Luke 16
My first impression of this chapter is...
"WHAT"?
This has gotta be the strangest chapter I have read so far.
Just when I'm thinkin' I got this stuff down,
along comes something like this.
Keepin' me off-center.
unbalanced.
I mean, I can't even imagine Jesus preaching this stuff.
-=-=-=-
PART ONE
The first part of this chapter is a story about a manager,
who gets busted for squandering this rich guy's stuff.
So this manager knows he's about to be "let go",
and fiigures he better make some connections fast,
so he goes to the people that owe the rich guy money,
and makes secret deals with them to reduce their debt,
so when he hits the streets lookin' for a new gig,
he'll have some cred.
So the rich guy
he finds out what the manager has been doin' behind his back.
And can you guess what he does?
kills him?
calls the cops?
ruins his rep?
nope.
He praises him !
how clever!
how shrewd!
how wise...!
I don't get it.
This is a selfish man.
an opportunist,
a user taking advantage of someone else.
A hired hand cheating his employer
for his own personal advantage.
a scumbag.
And we are to praise this self-serving behavior?
What can this mean?
Here is what Jesus said after he told that story:
That doesn't help too much.
I still don't know what this is supposed to teach me.
I'm goin' to the commentaries....
(a few minutes later)
Hmmm, I guess this is a great opportunity for some to bring
up the sticky subject of Christian finances.
Just a brief scan has presented all kinds of advice
Even lines like "you can't buy your friends"
(even though verse 9 clearly implies that you should)
and "Don't worship money"
wow.
Something doesn't feel right about this.
(a few weeks later)
Ok I've been thinkin' about this for quite awhile now,
and even though I don't have it down, I gotta move on.
So here's where I stand on "the meaning of the parable"
I don't think the parable is really about money or finance.
The manager was just using it as a tool
to get himself into a better situation.
Its almost as if he is being praised for his attempt
to furthur his own personal security
Maybe that's a clue.
Some worldy people (like me) appreciate money for
the temporary pleasures it brings,
better food.
better stuff.
better life.
So the resources we are blessed with here on this planet,
are merely consumables in my normal mode of existence.
Like the pharisees in 16:14,
I love money for the luxury it brings me.
by contrast....
The manager,
or "steward" as he is referred to in most versions,
(I was just using the "street-wise" paraphrase for effect)
The steward
wasn't loving the money for its own sake,
he was using it as a TOOL to insure a better place in his next life.
(hey, I think I'm on track to the intended meaning)
Even a worldy guy could rise above his
eat drink and be merry,
one day at a time,
let tomorrow take care of itself,
carefree existence.
He could rise above it
at least enough to wonder what life would be like
without that rich guy umbrella.
And he didn't sit around dreading it.
He jumped up and did what he could,
with the resources he had,
to make a better future.
Its not too much a stretch of the imagination
to see the rich guy as God
(who provides the world)
and
to see the steward as ourselves
(managing the world).
and in that light,
I think it is a good lesson
to realize that we don't actually own anything in the world,
we just use it until we die
And whatever we have accumulated
will pass into someone else's stewardship,
the moment we are gone.
If you have not been faithful with worldy stuff,
who will trust you with true riches?
I think he was saying that even though the steward was
as "worldly" as the money-loving pharisees,
at least he was using it for a a purpose
instead of just coveting and consuming.
That's what I'm going with for now, anyway.
-=-=-=-
PART TWO
Part two of this chapter is a man in the NEXT life,
who realizes he screwed up
and has a conversation with Abraham
hoping to warn others.
I don't know if you can call this a parable.
A parable is usually a simple story
hiding a greater truth.
In this case I can't imagine this story having any other meaning,
than what he says it is:
Wasn't Abraham just a man?
Even if he was "the father of the Jewish people"
he was still a man. Right?
And aren't we all equal in the sight of God?
The state of my soul is between me and God, is it not?
So why is Lazarus in Abraham's bosom?
Why is the rich man appealing to Abraham instead of God?
Do different people have different "status" levels in the next life?
Now I am drawn back to verse 9 above....
Who exactly ARE these friends,
who will receive me into everlasting dwellings?
.
"WHAT"?
This has gotta be the strangest chapter I have read so far.
Just when I'm thinkin' I got this stuff down,
along comes something like this.
Keepin' me off-center.
unbalanced.
I mean, I can't even imagine Jesus preaching this stuff.
-=-=-=-
PART ONE
The first part of this chapter is a story about a manager,
who gets busted for squandering this rich guy's stuff.
So this manager knows he's about to be "let go",
and fiigures he better make some connections fast,
so he goes to the people that owe the rich guy money,
and makes secret deals with them to reduce their debt,
so when he hits the streets lookin' for a new gig,
he'll have some cred.
