Goshen360: Na whao.

@ OP,

What is your pastor's interpretation? Can you post it and let's see the reason you are more confused after the bible study?

Goshen360: ^
Okay my brother. I will explain those verses in simple and clear language soon. Give me some time, say 3-5 hours 'cos am busy right now. The interpretation of God's word is ONE but the application are MANY. However, we MUST be careful of personal interpretation. Thank you.

TheShopKeeper: Luke 16:1-10
Jesus Christ our Saviour is here pressing us to, by reminding us that we are stewards of the manifold grace of God; and since we have in divers instances been unfaithful, and have forfeited the favour of our Lord, it is our wisdom to think how we may, some other way, make what we have in the world turn to a good account. The parable in this chapter is to awaken and quicken us all so to use this world and not to abuse it, to manage all our possessions and enjoyments here wisely. Jesus wants His followers to live wisely, but often times we act foolishly!

The man’s decisive action in the face of impending crisis is extolled, not the manner of his actions. He, like the prodigal son came to himself and chose to act decisively. We noticed in the passage that the man was not jailed or whipped, but he was dismissed. This showed something about the merciful character of the landlord. The steward was praised because he recognised the coming disaster and his guiltiness. This reflects a sinner who recognised his guilt and the coming judgement and quickly respond to Jesus’ offer of forgiveness and mercy.

Likewise, we should be wise, decisive and quick to take appropriate action to find the favour of our Lord Jesus Christ, if and when we have come short in our individual lives. Our God, like the landlord, in the passage is willing to forgive and redeem us.

honeric01:
That Jesus expects us to always create situations whereby we can fall back to...
https://www.nairaland.com/986798/clarification-luke-16vs-1-10/1#11397721

Goshen360: "And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. “He who [is] faithful in [what is] least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in [what is] least is unjust also in much. "Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true [riches]? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own? "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Vs. 9-13

Now, from verse 9, Jesus is implying the message he intend to pass across to his disciples. The verse 1-8 were not the words of Christ as if he was giving a command but they were his words as in he was telling a parable of between a master and a steward. His own teachings from the parable now implies from verse 9 with the words, “And I say to you” What is Christ saying here in verse 9 and what does he meant by “make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home”?

The unjust steward used his master's money to buy earthly friends for his home so when he is pushed out of work, he can have a place to stay; believer are to use their master's wealth in a way that will accrue friends for eternity – by investing in the kingdom gospel that brings sinners to salvation, so that when they arrive in heaven (eternal or everlasting home), those sinners or friends will be there to welcome them. If Christ was commending this unjust steward, he will not call or refer to him as unjust/dishonest in verse 8.

Christ used this parable to illustrate that even the wicked sons of this world are shrewd enough to provide for themselves against the coming evil. Believers ought to be more shrewd because they are concerned with eternal matters, not just earthly ones and such is read in Christ's statement from 10-13. Faithful use of one's earthly wealth us repeatedly tied to the accumulation of treasure in heaven and verse 12 refers to God and believer's stewardship of his money which believers only manage as stewards.

okeyxyz:

Your pastor got it right by his teaching, he probably did not explain better & that's why your are not satisfied, but i'll explain here:

The passage(Luke 16 vs1-10) teaches that you as a christian are not performing your duties by just preaching & worshiping god, your duties are to go into the world and participate in it's wisdom(for the earth is the lord's and it's fullness therefof -1 cor 10:26), the earth & all of nature is created for your own use and to profit from it. The servant is accused of being wasteful, meaning that your belief in god is not enough to meet your needs, you must participate and excel in worldly activities: go to school, acquire a skill, become economically viable, acquire wealth, excel in knowlege, politics etc. don't sit on your hands and expect god to provide or reward you. you dishonor god by not utilizing the resources and opportunities he has set in front of you, therefor he says: he who does not excel in the things of the world, the same cannot be entrusted with the things of god.

honeric01: Please i need someone who's knowledgeable in the things of God and his word to help me break down this chapter.

The pastor this evening (bible study) preached about this parable but i was (and still)left more confused than before by the time he was through.

Before i write down his explanation and interpretation, i would like to read what others (men of the word preferable) can make of Luke 16 vs 1-10 (8-9 VERY IMPORTANT).

Help a confused christian out.

Thanks.

honeric01: ^^^


Why would i think such? no where in my write-ups did i say Christ supported any dishonesty in that parable, rather i said the pastor's interpretation didn't go down well with me.ed

ronkebp:

oh!!!! just thought it might be infered.......

honeric01:

Here's where i have issues:

1: He was a steward and not the owner of the business, so who gave him power to reduce debts?
2: he was tagged a dishonest steward by Jesus, meaning he was conning and a fraud.
3: worldly wealth(unrighteous mammon)can be money gotten dishonestly or fraudulently.
4: Make friends by giving people money you make fraudulently so that they can give back when you're down.
Unrighteous mammon is ill-gotten wealth to me.

These 2 verses 8-9 needs a clearer explanation, i thank you for your own explanation but i need another view on it.

truthislight:

Guy, who told u that unrighteous riches are ill gotten wealth?
Are u saying that righteouse riches is honest money?

At what time is caesar's thing righteouse? What then will God's things be called?

Money = unrighteouse riches.
Spirituality = righteouse riches that can be stored in heaven.

If u can find the true religion use that unrighteouse riches to support it as much as u can, it is a saving that will last or help u when money cannot. (such righteouse acts are savings in heaven)
Peace.

truthislight: its like this ur post does not need comment since u already know all.

