Explore the profound lessons hidden within Jesus’ Parable of the Unjust Steward (Luke 16:1-13). Gain insights into stewardship, eternal perspectives, and the true meaning of wealth in light of eternity. Discover how embracing these teachings can transform your life and prepare you for lasting rewards.

The Parable of the Unjust Steward

With this parable, Jesus is trying to correct something among believers. He recognizes that we have the potential to move in the wrong direction and become disoriented.

Many scholars have stated that The Parable of the Unjust Steward is among the most confusing of all Jesus’ parables. While I don’t necessarily agree, let’s break down the parable.

Although we see in verse 14 that they’re listening, Jesus isn’t speaking to the Pharisees when he shares this parable. In the original language, Scripture says they’re sneering at what Jesus is teaching. However, they’re not Jesus’ primary audience.

Verse one tells us this parable is addressed to the disciples. He’s addressing people who follow and belong to Him, much like you and me. Since we know He’s speaking to those who already follow Him, we can make the case that this parable is about much more than what we see on the surface.

JESUS: “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property.” Luke 16:1

A manager is a steward, someone who’s entrusted to manage the resources of another. In this parable, the steward was not wasting his own money; instead, he was misusing the money that belonged to his master.

When the master becomes aware of the steward’s wastefulness, he confronts his manager.

JESUS: “What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.” Luke 16:2b-d

To be more blunt, the master was saying, “I’ve been looking at the books, and I see what you’re doing. You’re fired and can no longer represent me or manage my property.”

The steward asked himself: “What am I going to do now? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me.” He acknowledges he has no other skills and is too ashamed to beg.

As he faced the most severe crises of his career, he thought, “I have to come up with a solution to my dilemma.”

Expectations for Eternity

JESUS: “So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’” Luke 16:5-7

The steward, realizing that he will soon be without a job, makes some shrewd deals behind his master’s back to reduce the debt owed by several of the master’s debtors in exchange for shelter when he’s eventually jobless.

In other words, the unjust steward, once he knew he was about to be put out, maneuvered to collect some quick cash, cheat his master (who more than likely was cheating his customers), and make friends of his master’s debtors, who would then be obligated to care for him once, he lost his job.

When the master becomes aware of what the wicked servant has done, he commends him for his “shrewdness.” To be shrewd is to understand and judge a situation quickly and use this understanding to one’s advantage. This brings us to how Jesus applies these verses.

JESUS: “For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.” Luke 16:8

Jesus contrasts the “sons of the world” (i.e., unbelievers) with the “sons of light” (i.e., believers). He points out the shrewdness of the unjust judge and the fact that unbelievers are wiser in this world than believers about the things of the world to come.

As He speaks to His followers, and He’s speaking to us through these words, Jesus challenges His followers to think: Are we going to function and live like “children of the light?” Or are we going to carry on and live like “children of this age,” and live in darkness?

As believers, one of the greatest corrections we take on is our understanding of eternity. This is important because expectations always affect behavior. If you expect to be a doctor, it will affect your educational plans. If you expect to be a pro athlete, it will affect your workout regimen. If you found out you were terminally ill, it would affect what you consider important.

Jesus is teaching about the imperative of believers to have an eternal perspective. Many Christians live in perpetual defeat because their expectations are only locked into this world, and they lose sight of eternity.

What does this have to do with believers being wise about the life to come?

JESUS: “And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” Luke 16:9

Jesus’ use of the term “unrighteous wealth” emphasizes that wealth is temporary and isn’t eternal. However, wealth can be stewarded in a manner that lays the groundwork for a heavenly reward (more on that soon).

In John 14, Jesus tells us that He’s prepared a place for us in His Father’s house because there many dwellings. He’s being literal and informing us that as we lay up treasures in heaven now, it affects the reward to come.

Jesus is encouraging His followers to be generous with their wealth in this life so that in the life to come, we can be received “into eternal dwellings.”

Therefore, if unbelievers in the secular world are shrewd and smart enough to look out for their best interest for tomorrow, how much more should God’s people look to the future of heaven?

