The Shrewd Manager
(Luke 16:1-14)
By Jonathan Mitchell
This parable was spoken to an audience composed of publicans (tax collectors), sinners, scribes and Pharisees (Lu. 15:1-2; 16:14), and follows right after the Parable of the Prodigal Son. It was directed to His disciples (which now included the publicans and sinners - whom Jesus had received: 15:2b), and begins a series of illustrations on the theme of unrighteousness - featuring folks who were neither rightwised nor living in accord with the Way pointed out.
With this historical context in mind, Alfred Edersheim (The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Vol. 2, Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1953) observes that these parables were "addressed to two different classes, in the same audience" (p 265). He interprets this first parable of the series as giving the disciples a lesson, and in it, "we are told what the sinner, when converted, should learn from his previous life of sin," and that, "the Parable itself forms only an illustration of the lesson, spoken or implied, which Christ would convey to... His audience" (ibid). It is his view that "we must not expect to find spiritual equivalents for each of the persons or incidents introduced" (ibid),
1. So He went on saying to the disciples (students; learners; apprentices), "A certain person was being rich who was having a house manager (administrator; steward), and this [manager] was at one point accused (thrust-through with charges brought by an adversary; [note: from this verb comes the noun "one who thrusts-through," commonly rendered "devil"]) to him [i.e., to the rich person] as habitually squandering his property, possessions and means of subsistence by thoroughly scattering and wasting [them].
2. "And so, upon summoning him, he said to him, 'What [is] this [that] I am continually hearing about you (or: Why am I now hearing this concerning you)? Turn in the account (= Hand over the books for an audit) of your management (administration; stewardship), for you are no longer able to be [the] manager of the household (or: the estate).'
3. "So the manager said within himself, 'What shall I do, because my master (lord; = employer) is in the process of taking the management (the administration) away from me? I am not strong to be habitually digging; I am ashamed and feel disgrace to make a life of begging.
4. "'I know from experience what I will proceed in doing, so that, whenever I am actually transferred (or: may have my position changed) from out of the management (the position of administration), folks may welcome and receive me into their own houses (or: homes).'
5. "And then, after calling to himself each one of his own master's (lord's; = employer's) debtors, he was saying to the first one, 'How much do you continue owing to my master (lord; = employer)?'
6. "So he said, 'One hundred baths (Hebrew liquid measure: = about five to nine hundred gallons [estimates vary]) of olive oil.' So [the manager] said to him, 'Take in hand (= take back) your writings (the notes; the contracts; the invoices) and, after sitting down, quickly write [a new one for] fifty.'
7. "Next, he said to a different person, 'You there - how much are you continuing to owe?' So he said, 'One hundred cors (Hebrew dry measure: = about a thousand bushels) of grain.' He said to him, 'Take in hand (= take back) your writings (contracts; invoices), and write [a new one for] eighty.'
8. "And so the master (lord; = employer) commended (added praise and applause to) the estate-manager in regard to the disregard for what is right (the injustice; the actions which were not in accord with the way pointed out; the dishonesty), because he acted thoughtfully (or: performed intelligently in considering [the situation]), because, you see, the sons of this age (= the people who have the qualities and display the character of the current age and present period of time) exist being (or: are) more thoughtful, prudent and intelligent with common sense unto (or: in; respecting; with a view to) their own generation than are the sons of the Light (= people of the covenant with revealed knowledge of the Way of the Life).
What was Jesus saying here? In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the older son complained against the father's generosity to the returning prodigal: why should this son, who treated his father so badly and left his brother to do all the work of the family business, be received back with honors and a celebration? That would have really flown in the face of the scribes and Pharisees (15:2) who had been listening to Him. This did not seem to be the justice of their Law.
In our own day, folks tend to view this parable from our own standards of fairness and morality. So this becomes a problem for folks who set their own standards of righteousness up against the perceived lack of morality in this parable. What is the answer? Well, let us observe what Jesus said next, seeming to be leading off from what the shrewd manager had done:
10. "The person [who is] faithful (reliable; trustworthy; loyal) in [the] least (or: smallest) also continues being (or: is) faithful (reliable; trustworthy; loyal) in much; and the person [who is] inequitable (unjust; dishonest) in [the] least (or: smallest) also continues being (or: is) inequitable (unjust; unfair; dishonest) in much!
11. "Therefore, if you folks do not come to be faithful and trustworthy in connection with the inequitable Mammon (the unjust wealth or unfair material possessions), who will proceed entrusting to you (or: in you) the Real and True?
