Parable of the Shrewd Manager
Luke 16

v. 1-8: We are to be as shrewd as we are with our worldly ventures as we are with our devotion to the Lord. We will do all that we can, take great measures to secure financial security or security in friends, like the manager did so that he may be received v.4 “…into their houses.”

v. 9: But here it says that we are to make friends by unrighteous money, so that we may be received into an everlasting home! How can this be? What is Jesus talking about here? Are we to break the law so that we may gain favor into heaven? This cannot be possible. So what does he mean here? Does he mean, that money in general isn’t righteous or of the Lord, so that when we use this unrighteous money, use it for the benefit of our friends, and not ourselves in this world. Use our money for those who are not saved.

v. 10-15: Then after verse nine, it seems to refer back to verses one through eight. We should be faithful through all things! In what v.10 “is least” and “in much.” When our future is unknown like the shrewd manager. He is losing his job (though for being dishonest) and will have no way to earn money or favor with anybody. We need to respond righteously to the unrighteous! Verse eleven says, “Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon (money), who will commit to your trust the true riches?” And then verse twelve states, “And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?” How does this verse apply now after we just heard in verses one through eight? The manager was not trustworthy with his masters money, how can he be trusted with his own?

I think there are a variety of thoughts going on here. It at many points seems contradictory, but being that Jesus is God, I doubt that He is being contradictory. Jesus is addressing a lot of things here and it is important to separate them and not try to over analyze things here, if you do, it will become absurdly confusing.

I am going to try to continue to research this parable and find some sermons on this passage as well as some additional articles.

I’ve read a few articles already, all of them stating different points of view and I haven’t come to the conclusion that I agree with any of them as of yet. Some of them have a few interesting ideas, but are simply observational and completely opinion based. My ideas above are also opinions and can’t be taken as fact, but I’ll be researching more to try to discern what this passage is intended to mean and what God wants us to learn from it. I’ll post the links to the other articles below but once again would not give them full credit as a solid piece of truth, but are useful to stir your own thoughts and ideas. And so goes it with my ideas as well, meant as observations and ideas that I hope and pray are influenced and soaked in good doctrine.

I’ll be praying that I can understand is meant in this passage, because my brain is having much trouble comprehending it.

Nathaniel D. Kimmel


Links:


Grace Thru Faith Article


Web-Church.com Article


Ross Rhodes Article on the Shrewd Manager


Anglican Article on the Shrewd Manager