To Christians?

Question

What is your views on Luke 16:8

Answer 1

8"The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings

Perhaps it means that people of light do not form alliances. They do not look out for each other. While worldly people unite in keeping their minds on the objective of making money, people of light do not unite in their day to day lives with the objectives of God's kingdom. A lot of Christian churches do not communicate with each other because of differences in denomination. Do Christian business people seek to do business with other Christian business people? If a Christian lost his/her job, are there any Christian employers they could inquire of. Are Christians business owners godly in making deals or are they more devoted to money? Why is it that Jesus had to tell Peter three times - feed my sheep? In going about the everyday cares of our lives, are Christian people uniting? Yes, then why are some Christian people lacking?

Answer 2

The two parables in Luke 16 (found only here) illustrate how money can be used shrewdly or callously. The first (16:1-8) bristles with so many problems that scholars continue to debate not only what it means but even where it ends. The interpretation offered here is plausible but not certain. The interpretation depends on how the reader understands the situation that the story takes for granted, and on what the reader makes of the first part of 16:8 ("And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly"); the rest of 16:8 is a comment on the story.

The story assumes that the manager has the right to make loans, perhaps to tenant farmers, in the name of the owner of the estate. The story may also assume that the IOU to the owner included the amount taken by the manager who made he loan; that is, his own percentage or "cut" - a practice attested elsewhere in antiquity. If this practice is assumed here, then we no longer need to be perplexed that Jesus seems to be commending dishonesty. In fact, 16:8 does not say the manager is commended because he was dishonest; it says the dishonest manager (who had already been squandering the owner's property) was shrewd in changing the IOU's.

The parable is about an irresponsible manager who, hearing that he is being fired, looks out for his future by forfeiting that part of the debt repayment that he expected to get for himself, in one case 100 percent interest, in the other 25 percent. As a result, the owner would lose nothing, but the manager might be welcomed into the homes of those whose debt has been reduced. He still lost his job, but even so, the owner commended him "because he had acted shrewdly."

To this parable are attached various sayings, beginning with the comment at the end of 16:8, which observes that such people as the dishonest manager show more shrewdness in looking out for themselves than those who are enlightened by Jesus' message but do not act with similar shrewdness because they fail to see that his message creates an urgent situation. The next saying (16:9) urges the disciples to "use your worldly wealth [Greek: 'mammon of unrighteousness' or 'unrighteous mammon'] to win friends for yourselves, so that when money is a thing of the past you may be received into an eternal home" (REB). This saying uses the parable to say, in effect, act now to secure your future with God. It might also suggest that we do this by giving our wealth to the poor.

Answer 3

The context is about using money wisely. Since the dishonest steward was going to lose his position, he needed to make some friends fast, or be homeless. So with his remaining power, he called in his master's debtors and cut down their debts. This was an acceptable business practice, since it was better to have part of the money than nothing. Anyway, that's not the main point. The main idea is that he won friends for himself with money.
The application, similarly, is that people should do the same; that they should be generous with their money, giving to the homeless and the needy. In so doing, they will be "winning friends" (gaining reward) for themselves in the celestial realms when they have to leave their earthly home.
I've studied this many times, and I think this interpretation harmonizes best with the context, other teachings, and the clear sense of the language.

Answer 4

The scope of Christ's discourse in this chapter is to awaken and quicken us all so to use this world as not to abuse it, so to manage all our possessions and enjoyments here as that they may make for us, and may not make against us in the other world; for they will do either the one or the other, according as we use them now. I. If we do good with them, and lay out what we have in works of piety and charity, we shall reap the benefit of it in the world to come; and this he shows in the parable of the unjust steward, who made so good a hand of his lord's goods that, when he was turned out of his stewardship, he had a comfortable subsistence to betake himself to. The parable itself we have (Luke 16:1-8); the explanation and application of it (Luke 16:9-13); and the contempt which the Pharisees put upon the doctrine Christ preached to them, for which he sharply reproved them, adding some other weighty sayings, Luke 16:14-18. II. It, instead of doing good with our worldly enjoyments, we make them the food and fuel of our lusts, of our luxury and sensuality, and deny relief to the poor, we shall certainly perish eternally, and the things of this world, which were thus abused, will but add to our misery and torment. This he shows in the other parable of the rich man and Lazarus, which has likewise a further intention, and that is, to awaken us all to take the warning given us by the written word, and not to expect immediate messages from the other world, Luke 16:19-31.

