THE PARABLE OF THE UNJUST STEWARD.
Luke 16:1-13.
For centuries interpreters have been more than a little puzzled, perplexed and disturbed by the parable of the unjust steward, at the beginning of Luke 16. The Emperor Julian, otherwise known as Julian the Apostate, even tried to use this parable to show that Christianity and its founder was inferior to other religions! Commentators do not necessarily throw much light upon this parable, but we must try.
Luke 16:1. The audience consisted of the disciples, some ‘tax collectors and sinners’ (cf. Luke 15:1), and some Pharisees. The rich man in this parable, the Master, may represent God. God has entrusted man with resources, but now accuses man of wasting those resources. God had entrusted Israel with the Word of God, and a mission to the world, but they had squandered their privileges - the Pharisees, for example, justified themselves before men, but God saw their hearts otherwise (Luke 16:15).
Luke 16:2. Man/Israel/the Church/the Christian is called to account before God. What have we done with the resources, physical and spiritual, which He has entrusted to us?
Luke 16:3. Pride!
Luke 16:4. Man seeks by his devices to lay up some security for the future. Sinful man, when found out, seeks to lay up treasures in heaven, but does not know how to go about it.
Luke 16:5-7. Perhaps the debtors trusted enough to believe that this generosity was direct from the master - they might have been evicted if they were found party to a fraud.
Luke 16:8. The unjust steward is not commended for his fraud, but for his thinking on his feet. He trusts that the master is good for the difference, and takes a gamble. Christian man recognises the goodness of his Master, and knows that, whilst his efforts are puny and will always fall short of the mark, his generous beneficiary will make up the shortfall Himself.
Luke 16:9. The device "they may receive you" is a literal translation from the Greek, but consistently bears the meaning in Luke of "you may be received."
# Whilst Christians are in this world, the world's resources are at our disposal to use for God's glory. As we use what we have for the advancement of His kingdom on earth, we are unconsciously laying up the true riches in heaven!
In Luke 16:10-13, Jesus rounds off His teaching on the unjust steward. First, He recognises that if we are faithful in little things, we will be faithful in bigger things (Luke 16:10; cf. Luke 19:17).
Second, If we are not faithful in worldly riches, who will trust us to preach ‘the unsearchable riches of Christ’ (Luke 16:11; cf. Ephesians 3:8)?
Third, If we are faithful in that which is God’s (cf. 1 Chronicles 29:14, 1 Chronicles 29:16), He will give us that which is our own (Luke 16:12; cf. Matthew 25:21).
Fourth, Jesus warns us against the allure of Mammon, the idolising of worldly riches (Luke 16:13; cf. 1 John 2:15-16). It is all a question of priorities. If we are a slave to the things of this world, then we cannot be an effective servant of the kingdom of God.
‘As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD’ (cf. Joshua 24:15).
