Luke 16, Part One

The parable of the wicked, but wise, steward (vs. 1-13)--Verse 1 tells us the Jesus is now speaking to His disciples, and indeed, this parable is especially for those who follow Him. In sum, a man's steward was "wasting his [master’s] goods" (v. 1). The steward was fired (v. 2), but with no unemployment insurance, figured that he would end up destitute (v. 3). So he came up with a scheme that would put others in his debt (v. 4). He went to his master's creditors and had each of them pay less than he truly owed--in effect, cheating his master (vs. 5-7). Yet, "the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly" (v. 8). Jesus is not condoning what the man did; indeed He calls him "unjust." But His major point is found at the end of verse 8: "For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light." The man had acted astutely in preparing for his future, and unfortunately, too often the wicked show more care and prudence in providing for the necessities of this life than the righteous do in preparing for the next. This world is not our home, but too often we act like it is and don't demonstrate the proper wisdom in living for the day when we will no longer be on this earth. In verse 9 Jesus is instructing the wise use of the things of this world; we DO exist here, for a season, but the goods, the "unrighteous mammon" of this world is of no eternal value. Use these things only as they will aid us in being received "into an everlasting home" (v. 9). Money is a "little thing," and if we can't use the unimportant faithfully, then how will the Lord ever trust us with the greater, more valuable, spiritual riches of the kingdom? (vs. 10-12). There can be only one Master. Serve Him, rather than the world, and be wise in the use of this world's goods (v. 13). Again, Jesus emphasizes priorities. The things of this world are given to us, by God, for our use; He knows we need them. We must not become attached to them, however, for they will pass away. Prepare for the eternal life to come. That is true wisdom.

Jesus chides the Pharisees (vs. 14-18)--Yet the Pharisees, as always, were hanging around and heard what Jesus said about money. Being "lovers of money" they "derided Him" (v. 14). The spiritual shallowness and worldliness of these people are in evidence here. And they were the religious leaders of the day! No wonder Judaism was in such sad shape. Jesus comes right back at them, however, by denouncing their carnality. What they exalted (worldly things) is an abomination in the sight of God. The new dispensation draws nigh (v. 16), the kingdom of God, and it is worth fighting for. The idea of "everyone pressing into it," or "entereth violently into it" (KJV) is just that--the kingdom is worth every effort we can make to get into it, even if we have to be violent about it. We must not let anything keep us from salvation. The idea of "violence" is a hyperbole; the Lord doesn't want that kind of behavior in His people. But it illustrates just how valuable the kingdom of God is and how urgent our entrance into it is. The message Jesus was preaching was true; it summed up even the Jews’ own law (v. 17). The relation of verse 18 on marriage is a little obscure, but could be an example of how the Pharisees refused to obey important matters of the Law, regardless of their great pretensions to righteousness.