The Parable of the Shrewd Manager
Study note
Jesus tells of a manager about to lose his job who shrewdly reduces the debts of his master's debtors to secure future friends. Surprisingly, the master praises the manager's shrewdness. Jesus' point is not to commend dishonesty but to challenge His followers: if worldly people are so clever in using resources for their future, how much more should God's people use their resources for eternal purposes. He concludes that no one can serve both God and money.
1 Jesus also told his disciples this story: "A rich man had a business manager. He got word that the manager was wasting his money." And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.
2 "So the rich man called him in and said, 'What is this I am hearing about you? Hand over your account books. You are fired.'" And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.
3 "The manager thought to himself, 'Now what am I going to do? I am losing my job. I am not strong enough for hard labor, and I would be too ashamed to beg.'" Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.
4 "'Wait -- I have an idea! I know exactly what to do so that people will take me in after I am out of a job.'" I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.
5 "He called in everyone who owed his boss money, one at a time. He asked the first one, 'How much is your debt to my master?'" So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?
6 "The man said, 'A hundred jugs of olive oil.' The manager said, 'Here, take your bill. Quick, sit down and change it to fifty.'" And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.
7 "He asked the next one, 'How much do you owe?' The man said, 'A hundred containers of wheat.' The manager said, 'Here is your bill. Change it to eighty.'" Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.
8 "The master had to admire the sneaky manager for being so clever. People of this world are more creative in dealing with their own kind than people who follow the light." And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
9 "So use the money and resources of this world to build relationships. That way, when your earthly wealth is gone, you will be welcomed into an eternal home." And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
10 "A person who can be trusted with small things can also be trusted with big things. And a person who is dishonest with small things will be dishonest with big things too." He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
11 "If you cannot be trusted with regular money, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?" If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 "And if you cannot be responsible with things that belong to someone else, who is going to give you things of your own?" And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
13 "No one can work for two bosses at the same time. You will end up loving one and hating the other, or being loyal to one and ignoring the other. You simply cannot serve both God and money." No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
The Pharisees, the Law, and Divorce
Study note
The money-loving Pharisees mock Jesus, but He warns that what people honor, God may detest. He affirms that the Law and Prophets pointed to John, and since then the kingdom of God is being preached. Yet not the smallest part of God's law will fail. Jesus' teaching on divorce -- that remarriage after divorce constitutes adultery -- demonstrates that the kingdom's moral demands are higher, not lower, than those of the old covenant.
14 The Pharisees overheard all of this. Since they loved money, they laughed at Jesus. And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
15 He told them, "You work hard at looking good in front of everybody. But God sees right through it. He knows what is truly in your hearts. The things people admire most are disgusting to God." And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
16 "The Law and the Prophets guided people up until John came along. Since then, the good news about God's kingdom has been announced, and people everywhere are pushing to get into it." The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
17 "It would be easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest detail of the law to be dropped." And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
18 "A man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery. And a man who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery." Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.
The Rich Man and Lazarus
Study note
Jesus tells of a rich man who lives in daily luxury and a beggar named Lazarus who lies at his gate covered with sores. Both die: Lazarus is carried to Abraham's side while the rich man suffers in Hades. The rich man begs Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers, but Abraham replies that they have Moses and the Prophets and that even someone rising from the dead would not convince those who refuse to listen to Scripture. This story warns that earthly wealth provides no eternal security and that ignoring God's word has irreversible consequences.
19 "There once was a rich man who dressed in the finest purple cloth and expensive linen. He lived a life of total luxury every day." There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 "Right outside his gate, a poor man named Lazarus lay on the ground, covered with painful sores." And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 "Lazarus would have been grateful to eat even the scraps that fell off the rich man's table. On top of everything, stray dogs kept coming and licking his sores." And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 "Eventually the poor man died, and angels carried him to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried." And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 "In Hades, the rich man was suffering terribly. He looked up and saw Abraham far, far away with Lazarus right beside him." And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 "He yelled out, 'Father Abraham, please have pity on me! Send Lazarus to dip just the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue. I am in terrible pain in these flames.'" And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 "But Abraham replied, 'Son, think back. During your life you had everything you could want, while Lazarus had nothing but misery. Now the situation is reversed. He is at peace here, and you are suffering.'" But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 "'On top of that, there is a great gap between us and you. Nobody from our side can cross over to you, and nobody from your side can cross over to us.'" And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 "The rich man begged, 'Then please, father, send Lazarus to my family's home.'" Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
28 "'I have five brothers. Have him warn them so they do not end up in this place of suffering too.'" For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 "Abraham answered, 'They have the writings of Moses and the Prophets. They should pay attention to those.'" Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 "The rich man said, 'That is not enough, father Abraham! But if someone came back from the dead and talked to them, they would definitely change.'" And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 "Abraham said, 'They will not listen to Moses and the Prophets. So they will not believe even if someone rises from the dead.'" And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.