The Unrighteous Steward—the Ultimate Explanation on the Most Controversial Parable of Jesus
Would you be surprised to see Elon Musk in heaven?
A rich man who gives is better than a poor man who withholds—for he withholds what he worships.
For some reasons, the church prefer not to discuss this Parable.
Parable of the Unrighteous Steward is in Luke 16:1-13
Why did the master praise the steward for "acting shrewdly"? Didn’t the steward act shrewdly at the cost of the master?
Have you ever wondered over this verse:
“And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.” Luke 16:9
And probably every verse of Jesus’s comments?
No existing explanations cleared up my confusion about this parable until the answer dawned on me today.
Let’s dive in right now.
If you’re interested in Jesus’s parables, check out this episode from my podcast: “Where There Will Be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth”
In this article:
What changes between Getting fired vs. Getting praised?—the way Jesus thinks will blow your mind
Interpretations, verse by verse
Counterintuitive truths about money and faith
The Parable of Talents rebukes dead faith;
The Unrighteous Steward rebukes blind faith.
What changes between Getting fired vs. Getting praised?
The steward gets fired because he “squandered” his master’s possessions.
The steward gets praised because he “acted shrewdly.”
Now,
Why he was fired
Wrong motive:
The steward squandered his master’s possessions for his own selfish desires and pleasures.
Wrong source:
What the steward squandered belongs to his master.
Why he was praised
Right motive:
The steward reduced debts for people so they would welcome him into their homes.
Now you might be thinking, "That’s still a selfish motive!"
Hang on—that’s the part Jesus thinks differently.
God focuses on people. The result of the steward’s actions is that people, including the steward himself, are relieved and blessed.
Right source:
The steward practiced generosity at the expense of his master’s money. The source is still the same, isn’t it?
True. So why did the master praise him?