The Shrewd Steward
Preaching
Preaching the Parables
Series II, Cycle C
1Then Jesus said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who
had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was
squandering his property. 2So he summoned him and said to him,
'What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of
your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.'
3Then the manager said to himself, 'What will I do, now that my
master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong
enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4I have decided what to
do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me
into their homes.' 5So, summoning his master's debtors one by
one, he asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' 6He
answered, 'A hundred jugs of olive oil.' He said to him, 'Take
your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.' 7Then he asked
another, 'And how much do you owe?' He replied, 'A hundred
containers of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill and make
it eighty.' 8And his master commended the dishonest manager
because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are
more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the
children of light. 9And I tell you, make friends for yourselves
by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may
welcome you into the eternal homes.
10"Whoever is faithful in very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. 11If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? 13No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."
The parable in today's lesson has given people problems of interpretation. Why does Jesus tell a story of a manager who had squandered his owner's property to make a point? And why does the master commend the manager? Is it Jesus who is the master who commended the manager, or is it the owner who has been victimized by a poor manager? Why did Jesus tell this story immediately after the chapter with the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son? Or is it Luke who placed these parables in this order? Even if so, why did Luke choose this order?
Perhaps the difficulties arise because we do not understand the cultural background of the story. We may assume the kind of accounting and business operations of our society rather than the rural Palestinian economy and village life of the first century. Some of these differences will be noted below under the discussion of issues.
Context
Context of the Lectionary
The First Lesson. (Jeremiah 8:18-9:1) The prophet expresses his extreme anguish at the plight of his people. He had apparently hoped that by harvest time things would improve. Now he wonders if God has abandoned them. He hurts deeply for the poor and asks if there is no balm in Gilead to relieve the poor.
The Second Lesson. (1 Timothy 2:1-7) The writer first encourages prayers for all people, but he specifically mentions prayers for the head of government since it is he who can provide peace for the church. He proceeds to an affirmation of the nature of God. He acknowledges that his calling is to attest in faith and truth to the character of God for the Gentiles.
Gospel. (Luke 16:1-13) The gospel account has the parable of the shrewd steward. He is commended for his ability to manipulate events for his benefit. The parable is followed by teachings ascribed to Jesus on the proper use of wealth.
Psalm. (Psalm 79:1-9) The psalmist is distressed at the destruction of Jerusalem and the defiling of the Temple by other peoples. He pleads with God not to punish his people because of the past sins but to pour out anger on those who do not know God.
Context of Luke 15 and 16
The parables in chapter 15 stress the joy in heaven over the restoration of the lost. The last of the parables shows the generous father in relation to his difficult sons. That probably leads into the parable of the master who deals generously with his steward. That in turn leads to the teachings about the proper management of wealth in Luke 16:9-13.
As we look ahead to the next lesson on a parable, the story is told of the reversal of values between the rich man and the poor beggar Lazarus. That parable continues the teachings on the proper attitude toward and use of wealth. These parables all also have an eschatalogical turn to them, either by the joy in heaven, the place in the eternal home, or the separation of the rich and poor men in the afterlife.
Context of Related Scripture
Scriptures related to the steward:
Exodus 22:25; Leviticus 25:16 -- Prohibitions against the charging for use of land or damage to it.
Deuteronomy 23:19-20 -- Israelites are not to be charged interest on loans but foreigners may be.
Mark 12:2 -- An account of rent in kind for use of a vineyard.
Luke 12:42 -- A slave serving a master as a steward.
John 12:36; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5 -- References to children of light.
1 Corinthians 4:1-2 -- Stewards of the mystery of God.
Scriptures related to Luke 16:9-13:
Exodus 20:3-4; Deuteronomy 5:7-8 -- Worship no other gods as related to worshipping Mammon.
Psalm 6:4 -- Abiding in God's tent forever.
Proverbs 30:24 -- Four things that are small but exceedingly wise.
Matthew 6:21:24 -- Somewhat parallel teachings about treasures.
Matthew 10:16b -- Have the wisdom of serpents but the innocence of doves.
1 John 2:17 -- Worldly desires pass away but those doing God's will live forever.
Content
Content of the Pericope
The pericope opens with the setting of Jesus speaking to his disciples. In the previous chapter Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees and scribes. It seems from Luke 16:14 that the setting was still the same since it reports that the Pharisees heard the message directed to the disciples.
Jesus first tells the parable of the shrewd steward. He then turns to the use of what is described as dishonest wealth. The disciples are to be as wise in their use of it for eternal life as the steward used his management of wealth to ensure his future welfare.
From that lesson Jesus proceeds to certain truths about character and responsibility. Who proves responsible in little things is given greater responsibility. Jesus concludes with the observation that a slave cannot serve two masters and applies it to serving God and wealth.
