Ridiculous

Grace
The parable of the
dishonest manager
and other stories
in Luke 16

DAVE BISH
The parable of the prodigal son – or the
reckless father – is perhaps the most
famous and beloved of all the parables.
The parable of the dishonest manager
follows directly afterwards and is
perhaps the most difficult, not least
because it appears to commend
dishonesty!

Parables are Jesus preferred way of

teaching because, as he explains in
Mark 4, they test the heart of the
listener. They're less illustrations and
more a kind of spiritual
electrocardiogram.

Two audiences were always present

with Jesus – sinners & tax collectors
who loved him, and pharisees and their
associates who tended to be offended.
A parable invites the sinner and
offends the pharisee. Pharisees walk
away thinking that they're right to
dismiss Jesus.
In Luke 16 the parable is told, it’s about a dishonest manager
who takes action to secure his future dwellings (v4):

“I have decided what to do, so that when I am

removed from management, people may receive me
into their houses.”

This dishonest manager is then commended for being shrewd

(v8) it’s a parable so the heart is always in view and we don’t
need to over interpret the story.

How does this story land?

● The man is a crook but he gets saved! If I know myself to be

a crook I have hope. If I’ve been caught in the act, if I’ve

been busted – I have hope!
● But, if you’re a lover of money this story is outrageous.

You’d scream, "no way the rich man would commend this
crook". Outrageous. Much like the parable of the two sons
(Luke 15) outrages the lover of money that the Father
figure could approve such squandering of wealth and not
commend the propriety of the hard working older son.

The application of the parable is made clear for us, by Jesus,

who says (v9)

“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.”
Go and do likewise! The man acquired friends by unrighteous
wealth to secure his earthly dwellings, and Jesus says: do the
same about eternal dwellings. Be so shrewd.
Do what it takes to get eternal life.
Simple enough if a bit strange!

The unanswered question is HOW?

I think we need the rest of the chapter to get this one. Luke is a
meticulous arranger of his material (1v3), and this chapter sits
next to Luke 15’s parables of the reckless shepherd, woman and
Father (and his sons) very well. In Luke 16v10 we get a principle
from Jesus:

One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in

much; and one who is dishonest in a very little is
also dishonest in much.

It’s a lesser to greater argument… what you do with little you

will do with much. And so also, v11:

“If then you have not been faithful in the

unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true
riches?”
We’re already told to be shrewd (faithful) with
“unrighteous wealth” (v9), now the point translates to “true
riches”
● Shrewd with unrighteous wealth to get earthly dwellings
(v1-8).
 ● Shrewd with unrighteous wealth to get eternal dwellings
(v9).
● Faithful with little to be faithful in much (v10).
● Faithful in unrighteous wealth, entrusted with true riches
(v11).
The point is being emphasized, a call to shrewdness that will
ensure true riches are entrusted to them.

V12-13

“And if you have not been faithful in that which is

another's, who will give you that which is your
own? 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.”

This builds the same logic though it does seem to be a

backhanded critique of the dishonest manager too! Really the
focus is elsewhere – who do you serve? What (or who) do you
love?

The context is clear – v1: disciples, and v14 (much as at the

start of Luke 15 which is likely the same incident – or at least
Luke frames it that way… grumbling Pharisees and joyous
sinners and tax collectors):
 “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all
these things, and they ridiculed him.”

The love of money is being critiqued and Luke tells us that’s the
Pharisees. The Pharisees will hate the idea of the rich man
commending the shrewd manager. And they’re being critiqued
by Jesus for their love of money which is opposed to love of
God.

Who are those who have failed to be faithful?

Not the “dishonest” but these Pharisees.

And, v16:

And he said to them, “You are those who justify

yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.
For what is exalted among men is an abomination in
the sight of God.

They’re not just lovers of money but self-righteous too. And God
knows their hearts – they’re self-exalters and God hates that.
Pharisaism is ugly because it’s hatred of God, but also because
of it’s disdain for others, especially the sinner, tax collector and
crook.
Where the Triune God loves the broken, the Pharisee mocks.
Where the Triune God extends his love to others, the Pharisee
has severe incurvature, unable to love others.
Pharisees take themselves very seriously; they take propriety
and money very seriously. In God’s economy things like money
are for reckless generosity and shrewd investment. And people
aren’t made for self-importance. They’re not taken seriously,
but the gospel is taken very seriously.

V16-17:

“The Law and the Prophets were until John; since

then the good news of the kingdom of God is
preached, and everyone forces his way into it. But it
is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for
one dot of the Law to become void.”

The law and prophets have been entrusted to them. Have they
been faithful? Are they shrewd? Especially since the lesser (law
& prophets) is now surpassed by the “good news of the
kingdom” – if they’ve failed with the former, they’ll fail with the
latter. Jesus isn’t voiding the law (v17) but exposing the
Pharisees hearts. They’ve been bad stewards of what they were
entrusted with, they’ve failed to secure eternal dwellings, and
they’ll miss the true riches offered.

V18 appears to exemplify that the still law stands – and perhaps
sideswipe the adultery of the Pharisees? Not quite sure!
V19-31 is the famous parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. A
rich man in hell – not nice listening for a lover of money!
The rich man asks for another chance for his people, “if
someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’”
But:

“He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the
Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone
should rise from the dead.’”

What’s the point?

Those previously entrusted with Moses & the Prophets have
failed to steward this, loving money and self-righteousness and
self-exaltation instead. The good news of the kingdom, and
even someone who might “rise from the dead” will not convince
such people!
● If I hear Jesus and know myself to be a crook then this story
is full of hope – I will embrace the good news of the
kingdom and force my way in, loving the risen Lord Jesus.
● If I hear Jesus as a Pharisee I too am exposed but I’m likely
to blow my opportunity and end up destitute since I think
myself better than everyone else, love money and love to
ridicule others, especially crooks.

Jesus invites shrewdness with the gospel to any who will

hear – v29:

‘They have Moses and the Prophets;

let them hear them.’