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. 2 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.’ 3 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. 4 I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ 5 So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 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.’ 8 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. 9 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.
10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Luke 16: 1-13 ESV
Luke 16: 1-13 The Manager
There was a rich man who had a manager - Some bearing this title in the ancient world were slaves and some were hired servants, whom the wealthy made responsible for their estates and businesses. One of the most amazing accounts of such a person was Joseph. The man in this story, which appears to be a parable, which is a story using fictional, relatable characters to teach a spiritual truth, is not a slave because he is fired from the position, let go. The thing you look for, or should look for most in a manager, is integrity. So you are wanting someone honest, who will handle your money and property to the best of his ability in accordance with the agreed expectation, and that is the bare minimum. We rejoice when we find someone who goes above and beyond that, who becomes a friend, who treats not only you, but also your other employees like family. He has your best interests at heart, never expressed in words only, for those mean little to him. He is a man of action, a man that will tell you the truth even when he knows you won't like it, and even when he is scared of your displeasure. This man is regarded as such a great steward with what he had that you trust him with what you have, but not the man in this parable.
MacArthur on had a manager - A steward like this, an oikonomon, would be a free man and not a slave. He would be of high social status and high responsibility. He would be trusted because he would have the right to act on behalf of his master in the full operation of this agricultural business. He manages all the land. He manages the crops. He is responsible for the assets. He is responsible for the liabilities. He is the full administrator of the estate with all the right and power to act in behalf of the rich owner. (Investing Earthly Finances with an Eternal Focus ) - Precept Austin
…5From the time that he put Joseph in charge of his household and all he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s household on account of him. The LORD’s blessing was on everything he owned, both in his house and in his field. 6So Potiphar left all that he owned in Joseph’s care; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7and after some time his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.”…
…8But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has entrusted everything he owns to my care. 9No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?” 10Although Potiphar’s wife spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be near her.… Genesis 39: 5-10
Charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions - So this man was being accused of not being a faithful steward, and though some are accused who are innocent, I think it becomes clear that this is not the case with this manager.
Matthew Henry - Here is the dishonesty of this steward. He wasted his lord's goods, embezzled them, misapplied them, or through carelessness suffered them to be lost and damaged; and for this he was accused to his lord. .... The parable itself, in which all the children of men are represented as stewards of what they have in this world, and we are but stewards. Whatever we have, the property of it is God's; we have only the use of it, and that according to the direction of our great Lord, and for his honour....We are all liable to the same charge (AS THAT MASTER MADE AGAINST THE STEWARD). We have not made a due improvement of what God has entrusted us with in this world, but have perverted his purpose; and, that we may not be for this judged of our Lord, it concerns us to judge ourselves. - Precept Austin
1So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 3I care very little, however, if I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.… 1 Corinthians 4: 1-3
…13However, the money brought into the house of the LORD was not used for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets, or any articles of gold or silver for the house of the LORD. 14Instead, it was paid to those doing the work, and with it they repaired the house of the LORD. 15No accounting was required from the men who received the money to pay the workmen, because they acted with integrity.… 2 Kings 12: 13-15
Turn in the account of your management - We're going to review the books together.
…9Show hospitality to one another without complaining. 10As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another. 11If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.… 1 Peter 4: 9-11
…9So we aspire to please Him, whether we are here in this body or away from it. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad. 11Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is clear to God, and I hope it is clear to your conscience as well.… 2 Corinthians 5: 9-11
I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg - Was he really not strong enough? It's possible that he is lazy and has grown accustomed to not doing physical work, or looks down on manual labor as beneath him. "Ashamed to beg" is kind of funny because he is not ashamed to embezzle; his sense of shame is broken as well. You notice something? For him this is all about his loss, how it affects me, no remorse over how he has dishonored his position, arrangement, agreement. I meet a lot of people who hate being perceived or viewed according to their actions, in accordance with reality, because that's not how they like to see themselves in their mind. Some will twist the definitions of words and say, "I didn't steal, it's reparations," but you broke your word, or some will say, if they're a little more honest, "so what, I am just sorry I got caught, I hate consequences." Some really bad managers are so delusional that they will spin themselves the hero regardless of the outcome, regardless of who has to suffer for their misdealing. They will write the book on being a good manager, will tell of so many successes that either didn't happen or didn't happen that way, or really happened despite them and their overly high opinion of self. I struggle with pride all the time, and when I am not struggling with it, it's because it's winning, and I am in need of being brought back to reality, which the harder the head, the harder the blows. I struggle though and in my management career some things became obvious to me early on. I am in a tech field, where skilled labor is very important. You need to be able to trouble shoot, and so that requires that you learn a variety of disciplines, mechanical, electrical, electronics, plumbing, and being able to solve problems under intense amounts of pressure. I was okay as a tech, I went and took online classes to learn about electronics, pneumatics and hydraulics etc., and those classes taught me the language of the field. I had experience from being a tech in other industries, and so I tried to apply that with the classes so that I could take both things into the field and not look like a complete idiot 50% of the time. As long as I compared myself to worse techs, or lazier techs, then in my mind I kept moving up higher, further away from that 50%. When I met a small hand full of guys that were talented, passionate, driven and good teachers, I improved some more, but I realized something, no matter how hard I tried, I was not going to be as talented as them in these disciplines. I also realized that no matter how many times they high fived me as I tagged along with them, that they shared the success with me, it was only on the rarest of occasions that I was a major contributor. So when I became a lead and later a supervisor, I realized that one of the best assets I could have was knowing what my team does, appreciating that I could not do it all, and not just all, but not even 5% of it without help. I became a talent scout and a recognizer of talent, and I knew that my job was to make sure that the people responsible for our success were recognized for it because I couldn't do it without them. I didn't have their abilities, and mostly it humbles me before the God Who gave them those abilities and brought these people into my life.
