The Parable of the The Parable of the Unjust StewardUnjust Steward

Luke 16:1-9Luke 16:1-9

Understanding the storyUnderstanding the story

What is a steward?What is a steward? What is his relationship to the master?What is his relationship to the master? Who are the debtors?Who are the debtors? What are the bills?What are the bills?

There is much about the setting, history, There is much about the setting, history, and customs that make the story hard to and customs that make the story hard to understandunderstand So permit me to try to retell the story in a So permit me to try to retell the story in a

modern settingmodern setting

The Enron parableThe Enron parable There was a CFO of a major corporationThere was a CFO of a major corporation The CFO embezzled huge amountsThe CFO embezzled huge amounts The shareholders find out and demand an auditThe shareholders find out and demand an audit Before the audit, the CFO rewrites loan Before the audit, the CFO rewrites loan

documents to forgive enormous sums to the documents to forgive enormous sums to the company’s debtorscompany’s debtors

After he is fired, he expects to be hired by one of After he is fired, he expects to be hired by one of the debtor companiesthe debtor companies

The shareholders find out what happenedThe shareholders find out what happened And they say, “Good job!”And they say, “Good job!”

But, that ending…?But, that ending…?

Either parable seems to make senseEither parable seems to make sense Until the very endUntil the very end

Why would the embezzler be praised?Why would the embezzler be praised? Some look at the word “shrewd” and say Some look at the word “shrewd” and say

he was praised for making a clever planhe was praised for making a clever plan But who would praise such wickedness?But who would praise such wickedness?

Even Jesus’ final statement seems oddEven Jesus’ final statement seems odd ““Make friends with unrighteous mammon Make friends with unrighteous mammon

(wealth)”?(wealth)”? Isn’t that wrong? (Matt. 6:24)Isn’t that wrong? (Matt. 6:24)

Understanding the parableUnderstanding the parable What’s the context of this parable?What’s the context of this parable?

Lk 15:1-10 Parables of loss (sheep and coin) and Lk 15:1-10 Parables of loss (sheep and coin) and repentancerepentance

Lk 15:11-32 Parable of loss (son), repentance, Lk 15:11-32 Parable of loss (son), repentance, forgiveness, jealousy and lack of forgivenessforgiveness, jealousy and lack of forgiveness

Lk 16:19-31 Story of eternal loss (soul) and of eternal Lk 16:19-31 Story of eternal loss (soul) and of eternal salvationsalvation

LossLoss is the common element before and after is the common element before and after our parableour parable Along with actions subsequent to the lossAlong with actions subsequent to the loss So keep this in mind: Where is the loss in our So keep this in mind: Where is the loss in our

parable? And what are the actions subsequent to the parable? And what are the actions subsequent to the loss?loss?

The PhariseesThe Pharisees The parables were told to the Pharisees and The parables were told to the Pharisees and

scribes (Lk 15:3)scribes (Lk 15:3) Because they did not like Jesus spending time with Because they did not like Jesus spending time with

sinnerssinners What was their reaction to our parable?What was their reaction to our parable? Lk 16:14 – They were scoffing, deriding HimLk 16:14 – They were scoffing, deriding Him

The parable didn’t make sense to them eitherThe parable didn’t make sense to them either They knew the master would not praise the wickedThey knew the master would not praise the wicked

Money was something they understoodMoney was something they understood Perhaps thought Jesus was ignorant of how money-Perhaps thought Jesus was ignorant of how money-

management workedmanagement worked

““You are the man!”You are the man!” Do you remember that line from Nathan when he Do you remember that line from Nathan when he

set up David with a story? (2 Sam 12:1-7)set up David with a story? (2 Sam 12:1-7) Jesus says a similar thingJesus says a similar thing

““You are those who justify themselves in the You are those who justify themselves in the sight of men!” (Lk 16:15)sight of men!” (Lk 16:15)

The unjust steward (wicked manager) The unjust steward (wicked manager) represents the Phariseesrepresents the Pharisees

If you missed this, you missed the point of the If you missed this, you missed the point of the parableparable

A second look at the parableA second look at the parable The Pharisees (and all Jews) were given The Pharisees (and all Jews) were given

spiritual responsibility from God (like the spiritual responsibility from God (like the Parable of the Talents)Parable of the Talents) Instead of making good use of their position Instead of making good use of their position

for God, they looked out only for themselvesfor God, they looked out only for themselves God demanded an audit (judgment God demanded an audit (judgment

through John the Baptist and Jesus)through John the Baptist and Jesus) Instead of repenting, the Pharisees went into Instead of repenting, the Pharisees went into

even greater wickedness to make life even even greater wickedness to make life even easier for themselves easier for themselves

A second look at the parableA second look at the parable But the ending?But the ending?

Will God praise them for their shrewdness?Will God praise them for their shrewdness? The Pharisees laughed; they knew the master The Pharisees laughed; they knew the master

would not praise the wickedwould not praise the wicked Yet they were living as if they expected God Yet they were living as if they expected God

would praise their shrewdnesswould praise their shrewdness But He won’t (Lk 16:15)But He won’t (Lk 16:15)

Even if men praised the wickedness (which they Even if men praised the wickedness (which they don’t), God finds it detestabledon’t), God finds it detestable

They should have been seeking the lost (sinners), They should have been seeking the lost (sinners), not causing more to be lostnot causing more to be lost

Application (Luke 16:8b-13)Application (Luke 16:8b-13) Worldly people will get the worldly point quicker Worldly people will get the worldly point quicker

than spiritual people will get the spiritual point than spiritual people will get the spiritual point (v8b)(v8b)

If you are concerned with what money can buy, If you are concerned with what money can buy, you’ll spend eternity with likeminded people (v9)you’ll spend eternity with likeminded people (v9)

No such thing as “a little sinful” (v10)No such thing as “a little sinful” (v10) But what about the things (physical and But what about the things (physical and

spiritual) with which you have been entrusted? spiritual) with which you have been entrusted? (v11-13)(v11-13) Are you using them for God?Are you using them for God? Do you expect a reward based on how you use them?Do you expect a reward based on how you use them? Are you seeking the lost or sending them away?Are you seeking the lost or sending them away?

Meaning of the parableMeaning of the parable

Worldly point to the storyWorldly point to the story If you are dishonest, you will be found outIf you are dishonest, you will be found out When you are found out, you will be punishedWhen you are found out, you will be punished Even more clever wickedness will not save you, it will Even more clever wickedness will not save you, it will

just get more people punished with youjust get more people punished with you

Meaning of the parableMeaning of the parable Spiritual point for which the parable was toldSpiritual point for which the parable was told

If you don’t give God your best, then you are If you don’t give God your best, then you are embezzling from God and you are known by embezzling from God and you are known by GodGod

Since you are known to be embezzling, God Since you are known to be embezzling, God will punish you (unless you truly repent and will punish you (unless you truly repent and have sins forgiven)have sins forgiven)

Don’t think that more embezzling (e.g., Don’t think that more embezzling (e.g., making a pretense of service) will somehow making a pretense of service) will somehow make things rightmake things right

God knows where your true loyalty liesGod knows where your true loyalty lies

ConclusionConclusion

What kind of steward have you been What kind of steward have you been with the things God has given you?with the things God has given you?

Are you bringing the lost to Christ or Are you bringing the lost to Christ or causing them to stay lost?causing them to stay lost?