A Different Kind of Waste
As we move from Luke 15 into Luke 16 today, we’re going to see Jesus move from talking about what it means to be lost and then found by the Father to what are some of the fruits of being found. If chapter 15 is about the heart of the gospel, how we’re all lost whether we’re really good or really bad, how the Lord comes to all of us with grace, imploring us to be reconciled to him and enter the joy of his feast, then chapter 16 is about what happens once the Lord’s grace has captured our hearts. Chapter 15 is about the roots of the gospel; chapter 16 is about the fruits of the gospel.
In our text this morning, Luke 16:1-13, Jesus addresses his disciples and teaches them about what their attitude toward money should be. Jesus’ main point in this parable, and the few verses that follow it, is that his followers are called to steward money not be owned by money. First, we’ll see a shrewd manager (vv. 1-9), then we’ll see the danger of money (vv. 10-13), then we’ll consider several common mistakes we make with money.
Given how much Jesus talks about it, we need to grapple with the fact that our attitude toward money and how we manage it reveals, perhaps more than anything else, whether the gospel has taken root in our lives.
A Shrewd Manager
First, let’s meet the shrewd manager in verses 1-9. Jesus’ parable begins with a rich man and his “manager.” In the ancient world, and today, the super wealthy would entrust the management of their estate into the hands of a steward, or estate-manager. The steward was in charge of managing all the master’s property. They didn’t own the property, but were charged with managing it as if it were their own.
When the owner learns that his manager is “wasting (or “squandering,” same word used of the younger son in 15:13, revealing the degree of the mismanagement) his possessions” (v. 1), he calls a meeting, demands an accounting, and fires him on the spot (v. 2)!
In verse 3, the manager wonders what he’ll do for work now that he’s been fired. Since he’s lazy and proud he thinks he can’t dig or beg. But then he has an “aha” moment in verse 4, “I have decided what to do.” He decides to use what got him into trouble to get him out of trouble. He’ll use his master’s debtors (whom he’s mismanaged) to secure future employment for himself. His plan is to cheat his master by reducing the debts of his master’s debtors.
In verses 5-7, he puts his plan into action. The amount of these debts is very large. One hundred measures of oil (v. 6) would be between 800-900 gallons of oil, the yield of around 150 olive trees and worth the wages of about three years for an average worker. One hundred measures of wheat (v. 7) would be almost 1,100 bushels of wheat, the produce of 100 acres, equivalent to seven and half years of labor for the average worker, and enough wheat to feed around 150 people for a year. Jesus is describing very large business deals being altered by the manager without the owner’s permission.
The manager’s plan was calculated to put the debtors in his debt by reducing their debt. In a culture built on reciprocity like the ancient near east, these debtors were basically required to help the manager because he’d helped them. He was seeking to stay employed even after being fired, using whatever means necessary.
An Unexpected Response
But the owner finds out what he’s done and responds in a way we wouldn’t expect (v. 8a). Why would the master “commend” (or “praise”, CSB) the steward for what he did?
The answer is right there in the text. The manager was praised “for his shrewdness” (v. 8a). To be clear, his actions aren’t upheld as models in the parable. Jesus clearly says he’s an “unrighteous manager.” The word there for “unrighteous” means “wicked, unjust, and wrong.” The next part of verse 8 calls him a “son of this world.”
He’s not praised for his actions but for his prudence, or shrewdness. This is the key to the whole parable. He’s praised for the cleverness he used to solve his problem, not necessarily the way he solved his problem. One commentator says Jesus “clearly is not praising his integrity but his ingenuity.”[1] His cleverness, not his criminality, is commended.
Think about it. It’s possible to commend a person’s specific action without endorsing all they do. We do this with politicians and friends and family members. We can agree with a specific action without a wholesale endorsement of someone’s character.
There’s a story of two people discussing a preacher they just heard. One person said, “He didn’t really say anything.” The other replied, “Yes, but he said it in an awfully nice way.” They’re saying that the preacher’s content was lacking, but his style was pleasing.[2] It’s possible to say that someone’s decision is wrong but their style, so to speak, is good. This is what I think Jesus is saying here.
