Nov 24
17
Old Testament Reading: Psalm 90
“A PRAYER OF MOSES, THE MAN OF GOD. Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You return man to dust and say, ‘Return, O children of man!’ For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” (Psalm 90)
New Testament Reading: Luke 16:1-13
“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. 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)
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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.
Introduction
Last Sunday we considered The Parable Of The Prodigal Son. That, I think, is one of the most famous of Jesus’ parables, and its meaning is very clear. Today we come to another parable – The Parable Of The Dishonest Manager. This one is not so famous, and neither is it so easy to understand, at least not upon a first reading. One thing about this parable that perplexes students of the Bible is that, on first reading, Jesus seems to hold up the bad behavior of the main character as an example for his disciples to follow. Of course, Jesus does not promote bad or sinful behavior. Instead, he promotes foresight, shrewdness, and the wise use of money in light of eternity.
Here is how we will proceed. First, we will consider the parable. Secondly, we will consider the meaning . And thirdly, we will seek to apply this text to our lives today.
The Parable
In verse 1 we read, “He also said to the disciples, ‘There was a rich man who had a manager…” In Jesus’ day, wealthy people would have servants, and some servants would be given the responsibility of managing the household, or as we might say the estate. If the owner of the estate was very rich, the responsibilities of the manager would be very great, and that is the situation in this parable. We have a rich man with a great estate and an estate manager.
In the second half of verse 1 Christ says, “…and charges were brought to [the rich man] that this [household manager] was wasting his possessions’” (Luke 16:1). To waste is to squander. Evidently, this manager was spending the master’s money recklessly. I think we are to assume that he was spending the money on his own pleasures.
In verse 2 we read, “And [the rich man] called [the manager] 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 a manager’” (Luke 16:2). Evidently, the rich man knew that the charges brought against the manager were true, and so he decided to remove the manager from his position and demanded to see the books.
In verse 3 we read, “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” (Luke 16:3). In other words, the estate manager knew that he would soon be fired and expelled from his master’s house, and so he began to think about his future. Perhaps the estate manager was older. Certainly, he was not accustomed to doing hard manual labor, so he could not make a living by digging. And he was too proud to beg. What then would he do? How would he survive?
In verse 4 we hear the dishonest manager speak to himself, saying, “I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses” (Luke 16:4). Ah, so his plan is to use the short time that he has to bring himself into good favor with others so that when he is expelled from his current house he might be received into theirs.
In verse 5 the manager takes action: “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’” (Luke 16:5–7). What did the manager do? What was his plan? When the master of the house informed him that he was having his management taken from him and demanded to see the books, he used the short time he had had to make new friends by forgiving the debt of his master’s debtors at a highly discounted rate.
Commentators differ in their opinions concerning what exactly the manager was doing here and whether or not it was ethical. Some think that the manager had made a practice of charging these people exorbitant interest rates and was helping himself to the proceeds. Maybe this is why he was accused of being a reckless and dishonest manager in the first place! According to this view, when he forgave the debt at a discounted rate he was forfeiting, not his master’s money, but what would have been his own piece of the pie. I think that’s a possible interpretation of the situation. Others think that when the manager sold these debts at a highly discounted rate he was actually forfeiting profits that rightly belonged to the master of the house. If this is the case, the household manager would have been using his master’s possession to gain favor with others before being ejected from his master’s house. Some commentators say that this move was probably not technically illegal – the manager had the legal right to settle these debts at a discount. But the move was certainly shrewd.
I’m not sure it matters how we view the details of this situation. Was the manager forfeiting what would have been his own dishonestly gained profits when he sold the debts at a discount, or was he forfeiting profits that rightly belonged to his master? Though I prefer the first of these two interpretations, I can’t say with confidence which view is correct. And I think this question is somewhat beside the point. The point is that this manager acted shrewdly. When he saw that he was about to lose his current position and livelihood he began to prepare for the future by using the wealth he had access to to make new friends so that he might be received into their houses.
It is in verse 8 that we find the response of the master. There we read, “The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness” (Luke 16:8a). Notice, the text does not say that the master was pleased with the manager. I think it is right to assume that the master was still very displeased with the manager for his dishonesty in the past. And if it is true that the manager used money that rightfully belonged to the master to earn favor with others, then I’m sure he was even more displeased with him than before. But the master does acknowledge the manager’s shrewdness, and that is the point. He tipped his hat to him. He acknowledges that his maneuverings were wise. Essentially he spoke to his manager and said, well played, well played before letting him go.
The Meaning
This is an interesting little story, isn’t it? But we must not forget that it is a parable. Jesus told this earthly story to illustrate some spiritual and eternal truths. So the question becomes, what is the meaning? What lesson did Jesus intend to teach his audience by telling this story?
