Today's passage (Luke 16:1-17) deals with the parable of the dishonest manager. This parable is kind of tough to grasp and understand. It just seems to be backwards of what you're expecting to read. In my video blog today (Monday) I encourage us all to dig into the passage, think it through and answer the questions that we sent out in your e-mails. Hope you're working on that, but I'd like to dig in to the parable here too. So I have a question and a challenge for you this week.
The question is this: What message(s) is Jesus conveying with this parable? Now here's my challenge. Think about this question and then send in your thoughts. (And, no, this isn't a test and there isn't one "right" answer, really.) We'll post what you send in (which will hopefully get us all thinking a little more) and then on Thursday afternoon, I'll join you and post some possible perspectives and take aways on this parable.
So what do you think? Are you up for it? I'm looking forward to reading your comments and observations. Happy reading!! Tami W.
Hi Susanna here, just a quick update on my Father. He has passed away Today early morning. Praise God, he has provide for us so that we can go there. Yes, I will never talk to my Father again, while here on Earth, but that is Ok, I know where he is, and he is exactly there, where we all want to go to meet each other. In Heaven with Jesus.
We are leaving Tomorrow morning, and we shell be back at the March 16th.
Thank you all very much for Praying.
God Bless
Hi Susanna, Tami, and others,
I also wanted to let you all know that my mother was relieved of her suffering day before yesterday. I had planned to try to convey some of the very thoughts that Susanna has shared with us, but she beat me to it, so I'll just thank you all for your prayers.
Susanna, we'll be praying for you and yours.
Now I'm having to delay the treatment of my tumor for about a week so we can go to mom's funeral, so we still need all your prayers. As Susanna said, it's all OK, but the prayer is a big part of what makes it all OK.
Thanks so much!
Charles
Charles & Susanna, thanks for updating us. We're so sorry to hear about your loss. But please know we'll continue to be praying for you in this very difficult time. Tami W.
I'm having a difficult time with verse 8 "The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly..."
Charges were brought against the manager for misuse of possessions, but the master was commending the manager for being shrewd?
Anyone have an explanation?
This is a very powerfule parable. It talks about generosity. The way I see it is that the people owed so much to the rich man because the steward was inflating his commission and thus charging too much. In verse 8, he shows generosity and therefore is commended by the rich man. As for Susanna, I know what you are going through. In about a week, it will be one year since my father passed. It is hard and you will never see him here again, but you will see and speak to him again in heaven. Praise God!
In response to the parable in Luke 16:1-17
I don't believe that the steward nor his master were christians. The master praised the steward for being shrewd. This indicates to me that the master was obviously in the same mind set. In this instance the steward acted with evil and selfish intent. God does not intend for us to act with shrewdness for our own selfish motives. We cannot serve two masters at once. God knew their hearts. These two were out for themselves only, and not in tune with God.
This is a difficult parable, but, once I read it, and ask the Lord for guidance it helped me.
Here is what I see. The manager disciplined the steward for bad behavior, the steward then repented by revoking his high commission, in return the manager forgave his steward.
This is also an example of how we should with people in our own lifes, whether it be work, family or friends.
Just has our Heavenly Father disciplines us, if we show true repentence, we are forgiven and have His mercy.
Charles and Susanna;
You are in my prayers. My the Lord's grace, mercy and comfort fill you with His unabounding peace.
It would be useful to have a link to the passage being discussed each time. The website of Charles Stanley's bible verse discussion is set up that way and makes it easier to use and compare versions. Thanks
Great suggestion Guy. I think that's something we can do. Tami
Hi Tami:
Interesting timing on the parable. I heard a great sermon on it about two weeks ago. From what I heard, the master charged his price for oil, grain etc. His manager then had the discretion to add his own commission to that amount. Dishonest? I don’t know, perhaps it depends on how much of a commission he charged. When the manager saw his days numbered he reduced the debts by the amount of his commission--so the master was not out anything, the manager just gave up his share in exchange for good relationships with the debtors.
As an insurance guy I can relate to commissions--as they are a part of my world. But my licensing jurisdiction has very strong things to say about rebating back all, or part, of my commissions. I would not be commended for that. I would be out of a job:( So things change, I guess.