The master praises his (former) manager for his quick thinking about how to best insure his future prospects. But what exactly is praiseworthy about the manager’s shrewdness? Professor James Edwards says it better than I can:
“Unlike the ‘sons of light,’ who may retreat into pious passivity in the face of opposition, the shrewd manager forms a plan and acts on it. When all hope seems lost, he does what he can, even if the little he can do may not seem to amount to much. His positive action spares him from resignation and cynicism. In contrast to the parable of the Rich Man who amassed wealth without any thought of the future (12:16-21), the master praises the steward, scoundrel though he is, for his ingenuity in figuring out a way of providing for his future by using his soon-to-be-lost financial power. He is indeed a ‘son of this world,’ but he is more prudent in planning for the only future he is concerned about than the typical religious person is in planning for his eternal future with God.”[3]
In the modern West, we typically equate shrewdness with deceitfulness or manipulation. But in the ancient world, and in much of the world today, shrewdness is admired. The Old Testament is full of stories where people are commended for their cleverness. Tamar (Gen. 38), the Hebrew midwives (Ex. 1), and Rahab (Josh. 2) are praised for their ingenuity even if some of their actions were morally questionable. Jesus’ parable follows in this tradition.
Further Explanation about the Commendation
The second half of verse 8 further explains why the master praises the manager. Jesus is saying that the manager, a “son of this world,” knew how to handle the systems of this world to his own advantage, while the “sons of light” don’t know how to live wisely in their system. In other words, unbelievers know how to live in line with the world’s system while believers don’t know how to live in line with the kingdom of God. Jesus is saying that unbelievers are often better than believers at strategically employing the world’s wealth in light of the future.
In verse 9, he explains further. This verse is wordy and difficult, but the meaning is simple. Jesus is saying that “unrighteous wealth” (another way of saying “worldly wealth,” or the money of this world), will eventually “fail” (or be “gone”), so use it wisely with eternity in mind.
Jesus tells us to “make friends” by means of worldly wealth “so that” when the end comes we have something to show for it. Jesus seems to be envisioning those who get to heaven before we do (“they may receive you”) welcoming us as a result of how we used our money to help them get there. Jesus is saying, according to Dale Davis, to “put some thought, use some ‘steward savvy,’ to think through and come up with ways to benefit the ‘sons of light’ in this age, so that they’ll welcome you with open arms in the ‘eternal dwellings.’”[4] You could paraphrase verse 9 like this, “Put yourself in a good position through your use of money, which so easily leads you astray, so that when this age is over (others) will receive you into (God’s) eternal dwelling.”[5]
This will look different for everyone. Some can do more, some less. G. Campbell Morgan, a British pastor from last century, tells a story of going to the home of a very wealthy church member. During family prayer, the father prayed for the salvation of the lost and for missionaries. After his prayer, one of his sons said, “Dad, I like to hear you pray for the missionaries. But do you know what I was thinking when you were praying, if I had your bank book, I would answer half your prayers!”[6]
Jesus is telling his disciples to use their wits and their wealth in ways that serve God and bless others, and to exercise strategic wisdom in doing so, with eternity in mind.
The Danger of Money
In verses 10-13, there are several short sayings of Jesus on the topic of wealth, culminating with a warning about the danger of money.
The main idea here in verse 10 is that finances reveal our character. How you handle the small stuff reveals whether you can be trusted with greater responsibility. This verse is really about character, not money. Jesus says character isn’t determined by reward, but by faithfulness regardless of reward. In other words, faithfulness means doing what’s right because it’s right, not because you’ll be rewarded.
In verses 11-12, Jesus says that if we don’t faithfully manage worldly wealth, why would the Lord entrust to us the true and eternal wealth of his kingdom? Sometimes we want to “change the world for Christ,” but we aren’t faithfully, wisely, and diligently stewarding the things right in front of us. Faithfulness in lesser things is preparation for faithfulness in greater things.
This is the principle behind Paul’s requirement for elders to manage their homes well to show that they’re capable of managing God’s house (1 Tim. 3:5). Or think of Paul’s command to “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). What does this look like? Intense, spiritual experiences? Speaking in tongues? Paul goes on to say in the following verses that it looks like singing in church, being grateful at all times, and having a posture of deference toward others (vv. 19-21). And then he talks about marriage (vv. 22-33), attitudes between parents and children (6:1-4), and the quality of our daily work (vv. 5-9). We often think of our marriages, parenting, and work as mundane, not spiritual. But Paul says that how we operate in each reveals whether we’re filled with the Spirit or not. In other words, he says it’s the little things that reveal what we really are.
Then in verse 13, Jesus says that when it comes to ultimate matters, multitasking is impossible. Notice he doesn’t say that you shouldn’t serve two masters, but that you can’t. It’s impossible. We cannot serve God and serve money. You have to choose which master you’ll serve.
How We Can Manage Money
Jesus’ followers are called to steward money, not be owned by money. Jesus’ parable and subsequent teaching are about the prudential and strategic use of our material resources. We’re to manage money with God as our Master. Before we discuss several common mistakes we make with money, let me mention two basic principles about money.