Precis of the Parable
A rich man has a manager of his property who was accused of mismanagement. He calls the manager and informs him that he is being relieved of his position and should turn over his accounts. The steward knows he is too weak to get a day laborer's job and too proud to beg. So he quickly calls persons who have accounts and permits them to reduce their obligations by twenty to fifty percent. Thus the persons who benefit from the steward's generosity will be favorably disposed to help him when he is unemployed. The rich man does not scold or upbraid the steward but commends him for his shrewdness.
Thesis: Shrewd disciples will make good use of resources for eternal life.
Theme: Making proper use of resources for kingdom purposes.
Key Words in the Passage
1. "A Manager." (v. 1) The man apparently had authority to make contracts with sub-renters to use land belonging to the rich man. They were to pay him a certain amount of their harvest for the privilege. As appears later in the parable, the manager drew up a contract in writing with those who rented the land. They paid for its use with commodities.
2. "Squandering His Property." (v. 1) Jesus does not say how the manager was abusing his authority. It is likely that he was making favorable deals and some under-the-table agreements from which he was profiting.
3. "Give Me an Accounting." (v. 2) The rich man wanted to see the accounts so he could make his own judgment about the charges against the manager. Since the manager did not have the accounts with him, he can buy a little time before he turns them over to his master. That will afford him some opportunity to consider his options.
4. "Cannot Be My Manager." (v. 2) The rich man immediately relieves the manager of his position. The manager knows it, but presumably it was not yet made public so no one else is aware of it. This enables the manager to continue to act as though he has authority to revise contracts.
5. "Ashamed to Beg." (v. 3) Begging was the safety net of the time. People who could not support themselves had no government support so they were reduced to depending on the largess and generosity of others. It was acceptable behavior.
6. "Welcome Me into Their Homes." (v. 4) If the manager does favors while he is a position of power and privilege, he can rely on hospitality of those who owe him favors. He can circulate among those who are grateful for the breaks he has given them when he was a manager.
7. "Summoning His Master's Debtors." (v. 5) The debtors did not yet know that the manager was relieved of his authority. Until the information became public, the manager could still call the people to come to him. They would respond as soon as possible to such a summons.
8. "A Hundred Jugs of Olive Oil." (v. 6) A jug held about 8.75 gallons. Thus a hundred jugs would be about 875 gallons, a substantial payment.
9. "Make It Fifty." (v. 6) That is a fifty percent reduction. It has been suggested that it would only take a little alteration in the Hebrew characters to change it from one hundred to fifty. The manager wanted the debtor to do it in his own handwriting so the manager could not be accused of doing it without the agreement of the renter who had agreed to the earlier contract.
10. "A Hundred Containers of Wheat." (v. 7) A dry measure held a little less than eleven bushels. Thus his contract was for a little more than 1,000 bushels.
11. "Make It Eighty." (v. 7) The reduction for him would be about twenty percent. The amount of his reduction was roughly equivalent to the reduction of fifty jugs of oil for the other debtor. Again, the change could easily be made in the Hebrew characters.
12. "The Master Commended." (v. 8) Scholars differ as to whether it was the rich man or Jesus who is referred to as master. The term used is Kurios, which is sometimes used as a euphemism for God. It is frequently used as an affirmation of Jesus' divinity in the New Testament. It is, however, used at times in the gospels to refer simply to a human master.
13. "Acted Shrewdly." (v. 8) The word shrewdly is more often translated "wisely." Two words are used for wisdom in Greek. One is sophia, but that is not the word used here. The word here is phronimes. It has the meaning of shrewdness or cunning. It can also include being skillful and competent.
14. "Dishonest Wealth." (vv. 9, 11) The word for wealth in the Greek is mammon. The word translated dishonest is adikos, which is more often translated as "unrighteousness." The translators of the NRSV probably chose dishonest to have the play on words in verse 10 where dishonesty and honesty are contrasted.
An Explanatory Note
Kenneth E. Bailey contends that the original hearers of Jesus' parable would have readily understood much that is not given in great detail.1 That the manager did not protest his innocence when the master accused him would imply guilt. The rich man was generous in just dismissing the manager instead of making him repay what he squandered or punishing him otherwise.
The debtors would assume that the manager had authority to change the contracts. It was not unusual for the payment to be reduced if drought or locusts or some other natural circumstances reduced the crop. Since the manager had met with the rich man and the dismissal was not yet announced publicly, they could assume the reductions were the topic discussed and were a result of the generosity of the owner. Only later would they know it was the trickery of the manager.
Having a contract with the reductions, the debtors now put the owner in a dilemma. The debtors would have shared the good news of the reductions and his generosity was praised. If the owner then repudiated the contracts because the manager acted after he was dismissed, the owner would have a lot of unhappy renters along with the whole village. He would lose some standing as a generous person.
The owner recognized the cleverness and cunning of the manager in putting him on the spot. The manager gambled on the continued generosity of his master in letting the new contracts stand and in not punishing him for his further actions.
The hearers would enjoy a good story of the underdog outwitting the top dog to benefit the relatively poor. And perhaps Jesus and his hearers knew of such a real incident. It was a kind of Robin Hood story if Kenneth Bailey is correct.