Jesus explains the meaning of this parable beginning in the second half of verse 8. There we read, “For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.” The sons of this world are non-believers. They are those who live for this world and the things of this world. The sons of light are the followers of Jesus Christ (see John 12:36; 1 Thess. 5:5; Eph. 5:8). And here Jesus observes that non-believers tend to be very shrewd in their dealings with others. They spend a lot of time and energy trying to figure out how to increase their wealth, prosperity, and comfort here on earth. And it is not difficult to understand why. If it is your view that this world is all there is, or if you believe in God and heaven but think little of them, then you will naturally direct your energy and attention to accumulating wealth here on earth. The sons of light do not care so much about the things of this world, and so they tend to be less shrewd in their business dealings. The question is, is this a good thing? Is it good that “the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light”?
Let’s go on to see. In verse 9 Jesus says, “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.” Interesting. Jesus does not speak to his disciples and say, have nothing to do with unrighteous wealth. Instead, he says, “make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.”
What is meant by “unrighteous wealth”? This is simply a way of speaking about money (see the end of Luke 16:13). It is called unrighteous because it is a feature of the political systems of this world which are always tainted by greed, corruption, and bloodshed. If you wish to know what is meant by unrighteous wealth, spend some time investigating how the monetary system of this nation works. When you begin to pull back the curtain you will see plenty of greed and corruption. Also, you will begin to see the real reason for the wars that constantly rage around the world. It’s all about power and money! James was speaking about individuals when he wrote these words, but the principle applies to nations: “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel” (James 4:1–2). The point is this, Christ refers to money as “unrighteous wealth” because it is a feature of the corrupt systems of this world, and because it often associated with greed and violence.
Certainly, the Christ follower is to have nothing to do with procuring wealth in an unrighteous way, but this does not mean that the believer is to have nothing to do with unrighteous wealth, that is to say, money. As Paul says in Ephesians 4:28, “Let the thief no longer steal…” In other words, the Christian must never procure wealth in a dishonest, sinful, or filthy way… “but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” So then, the Christian is to be hard working. He is to earn his money honestly. And what is he to do with it? Besides living off it and obeying the principles of wise wealth management as communicated in the Proverbs, he is to share with those in need.
When Christ says, “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”, he is playing off of the parable he has just told. He is commanding his followers to be like the dishonest manager as it pertains to his shrewd use of money but to be the opposite of him as it pertains to his motives.
The Christian shares many things in common with this dishonest manager. He is a steward, and so are we. He is entrusted with wealth and property, and so are we. The wealth he is entrusted with is unrighteous wealth, and so it is with us. He makes friends with the wealth he has been entrusted with, and we are to do the same. Finally, the money he has comes to an end, as it will our case too. The great difference, though, is where the investment is to be made. The dishonest manager used his master’s wealth to make friends for himself on earth in the hopes that they would receive him into their earthly homes. But Christ says, “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.” This is another way of saying that Christians are to use the wealth that God has entrusted to them here on earth to store up treasures in heaven (see Matthew 6:20).
The phrase, “so that when it fails”, is important. Friends, the unrighteous wealth of this world will fail you. It might fail you in this life! Economies do sometimes collapse. Perhaps you have noticed how inflation has a way of devaluing the dollars in your pocket! And money will certainly fail you at death. And so Christ commands his disciples to use the money they now have to store up treasures and to make friends in eternity. This means we are to use the money God has entrusted to us to advance the Kingdom of Christ. How will we have friends in eternity? It will be through the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the building up of healthy churches. Also, we will make precious friends for ourselves in eternity when we share with our brothers and sisters who are in need here on earth.
In verse 10 Christ goes in to say, “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.” Has God entrusted you with a little? You must be faithful with it today! Do not think, that if God would only give me more money then I would be faithful to give! And do not think, if God would give more money then I would be more honest in my dealings. No! One wne 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.” Friends, be faithful with the little that God has given to you. If it is God’s will to entrust you with more in the future, then you will be prepared to be faithful with that too (see the Parable Of The Talents in Matthew 25:14-30 and the Parable Of Ten Minas in Luke 19:11-27).
In Luke 16:11 we read, “If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?” We know that “unrighteous wealth” refers to money and the wealth of this world. “True riches” must refer to things spiritual and eternal. John Calvin comments on verse 11 saying,
“Christ, therefore, exhorts his disciples to act faithfully in small matters, in order to prepare themselves for the exercise of fidelity [faithfulness] in matters of the highest importance. He next applies this doctrine to the proper stewardship of spiritual graces, which the world, indeed, does not estimate according to their value, but which far surpass, beyond all question, the fading riches of this world. Those persons, he tells us, who act improperly and unfaithfully in things of small value, such as the transitory riches of the world, do not deserve that God should entrust to them the inestimable treasure of the Gospel, and of similar gifts. There is, therefore, in these words an implied threatening, that there is reason to fear lest, on account of our abuse of an earthly stewardship, we fail to obtain heavenly gifts. In this sense, what is true is contrasted with riches, as what is solid and lasting is contrasted with what is shadowy and fading. (John Calvin, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke, vol. 2, p 180).
