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Luke 16:1-9 Parable of the Unrighteous Steward

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by zrs6v4, Feb 9, 2010.

  1. zrs6v4

    zrs6v4 Member

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    Interpret please. A friend and I were wrestling with this, but had a hard time coming up with a clear conclusion.



    The Unrighteous Steward
    1Now He was also saying to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and this manager was reported to him as (A)squandering his possessions.

    2"And he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.'

    3"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; I am ashamed to beg.

    4'I know what I shall do, so that when I am removed from the management people will welcome me into their homes.'

    5"And he summoned each one of his master's debtors, and he began saying to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'

    6"And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'

    7"Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' And he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'

    8"And his master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of (B)this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the (C)sons of light.

    9"And I say to you, (D)make friends for yourselves by means of the [a](E)wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, (F)they will receive you into the eternal dwellings.
     
  2. zrs6v4

    zrs6v4 Member

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    Nobody huh? I guess I will give it a try and maybe you can tell me where I went way off :)

    1. Parable is about a rich man/master and his manager, directed to the disciples but Jesus is speaking indirectly to Pharisees as well.

    - The manager was reported for wasting the masters possessions

    2. The master called in the manager and confronted him and fired him.

    3. The manager began to plot within himself about what he was going to do now that he is being fired. I am unsure what he means by saying, "I am not strong enough to dig, and I am to ashamed to beg."... I would guess this means that he has no excuse and realizes it.
    4. the manager then comes up with a sharp and practical plan in response to his situation. He does this so he can have an advantage or relationship with the people to some degree.
    5-7. the manager goes to a couple of his masters customers and lets them off the hook on their debts by giving them deals.
    8. The master sees his shrewdness and gives him a praise. In other words that was really smart although he isnt necessarily happy with what he did. Then Jesus says, "for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light."

    Jesus is saying that the unbelievers act more shrewdly to unbelievers than they do to believers.

    9. Then Jesus says to act shrewdly to people and make friends this way, Although he shows that it will fail because it is wrong. So when this actually happens that you will be in with people. This is the verse I cant understand because it seems like Jesus is advising the disciples to act wickedly, and I cant figure out why exactly he is making this statement. thoughts?
     
  3. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    Hello Zach. I got Jamieson, Fausset, & Brown Commentary out this morn. I liked their articulation on v. 9, so here it is:

    9.Make . . . friends of--Turn to your advantage; that is, as the steward did, "by showing mercy to the poor" (Daniel 4:27; compare Luke 12:33, 14:13,14).

    mammon of unrighteousness--treacherous, precarious.

    ye fail--in respect of life.


    they may receive you--not generally, "ye may be received" (as Luke 6:38, "shall men give"), but "those ye have relieved may rise up as witnesses for you" at the great day. Then, like the steward, when turned out of one home shall ye secure another; but better than he, a heavenly for an earthly, an everlasting for a temporary habitation. Money is not here made the key to heaven, more than "the deeds done in the body" in general, according to which, as a test of character--but not by the merit of which--men are to be judged (2 Corinthians 5:10, and see Matthew 25:34-40).
     
  4. zrs6v4

    zrs6v4 Member

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    The reason I havent responded is that I dont know how to respond to any of this :laugh: this parable is tough to understand
     
  5. Marcia

    Marcia Active Member

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    My NT prof talked about this and I can't recall clearly if this is what he said, but it's what I recall. Jesus is teaching the disciples that if worldly people can be shrewd stewards of their masters' money/possessions, Christians should be just as shrewd. This could have been the end for this guy, but he turned it around.

    Iow, worldly men are sometimes shrewder than believers. This is a good thing - it does not mean to be deceptive but wise with situations such as this one.

    Be shrewd in the ways of the world and use that for the kingdom of God.
     
  6. zrs6v4

    zrs6v4 Member

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    I agree with you here, its just hard to process as it isn't the every day command by Jesus.. I think I am beginning to get it though.

    thank you
     
  7. Marcia

    Marcia Active Member

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    You're welcome! :thumbs:
     
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