…25The craving of the slacker kills him because his hands refuse to work. 26All day long he covets more, but the righteous give without restraint. 27The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable—how much more so when brought with ill intent!… Proverbs 21: 25-27
…12You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD. 13You must not defraud your neighbor or rob him. You must not withhold until morning the wages due a hired hand. 14You must not curse the deaf or place a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God. I am the LORD.… Leviticus 19: 12-14
…2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. 3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function,… Romans 12: 2-4
I have decided what to do - He is not a man of integrity but he does think about his future. He sees the consequences coming. He is going to be kicked off his master's estate so he will need a place to live and a way to eat until he can dupe someone else into buying his snake oil, and promoting him once again to a position of means. Who would do that? I see it all the time.
Summoning his master's debtors one by one - Here we see his answer to getting caught stealing, and this leopard cannot remove his spots, so to fix the problem caused by his lack of integrity with other people's property, he embezzles. He does favors for his master's debtors, the pay to play, right out of the Clinton and Biden handbook. He reduces all their debts to get Hunter that new job. This was not at his master's command, and his master is rather foolish in this as well, because I would have taken his keys, my signet ring and the books back from him before he could do any more damage. This guy was all about the kick backs before, and unrepentant in it now, he is true to his belief system.
The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness - What? The master was a worldly man as well, and he gave credit where credit is due. People are always telling others how they need to learn to play the game, and this man certainly played the game well. He got caught but was able to mitigate some of the damage, not from his own pocket, but once again from his master's. This becomes a difficult passage for people, but it's not, you just need to keep reading and verse 13 will give you the keys to understanding this. It's like the parable of the unjust judge, using the unjust judge as a comparison to God, we are told of a widow that is seeking justice but the judge doesn't want to be bothered by her, yet she keeps coming back until he relents. He does the right thing not because he is passionate about such, not because he cares for widows, but because she annoys the heck out him and him and so he does it to shut her up. The comparison is that if an unjust judge can be brought to a just verdict, then a just and loving Father like God will want to hear the cries of His children and will do what's best for them. Don't delay in coming to God, seek the Lord in prayer, He has instructed us to do so.
…18For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,… Philippians 3: 18-20
For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light - These are men of whom it can be truly said, "their god is their belly", their wants here, their ideals here, they are all about what they can get here, in time and space. It is fleeting, but they are consumed by it. Some of them are really good at playing the game to get what they want, the stuff, the accolades of other people who bank everything on here and don't make that investment into eternity. How are they more shrewd then? They believe this world is it, or the things of this world are what satisfies, and so even if they think there is the prospect of eternity it is based on their own fallen ideals, and it will just be a place of having more of their stuff. They are not wise in that sense, but they are invested in here and now, and so they play the game to win. They are fully vested in the game, whereas the sons of the kingdom are only slowly waking up, and are not nearly so adept at kingdom living as their worldling counterparts are at planning for things in this life.
…13Arise, O LORD, confront them! Bring them to their knees; deliver me from the wicked by Your sword, 14from such men, O LORD, by Your hand— from men of the world whose portion is in this life. May You fill the bellies of Your treasured ones and satisfy their sons, so they leave their abundance to their children. 15As for me, I will behold Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied in Your presence.… Psalm 17: 13-15
Shrewd (phronimus) is a morally neutral term which speaks of common sense, keen foresight, practical intelligence, smarts, being prudent. Most of the NT uses have a positive sense conveying the sense of prudence. Jesus' point of comparing sons of light to this dishonest manager is that the believer is expected to think and to use his God-given wealth wisely.