Verse 12: “And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?” Commenting on this verse, John Gill says,
“Interpreters generally understand by that which is another man’s, in the first clause, the things of this world, which men are possessed of, because these are not of themselves, but from another, from God; and they are but stewards, rather than proprietors of them; and they are for the good of others, and not for themselves; and are not lasting, but in a little while will pass from them to others: and by that which is your own, they understand the good things of grace and glory, which, when once bestowed on a man, are his own property, and for his own use, and will never be alienated from him, but will always abide with him: but if he is unfaithful in the former, how should he expect the latter to be given to him ?”
So we are to see that there is a connection between the way in which we handle the earthly riches God has entrusted to us and things spiritual and eternal. Is the wealth of this world filthy and unrighteous? Yes. Are Christ’s followers to avoid it then? No. How are we to handle this wealth? We are to view ourselves as stewards or managers. We are to use it to make eternal investments and eternal friends. We are to be faithful in our stewardship of what God has entrusted to us knowing that those who are faithful in a little will be entrusted with more and that those who are unfaithful in earthly and temporal things will not be entrusted with things spiritual and eternal.
Finally, in verse 13 Christ warns, “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.”
Concerning the statement, “You cannot serve God and money,” Calvin says that Christ’s objective,
“ was to withdraw his disciples from covetousness… “ He warns “that the hearts of those who are devoted to riches are alienated from the Lord. For the greater part of men are wont to flatter themselves with a deceitful pretence, when they imagine, that it is possible for them to be divided between God and their own lusts. Christ affirms that it is impossible for any man to obey God, and, at the same time, to obey his own flesh. This was, no doubt, a proverb in common use: No man can serve two masters. He takes for granted a truth which had been universally admitted, and applies it to his present subject: where riches hold the dominion of the heart, God has lost his authority. True, it is not impossible that those who are rich shall serve God; but whoever gives himself up as a slave to riches must abandon the service of God: for covetousness makes us the slaves of the devil. (John Calvin, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke, vol. 1, p. 337).
I do believe that the meaning of this parable and Jesus’ words of explanation become more clear when we remember Jesus’ audience. In Luke 16:1 we were told that he spoke these words to his disciples and we should remember that many who had gathered around him were tax collectors and sinners (Luke 15:1). The tax collectors were especially notorious for their love of money and their corruption. They would collect more than they were authorized to do to line their own pockets (see Luke 3:12-13). These tax collectors and sinners needed instruction concerning how to handle their wealth and their view and relationship with money moving forward. They had been unfaithful managers. Christ was here calling them to repent of their unfaithfulness. They were now to use their wealth to store up treasures in heaven and to make eternal friends. They were to be faithful in their stewardship moving forward.
And we should not forget that the Pharisees were listening in too. Luke 16:14 makes that clear. It says, “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him” (Luke 16:14). They too were unfaithful managers but in a different way. They loved money and devoured widow’s houses through religion. The Lord was about to take away their management as the Old Covenant was about to give way to the New. Just as the tax collectors and sinners were exhorted to think about their future and to make eternal investments, so too were the Pharisees.
Application
We have now considered the parable and its meaning. Let us now consider how to apply this text to our lives today. Some suggestions for application have already been presented. I’ll conclude this sermon by stating a few more.
One, as followers of Jesus Christ we must develop and maintain a proper mindset concerning money and possessions. On the one hand, we must beware of the sins of covetousness and greed. We must keep our hearts free from the love of money. We must not place our hope in money or make it the source of our satisfaction and joy. We must not live for the procurement of wealth. This is why Paul instructed Timothy, saying, “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” (1 Timothy 6:17). On the other hand, we must not be afraid to make money and to use money to make spiritual and eternal investments.
Two, Christians should work hard, therefore, and handle their money wisely. To quote Paul, “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need” (Ephesians 4:28). Christians must work (unless they are retired or unable). The work that Christians do must be honest. And one of the uses of the money we make is to share with those in need.
Three, the primary place that Christians must give to is the church. Christians are commanded in the scriptures to support ministers of the gospel. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:13-14, “Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.” And in Galatians 6:6-7 Paul says, “Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” Beyond this, Christians should share with those in need in the congregation. This was one of the defining marks of the early church. “And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” (Acts 2:44–45)
Four, Christians must view themselves as stewards or managers of the good things that God has given to them. In saying this, I do not mean to deny the principle of private property and ownership. The money you make and the property you own are yours (see Acts 5:4), but they belong to you as a steward or manager. Who is the owner of all things and the giver of every good gift? God is. Yes, we are to enjoy the good gifts that God has given to us and give him thanks, but must view ourselves as stewards and our possessions as belonging ultimately to the Lord. They are to be used for his glory, therefore, and the furtherance of his Holy Kingdom.
