Correspondence: The Parable of the Unjust Steward

Narrator: Chris Genthree
Duration: 2min
Luke 16:1‑13  •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 7
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• BibleTruthPublishers.com
Question 26. Please consider the parable of the Unjust Steward. Luke 16:1-131And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. 2And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. 3Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. 4I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. 5So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? 6And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. 7Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. 8And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. 9And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. 10He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. 11If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? 13No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (Luke 16:1‑13); especially verse 9. W. F.
Ans. Man illustrated by Israel is a steward of what God has committed to him, he will be called to give an account. He is unfaithful. Christians, children of light, have owned this, and are set in a new place in grace. They are stewards still; temporal possessions are looked at here. (But see also 1 Cor. 4:22Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:2).) And these temporal possessions might, if love to them is allowed, be a hindrance, holding the heart from Christ.
The unjust steward used what was in his hands for the future, and this is wise or prudent, not just. Rahab was not just to Jericho, she betrayed it, so we are in spirit to be outside this world, because, like Jericho, it is under God’s judgment.
We are now to use what is entrusted to us Christ, so that we may find it again in our future home.
Money, because the heart naturally loves it, Christian’s enemy and is called the “mammon of unrighteousness.” We are to make friends with it, or make it the means of future blessing by using it now for Christ, so that when this life is past, you will have in store a good foundation.
If we let possessions here fill our hearts, we lose the enjoyment of the “true riches,” what is called “our own,” that is, heavenly and spiritual blessings, but if we give Christ His true place in our affections and use what He has committed to us for Him, we have now rich enjoyment of what is really life. (See 1 Tim. 6:1919Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. (1 Timothy 6:19) JND.)
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