Contemplation
Issues and Insights
1. Why the Parable? People are sometimes puzzled by the parable of the shrewd steward. They wonder why Jesus would use a manipulative manager as the point of a story. That is especially true if they conclude from verse nine that it was Jesus who is the master who commended the steward for his actions. Does Jesus condone what the manager did and recommend that his disciples do the same?
As noted above, some scholars make the case that it was the rich landowner and not Jesus who commended the manger. From the context of the verses that follow, it would be more likely that Jesus was telling his disciples to use their material goods to make friends. They are to be as wise in their use of money or other wealth to work for the welfare of others so as to gain the kingdom.
2. Prudence and Faithfulness. Worldly wisdom works for one's own benefit. The person acts prudently according to self- interest. The means used are determined by what one sees as his or her own good.
The disciples of Christ are first called to be guided by faithfulness to the teachings and examples of Jesus. They then determine strategies and tactics that accord with that faithfulness. Means are constrained by love of God and love of neighbor, even when that may not appear to be prudent according to worldly wisdom. The wise disciple is first of all faithful and then only in those terms prudent.
3. An Eschatalogical Perspective. Jesus always had in mind the final outcome of history in terms of the kingdom of God. His disciples are to govern their actions so as to enter and live as though the kingdom is already present. If they so live, then they will be prepared for an eventual appearance of the kingdom in its fullness.
Material goods and any resources given are to be held in stewardship for the master and to serve the ends of the kingdom. True wisdom is to know how to use the responsibilities given to us always with the nature of the coming of the kingdom as the guiding principle.
4. The Formation of Character. People do not arrive at character full-blown. It is formed by repeated actions that shape attitudes and behavior. Jesus points out that people have to earn the trust of others. If they cannot be trusted with little things, they cannot be trusted with large responsibilities.
People do not become generous when they hit the jackpot or win the lottery. It is likely that they will not be generous with large amounts of money if they have not already established the habit of generosity with whatever amount of money they have had before given large amounts.
People who have little money can be as greedy as the person who seeks to become a billionaire. Their obsession with following the behavior of the rich and famous, their envy of those who have wealth, and their obsequious attitude toward people with money shows where their real interest and desires are vested. They are as much possessed by riches as those who have them.
Homily Hints
1. Squandering His Property. (v. 1) This raises the issue regarding the question of ownership of material goods.
A. The Earth Is the Lord's
B. Given Us in Trust
C. Responsible for Use
2. Summoned to Accountability. (v. 2)
A. To Whom Accountable?
B. For What Accountable?
C. How Discharge Accountability?
D. Results of Accountability
3. A Generous Master. (vv. 2-9)
A. God Gives Generously
B. Take Stock of Gifts Received
C. Forgiven for Misuse
D. Opportunities for Wise Use
4. Heavenly Shrewdness. (v. 8)
A. Shrewdness of the Generation of this Age
B. Failure of the Children of Light
C. Being Wise in Christ
5. Welcomed into Eternal Homes. (v. 9) The actual word in the Greek is tents or tabernacles. They were sometimes temporary but could also be permanent residences.
A. Earth Is Not our Permanent Habitation
B. Heaven Is Community
C. Would We Be Welcomed Eternally?
6. Worldly Riches and Eternal Treasures. (vv. 9-13)
A. The Impermanence of Worldly Riches
B. The Nature of Eternal Treasures
C. The Permanence of Spiritual Treasures
Contact
Points of Contact
1. Using Opportunities. Smart Christians will assess their resources and use them wisely for the purposes of the kingdom of God. Resources may include wealth. It is a legitimate use of wealth to enhance a person's gifts by education and training. A person who is a good steward will examine the use of wealth when it is used for self-indulgence or, even worse, for those things which undermine health and detract from a person's life and ability to serve the purposes of the kingdom.
Resources also include more than money, goods, or property. They include skills and abilities which are gifts from God. Wise use of resources will lead persons to consider how they are to be used well. Children of light will not neglect to develop such gifts and use them to maximize the welfare of humankind.
Wise use of wealth and other resources will serve human need. Responsible choice of vocations is part of good stewardship of gifts. Supporting and, where called to do so, engaging in witnessing through evangelism and missions is part of Christian wisdom. Mutual support and sharing within the Christian community earns friends for the eternal home. Helping the needy who have less than Christians, who usually have more than enough to meet their legitimate needs, is also a way of gaining friends by the wise use of wealth and other resources.
2. Looking Ahead. The shrewd steward looked ahead. He did not waste his effort protesting his innocence or trying to dissuade the master from the course of action he had already determined to take. The shrewd steward took a look at his future and considered his options. He proceeded to take such steps as he considered prudent for his future welfare.
