The unjust (worldly smart) Steward (Luke 16:1-8); A role model that Christian should follow?

1. The unjust (worldly smart) Steward (Luke 16:1-8); A role model that
Christian should follow?
Many views points have been presented trying extensively to illustrate what Jesus meant in
Luke 16:9 (ASV)
“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.”
The ASV (also ESV) version translation in Luke 16:9 offers the closest translation from the
originals.
“And I say unto you”: “You” means the “followers (Christians)”.
“unrighteousness”, righteousness means God’s right-ness i.e. the right things from God’s view.
“eternal tabernacles” is the right translation. This original word in Greeks was always used to
describe the gathering place with God (either on earth or in Heaven); should not be translated
into the eternal place as Hell.
Question comes:
Did Jesus really mean that His followers should use these ungodly
wealth (either owned by their earthly boss or employer or received
through ungodly way by oneself) to help the needed (the poor) in
order to pave his/her way to one’s resting destination; the Paradise?
I would like to point out here again that Jesus is talking mainly to HIS followers from 16:9-13
(after verse 8).
Now let’s go to verse 11
“11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to
your trust the true riches?”

2. This is the key verse that we can use to cut Luke 16:1-13 into two segments; 1-8 and 9-13.
“faithful” in the original Greek form can mean being trustworthy either worldly or Godly.
Then does it mean that Jesus told us to be loyal to our worldly boss to manage his unrighteous
wealth? Apparently NOT, because the following main clause’s subject “who” has to be God,
who can give the true (wealth) to the believers, and proven in verse 13 stating that we only
have one master, who is our God.
From the above analysis, it is clear that we should divide Luke 16:1-13 into two segments; 16:1-
8 and 9-13.
However, the link between these two segments exists at the last phase in 16:8:
“for the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light”
In Luke 16:1-8, the unjust steward did all the wrong things; stealing from his worldly boss, using
other’s wealth to prepare his future resting place on earth. However, one righteous (i.e.
rightness in God’s eye) thing he did was to help the poor even though with the wrong reason.
This is the reason why the master (in here should be God HIMSELF) praised him to be smart,
even smarter than the believers since they (sons of light) will not do these ungodly things as the
unjust steward did.
The key to win God’s praise is “helping the poor”. Therefore, in next verse, Jesus wants HIS
followers to also use their unrighteous wealth to help the poor in order to prepare their eternal
resting place in Heaven.
We should not apply anything else (other than the “helping the poor” concept) from previous
segment (16”1-8) into Luke 16:9-13 since this segment would only apply to HIS followers.
If we cut Luke 16:1-13 into these two segments, then the “unrighteous wealth” in the later
segment (verse 9-13) can be “no longer” explained as the fortune from ones’ worldly boss.
This can mean all the wealth which is not given by God. For example, it can be the money
collected by the tax collector. This unrighteous wealth should majorly exist before one converts
into Christianity, especially at Jesus’s time when HE stated these verses.
Now let us revisit Luke 16:1-13 by adopting the grouping method mentioned above

3. Luke 16:1-8 (ASV)
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.
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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.

4. From Luke 16:1-8, Jesus was talking the smartness of the unjust steward using his worldly
wisdom to prepare his nest after being dispensed from his master by using the un-godly way to
pave his future place of staying. But Godly people will not go this route since they will not do
the unjust thing by stealing his master’s money and giving to the needed people for their own
needs.
Luke 16:1-8 ispurelytalkingfromthe worldlypointof view except the lastgroupof words;the sons of
light.WhyJesussaidthat the sonsof the worldissmarterthan the sonsof light?Because the sonsof the
worldknowhowto prepare theirfuture stayingplace (onearth) fortheirusage aftertheywere
dispensedbytheirworldlymaster.Andthe sonsof lightwill neverdo(oreventhinkof doing) whatthe
sonsof the worlddid. Butin God’sview,helpingthe pooristhe righteousthingtodo.
That is why,inLuke 16:9, JesustoldHIS followersthattheyshouldbe loyal totheirtrue master(God) by
usingthisun-righteouswealth tothe pools(tomake friends).Thenwhenitreachedtothe endof the
world,whichmoneybecomesuseless,thenthese poorwillbe inthe paradise andwelcome these who
offeredhelpinghandstothem(the poor).
From Luke 16:9-13, thenit istotallyfocusedonHIS followers.
Therefore,wheneverthe word“loyal”mentioned, itshouldbe toward ourtrue master;our God.
Thenit wouldbe clearregardingthe meaningof verse 16:11
“11
If thenyouhave not beenfaithful inthe unrighteouswealth,whowill entrusttoyouthe true riches?”
Be faithful (toGod) inthe un-godlywealth,thenGodwill giveyouthe true wealth(fromGod).
Thisso-calledun-righteousnesswealthcan meanthe moneythatwasreceivedfromun-godlyway;like
the moneythat the tax collectorcollected.
In here,itshouldnotbe connectedto the story mentionedin16:1-8i.e. shouldnotbe explainedthat
the believerperformedasa servantof rich man, helpedhimcollectingall un-righteousmoneyand also
managedhiswealth.
“12
Andif you have notbeenfaithful inthatwhichis another's,whowill give youthatwhichisyour
own?”
“Another’s”meansGod’s. We have to be faithful tothe thingthatGod letsus to manage,thenGodwill
give tous what HE promisedtogive (Hiskingdom).