12. "And if you folks do not come to be faithful and trustworthy in connection with the thing belonging to another, who will continue giving to you (or: for you; in you) the thing that is your own [other MSS: that is ours]? [cf Ps. 24:1]
13. "No domestic (household servant) continues able to habitually perform as a slave for (or: to; with) two owners (masters; lords); you see, he will either proceed treating the one with less preference and disfavor (with ill will; with disapproval and detachment; with hate) and will continue loving the other (urging union with the different one), or, he will continue holding himself instead to (= uphold; be attentive to; stay loyal to; support) [things] pertaining to one and then proceed despising (hold a down-oriented opinion and frame of mind toward) the other (the different one). You folks continue unable to keep on performing as a slave for (or: to) God and also to (or: for) Mammon (= wealth, money, or, the false god of riches).
Edersheim posits that, "It is this PRUDENCE by which their aims are so effectually secure, and IT alone, which is set before 'the children of light,' as that by which to learn.... Let them learn from the serpent its wisdom, and from the dove its harmlessness" (ibid p 266; emphasis mine).
Verse 10 is an aphorism which addresses the principle of service. Edersheim paraphrases this: "He that has proved himself, is accredited, in the least is also faithful (accredited) in much..." (ibid p 275), and vice versa. The point, expressed in vs. 11, is that if a person is unfaithful in earthly matters, it shows that he or she is unfit for stewardship in spiritual matters of God's kingdom. Then, in regard to vs. 12, Edersheim offers this: "If they had not proved faithful in mere stewardship, 'in that which was another's,' could it be expected that they would be exalted from stewardship to proprietorship? And the ultimate application of all was this, that dividedness [vs. 13] was impossible in the service of God [vs. 13]. It is impossible for the disciple to make separation between spiritual matters and worldly... There is absolutely no such distinction to the disciple..." (ibid)
Now, let us take into consideration what Luke says of the audience's response, as a guide to perceiving Jesus' wisdom:
14. Now the Pharisees, habitually being inherently fond of silver (= money-lovers), were listening to all these things, and so began turning out and up their noses while contemptuously sneering at Him.
OK. Was this parable, together with the follow-up, also aimed at the scribes and Pharisees? Remember what Paul has told us, in 1 Cor. 3:
18. Let no one continue to be completely cheating, tricking, deceiving or deluding himself: if anyone among you folks habitually imagines (thinks; supposes; presumes) [himself] to be wise (to exist being a clever one) within this age (this era; this period of time), let him come to be (or: birth himself) stupid (dull; foolish; a fool) - to the end that he can come to be (or: may birth himself) wise.
19. For you see, the wisdom (cleverness; skill) of this world System (or: pertaining to this ordered and controlling arrangement of cultures, religions and politics; or: from this society of domination; of the aggregate of humanity) is stupidity (exists as nonsense and foolishness) [when put] beside or next to God (or: in God's presence). For it has been written, "He is the One habitually laying hold of and catching in His fist the wise (clever) ones, within the midst of their every act (or: capability and readiness to do or work; cunning; craftiness)." [Job. 5:13]
20. And again,"[The] Lord [= Yahweh] continues, by intimate experience, knowing the reasonings (thought processes; designs) of the wise ones, that they are and continue being fruitless, useless and to no purpose." [Ps. 94:11]
Verses 10-13 seem to be Jesus' point in this extended parable. We suggest that both the rich man and his steward represented the business world of that day (Edersheim notes that the steward was an employee, not a slave, and was thus "subject to notice of dismissal" - ibid p 267). This is how it was. People cheat and steal from their employers. Does this remind us of our day? But keep in mind,
"Deceitful scales [are an] abhorrence to Yahweh.... and yet, the subversion of the treacherous shall devastate them" [Prov. 11:1a, 3b].
The owner of the business simply recognized the shrewdness of his manager, and commended him for his forethought in the business world. He did not try to prosecute him for what he had done - he was just glad to be rid of him. Let some other sucker take him in, who was equally crooked, since that person was complicit in the fraud, as well.
Here is an example where it is wise not to assign an actor in a parable to be a figure of God. But, you say, "What about vs. 9?" Well, we suggest that Jesus was throwing this verse in the face of the scribes and Pharisees, too. That was advice for those who were NOT faithful or just in "the least" things of God's kingdom. This is another eschatological parable: the unjust steward/manager was a figure for the unjust among the Judean leadership. Jesus' disciples would learn the lesson of prudence, but also be alerted to the subtle prophecy about what would soon happen to the Judean leadership of that generation. They were in the position of being "stewards" of the riches of God's kingdom, but the kingdom would soon be taken from them (Mat. 21:43).
Jonathan
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