Faithful Christians will also look to the future. They will look beyond their immediate situation to consider what they need to do, not just in this world, but also to reach their eternal home. While salvation is basically a gift from God that is unearned, once having been created a new creature in Christ and accepted his lordship over life, Christians should seek to be faithful to their new calling. That means that they should look ahead and seek to be faithful in their use of opportunities to serve God and neighbors with the gifts given them.
Too many people are content to live a day at a time. They do not look ahead to the next year or the next decade. The wise Christians will look down the road and be prepared to maximize use of gifts according to the will of the master.
3. Wills and Living Trusts. One aspect of looking ahead that perhaps requires separate attention is the question of how our estate will be disposed after we no longer have need of it. While it is true that you can't take it with you, you can use it to make friends for your eternal home.
Christians should be good stewards in giving direction for their wealth and property after their death. It is appropriate to consider the needs of those who are dependent for support on a person. It is of some question as to how much wealth and property should accumulate from one generation to the next beyond normal needs.
A wise Christian will use a will or a living trust to carry on the purposes of the kingdom. That does not mean that we should try to put the future in a straitjacket which is an extension of our own egos. Rather, enough flexibility should be allowed to make adjustment for future needs. It means that wills and living trusts will vest the estate in persons or institutions that will serve kingdom purposes faithfully for the foreseeable future. Then let God through the Holy Spirit guide the destiny of it.
4. Faithful in Little Things. Many times people will say, "Just trust me." Trust is not something just given. It is earned. Persons who have shown that they can be trusted in small assignments or with little resources will be trusted with increasing responsibilities.
The truth of the way in which trust is earned is embodied in the popular saying, "If you want something done, ask the busy person to do it." They have already earned trust by demonstrating that they have used their time well and met their obligations.
Christians who want to be wise in making friends for the kingdom will start by earning trust in small things. As they demonstrate their faithfulness, they will find themselves entrusted with larger responsibilities.
Points to Ponder
1. Tainted Money. The passage translates the Greek as dishonest wealth. Other versions translate the terms as "this world's wealth," "worldly wealth," or "unrighteous mammon." Is all wealth tainted or only, as one version translates it, "ill- gotten wealth"?
The question often arises as to whether the church or church-related institutions should accept wealth acquired from such enterprises as the tobacco or alcohol industries, or from persons who have hit the jackpot or won the lottery.
When should the church refuse "tainted" money because it may compromise the church's witness against certain evils? When should the church accept the money and transfer it from doing evil to doing good?
2. Managing Investments. Closely related to the questions about tainted money is the question of where Christians should invest their money. Should Christians invest in companies with a high rate of return but which are not socially responsible, such as the tobacco and alcohol industries? What about those companies that produce instruments of mass destruction, such as making nuclear bombs, anti-personnel bombs, and chemical or biological weapons?
Harder questions might be about investing in good products but where the process of manufacturing them pollutes the environment. Or what about those that use depletable resources, such as paper industries that clear-cut forests or ruin the habitat of endangered species?
Such hard questions also arise about industries that exploit cheap labor or ignore safety regulations to maximize profits. Should Christians also be wise consumers in the purchase of products from those industries which gain dishonest wealth by engaging in some of the practices indicated above?
Illustrative Materials
1. Charity and Greed. A report on the radio recently noted the high costs of AIDS to society. It looked at the high salaries of some organizations that do research to try to cure AIDS, or charitable institutions raising money to support education to prevent AIDS. The costs run into billions of dollars.
When an interviewer asked why such huge sums were paid as salaries and the costs of treatment ran so high, the person who had studied the problem attributed the costs to a combination of fear and greed.
2. Usury Prohibited. Moslems do not allow interest to be charged for the use of money. They consider it as usury, which is already identified as a sin in the Old Testament when it is charged to another Israelite. One of the reasons Jews got into the banking business in the Middle Ages in Europe was because the church considered it wrong for Christians to charge interest. Jews could do it since Christians were not considered Israelites.
Moslems allow bankers to charge a "service fee" for the costs of handling the transfers of money.
The Protestant movement in the sixteenth century allowed interest to be charged as a legitimate use of wealth from which others could profit.
3. Baby Boomers and Retirement. A recent concern expressed was about the growing number of "Baby Boomers" who are reaching fifty now. A substantial number are going to come to retirement without adequate resources. Experts have advised them to use various kinds of retirement plans. They should establish IRAs, Keoghs, pension plans, annuities, saving accounts, and insurance investments.
When does the wise Christian do planning for retirement? How much should persons invest for their future? Do Christians have as much concern for the time "when money fails" and eternity beckons?
4. Prenuptial Agreements. Persons are increasingly advised to draw up a prenuptial agreement. When is a Christian wise to do so? Does it indicate a transient view of marriage? Is it more important in a second marriage, in a remarriage after the death of a spouse, when wealth is inherited, or to protect a spouse who is not the major wage-earner yet contributes to the marriage and the family?
Does a prenuptial agreement put a marriage on a commercial basis? Should it?
