“For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.” Luke 16:8b ESV1
Read Luke 16:1-13
I was about ready to give up. Though I was sure I was responding to God’s leading when I first ventured out in this direction, now I was not so sure. But hadn’t I prayed about it? Hadn’t it been confirmed by others who were characterized by giving godly advice? Wasn’t my desire to glorify God? Yet, I had been writing my Christian blog for nearly five years and if I looked at the number of followers of my site, I could easily assume that I had the least popular website on the entire internet. Was writing about what God was teaching me as I studied the Bible worth it? Considering the amount of time I spent researching, praying, choosing the most applicable words, and proofreading what I had written, it certainly didn’t seem like it! Especially when I had dozens of essays that hadn’t been read by a single soul. So, I started removing my articles and I was planning on shutting down my site. That was until I read the following parable of Jesus.
“[Jesus] 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. 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. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? 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).
A Wasted Treasure
If you are like me, you have never heard anyone teach about this parable. I assume that is because it appears Jesus is condoning sinful behavior when He commented, “‘The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness’” (Luke 16:8a). But it was not the fraudulent actions of the manager that the master praised. The employer was impressed with his steward’s ingenious way of using the resources available to him to benefit himself in the dire situation he faced. The dishonest manager in this parable was about to lose his job because he had been “wasting his master’s possessions” (Luke 16:1). So, he was not now being applauded for further cheating his employer out of what was rightfully his. This deceitful steward was still fired but, because of his cleverly devised and quickly executed actions, he had somewhere to go when he was cast out. That action impressed this manager’s former employer. If only he had the same clever diligence in caring for his master’s property he would have been promoted not dismissed from his job.
In many of Jesus’ parables, the one in a position of authority is a picture of God. This parable is no different. The rich man and master in this parable stand for God. God is the Ultimate Rich Man and the Master of All.
“‘Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the Heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it’” (Deuteronomy 10:14).
“‘Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is Yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and You are exalted as Head above all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all. In Your hand are power and might, and in Your hand, it is to make great and to give strength to all’” (1 Chronicles 29:11-12).
“The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers” (Psalm 40:1).
The LORD Himself declared:
“‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ declares the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:8).
“‘For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are Mine’” (Psalm 50:10-12).
As Christians, even our bodies belong to God.
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, Whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20a).
An Unfaithful Steward
Who then does the wasteful manager of this parable illustrate? In a general sense, he represents all humanity. Part of the reason God created people was for them to manage, or be stewards of, all that belongs to Him. At the beginning of Creation, God instructed:
“‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth’” (Genesis 1:27).
Though nothing belonged to people and nothing was created by them, all was given to humans to manage, rule over, care for, oversee, and keep functioning as God intended.
But in a more specific sense, the dishonest steward in this parable represents us as Believers. Current pastor and teacher, John MacArthur has been quoted as saying,
“All Christians are but God’s stewards. Everything we have is on loan from the Lord, entrusted to us for a while to use in serving Him.”2
This truth is backed up by Scripture. We each have been given gifts and talents by God which He intends us to use for His glory and for the good of others.
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:10-11).
God has given us the gift of time of which He expects us to be good stewards. Paul instructed the members of the churches to whom he wrote:
“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time” (Colossians 4:5).
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, (Ephesians 5:15-16a).
Moses prayed:
“[LORD] teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).
Additionally, we all have physical bodies given to us by God. When we made Jesus Lord of our lives, we essentially gave our bodies back to Him and gave Him the right to use our bodies as His own through which to produce His fruit.
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, Whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
“I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1).
Also, as Believers, we have been given ministries by God; these require diligent management to be of service to our Master and to those He loves. Paul explained his passion and exhorted his fellow ministers:
“For if I preach the Gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship” (1 Corinthians 9:16-17)
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24).
In another of Jesus’ parables, He taught:
“‘Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes’” (Luke 12:42-44).3
Gross Mismanagement
Upon concluding His parable, Jesus commented:
“‘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. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own’” (Luke 16:10-12)?
Like the unjust steward in this parable, we have largely mismanaged our Master’s possessions. Believers and unbelievers alike have not treated God’s creation with the respect God deserves. As Christians, we have multiple times used our gifts and talents for our own glory giving no acknowledgment to the One who has blessed us with these. Often, we have wasted our time on ungodly pursuits and meaningless activities. We have both neglected and worshipped our bodies while we used them to serve ourselves or engage in unholy passions. And when it has come to our God-given assignments, we have disregarded our callings or attempted to accomplish them in our own power—in both ways we have shunned the Holy One who endowed us with these appointments.
And like the unfaithful manager in Jesus’ parable, we will be held accountable for how we treated what was put in our care.
“As servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:1b-2).
“Each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12).
“Then I saw a Great White Throne and Him who was seated on it. From His presence, earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. (Revelation 20:11-12).
Andrew Murray, 19th Century, South African writer, teacher, and pastor once said:
“The world asks, ‘What does a man own?’ Christ asks, ‘How does he use it?’”4
One day, Christ will call each of us and say, “‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management’” (Luke 16:2). What will we have to say in our defense? Will we be able to, like the two faithful servants in Jesus’ Parable of the Talents5, come forward returning all that we have received and with it all we have gained in Christ by stewarding it properly, “saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five [or two] talents; here, I have made five [or two] talents more’” (Matthew 25:20b & 22b)?