If you and I are both in the grocery store, and you’re at one end of the aisle and I’m on the other, even with my glasses on, I can’t see well enough to know that’s you. I’m nearsighted, and that’s often referred to as myopia. As Christians, we have to guard our hearts so that we’re not Myopic Christians or believers who don’t think about what’s coming in the future.

We’re to not only be shrewd but wise, holy, and clever in preparing for that day by laying up treasures in heaven. If the corrupt person is smart enough as a steward to manage his money well, how much more is that incumbent upon the children of light to manage their money as God instructs?

This is similar to Jesus’ teaching on wealth in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus exhorts His followers to lay up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21).

This life can only offer so much unless you live as a follower of Jesus. You’ll waste your life focusing on the wrong things of earth and living outside the light of eternity. Does God want you to enjoy your life? Absolutely! But our lives are meant to be lived on purpose, and as Christians, that means focusing on the things that matter to God’s heart.

The unjust steward saw his master’s resources as a means for his own personal enjoyment and advancement.

Conversely, Jesus wants His followers to be righteous stewards. If we understand the principle that everything we own is a gift from God, then we realize that God is the owner of everything and that we are His stewards.

How to Live for Eternity

If you stroll through a cemetery and observe tombstones, you’ll see a lot of dates. Between the person’s birthdate and the day of their passing is a dash. The most important part of a tombstone is the dash between the years. What did that person do with their dash? What did that person do with their life to make a difference that aligned with the heart of God? It’s a relevant question for all of us.

Jesus shared that when you’re faithful with what He’s entrusted to you, you will be rewarded.

JESUS: “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much, and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?” Luke 16:10-11

Romans 4:17 tells us that the true riches of God’s kingdom are righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit, which is the life of Jesus in you. That’s why faithfulness is the opposite of the manager in this parable.

Instead of squandering resources and robbing our boss, we must act honestly and honestly. There’s an implied promise regarding what’s to come in eternity.

Scripture teaches that there will be a new heaven and a new earth in eternity. We will dwell on the new earth. Heaven isn’t a floating cloud like the media portrays it. It’s a new earth without any presence of sin or death. It is a place where Jesus will be present among us.

Scripture also teaches that we will have responsibilities. Revelations 5:10 tells us that we will reign as heirs of Christ with Jesus. That denotes that you will have responsibilities in heaven. Those responsibilities and gifts are part of what the Bible calls a reward.

Additionally, when we get to heaven and stand before the judgment seat of Christ if you’re a believer, that’s not a judgment of condemnation. We’re taught in Scripture that everyone will give an account of their life, including every word spoken.

We will be judged, but it’s also a judgment seat of rewards. Part of that, those rewards, is what Jesus is implying here, “There’s a dwelling place that’s being prepared for you.”

Jesus closes this parable with a clear statement:

JESUS: “‘No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.’” Luke 16:13

Let’s be clear: Jesus does not teach that it’s wrong to have wealth—you won’t find that in the Bible. But He does teach that it’s wrong for wealth to replace God. When we put our first love into the things of earth, it’s an empty vessel that will not satisfy us.

Jesus teaches that wealth should not be on the throne of our hearts and not be submitted to God for His purposes and plans. Jesus declares that it prepares you for rewards in eternity.

Eternity can be difficult to wrap your head around, so consider this.

Let’s say we drained the Pacific Ocean and filled it with sand as high as Mount Everest. Once every 100 billion years, a bird flies over the top and grabs one particle of sand. After all the sand has been removed it would only equate to a second in eternity.

How we live as followers of Jesus determines our eternal reward. Jesus invites us to dismiss our myopic view in exchange for a view of His glory and eternity.

TL;DR

1. Jesus’ Parable of the Unjust Steward challenges believers to adopt a shrewd yet righteous approach to stewardship, emphasizing the importance of eternal perspectives.

2. By understanding the temporary nature of worldly wealth and investing in heavenly treasures, followers of Christ can navigate life with wisdom and prepare for eternal rewards.

3. This parable underscores the fundamental truth that our choices in this life shape our eternal destiny, urging us to prioritize serving God over the pursuit of earthly riches.

Related Reading

What Does It Cost to Follow Jesus? by Jacky Gatliff

How to Manage God’s Gifts for His Glory by Rev. Paul Lawler

The Deception of Comfort by Rev. Paul Lawler