MacArthur - Sons of this age, people in this world, not in the kingdom of God, part of this temporal world, this kingdom of darkness, the unrighteous, the people not in God's kingdom, who belong to this passing world, are more clever in securing their future than the sons of light. Take care of your future. We hear that incessantly pounded into us. We're subject to all that advertising all the time. Take care of your future, take care of your future, and you go through life and you live and you save and you save and you save and at 65 you quit working and there it is, there's your retirement and you die at 66. What a ridiculous deal that is. All those years of sending it forward and sending it forward and when you get there it's a year, or maybe you live three, or maybe you enjoy it for five and then you hit 70 and you can't see like you could see, and you can't hear like you could hear, and you can't taste anything and who cares, you know? Maybe you could buy the car of your dreams, but they take your license away. And you don't want to take a long trip because you don't want to go through the airport lines with a walker. (Luke 16:1-13 Investing Earthly Finances with an Eternal Focus) - Precept Austin
Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings - Whatever wealth you have here, whatever material things you have are tainted, and they can become idols very quickly. They are passing things that don't really belong to you anyway, and so what comes to you is under your stewardship. You didn't make it, you didn't create anything, not even the talent, family or place you were born into. To deny any of this is to deny God's sovereign right over all that exists and breathes, including you. God is telling us to take these things here and move them off the pedestal where sin would place them and use them to help others and advance His kingdom, so when that day comes you will have friends waiting to receive you there.
…7Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will come quickly. Your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. 9Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry out, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and malicious talk,… Isaiah 58: 7-9
One who is dishonest in little is dishonest in much - Having more won't make you a better person, and each of us is judged according to what has been entrusted to us. How did you spend your time? I have heard you say, "I wish I knew more about the Bible, I wish I knew God better, but I just can't seem to find the time." I use to say that, but I had time for all my favorite tv shows, time to sit around and day dream about stuff I wish I had. I had time to drive way out of my way to try a new restaurant, and I have an hour and 15 minute drive to work everyday. Turns out I can download a J Mac sermon on Blue Tooth from GTY and play it on the way to work. Turns out that during my lunch and breaks I can write a whole blog post after I am done catching up on emails, meetings and payroll. I try to find ways at being more efficient in all my daily work stuff, and it was hard before, but then I got a good routine. Now I have more time which is great because you never know when something will go wrong and you will need it, but what if it goes right? Does my goof off time fall under stewardship as well? I have heard people relate crime to poverty, but when I see some of the unnecessary things people steal, it had nothing to do with being hungry or naked, no, it had to do with materialism and greed. I grew up with a single mom and people considered us poor, but I had a roof over my head, clothes and food everyday. When I stole it was always something I didn't need. We stole cigarettes when we were supposed to be in youth group at church, candy, because we saw other kids with it, so we should have it too. Being rich wouldn't have removed my materialism, wouldn't have changed my heart, so I would have had more money but still been the poor steward that I was.
…46The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate. Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47 That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows. 48But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded.… Luke 12: 46-48
Who will entrust the true riches to you - If you have not studied as Scripture demands we do, have not rightly divided the word of truth, then should you preach, should you open your mouth to others to explain to them a God that you haven't taken the time to know? It will just be babbling, or worse, words that people understand but are wrong in their doctrine. The true riches are not money or shiny things, they are the people God brings into our lives, our family, our children, our coworkers and the church, which is the bride of Christ. What in time and space compares to eternal relations, with God, with other believers?
…21“All these I have kept from my youth,” he said. 22On hearing this, Jesus told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” 23But when the ruler heard this, he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy.… Luke 18: 21-23
…7I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace, given me through the working of His power. 8Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9and to illuminate for everyone the stewardship of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.… Ephesians 3: 7-9
No one can serve two masters - This is the culmination of it, and this is where the sons of light struggle, because they still feel the call of worldliness, they grew up playing the game, and now they are being told to come out of it. They once believed that money was the cure for all their depression and ailments, and this siren still sings to them, still calls them to worship. You can see it so clearly in much of what is called the evangelical church today. It has traded in sound preaching for the prosperity gospel, for the unity gospel, for the self improvement gospel, for a gospel that no longer convicts men of sin and calls them to repentance. Why? Because the preachers serve mammon, and the people that listen to them serve the gods of this world as well. They love their heresies because it fills big buildings, makes them friends with the elite, the famous of this world, and it gives them big paychecks. People buy their books about nothing and trust them, thinking that they argue from authority, from special knowledge, with the power of "kindness", the kind of kindness that leads you towards hell. They tap into your feelings and sell you an experience, and that is what you hold onto, regardless of what the word of God actually says.
…16Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness? 17But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed. 18You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.…
…19I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to escalating wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. 20For when you were slaves to sin, you were free of obligation to righteousness. 21What fruit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The outcome of those things is death.…
22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.… Romans 6: 16-23
14Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; cast aside the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!” Joshua 24: 14-15