5. J. M. Smucker began selling cider door-to-door. Then someone suggested that he could make apple butter. So he also sold that door-to-door. As he became established as a reliable salesman with a good product, he expanded into other related products. Now the Smucker Company has a national reputation with the slogan "With a name like Smuckers, it has to be good." Faithfulness in small beginnings led to a large company with a national reputation.
____________
1. See Poet and Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes: A Literary- Cultural Approach to the Parables in Luke. Two Volumes in One. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1976, pp. 96-106.
10"Whoever is faithful in very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. 11If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? 13No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."
The parable in today's lesson has given people problems of interpretation. Why does Jesus tell a story of a manager who had squandered his owner's property to make a point? And why does the master commend the manager? Is it Jesus who is the master who commended the manager, or is it the owner who has been victimized by a poor manager? Why did Jesus tell this story immediately after the chapter with the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son? Or is it Luke who placed these parables in this order? Even if so, why did Luke choose this order?
Perhaps the difficulties arise because we do not understand the cultural background of the story. We may assume the kind of accounting and business operations of our society rather than the rural Palestinian economy and village life of the first century. Some of these differences will be noted below under the discussion of issues.
Context
Context of the Lectionary
The First Lesson. (Jeremiah 8:18-9:1) The prophet expresses his extreme anguish at the plight of his people. He had apparently hoped that by harvest time things would improve. Now he wonders if God has abandoned them. He hurts deeply for the poor and asks if there is no balm in Gilead to relieve the poor.
The Second Lesson. (1 Timothy 2:1-7) The writer first encourages prayers for all people, but he specifically mentions prayers for the head of government since it is he who can provide peace for the church. He proceeds to an affirmation of the nature of God. He acknowledges that his calling is to attest in faith and truth to the character of God for the Gentiles.
Gospel. (Luke 16:1-13) The gospel account has the parable of the shrewd steward. He is commended for his ability to manipulate events for his benefit. The parable is followed by teachings ascribed to Jesus on the proper use of wealth.
Psalm. (Psalm 79:1-9) The psalmist is distressed at the destruction of Jerusalem and the defiling of the Temple by other peoples. He pleads with God not to punish his people because of the past sins but to pour out anger on those who do not know God.
Context of Luke 15 and 16
The parables in chapter 15 stress the joy in heaven over the restoration of the lost. The last of the parables shows the generous father in relation to his difficult sons. That probably leads into the parable of the master who deals generously with his steward. That in turn leads to the teachings about the proper management of wealth in Luke 16:9-13.
As we look ahead to the next lesson on a parable, the story is told of the reversal of values between the rich man and the poor beggar Lazarus. That parable continues the teachings on the proper attitude toward and use of wealth. These parables all also have an eschatalogical turn to them, either by the joy in heaven, the place in the eternal home, or the separation of the rich and poor men in the afterlife.
Context of Related Scripture
Scriptures related to the steward:
Exodus 22:25; Leviticus 25:16 -- Prohibitions against the charging for use of land or damage to it.
Deuteronomy 23:19-20 -- Israelites are not to be charged interest on loans but foreigners may be.
Mark 12:2 -- An account of rent in kind for use of a vineyard.
Luke 12:42 -- A slave serving a master as a steward.
John 12:36; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5 -- References to children of light.
1 Corinthians 4:1-2 -- Stewards of the mystery of God.
Scriptures related to Luke 16:9-13:
Exodus 20:3-4; Deuteronomy 5:7-8 -- Worship no other gods as related to worshipping Mammon.
Psalm 6:4 -- Abiding in God's tent forever.
Proverbs 30:24 -- Four things that are small but exceedingly wise.
Matthew 6:21:24 -- Somewhat parallel teachings about treasures.
Matthew 10:16b -- Have the wisdom of serpents but the innocence of doves.
1 John 2:17 -- Worldly desires pass away but those doing God's will live forever.
Content
Content of the Pericope
The pericope opens with the setting of Jesus speaking to his disciples. In the previous chapter Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees and scribes. It seems from Luke 16:14 that the setting was still the same since it reports that the Pharisees heard the message directed to the disciples.
Jesus first tells the parable of the shrewd steward. He then turns to the use of what is described as dishonest wealth. The disciples are to be as wise in their use of it for eternal life as the steward used his management of wealth to ensure his future welfare.
From that lesson Jesus proceeds to certain truths about character and responsibility. Who proves responsible in little things is given greater responsibility. Jesus concludes with the observation that a slave cannot serve two masters and applies it to serving God and wealth.
Precis of the Parable
A rich man has a manager of his property who was accused of mismanagement. He calls the manager and informs him that he is being relieved of his position and should turn over his accounts. The steward knows he is too weak to get a day laborer's job and too proud to beg. So he quickly calls persons who have accounts and permits them to reduce their obligations by twenty to fifty percent. Thus the persons who benefit from the steward's generosity will be favorably disposed to help him when he is unemployed. The rich man does not scold or upbraid the steward but commends him for his shrewdness.
Thesis: Shrewd disciples will make good use of resources for eternal life.