Answer 5

This is a great passage for all Christians. We are to be good stewards of the resources GOD grants us. If we treated our salvation as well as this steward treated this money we would do well.

Luk 16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
Luk 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Luk 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true [riches]?

Answer 6

The parable of the unjust steward (Luke 16:1-8) is generally considered to be one of the most puzzling parables of Jesus. Ostensibly the parable tells the story of a steward who, when accused of financial malfeasance, wastes even more funds in an attempt to ingratiate himself with his employer's clients. The steward is then, inexplicably, commended by his employer. Finally, disciples of Jesus are encouraged to emulate the steward's example.

God Bless You

Answer 7

I'm not sure if can fit all this on here if I can't you will have to E-mal me.

Jesus had just fnished telling a story of the prodigal son to a crowd that includes his diciples, dishonest tax collectors and other recognized sinners, scribes and Pharsees. Now. addressing his deciples, he relates an illustration regarding a rich man who has received a unfavorable report about his house manager, or steward.

According to Jesus, the rich man calls his steward and tells him that he is going to dismiss him. He says " What am I to do, seeing my master will take away my stewardship away from me ?" the steward wonders. I am not strong enough to dig? I am ashamed to beg? AH, I know what shall do, so that, when I am put out of the stewardship, people will receive me into their homes."

What is the steward's plan? Well, he calls those who are in debt to his master." How much are you owing he ask .
580 gallons ( 2,200L ) of olive oil, the first one answers.
Take your written agreement back and sit down and quickly write
290 ( 1,100 L ) , he tells him.

He ask another, Now you, how much are you owing?
630 bushels ( 22,000L ) of weat, he says.
Take your written agreement back and write 504 ( 18,000 )

The steward is within his rights in reducing the bills owed to his master, since he is still in charge of his master's financial affairs.
So by reducing the amounts, he is making friends with those who can return favors when he loses hs job.

When the master hears what has happened, he is impressed. In fact, he commended the steward, though unrighteous, because he acted with practical wisdom. Indeed, Jesus adds: " the sons of this system of things are wiser in a practical way toward thier own
generaton than the sons of light are.

Now , drawing the lesson for his diciples, Jesus encourages:
" Make friends for yourselves by means of the unrighteous riches,
so that, when such fail, they may receive you into the everlasting
dwellng places."

Jesus is NOT commending the steward for his unrighteousness
but for his farsighted, practical wisdom. Often " the sons of this system of things " shrewdly use thier money or position to make friends with those who can return them favors. So God's servants, " the sons of light." also need to use thier material assets, thier " unrighteous riches, in a wise way to benifit .themselves

But as Jesus say's, they should make friends by means of these riches with those who may receive them " into everlasting dwelling places." For members of the little flock, these places are in heaven; for the other sheep, they are in the paradise earth. Since only Jehovah God and his Son can receive persons into these places, we should be dilgent in using any " unrighteous riches" we may have to support Kingdom interests and thus cultivate freindship with them. Then, when material riches fail or perish , as they surely will, our everlasting future will be assured.

Hope this has been of some help

Sincerely yours,

Fred M. Hunter

Answer 8

I guess the steward was commended for at least getting some of his dough back, even though he lost a majority of it. Also notice the lord would have lost all of his goods if the steward were not confronted by his lord. But he was still commended.

Answer 9

we need to be shrewd as a snake and as pure a dove. that turn the other cheek concept is very misunderstood. did you ever watch a rocky movie, he turned the other cheek to show his strength and how much he could take and still get the victory.

be shrewd and take a stand, tell it like it is and win others over.

who would want to follow a weak puppy who smiles all the time and lets people dump on him? BE SHREWD!

Answer 10

Meld me mold me fill me use me guide me in the power of the Holy Spirit give your Holy angels charge over us, and help us to do thy will. Some threw the water some threw the flood Im walkin threw the fire but all threw the Blood.