Using Money
Luke 16:1-13
Rabbi Rev. Dr. Michael H. Koplitz
Luke 16:1 Now He was also saying to the disciples, “There was a rich man who
had a manager, and this manager was 1reported to him as squandering his
possessions. 2 “And he summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about
you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’
3 “And the manager said to himself, ‘What am I to do, since my 1master is taking
the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to
beg. 4 ‘I know what I will do, so that when I am removed from the management
people will welcome me into their homes.’ 5 “And he summoned each one of his
1master’s debtors, and he began saying to the first, ‘How much do you owe my
master?’ 6 “And he said, ‘A hundred 1jugs of oil.’ And 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?’ And he said, ‘A hundred 1kors of wheat.’ He *said to him, ‘Take
your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 “And his 1master complimented the unrighteous
manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd
in relation to their own kind than the sons of light. 9 “And I say to you, make
friends for yourselves by means of the 1bwealth of unrighteousness, so that when it
is all gone, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings.
Luke 16:10 “The one who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much;
and the one who is unrighteous in a very little thing is also unrighteous in much. 11
“Therefore if you have not 1been faithful in the use of unrighteous 2awealth, who will
entrust the true wealth to you? 12 “And if you have not 1been faithful in the use of that
which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? 13 “No 1servant can
serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be
devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and 2bwealth.”
Luke 16:1–13 contains the well-known parable teaching that one cannot love both God
and money.
I have always found this parable interesting—both during my seminary
studies and when hearing others preach on it. Many churches often claim that money
is inherently bad, yet they also require financial giving. If money is so terrible, why does
the church seek it? The truth is that Jesus never said money itself is evil. Rather, he
taught that the way one uses money—and the way one obtains it—can be morally
problematic.
It is also noteworthy that in this parable Jesus tells us to use money “to make friends.”
That always struck me as odd. Yet this reflects the cultural practices of Jesus’ time. In
that society, people often established friendships through gifts or what we might call
bribes. In the parable, a household steward is accused of wrongdoing. He responds by
visiting those who owed his master money or goods and dramatically reduced their
debts. We must remember that he had the authority to do this. He wasn’t acting illegally
or against the customs of the time. Yet many sermons portray him as committing
serious wrongdoing.
Why did the steward reduce the debts? He recognized that, as the master’s chief
administrator, he was about to be dismissed. Once he lost that position, who would
hire him if word spread that he had been fired for dishonesty? Notice that nowhere in
the parable are we actually told that he behaved dishonestly. He is simply instructed to
present the account books, and no explicit wrongdoing is confirmed.
This ambiguity leaves a significant interpretive gap. We genuinely do not know whether
the steward committed any offense. Over centuries, church tradition has often assumed
guilt and used this parable to encourage increased giving. Meanwhile, in many mainline
denominations, those in higher leadership appear to lack for little. When you see the
Pope in full vestments, consider the amount of gold adorning his garments. It hardly
seems that the Church of Rome is financially deprived. One might argue that funds
should flow from the church’s wealthier institutions toward the local parishes that
actually need them.
Again, in Jesus’ day, friendships were frequently formed through formal gestures of
generosity. A person might host a banquet in a neighbor’s honor and invite the entire
town. Afterward, a gift—essentially a socially acceptable bribe—would be presented.
This was normal cultural behavior. We must remember that Jesus’ parables are set
within his ancient context, not within our twenty-first-century worldview.
Misunderstandings arise when people forget this.
Another curious detail in the parable is that we are never told who made the accusations
against the steward. It would be helpful to know who examined the accounts or what
they thought they discovered. Why did the master immediately assume his steward was
cheating him instead of granting the benefit of the doubt? Perhaps Jesus is teaching that
while trust is important, verification is also necessary. It is unfortunate that such caution
may be needed even among fellow believers.
I believe Jesus is also highlighting that attachment to material wealth can be so powerful
that it tempts people into unjust behavior. Perhaps he recognized that the moral and
ethical standards of his society did not always align with God’s ideal. An oppressed
people—such as the Jews living under Roman rule—might feel pressured to act in ways
that were unethical or unbiblical. Using money to harm others is one example. Consider
the practice of bribing judges: since many judges were unpaid, they relied on bribes for
income. Justice often went not to the righteous party but to the highest bidder. Such
judges valued the corrupting influence of money more than justice or righteousness.
Accountability is another important subject. In a nearby church, a treasurer once
decided to “borrow” money from the offering plate. It began with twenty dollars to get
through the week—this was wrong from the start, but rationalized as temporary. Over
five years, this led to $75,000 in embezzled funds. The power of money overtook this
person’s ethics, and it assumed the person would never be caught.
Stories like this are not uncommon: money disappearing before it reaches the bank
deposit. It is tragic, especially within a church setting, but it happens. The lesson is clear:
do not allow money to override your morals and ethics. Use your resources for good—
for yourself, your family, and your friends. If you have excess, share it. Give to
worthwhile causes, and verify that your donations are actually used for their intended
purpose. Many charities misuse funds, as you likely already know.
We must live in a material world, and that requires money. Ultimately, the question is
this: Are you using righteous money—money used for godly purposes—or unrighteous
money—money obtained or used in ways that violate God’s word? Each of us must
answer that for ourselves. If you are unsure whether your use of money aligns with
God’s will, simply pray about it and ask for guidance.