Theme: Making proper use of resources for kingdom purposes.
Key Words in the Passage
1. "A Manager." (v. 1) The man apparently had authority to make contracts with sub-renters to use land belonging to the rich man. They were to pay him a certain amount of their harvest for the privilege. As appears later in the parable, the manager drew up a contract in writing with those who rented the land. They paid for its use with commodities.
2. "Squandering His Property." (v. 1) Jesus does not say how the manager was abusing his authority. It is likely that he was making favorable deals and some under-the-table agreements from which he was profiting.
3. "Give Me an Accounting." (v. 2) The rich man wanted to see the accounts so he could make his own judgment about the charges against the manager. Since the manager did not have the accounts with him, he can buy a little time before he turns them over to his master. That will afford him some opportunity to consider his options.
4. "Cannot Be My Manager." (v. 2) The rich man immediately relieves the manager of his position. The manager knows it, but presumably it was not yet made public so no one else is aware of it. This enables the manager to continue to act as though he has authority to revise contracts.
5. "Ashamed to Beg." (v. 3) Begging was the safety net of the time. People who could not support themselves had no government support so they were reduced to depending on the largess and generosity of others. It was acceptable behavior.
6. "Welcome Me into Their Homes." (v. 4) If the manager does favors while he is a position of power and privilege, he can rely on hospitality of those who owe him favors. He can circulate among those who are grateful for the breaks he has given them when he was a manager.
7. "Summoning His Master's Debtors." (v. 5) The debtors did not yet know that the manager was relieved of his authority. Until the information became public, the manager could still call the people to come to him. They would respond as soon as possible to such a summons.
8. "A Hundred Jugs of Olive Oil." (v. 6) A jug held about 8.75 gallons. Thus a hundred jugs would be about 875 gallons, a substantial payment.
9. "Make It Fifty." (v. 6) That is a fifty percent reduction. It has been suggested that it would only take a little alteration in the Hebrew characters to change it from one hundred to fifty. The manager wanted the debtor to do it in his own handwriting so the manager could not be accused of doing it without the agreement of the renter who had agreed to the earlier contract.
10. "A Hundred Containers of Wheat." (v. 7) A dry measure held a little less than eleven bushels. Thus his contract was for a little more than 1,000 bushels.
11. "Make It Eighty." (v. 7) The reduction for him would be about twenty percent. The amount of his reduction was roughly equivalent to the reduction of fifty jugs of oil for the other debtor. Again, the change could easily be made in the Hebrew characters.
12. "The Master Commended." (v. 8) Scholars differ as to whether it was the rich man or Jesus who is referred to as master. The term used is Kurios, which is sometimes used as a euphemism for God. It is frequently used as an affirmation of Jesus' divinity in the New Testament. It is, however, used at times in the gospels to refer simply to a human master.
13. "Acted Shrewdly." (v. 8) The word shrewdly is more often translated "wisely." Two words are used for wisdom in Greek. One is sophia, but that is not the word used here. The word here is phronimes. It has the meaning of shrewdness or cunning. It can also include being skillful and competent.
14. "Dishonest Wealth." (vv. 9, 11) The word for wealth in the Greek is mammon. The word translated dishonest is adikos, which is more often translated as "unrighteousness." The translators of the NRSV probably chose dishonest to have the play on words in verse 10 where dishonesty and honesty are contrasted.
An Explanatory Note
Kenneth E. Bailey contends that the original hearers of Jesus' parable would have readily understood much that is not given in great detail.1 That the manager did not protest his innocence when the master accused him would imply guilt. The rich man was generous in just dismissing the manager instead of making him repay what he squandered or punishing him otherwise.
The debtors would assume that the manager had authority to change the contracts. It was not unusual for the payment to be reduced if drought or locusts or some other natural circumstances reduced the crop. Since the manager had met with the rich man and the dismissal was not yet announced publicly, they could assume the reductions were the topic discussed and were a result of the generosity of the owner. Only later would they know it was the trickery of the manager.
Having a contract with the reductions, the debtors now put the owner in a dilemma. The debtors would have shared the good news of the reductions and his generosity was praised. If the owner then repudiated the contracts because the manager acted after he was dismissed, the owner would have a lot of unhappy renters along with the whole village. He would lose some standing as a generous person.
The owner recognized the cleverness and cunning of the manager in putting him on the spot. The manager gambled on the continued generosity of his master in letting the new contracts stand and in not punishing him for his further actions.
The hearers would enjoy a good story of the underdog outwitting the top dog to benefit the relatively poor. And perhaps Jesus and his hearers knew of such a real incident. It was a kind of Robin Hood story if Kenneth Bailey is correct.
Contemplation
Issues and Insights
1. Why the Parable? People are sometimes puzzled by the parable of the shrewd steward. They wonder why Jesus would use a manipulative manager as the point of a story. That is especially true if they conclude from verse nine that it was Jesus who is the master who commended the steward for his actions. Does Jesus condone what the manager did and recommend that his disciples do the same?
