Study 35. Luke 16:1-17. 25/8/23

 21. In 16:10-13, Jesus commends a particular character trait of a good disciple: faithful or trustworthy stewardship.

Jesus spoke this parable to 'the disciples' (16:1), but the Pharisees are still in the background (16:14). This parable is difficult to interpret because Jesus appears to commend dishonesty.  The likely explanation is that the steward is commended, not for his dishonesty, but for taking resolute action in a crisis. The coming of Jesus forced people to decision. When even dishonest worldly people know how and when to take decisive action, much more should those who follow him. T. W. Manson reminds us that there is a world of difference between ‘I applaud the dishonest steward because he acted cleverly’ and ‘I applaud the clever steward because he acted dishonestly’ (Morris)

The text also makes it clear that Jesus commended the steward for forward planning by buying friends with money - something intangible with something tangible. We are asked to do the same.

The background is that the master may not be supposed to have 'debtors' in the first place, Jews were forbidden to take interest from fellow-Jews when they lent them money (Exod. 22:25; Lev. 25:36; Deut. 23:19). "Those who wished to make money from loans evaded this by reasoning that the law was concerned to prohibit the exploitation of the poor. It was not meant to forbid innocent transactions that were mutually beneficial and where the payment of interest amounted to the sharing of profits...The master could not have repudiate the steward’s action without convicting himself of taking usury.. So he put the best face possible on the situation and ‘commended’ the steward...Both were acting decisively in a difficult situation." (Morris)

'He deals with the debtors one by one; secrecy was essential'

'unrighteous wealth' likely means that money is often acquired by unrighteous means, that it can be used to fulfil unrighteous desires, and/or it can corrupt people into unrighteousness.

'when it fails' speaks of inevitable loss

Why should you be faithful with whatever you have in this world?

 16:10    Faithfulness reflects one's character, not a situational response. Faithfulness in small things will show faithfulness in big things. If you can't handle money well, you can't handle more important things. We are intended for greater things  

16:11    God will give us true wealth that will satisfy for eternity if we prove ourselves good stewards of worldly wealth.

16:12    Faithfulness for another (God) now will show that you will be faithful with your own posessions later. We would say that, if we are not faithful in our own things, we are not fit to handle those of others, but Jesus reverses this. The money we think we own is not really ours. It is always what we have from God (1 Chr. 29:14) and we are no more than stewards of it. We cannot take it with us when we die. If we handle it badly we show that we are unfitted to use the true heavenly riches which will otherwise be given us as our permanent possession (cf. Matt. 25:34).

16:13    Faithfulness shows where your affections are, and where the goal of our lives is.

 

How can you use your Master's property more shrewdly to gain eternal friends (16:9) or more faithfully and honestly to gain true riches of your own (16:10)?. Plan at least one specific application of 16:1-13.

Give to the church, missions, give to the poor.

This is laying up treasures in heaven (Mt 6:19)

In Matthew's gospel this command and the statement of being unable to serve 2 masters is joined by the call to have a healthy eye (cf. Lk 11:34-35). The eye gives light to the body. We see well and can function well spiritually. The way our lives are guided is in view.

22. The Pharisees claimed to be justified by obeying every bit of the Law (16:15), but what part of the Law were they breaking (Dt 5:7, 19, 21, Lk 16:14)

What did the Pharisees value (esteem, exalt) that God detests (16:14-15)

 The Pharisees loved money more than God, stole from widows (Lk 20:47), and coveted wealth. "[Some] see their money as evidence of the blessing of God on their activities and thus of their righteousness" (Morris). They 'justified' their love of money with religious reasons.

That "God knows your hearts" (‘sees through you’, NEB) is frightening for lovers of money (Morris). They esteemed wealth, and God does not tolerate rivals.

 

23. What parable or teaching in 13:18-16:18 most grabs your attention? Why?

 

Lk 16:16

There is a problem with every one "enters it violently". If the verb biazetai is middle it means ‘presses hard’, if passive, ‘is pressed hard’, ‘urged’. Some see the meaning as ‘every one treats it violently’, but this seems unlikely. There may be the thought of pressing into the kingdom ‘with the greatest earnestness, self-denial and determination, as though with spiritual violence’ (Geldenhuys). Or Jesus may mean that those pressing into the kingdom must be at least as much in earnest as the violent men of Palestine who tried to bring it in by force of arms. In the context we may think of people like the astute steward. When they see the value of entrance to God’s kingdom they are ready to force their way in, in contrast to the Pharisees who did not make use of their opportunity. Knox translates, ‘all who will, press their way into it’. (Morris)

Yet the Law and Prophets are fulfilled, not set aside. Every letter of the Law will outlast heaven and earth.