So the rich guy
he finds out what the manager has been doin' behind his back.
And can you guess what he does?
kills him?
calls the cops?
ruins his rep?
nope.
He praises him !
how clever!
how shrewd!
how wise...!
I don't get it.
This is a selfish man.
an opportunist,
a user taking advantage of someone else.
A hired hand cheating his employer
for his own personal advantage.
a scumbag.
And we are to praise this self-serving behavior?
What can this mean?
Here is what Jesus said after he told that story:
Luk 16:8
And the unjust steward's lord commended him
because he had done wisely.
For the children of this world are in their generation
wiser than the children of light.
Luk 16:9
And I say to you,
Make friends by the mammon of unrighteousness for yourselves,
so that when you fail,
they may receive you into everlasting dwellings.
Luk 16:10
He who is faithful in the least is also faithful in much.
And he who is unjust in the least is also unjust in much.
Luk 16:11
Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon,
who will entrust the true riches to you?
Luk 16:12
And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's,
who shall give you that which is your own?
Luk 16:13
No servant can serve two masters.
For either he will hate the one and love the other,
or else he will hold to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.
That doesn't help too much.
I still don't know what this is supposed to teach me.
I'm goin' to the commentaries....
(a few minutes later)
Hmmm, I guess this is a great opportunity for some to bring
up the sticky subject of Christian finances.
Just a brief scan has presented all kinds of advice
Even lines like "you can't buy your friends"
(even though verse 9 clearly implies that you should)
and "Don't worship money"
wow.
Something doesn't feel right about this.
(a few weeks later)
Ok I've been thinkin' about this for quite awhile now,
and even though I don't have it down, I gotta move on.
So here's where I stand on "the meaning of the parable"
I don't think the parable is really about money or finance.
The manager was just using it as a tool
to get himself into a better situation.
Its almost as if he is being praised for his attempt
to furthur his own personal security
Maybe that's a clue.
Some worldy people (like me) appreciate money for
the temporary pleasures it brings,
better food.
better stuff.
better life.
So the resources we are blessed with here on this planet,
are merely consumables in my normal mode of existence.
Like the pharisees in 16:14,
I love money for the luxury it brings me.
Luk 16:14
And being money-lovers,
all the Pharisees also heard all these things.
And they derided Him.
by contrast....
The manager,
or "steward" as he is referred to in most versions,
(I was just using the "street-wise" paraphrase for effect)
The steward
wasn't loving the money for its own sake,
he was using it as a TOOL to insure a better place in his next life.
(hey, I think I'm on track to the intended meaning)
Even a worldy guy could rise above his
eat drink and be merry,
one day at a time,
let tomorrow take care of itself,
carefree existence.
He could rise above it
at least enough to wonder what life would be like
without that rich guy umbrella.
And he didn't sit around dreading it.
He jumped up and did what he could,
with the resources he had,
to make a better future.
Its not too much a stretch of the imagination
to see the rich guy as God
(who provides the world)
and
to see the steward as ourselves
(managing the world).
and in that light,
I think it is a good lesson
to realize that we don't actually own anything in the world,
we just use it until we die
And whatever we have accumulated
will pass into someone else's stewardship,
the moment we are gone.
If you have not been faithful with worldy stuff,
who will trust you with true riches?
I think he was saying that even though the steward was
as "worldly" as the money-loving pharisees,
at least he was using it for a a purpose
instead of just coveting and consuming.
That's what I'm going with for now, anyway.
-=-=-=-
PART TWO
Part two of this chapter is a man in the NEXT life,
who realizes he screwed up
and has a conversation with Abraham
hoping to warn others.
I don't know if you can call this a parable.
A parable is usually a simple story
hiding a greater truth.
In this case I can't imagine this story having any other meaning,
than what he says it is:
Luk 16:22
And it happened that the beggar died
and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom.
The rich one also died and was buried.
Luk 16:23
And in hell he lifted up his eyes,
being in torments,
and saw Abraham afar off,
and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luk 16:24
And he cried and said,
Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus
so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water
and cool my tongue,
for I am tormented in this flame.
Luk 16:25
But Abraham said,
Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things,
and likewise Lazarus evil things.
But now he is comforted and you are tormented.
Wasn't Abraham just a man?
Even if he was "the father of the Jewish people"
he was still a man. Right?
And aren't we all equal in the sight of God?
The state of my soul is between me and God, is it not?
So why is Lazarus in Abraham's bosom?
Why is the rich man appealing to Abraham instead of God?
Do different people have different "status" levels in the next life?
Now I am drawn back to verse 9 above....
Luk 16:9
And I say to you,
Make friends by the mammon of unrighteousness for yourselves,
so that when you fail,
they may receive you into everlasting dwellings.
Who exactly ARE these friends,
who will receive me into everlasting dwellings?
.
<< Home