As noted above, some scholars make the case that it was the rich landowner and not Jesus who commended the manger. From the context of the verses that follow, it would be more likely that Jesus was telling his disciples to use their material goods to make friends. They are to be as wise in their use of money or other wealth to work for the welfare of others so as to gain the kingdom.
2. Prudence and Faithfulness. Worldly wisdom works for one's own benefit. The person acts prudently according to self- interest. The means used are determined by what one sees as his or her own good.
The disciples of Christ are first called to be guided by faithfulness to the teachings and examples of Jesus. They then determine strategies and tactics that accord with that faithfulness. Means are constrained by love of God and love of neighbor, even when that may not appear to be prudent according to worldly wisdom. The wise disciple is first of all faithful and then only in those terms prudent.
3. An Eschatalogical Perspective. Jesus always had in mind the final outcome of history in terms of the kingdom of God. His disciples are to govern their actions so as to enter and live as though the kingdom is already present. If they so live, then they will be prepared for an eventual appearance of the kingdom in its fullness.
Material goods and any resources given are to be held in stewardship for the master and to serve the ends of the kingdom. True wisdom is to know how to use the responsibilities given to us always with the nature of the coming of the kingdom as the guiding principle.
4. The Formation of Character. People do not arrive at character full-blown. It is formed by repeated actions that shape attitudes and behavior. Jesus points out that people have to earn the trust of others. If they cannot be trusted with little things, they cannot be trusted with large responsibilities.
People do not become generous when they hit the jackpot or win the lottery. It is likely that they will not be generous with large amounts of money if they have not already established the habit of generosity with whatever amount of money they have had before given large amounts.
People who have little money can be as greedy as the person who seeks to become a billionaire. Their obsession with following the behavior of the rich and famous, their envy of those who have wealth, and their obsequious attitude toward people with money shows where their real interest and desires are vested. They are as much possessed by riches as those who have them.
Homily Hints
1. Squandering His Property. (v. 1) This raises the issue regarding the question of ownership of material goods.
A. The Earth Is the Lord's
B. Given Us in Trust
C. Responsible for Use
2. Summoned to Accountability. (v. 2)
A. To Whom Accountable?
B. For What Accountable?
C. How Discharge Accountability?
D. Results of Accountability
3. A Generous Master. (vv. 2-9)
A. God Gives Generously
B. Take Stock of Gifts Received
C. Forgiven for Misuse
D. Opportunities for Wise Use
4. Heavenly Shrewdness. (v. 8)
A. Shrewdness of the Generation of this Age
B. Failure of the Children of Light
C. Being Wise in Christ
5. Welcomed into Eternal Homes. (v. 9) The actual word in the Greek is tents or tabernacles. They were sometimes temporary but could also be permanent residences.
A. Earth Is Not our Permanent Habitation
B. Heaven Is Community
C. Would We Be Welcomed Eternally?
6. Worldly Riches and Eternal Treasures. (vv. 9-13)
A. The Impermanence of Worldly Riches
B. The Nature of Eternal Treasures
C. The Permanence of Spiritual Treasures
Contact
Points of Contact
1. Using Opportunities. Smart Christians will assess their resources and use them wisely for the purposes of the kingdom of God. Resources may include wealth. It is a legitimate use of wealth to enhance a person's gifts by education and training. A person who is a good steward will examine the use of wealth when it is used for self-indulgence or, even worse, for those things which undermine health and detract from a person's life and ability to serve the purposes of the kingdom.
Resources also include more than money, goods, or property. They include skills and abilities which are gifts from God. Wise use of resources will lead persons to consider how they are to be used well. Children of light will not neglect to develop such gifts and use them to maximize the welfare of humankind.
Wise use of wealth and other resources will serve human need. Responsible choice of vocations is part of good stewardship of gifts. Supporting and, where called to do so, engaging in witnessing through evangelism and missions is part of Christian wisdom. Mutual support and sharing within the Christian community earns friends for the eternal home. Helping the needy who have less than Christians, who usually have more than enough to meet their legitimate needs, is also a way of gaining friends by the wise use of wealth and other resources.
2. Looking Ahead. The shrewd steward looked ahead. He did not waste his effort protesting his innocence or trying to dissuade the master from the course of action he had already determined to take. The shrewd steward took a look at his future and considered his options. He proceeded to take such steps as he considered prudent for his future welfare.
Faithful Christians will also look to the future. They will look beyond their immediate situation to consider what they need to do, not just in this world, but also to reach their eternal home. While salvation is basically a gift from God that is unearned, once having been created a new creature in Christ and accepted his lordship over life, Christians should seek to be faithful to their new calling. That means that they should look ahead and seek to be faithful in their use of opportunities to serve God and neighbors with the gifts given them.
Too many people are content to live a day at a time. They do not look ahead to the next year or the next decade. The wise Christians will look down the road and be prepared to maximize use of gifts according to the will of the master.
