both God and money.
As masters the two are mutually exclusive. Love for money will drive one away
from God (1
Timothy 6:10); conversely, loving God will cause one not to make money his
primary concern in life,[47]
but instead cause him to be shrewd or prudent in the use of wealth. We see this in Matthew 6:24–34
and Luke 12:22–34.
Thus, contextually, Matthew
6:33 is merely admonishing Christ’s disciples to prioritize their lives
according to the values of the coming kingdom during their brief sojourn on
earth, while they live in Satan’s domain,...[48]
until when Jesus establishes His kingdom on earth at His second coming (cf. Jeremiah 30:7;
Matthew 24:14; Matthew 24:30-31; Romans 11:25; Revelation 19:11–21).
[2] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in
the New Testament (Lk 16:1). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.
[3] Just, A. A., Jr. (1997). Luke 9:51–24:53
(p. 611). St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House.
[4] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in
the New Testament (Lk 16:1). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.
[5] Strong, J. (2009). A Concise
Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible
(Vol. 1, p. 50). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[6] Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the
New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 391). New York: Charles Scribner’s
Sons.
[7] Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W.
(1985). Theological
Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 678). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B.
Eerdmans.
[8] Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W.
(1985). Theological
Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 678). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B.
Eerdmans.
[9] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in
the New Testament (Lk 16:1). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.
[10] Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr.
(1996). Vine’s Complete
Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vol. 2, p.
10). Nashville, TN: T. Nelson.
[11] Lenski, R. C. H. (1961). The Interpretation
of St. Luke’s Gospel (p. 823). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg
Publishing House.
[12] Plummer, A. (1896). A critical and
exegetical commentary on the Gospel according to S. Luke (p.
382). London: T&T Clark International.
[13] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in
the New Testament (Lk 16:1). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.
[14] Biblical Studies Press. (2006). The NET Bible First
Edition Notes (Lk 16:1). Biblical Studies Press.
[15] Strong, J. (2009). A Concise
Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible
(Vol. 1, p. 22). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[16] Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr.
(1996). Vine’s Complete
Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vol. 2, p.
174). Nashville, TN: T. Nelson.
[17] Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the
New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 392). New York: Charles Scribner’s
Sons.
[18] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in
the New Testament (Lk 16:1). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.
[20] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in
the New Testament (Lk 16:2). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.
[21] Plummer, A. (1896). A critical and
exegetical commentary on the Gospel according to S. Luke (p.
382). London: T&T Clark International.
[22] Lenski, R. C. H. (1961). The Interpretation
of St. Luke’s Gospel (pp. 824–825). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg
Publishing House.
[23] Lenski, R. C. H. (1961). The Interpretation
of St. Luke’s Gospel (p. 824). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg
Publishing House.
[24] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in
the New Testament (Lk 16:3). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.
[25] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in
the New Testament (Lk 16:3). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.
[26] Lenski, R. C. H. (1961). The Interpretation
of St. Luke’s Gospel (p. 825). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing
House.
[27] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in
the New Testament (Lk 16:4). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.
[28] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in
the New Testament (Lk 16:4). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.
[29] Lenski, R. C. H. (1961). The Interpretation
of St. Luke’s Gospel (p. 826). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg
Publishing House.
[30] Lenski, R. C. H. (1961). The Interpretation
of St. Luke’s Gospel (p. 826). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing
House.
[31] Lenski, R. C. H. (1961). The Interpretation
of St. Luke’s Gospel (p. 827). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg
Publishing House.
[32] Plummer, A. (1896). A critical and
exegetical commentary on the Gospel according to S. Luke (p.
383). London: T&T Clark International.
[34] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in
the New Testament (Lk 16:8). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.
[35] Lenski, R. C. H. (1961). The Interpretation
of St. Luke’s Gospel (p. 828). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg
Publishing House.
[36] Plummer, A. (1896). A critical and
exegetical commentary on the Gospel according to S. Luke (p.
384). London: T&T Clark International.
[37] Torrey, R. A. (1998). Difficulties in the
Bible: Alleged errors and contradictions. Willow Grove: Woodlawn
Electronic Publishing.
[38] Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr.
(1996). Vine’s Complete
Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vol. 2, p.
388). Nashville, TN: T. Nelson.
[39] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in
the New Testament (Lk 16:9). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.
[41] Lenski, R. C. H. (1961). The Interpretation
of St. Luke’s Gospel (p. 829). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg
Publishing House.
[42] Just, A. A., Jr. (1997). Luke 9:51–24:53
(p. 611). St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House.
[43] Lenski, R. C. H. (1961). The Interpretation
of St. Luke’s Gospel (p. 833). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg
Publishing House.
[44] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in
the New Testament (Lk 16:10). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.
[45]
http://soniclight.com/constable/notes/htm/NT/Luke/Luke.htm
[46] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in
the New Testament (Lk 16:12). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.
[48] Woods, Andrew M. The Coming Kingdom: What Is the
Kingdom and How Is Kingdom Now Theology Changing the Focus of the Church?
(Kindle Locations 3531-3532). Grace Gospel Press. Kindle Edition. Ch.16 Jesus
and the Kingdom