So how does this passage impact me? I have a certain amount of financial resources which God has given me. I can’t buy my way into heaven but I can use these resources in ways that further the Kingdom. I will have a day of reckoning coming; -- enjoyed the pod cast on the Great Job Review by the way--to some degree my reward or lack thereof will reflect how shrewd I was with what God has given me. Did I “blow it all” now? Or did I use some for things that really last? (No, I’m not advocating giving it all away. I still have bills to pay and need to keep body and soul together.)
Thanks guys, it's clear to me now. I think I was trying too hard!! Good discussion!!
Hi Everyone!
Isn't it amazing how many different takes we have on this passage?
I have to agree with Donna S. on this one. To be a little more blunt, I think both the master and the steward were crooks. They did not follow Christian principles, but those of the "World"... self-preservation & looking out for #1. (The World edifies and roots for the "good" BAD guy...think about the movies and TV programs.) The day of reckoning came to the steward and he had to give an account of his dealings. Apparently the master knew beforehand that the steward had not been trustworthy, because he was already fired. And isn't it amazing that the steward was ashamed to beg, but not to be dishonest or steal? He showed no remorse or repentance...he just used his shrewdness to figure out a way to continue on. He ingratiated himself to the people who owed the master so that they would look on him with favor and not turn him out when he needed maybe a meal or place to stay. The master commended him and said he'd done wisely...but wisely only according to the principles of the world. Our Lord Jesus was not commending this steward. He said that the children of this age (unbelievers) are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the children of light are to theirs...those things of God. Then He tells us to make friends with the wealth of unrighteousness (money). How do we do that? All good gifts for believers are from God. Money is not sinful...it's the love of it that is...and how we use it. We are to be faithful stewards with the gifts God has given us. We are to use our money for getting the Gospel out to the world, for the poor and the widows. Can you imagine that someday we will be welcomed to our eternal dwelling by those that our money helped reach?
Okay. I'm done. :-)
use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. we do not have to worry, by helping others it will more than return to us ( sooner or later) in other words here and in heaven. the master needed people to pay there bills. the steward needed to make ends meet one or another. all parties involved came out well, and the master commended the steward in his shrewdness. we are to learn to not hoard our gifts and talents but use them and give them freely. we have a wonderful future awaiting!!
Well thank you everyone for sending in your comments on this tough passage (Luke 15:1-16).
I told you I would blog my thoughts on Thursday, so here goes…
As I consider and process this parable, I believe the rich man was commending the manager for his shrewdness only, not his dishonesty. Many times we think of shrewdness as a bad thing because we equate shrewdness with worldliness. That’s not necessarily true. Being shrewd can be a good thing as long as we stay within ethical and moral bounds (ie. shrewdness combined with purity or driven by purity). God calls us to be wise stewards and being shrewd (in the right way) can help us accomplish this.
Another thing I see from this parable is that the manager isn’t waiting around hoping something good will happen or letting happen what may. He is proactive. He quickly assesses the situation, comes up with a plan, and puts that plan into action. He’s a smart man. Again, the rich man is not commending the underlying dishonesty that led to these actions but he does seem to acknowledge the insight of the manager and that he has acted on it.
So those are my thoughts. If you have anything to add, it’s not too late to send in your comment. We’d still love to hear from you. Tami
I'm a staffer here at Back to the Bible, so this parable has been simmering in my mind and spirit for the last week. It hit me today that it really applies to Back to the Bible as a ministry. We need to be "shrewd" by taking advantage of the technology of this world. Honestly, that's what Theodore Epp started back in 1939 when he saw the opportunity to broadcast Biblical teaching over the radio. Today we're able to make use of radio, tv, internet and cell phone technologies to get God's Word out to people wherever they are. We can't serve God AND the things of the world, but we can serve God WITH the things of the world. Someday this world will cease to exist, but we, as individuals, will be received into our eternal dwelling and our work for God will be appraised. This really pumps me up to grab every opportunity to do my job well ... not just here at work, but in my personal life as well. Ya-hoo!
I did not quiet understand this passage, but thanks to you Tami for shedding some light on same. I am still a little unsure but I will do some further checks. Keep up the good work.
Donna M.
Kingston, Jamaica.
In this particular parable, the manager looked out for himself. In these verses the word shrewd intrinsically means evil. We have to remember that while many times the greek and hebrew will have the same meaning, this time it does not. God has advised his people to be shrewd as serpents. In that instance it means wise. The word shrewd in these verses indicates evil only. The steward looked out for himself only.