First, God owns everything (Ps. 24:1). We often view money as something we earn and own. But Scripture says it’s something we manage. God never transfers ownership of his creation to us. It’s his. We’re managers and God will evaluate what we do with what belongs to him. So, the question is not, “What can I do with my money?”, but rather, “What does God want me to do with his money?”
Second, we’ll give an account for how we steward what God puts in our hands. God created us to cultivate the world for his glory. He didn’t call us to preserve resources but to multiply them. This is the point of the parable of the talents, where the faithful servants invested their master’s resources and produced an increase, expanding what had been entrusted to them (Mt. 25:14-30). God calls us to manage what’s his, and we’ll talk to him one day about how we did.
Now here are eight common mistakes we make with money:
First, we don’t take an interest in our finances. We ignore them. But God gave you the resources you have, whether it’s a lot or a little, because he wants you to manage them. And to manage them you have to look at them.
Second, we don’t build a budget and live within it. Budgeting is hard and isn’t fun (for most of us), but it’s the primary mechanism we have to manage our money. Therefore, failing to budget is failing to manage your resources.
Third, we don’t avoid debt. Debt makes us slaves to lenders and keeps us from being able to do what we’d like to do with our money. We will likely take on some debt when buying a house or car, but most “consumer debt” can be easily avoided.
Fourth, we don’t live simply. We struggle to know what are needs and what are wants. “Wants” aren’t all bad. But our needs must be prioritized.
Fifth, we don’t prioritize giving consistently to our local church. Because the local church is the primary place we’re “taught the word,” it should be the primary place we give charitably to (Gal. 6:6, 1 Cor. 9:11, Rom. 15:27).
Sixth, we don’t think about ways we can bless others above and beyond what we give to the church. Pray for wisdom and opportunities. Get involved in people’s lives so you can learn what needs are out there. Give to missionaries and schools and people doing kingdom work. Consider renting out a room in your house at a deep discount to someone you know in need, or giving away an unneeded car to someone who doesn’t have a vehicle, or inviting a family over for dinner in order to feed and encourage them, or offer to babysit for couples with young children so they can have a date night. What we have is not ours – it’s Gods. The more we understand this, the more our hands will open.
Seventh, we don’t seek counsel regarding big financial decisions. Try to talk with a financial advisor about your retirement to make sure you’re able to provide for yourself and your family when you’re no longer able to work. Try to save as much as possible now so you can provide for your family later, and to put yourself in a position to practice radical generosity as you age.
And eighth, we don’t plan out our will. Estate planning is for everyone, not just old or wealthy people. As you think about what will happen with all your stuff when you die, think about how to maximize your estate for the kingdom of God long after you’re gone. Consider naming churches and ministries in your will, not just your kids and grandkids.
As one writer says, “When believers wisely manage resources, they are able to support their families, care for aging parents, provide for widows and orphans, fund missionaries, strengthen churches, support Christian education, assist those in need, and leave a legacy that advances the kingdom long after they are gone. Conversely, poor stewardship often limits our ability to fulfill these biblical responsibilities. If we’re spending all our income on ourselves, we won’t have any left to invest in others. If we’re impulsive (or compulsive) in our spending, we’ll be empty-handed when the time comes to fulfill our financial calling.”[7]
Jesus’ followers are called to manage money, not be owned by money. Of all people, God’s people should be thinking carefully – shrewdly, about how we can steward our resources in light of the future.
A No-Brainer
These things we’re learning in Luke 16 are only possible when we understand Luke 15. We’ll never manage money for God’s glory as long as the gospel of God’s grace hasn’t radically shifted our hearts from self-centeredness to God-centeredness.
There are several connections between the parable we’ve looked at today and the parable of the two lost sons. Both use the word “squander,” both the younger son and the manager betray a trust, both use soliloquy, both have a person seeking relief from a crisis, and both people receive an unexpected response – a forgiveness that seems unfair.
And we aren’t very different from the prodigal son or the dishonest manager. We’ve squandered our lives on things that don’t matter, broken trusts, tried to fix things ourselves, and then, all of a sudden, we received an offer from the Lord as unexpected as it is unfair. Instead of judgment, in Jesus we’re offered mercy. Instead of rejection, we’re welcomed into God’s family.
When we understand the generosity of God and how utterly undeserving we are, managing God’s money for God’s glory is a no-brainer.
[1]Dale Ralph Davis, Luke 14-24: On the Road to Jerusalem, Focus on the Bible (Fearn, Ross-shire, UK: Christian Focus, 2021), 40.
[2]Ibid., 39.
[3]James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Luke, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015), 454-5.
[4]Davis, 42.
[5]Klyne R. Snodgrass, Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2018), 415.
[6]Davis, 42, n. 3.
[7]The Parable of the Talents Isn’t about Talents – Equip the Called