Luke alone records the Parable of the Unjust Steward. Most people miss the meaning of this story. The narrative would indicate that Jesus is teaching publicly in the Temple Plaza. He tells the parable of a fellow who had been hired to manage some of the property belonging to a wealthy man. Word got back to the master that his servant was losing him money. The rich man was committed to amassing more wealth, so this was unacceptable. He called the steward in and told him to prepare his records for an audit.
Whether the accusation was true or not, the steward knew his cushy position was gone; he was too lazy for hard labor and too proud to beg. So, while he still retained legal authority over the property, he had some of debtors rewrite their contracts so they owed less, and then he proceeded to countersign them, replacing the old contracts. This was the process in those days; the debtor acknowledged a debt by writing it in his own hand. The creditor or his appointed representative would countersign the IOU. Thus, the steward was buying favor with the debtors, since he had lost favor with the creditor.
Upon discovering what the steward had done, the master noted that at least the steward had enough sense to provide for his own future. The master and the steward were both the same kind of man, with a strong focus on the things of this world. They were shrewd with material goods, keeping an eye on the long term result of how things were handled. They had a very clear understanding of what material goods were good for.
Jesus said that those who sought peace with God often made mistakes with His provision in this world. Far too many didn't have a clear vision and commitment with an eternal value system like the rich man and his steward did with their worldly value system. Too many believers didn't understand how to use the things of this world to prepare for eternity.
This life is a test. If you aren't faithful in small things, you cannot graduate to bigger jobs and higher trust. If we aren't careful with what God has provided, how can we expect to receive the rewards? If God were to audit your stewardship, would He get the impression you were faithfully committed to Him, or would He reject you as serving someone else? Either your heart is set on eternity, or you are entangled in this world.
The Pharisees were listening in on this lecture. We know that they considered worldly wealth as the true mark of divine favor. Thus, the idea of using "God's blessings" for anything other than wise financial investments was a sin in their eyes. It was all about the worldly wealth for them. They sneered at Jesus' suggestion that this world's goods were just a means to some other end.
Jesus denounced their worldliness. Their strutting might impress poor benighted souls around them, but God was not impressed. Their focus on this world was defiling idolatry. They had neither clue nor care about what God had said mattered to Him.
The national covenant mandating an earthly kingdom stood until John the Baptist began preaching of a coming Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus continued preaching that same message, proclaiming that earthly Israel would cease to exist, and the Messianic covenant would come into force. Everyone was trying to find a way to make a transition from Moses to Messiah. It was turning things upside down. We already know that the whole universe could be destroyed more easily than for any part of the Old Testament Scripture to fail. Yet, here stood men who called themselves "blessed of God" who refused to keep that imperishable Old Covenant. Jesus cited the example of their perversion of God's commandments about divorce. They were not using God's provision to shine His glory.
What would it be like for them when the New Covenant of Heaven was ushered in?
Whether the accusation was true or not, the steward knew his cushy position was gone; he was too lazy for hard labor and too proud to beg. So, while he still retained legal authority over the property, he had some of debtors rewrite their contracts so they owed less, and then he proceeded to countersign them, replacing the old contracts. This was the process in those days; the debtor acknowledged a debt by writing it in his own hand. The creditor or his appointed representative would countersign the IOU. Thus, the steward was buying favor with the debtors, since he had lost favor with the creditor.
Upon discovering what the steward had done, the master noted that at least the steward had enough sense to provide for his own future. The master and the steward were both the same kind of man, with a strong focus on the things of this world. They were shrewd with material goods, keeping an eye on the long term result of how things were handled. They had a very clear understanding of what material goods were good for.
Jesus said that those who sought peace with God often made mistakes with His provision in this world. Far too many didn't have a clear vision and commitment with an eternal value system like the rich man and his steward did with their worldly value system. Too many believers didn't understand how to use the things of this world to prepare for eternity.
This life is a test. If you aren't faithful in small things, you cannot graduate to bigger jobs and higher trust. If we aren't careful with what God has provided, how can we expect to receive the rewards? If God were to audit your stewardship, would He get the impression you were faithfully committed to Him, or would He reject you as serving someone else? Either your heart is set on eternity, or you are entangled in this world.
The Pharisees were listening in on this lecture. We know that they considered worldly wealth as the true mark of divine favor. Thus, the idea of using "God's blessings" for anything other than wise financial investments was a sin in their eyes. It was all about the worldly wealth for them. They sneered at Jesus' suggestion that this world's goods were just a means to some other end.
Jesus denounced their worldliness. Their strutting might impress poor benighted souls around them, but God was not impressed. Their focus on this world was defiling idolatry. They had neither clue nor care about what God had said mattered to Him.
The national covenant mandating an earthly kingdom stood until John the Baptist began preaching of a coming Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus continued preaching that same message, proclaiming that earthly Israel would cease to exist, and the Messianic covenant would come into force. Everyone was trying to find a way to make a transition from Moses to Messiah. It was turning things upside down. We already know that the whole universe could be destroyed more easily than for any part of the Old Testament Scripture to fail. Yet, here stood men who called themselves "blessed of God" who refused to keep that imperishable Old Covenant. Jesus cited the example of their perversion of God's commandments about divorce. They were not using God's provision to shine His glory.
What would it be like for them when the New Covenant of Heaven was ushered in?