Our Challenge in This Day and Age
Jesus instructed His disciples;
“‘I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth” (Luke 16:9a).
Jesus called wealth unrighteous because many times money has been used for evil. And it is in the pursuit of gaining riches that many have made money their god.
“‘The love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:10).
Jesus’ final statement recorded in connection with this parable was:
“‘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 16:13).
We cannot serve God and money but we can serve God with money. Paul instructed Timothy:
“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:17-21).
We can serve God with money, but only if we remember from where the money comes.
“Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the power to get wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:17-18a).
Like any of the other endowments which the Lord gives us and intends us to steward well, He gives us money for that purpose. John Wesley, 18th Century preacher, evangelist, and father of the Methodist church, put it bluntly:
“Do you not know that God entrusted you with that money (all above what buys necessities for your families) to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to help the stranger, the widow, the fatherless; and, indeed, as far as it will go, to relieve the wants of all mankind? How can you, how dare you, defraud the Lord, by applying it to any other purpose?”6
On top of money, there are many other items of unrighteous wealth, available to us today, that God intends us to manage for use in His Kingdom. God’s Word tells us:
“And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling places” (Acts 17:26).
Since God determined that we would live here and now, He is expecting us to steward the resources of our time—even those things which have the potential to be used for evil. We are to have dominion over such things and use them for God’s glory.
In Greek, the word for unrighteousness is adikia. It means an unrighteous heart or life, a deed violating law and justice, an act of unrighteousness.7 It is used 25 times in the New Testament to describe such things as Judas’ treachery against Jesus (Acts 1:18), the acts that will incur the wrath of God (Romans 1:18, 1:29, 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:10 & 12; 2 Peter 2:13 &15), those who will be rejected by Jesus (Luke 13:27), the power of the tongue to destroy (James 3:6), and earlier in the passage above for the manager himself (vs. 8). In Greek, the word for wealth is mamonas and means treasure or riches (where it is personified and opposed to God).8
So, what in our time period could be considered treasures that can be used for unrighteousness, the ones that may be intended to oppose God? We have already considered money which is no different in our day than it was in times past. But we have many technological advancements and devices, and countless products and services that those before us did not have. Many of these things have been used as vehicles for depravity.
Just because these things can be the corrupted playthings of Satan himself, that doesn’t mean we should completely avoid them. In fact, I believe God would have us use those things which can be used for evil for good instead.
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).
In doing so, we are emulating God Himself. Does He not use that which was intended for evil for good? (See Genesis 50:20). Does He not redeem that which was hopelessly depraved?
“For our sake, He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
I believe that is what Jesus meant when He exhorted His followers with:
“‘The sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light … I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth … If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches’” (Luke 16:8-9a & 11)?
Those who are worldly know how to use the treasures of this world for their own advancement and the promotion of evil. How much more should we who serve God use these things to glorify Him and proclaim the Gospel?
My Management of Mammon
So how did this parable change my perspective considering my blog? It was verse 9 that gave me the encouragement to continue studying, writing, and publishing my commentaries on my website.
The King James Version of the Holy Bible translates Luke 16:9 like this:
“‘And I say unto you, “Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations”’” (Luke 16:9 KJV9)
I have discussed in length what Jesus may have meant by what is translated in the ESV as “unrighteous wealth” and in the KJV as “unrighteous mammon.” When it comes to the things in this world that could be considered unrighteous wealth or mammon, certainly, the internet could qualify.
But it was the second part of verse 9 that gave me the most encouragement. The ESV reads “when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings” while the KJV reads “when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.” In the original Greek, there is no noun in this phrase. It is left to the translators to interpret what was originally intended and arrange or add words to make something in one language make sense in another. Therefore, either the use of it or ye is appropriate.
Considering the last half of verse 9, the part about eternal homes, it was ye that spoke most to me. Ye fail gives the connotation of death. When I die, who is going to invite me into eternal dwellings but those who have gone before me? The use of the word they is plural. If I understood what God intended me to hear as I read this verse, that means when I get to Heaven there will be at least two people there to welcome me because it was something that they read that I had written that made a way for them to get to Heaven! If that is the case, all the work that I put into this seemingly unfruitful adventure will prove otherwise and will be more than worth it!
What God showed me changed my direction and gave me the encouragement I needed to continue what He had directed me to do years before. God’s view of success is quite different from ours. It is His will that we, through Him, should produce fruit for Him. (See John 15:8 & 16). By His grace, fruit is going to be produced through my blog even if it appears dead from my human perspective. Praise God!
1 Scripture quotations marked with ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All Scriptures are taken from the ESV unless otherwise noted. To aid in understanding, I have capitalized references to God.
2 https://viralbeliever.com/christian-quotes-on-stewardship/
3 For my commentary on this parable and the others like it, check out https://www.blueturtletrails.com/a-day-of-reckoning.
5 For my commentary on this parable, check out https://www.blueturtletrails.com/use-it-or-lose-it.
7 https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g93/kjv/tr/0-1/
8 https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3126/kjv/tr/0-1/
9 Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version.