3. Wills and Living Trusts. One aspect of looking ahead that perhaps requires separate attention is the question of how our estate will be disposed after we no longer have need of it. While it is true that you can't take it with you, you can use it to make friends for your eternal home.
Christians should be good stewards in giving direction for their wealth and property after their death. It is appropriate to consider the needs of those who are dependent for support on a person. It is of some question as to how much wealth and property should accumulate from one generation to the next beyond normal needs.
A wise Christian will use a will or a living trust to carry on the purposes of the kingdom. That does not mean that we should try to put the future in a straitjacket which is an extension of our own egos. Rather, enough flexibility should be allowed to make adjustment for future needs. It means that wills and living trusts will vest the estate in persons or institutions that will serve kingdom purposes faithfully for the foreseeable future. Then let God through the Holy Spirit guide the destiny of it.
4. Faithful in Little Things. Many times people will say, "Just trust me." Trust is not something just given. It is earned. Persons who have shown that they can be trusted in small assignments or with little resources will be trusted with increasing responsibilities.
The truth of the way in which trust is earned is embodied in the popular saying, "If you want something done, ask the busy person to do it." They have already earned trust by demonstrating that they have used their time well and met their obligations.
Christians who want to be wise in making friends for the kingdom will start by earning trust in small things. As they demonstrate their faithfulness, they will find themselves entrusted with larger responsibilities.
Points to Ponder
1. Tainted Money. The passage translates the Greek as dishonest wealth. Other versions translate the terms as "this world's wealth," "worldly wealth," or "unrighteous mammon." Is all wealth tainted or only, as one version translates it, "ill- gotten wealth"?
The question often arises as to whether the church or church-related institutions should accept wealth acquired from such enterprises as the tobacco or alcohol industries, or from persons who have hit the jackpot or won the lottery.
When should the church refuse "tainted" money because it may compromise the church's witness against certain evils? When should the church accept the money and transfer it from doing evil to doing good?
2. Managing Investments. Closely related to the questions about tainted money is the question of where Christians should invest their money. Should Christians invest in companies with a high rate of return but which are not socially responsible, such as the tobacco and alcohol industries? What about those companies that produce instruments of mass destruction, such as making nuclear bombs, anti-personnel bombs, and chemical or biological weapons?
Harder questions might be about investing in good products but where the process of manufacturing them pollutes the environment. Or what about those that use depletable resources, such as paper industries that clear-cut forests or ruin the habitat of endangered species?
Such hard questions also arise about industries that exploit cheap labor or ignore safety regulations to maximize profits. Should Christians also be wise consumers in the purchase of products from those industries which gain dishonest wealth by engaging in some of the practices indicated above?
Illustrative Materials
1. Charity and Greed. A report on the radio recently noted the high costs of AIDS to society. It looked at the high salaries of some organizations that do research to try to cure AIDS, or charitable institutions raising money to support education to prevent AIDS. The costs run into billions of dollars.
When an interviewer asked why such huge sums were paid as salaries and the costs of treatment ran so high, the person who had studied the problem attributed the costs to a combination of fear and greed.
2. Usury Prohibited. Moslems do not allow interest to be charged for the use of money. They consider it as usury, which is already identified as a sin in the Old Testament when it is charged to another Israelite. One of the reasons Jews got into the banking business in the Middle Ages in Europe was because the church considered it wrong for Christians to charge interest. Jews could do it since Christians were not considered Israelites.
Moslems allow bankers to charge a "service fee" for the costs of handling the transfers of money.
The Protestant movement in the sixteenth century allowed interest to be charged as a legitimate use of wealth from which others could profit.
3. Baby Boomers and Retirement. A recent concern expressed was about the growing number of "Baby Boomers" who are reaching fifty now. A substantial number are going to come to retirement without adequate resources. Experts have advised them to use various kinds of retirement plans. They should establish IRAs, Keoghs, pension plans, annuities, saving accounts, and insurance investments.
When does the wise Christian do planning for retirement? How much should persons invest for their future? Do Christians have as much concern for the time "when money fails" and eternity beckons?
4. Prenuptial Agreements. Persons are increasingly advised to draw up a prenuptial agreement. When is a Christian wise to do so? Does it indicate a transient view of marriage? Is it more important in a second marriage, in a remarriage after the death of a spouse, when wealth is inherited, or to protect a spouse who is not the major wage-earner yet contributes to the marriage and the family?
Does a prenuptial agreement put a marriage on a commercial basis? Should it?
5. J. M. Smucker began selling cider door-to-door. Then someone suggested that he could make apple butter. So he also sold that door-to-door. As he became established as a reliable salesman with a good product, he expanded into other related products. Now the Smucker Company has a national reputation with the slogan "With a name like Smuckers, it has to be good." Faithfulness in small beginnings led to a large company with a national reputation.
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1. See Poet and Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes: A Literary- Cultural Approach to the Parables in Luke. Two Volumes in One. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1976, pp. 96-106.
