Study Bible
Luke
Chapter 16

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager

Luke 16:1-13Luke: List of Major Bible Charts, Maps, & PicturesJesus' Journey to JerusalemJesus' Teaching on Money and Service

Luke 16:1-13NIV11-EN

¹Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. ²So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’ ³“The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— ⁴I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’ ⁵“So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ⁶“ ‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’ ⁷“Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’ “ ‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied. “He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’ ⁸“The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. ⁹I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. ¹⁰“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. ¹¹So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? ¹²And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? ¹³“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

New International Version · Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Section · Luke 16:1–17:10

Jesus' Teaching on Money and Service

Luke presented together a number of Jesus' parables and other statements about priorities, wealth, power, service and humility. So, Luke continues with some more parables: (1) the Parable of the Shrewd Manager (Luke 16:1-15) and (2) the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). Then he comments upon on sin, faith, and duty.

Contrary to popular ideas of the day, Jesus warned against wealth and pride. God's blessing and salvation was not automatic for his covenant people. Instead, those in God's kingdom must be wise stewards of all his gifts and humbly serve others.

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager

This parable focuses upon a steward who is accused of "wasting" the master's goods (cf. The Prodigal Son, Luke 15:13). There are two basic directions one may go in interpreting this parable: (1) the steward is simply not a good manager and is wasteful or (2) the steward is simply dishonest. Though both may work, the latter option seems more fitting, seeing his solution to his problem is one of "what is only good for him."

In essence, the master calls for an accounting of what he has entrusted the dishonest steward with. His accounting is found wanting and the steward is fired. The steward does not like the the option of being in a so-called unemployment line, so he devises a course of action that will bring him into his neighbors' good graces. It is a two-fold scheme: (1) it gives him immediate working capital (a commission) and (2) it puts him in good with others he knows.

The dishonest steward reduces the prices of what is owed to his master: (1) a 50% reduction in the olive oil and (2) a 20% reduction on the wheat. Though his commission would be less than usual, some commission is better than no commission at all and besides it helps him be friends with others of influence. So, the master commends his formerly dishonest steward for a shrewd solution. The steward has sacrificed what he could have taken now and has given it to others so that he can receive gain later. This interpretation best fits with Jesus' application Jesus in Luke 16:9.

Jesus makes some initial applications regarding the shrewdness of the steward:

(1) The people of darkness (the world) are often more shrewd than the people of the light (the disciples).
(2) The people of this world think about how they use their resources. And even if they misuse them, they still give it thought.
(3) They think about the long-term benefits of what they acquire. They have a long-term investment attitude.

The object than for the Church is that they hould apply themselves to honor and serve God by their use of resources. They should think through their actions, both short and long term. They should invest wisely.

To these initial applications Jesus adds some others in Luke 16:9-13:

(1) A biblical shrewd use of one's present resources now has lasting benefits (Luke 16:9). So, God's people should recognize the limits of present wealth (you can't bring it with you) and use it for others, not selfishly (cf. 1 Tim. 6:10).
(2) Possessions are not only a blessing, but a responsibility. They test our values, character, and our relationship with God and others. The one who is faithful in little is also faithful in much (Luke 16:10).
(3) Be faithful with that belongs to another, so that the latter can receive reward. Being faithful with what belongs to God now, that God may spread his Kingdom (his reward) is the goal of wealth this side of eternity.

So, Jesus warns that we cannot have two masters. We will choose to serve God or mammon. We will love one and hate the other. Jesus' point is to choose God over mammon.

Luke 16:1

disciples. Jesus focused on a different group for the following parable (vv. 1-13; 15:3). rich man. A picture often used in Jesus's parables (v. 19; 10:30; 12:16; 14:16; 19:12). manager. One of the rich man's slaves who would have had responsibilities for overseeing the master's finances as well as the other slaves. Unlike more modern forms, slavery in the ancient world was not based on ethnicity. Though masters could be cruel, slaves were not seen as less than human. They could be well-educated, hold many responsibilities, and more easily gain their freedom. wasting. Losses due to incompetence by the manager.

Luke 16:2

The manager was called upon to turn in his record books and give a final report before being fired.

Luke 16:4

The manager devised a scheme that would help him find support for himself after he has been fired. The master told the manager to turn in his accounts. But until that happens, he's still in control of the rich man's books. His motivation and actions (vv. 5-7) were selfish. He was working for himself, not his master.

Luke 16:5-7

See WLC 145.

Luke 16:6-7

The manager offered huge amounts of discounts on the debt owed his master. hundred baths. A bath was the usual Jewish measurement for oil of the day. It was the equivalent of 8.75 gallons (33.1 liters). The total value would have been around 1,000 denarii, or three years' worth of wages for the average worker. hundred cors. A cor was the same as ten ephahs or thirty seahs in ancient measurements. This is about 10-20 bushels (almost 400 liters) in modern terms. A hundred cor was worth about 2,500 to 3,000 denarii, or about eight to ten years salary for an average worker.

Luke 16:8

shrewdly. Acting with cleverness or cunning. The manager did not offer commendation of the dishonest and disrespectful action. He commended the clever way the manager wisely planned for his future. By giving the master's debtors huge discounts, he made them feel indebted to him. Soon, the manager would need a new job (v. 2) and these debtors would help. children of this world. A phrase for unbelievers which emphasized their focus on the present age. children of light. A name for God's people among certain believing communities in that day. more shrewd. Unbelievers know how to employ their money and their energy in order to secure their own interests. The manager saw what was coming and knew how to plan for it. If pagans can be wise in their pursuit of thing in this life only, how much more should God's people be wise in how they pursue eternity (v. 9)?

Luke 16:9

unrighteous wealth. Not money gained by sin, but wealth that exists in this world only. It is unrighteous because people often trust in it rather than God. friends . . . eternal dwellings. If we are to be wise and faithful stewards, then we will be shrewd with our resources (v. 8). Rather than live for this world alone, we will plan for our future glory in God's presence. Specifically, we are to focus on people. Jesus uses the language of friendships. His disciples should use their resources to love other and spread the gospel that more people will enter the kingdom through faith and repentance (Mark 1:15; 2 Cor. 5:11-21).

Luke 16:10-13

See WLC 142; HC 110.

Luke 16:10-12

How you spend your money is an indicator of how you will handle other things. Money is important because it's an easy measure of where our heart is. Where you spend your treasure reveals where your heart is and reveals your priorities (Matt. 6:21). Those faithful with something temporal and earthly like money can be trusted with something more spiritual.

Luke 16:13

servant. Serving God brings freedom and joy (Rom. 6:18). Serving anything else is idolatry and it brings bondage (John 8:34; Rom. 6:16-18). love . . . hate. Masters call for an exclusive commitment. Between two masters, someone or something is going to rise to the top of your affections and be the supreme treasure of your heart. It's either God or an idol like wealth (14:26).

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