Mormon must be a greek word that the NT bible was written in. And not a translated word of choice by the translators.

ronkebp:

Poster, to start with, don't think Christ is in support of that evil, that man did, if you read the 'New Living Translation" it breaks it down and much more easier to understand, and the whole text does not end in verse 10, read it further down to 20, you will have a clearer understanding.

The guy in question used a fraudster brain, because he knew he will be dismissed by his master, so to gain other peoples favour, he had to reduce the debts they owed to his master, so that when he is eventually thrown out, he will have somewhere to stay....nice sense there i must say....

But Biblically, that attitude there is not a candidate for heaven, he was not faithful with the business his master entrusted to him and decided to use it for his own personal purpose and to his advantage....(that was where Christ said, he that is not faithful with little things will not be faithful with more).

Also, verse 9, is just saying even if you are going to do good to others, do it in a godly way, use your riches to help others, so that your rewards willbe in heaven....not for you to steal from A and think you are doing good by helping the poor or those in need.


Defintely the world will honour and acceopt him, but it is an abomination before God.

honeric01:

His interpretation according to how i heard him..

That Jesus expects us to always create situations whereby we can fall back to those who once helped in time of adversaries, getting smart and creative when we are faced with dilemma like the dishonest steward was faced with sack by his boss but went ahead to smartly gain his boss's commendation.

He said that passage taught us how to turn adversities to advantages by borrowing a leaf from the wisdom of the world the dishonest steward exhibited.
He said the passage also taught us that we should make the most out of every situation we find ourselves, in whatever position we are today, we should make sure we make something good and meaningful out of it so that when we are no longer in that position, those things we did would come and speak for us. (he emphasized on building houses, investing, giving, making friends with people, being very generous.). but insisted he's not telling anyone to go and commit fraud even though most of the examples he used as "knowing people in high places (govt) and all that and also the stories he gave harbored around these points.

Lastly, another pastor asked him if it was wise to make friends with the heathen, receive from the heathen and also give to them, his answer was that when we are sowing or reaping, we shouldn't sow on thorny ground and we should always ask for God's direction. he supported his preachings with Isaiah 5 vs 4-7, proverbs vs 24, psalms 90 vs 12 and gen 50 vs 17-20.

Three highlights he pointed out are :

1: Turning adversities to advantage
2: Making the most out of the moment
3: Being generous- willingness to release.


To me, i became confused because the passage was about someone being dishonest before his boss got him sacked and even after that he still used dishonest means to gain back his boss's love, now what is there to learn? what wisdom is there to learn in a truthful way if not what i already explained in my previous posts or is there something the pastor missed or did he use the wrong parable to explain or back up his sermon?

honeric01:
Please i need someone who's knowledgeable in the things of God and his word to help me break down this chapter. The pastor this evening (bible study) preached about this parable but i was (and still)left more confused than before by the time he was through. Before i write down his explanation and interpretation, i would like to read what others (men of the word preferable) can make of Luke 16 vs 1-10 (8-9 VERY IMPORTANT). Help a confused christian out. Thanks.

1 Jesus said to his followers, “Once there was a rich man. He hired a manager to take care of his business. Later, he learned that his manager was cheating him.
2 So he called the manager in and said to him, ‘I have heard bad things about you. Give me a report of what you have done with my money. You can’t be my manager anymore.’
3 “So, the manager thought to himself, ‘What will I do? My master is taking my job away from me. I am not strong enough to dig ditches. I am too proud to beg.
4 I know what I will do! I will do something to make friends, so that when I lose my job, they will welcome me into their homes.’
5 “So the manager called in each person who owed the master some money. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
6 He answered, ‘I owe him 100 jars of olive oil.’ The manager said to him, ‘Here is your bill. Hurry! Sit down and make the bill less. Write 50 jars.’
7 “Then the manager asked another one, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He answered, ‘I owe him 100 measures of wheat.’ Then the manager said to him, ‘Here is your bill; you can make it less. Write 80 measures.’
8 “Later, the master told the dishonest manager that he had done a smart thing. Yes, worldly people are smarter in their business with each other than spiritual people are.
9 “I tell you, use the worldly things you have now to make ‘friends’ for later. Then, when those things are gone, you will be welcomed into a home that lasts forever.
10 Whoever can be trusted with small things can also be trusted with big things. Whoever is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in big things too.
11 If you cannot be trusted with worldly riches, you will not be trusted with the true riches.
12 And if you cannot be trusted with the things that belong to someone else, you will not be given anything of your own.
13 “You cannot serve two masters at the same time. You will hate one master and love the other. Or you will be loyal to one and not care about the other. You cannot serve God and Money at the same time.” - Luke 16 vs 1 -13

Goshen360:
○ Jesus had told a similar parable of the prodigal son just immediately before this parable, both are all about wasting resources to teach the kingdom people how to manage resources to the benefit of the kingdom of God.
○ In the case of this steward being accused (implying malice but not necessarily falsehood or fraud) of wasting his master's goods unlike the prodigal son wasting his father's goods/resources and not a case of fraud that this steward was charged with but this steward later proved the case beyond wasting of goods to a case of fraud/falsehood simply because he wants to provide/secure his future survival after being put out of work.

Goshen360:
■ Also notice that ALL characters in this parable are unjust, unscrupulous and corrupt. Most unbelievers are wiser in the ways of the world than some believers are in the things of God and towards things of God. This is what that statement meant. It's easy for corrupt people in the world to deal with themselves than true believers and unbelievers to deal with believers. Imagine the debtors are true believers or they are sons of light, you mean they will agree to change the bills of their debts knowing that is falsehood and corruption. But they were all able to dance around because they are all unjust. So if they are unjust in their worldly ways, the children of light, believers are to be wiser in the things of God or towards the things of God for eternal planning.