1 And he said also unto the disciples, There was a certain rich
man, who had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he
was wasting his goods. 2 And he called him, and said unto him,
What is this that I hear of thee? render the account of thy
stewardship; for thou canst be no longer steward. 3 And the
steward said within himself, What shall I do, seeing that my lord
taketh away the stewardship from me? I have not strength to dig;
to beg I am ashamed. 4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am
put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.
5 And calling to him each one of his lord’s debtors, he said to
the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? 6 And he said, A
hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bond, and
sit down quickly and write fifty. 7 Then said he to another, And
how much owest thou? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. He
saith unto him, Take thy bond, and write fourscore.
8 And his lord commended the unrighteous steward because he had
done wisely: for the sons of this world are for their own
generation wiser than the sons of the light. 9 And I say unto you,
Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of
unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you
into the eternal tabernacles. 10 He that is faithful in a very
little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a
very little is unrighteous also in much. 11 If therefore ye have
not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to
your trust the true _riches_? 12 And if ye have not been faithful
in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your
own? 13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate
the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and
despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
The parable of the Unrighteous Steward is often regarded as the most
perplexing of all the parables of our Lord. It seems to picture a man who
robbed his master and received his master’s praise and was pointed to by
Jesus as an example for his followers; further, it seems to indicate that
a place in heaven can be purchased with money. A more careful reading
shows that the praise was bestowed, not for dishonesty, but for prudence
and foresight, that our Lord would have his followers imitate these good
qualities in a bad man, and further that it is possible to use wealth so
generously as to secure endless satisfaction and joy.
The story is that of a steward or a trustee who was in charge of the
property of a rich landowner. Report had reached his master of the
extravagance and dishonesty of this servant. An account was demanded and
he was certain to lose his position. However, he seized on the opportunity
which was still his so to use the wealth intrusted to him as to secure
friends who would provide a home for him when his stewardship had been
lost.
The story is intended to illustrate the stewardship of wealth. No money is
really owned by a follower of Christ; it is simply intrusted to him to be
wisely used in accordance with the will of the Master. For its use a
strict account must some day be made. It will, therefore, be the part of
wisdom and of prudence so to use that which is now intrusted that in the
eternity to come there will be no regret but only joy for the way in which
wealth was employed. In the parable the steward was guilty of fraud, as he
reduced the debts of those who owed money to his master. He was really
using for his future benefit money which was not his own. Of course the
Christian is to act with scrupulous honesty; nevertheless, as he benefits
others by his generous gifts, he really is using money which belongs to
the Lord, but of course he is using it in accordance with the will of his
Master.
In applying the parable, Jesus indicated that the right use of money,
which seeks the welfare of others, applies not only to the rich but also
to the poor, “He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in
much.”
Jesus further indicated that the stewardship which all Christians now
enjoy is a training for larger service in the life to come. “If therefore
ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to
your trust the true riches?”
The motive which inspires fidelity as stewards is that of love. The
difficulty with the dishonest servant was that he was disloyal to his
master and was really seeking to serve himself. One who really loves his
Lord will be faithful in the use of that which is intrusted to him. The
danger of stewards is that of divided allegiance. “No servant can serve
two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else
he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and
mammon.”