- Covered In His Dust
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- Luke Chapter 16
Good morning! ☀️
"When disciples followed a rabbi, they followed him closely so they would never be out of his sight, never be someplace where they couldn’t hear him speak. They followed him so closely that his sandals often kicked up dust."
May you be covered in His dust.
If this is your first time getting Covered in His Dust, WELCOME!
Read Luke Chapter 16 before reading my notes. They’ll make more sense.
Access previous notes on Luke by signing into your account. Click 'Read Online' at the top right of this post and scroll down to find them waiting for you.
No time to waste today.
We have a big job ahead, so let’s get into it.
Biblical scholars agree that the Parable of the Dishonest Manager is one of the most difficult to understand.
Today, let’s take our time and break down the first thirteen verses, one at a time.
First, let’s set the scene.
Who is Jesus talking to?
Jesus is speaking directly to the Disciples. He’s speaking to you and me as believers.
“He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions.”
It was common for wealthy people in ancient times to have managers or stewards who oversaw their estates, finances, and business affairs. So far, so good.
And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’
Again, this is pretty clear. The manager has done a terrible job of managing the owner’s affairs and has been given his notice.
And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.
The manager is showing himself to be lazy and prideful. But still, so far, it’s all pretty straightforward. The manager wasn’t immediately fired and seemed to have some time to prepare for his future.
‘I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’
The manager’s plan was to reduce what was owed to his master so that when he was jobless, he’d have people who were indebted to him. He was hoping to create future grace and opportunities for himself.
On the face of it, it’s not very honest, but regardless, it’s not hard to understand.
But here’s where we’re going to slow down a bit because the train is about to jump the tracks.
The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness.
Ummmmmm. What???
That
Makes
No
Sense
As I read this verse, I thought, “I must be missing something. Something else is going on that I don’t see. What owner is going to commend a departing employee who is making deals under the table with HIS MONEY?”
And that’s an important lesson about reading the Bible. If something doesn’t make sense to you, don’t just keep reading. It’s a cue to put on your gloves, grab a shovel, and start digging.
My digging included six full sermons and Google research totaling over 10 hours.
When reading the Bible, understanding the historical context and cultural background deepens our comprehension and interpretation.
In our culture, business owners pay people to manage operations. A Chief Executive Officer, for example, sets strategic direction, leads the management team, represents the company, makes key decisions and allocates resources; they manage the money.
CEOs are some of a company's highest-paid individuals, often earning huge salaries, bonuses, and other forms of compensation.
To understand the business culture of Jesus’ time, we can look to tax collectors.
Tax collectors had a degree of independence from the Roman government. They were like independent contractors and typically received a commission or percentage of the taxes they collected. This incentivized them to collect as much tax as possible. They basically got to keep anything they could collect above what was owed to the Roman government.
If the manager was working under the same structure, he didn’t actually cheat the owner. He most likely cut out the amount he had tacked on for himself, giving up his own profit. All he would collect was what was due his master.
His master was happy.
The debtors were happy.
And the manager was happy.
He created goodwill and obligations with those who owed his master.
In Jesus's time, there was a strong emphasis on the culture of obligation. If someone did a favor for you, it was generally expected that you would feel obligated to repay that favor in some way.
When someone extended help or kindness to another person, it created a sense of indebtedness, and the recipient was expected to reciprocate in some form to balance the relationship.
Now, it makes sense when the owner commends the manager for his shrewdness.
Sure, he was lazy and dishonest, so he was still fired, but now the parable makes sense. And actually, I agree with the owner. It was brilliant.
So, what’s the point? What can we learn? Let’s keep going.
For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.
Sons of the World represent unbelievers, and Sons of Light represent believers. Jesus is saying that the Sons of the World will stop at nothing to secure their future.
They’ll be shrewd.
They’ll own assets.
They’ll work long hours.
They’ll go back to school.
They’ll plan and strategize.
They’ll invest and buy companies.
They’ll charge high fees because they’re paying a high fee in this world.
And that’s what the manager is doing in this parable. He’s doing what he has to do to secure his future.
Jesus is saying that unbelievers are doing far more to secure their future here on earth than believers are doing to secure their future in heaven.
This is not about salvation.
Remember, Sons of Light are believers who are saved so it’s not about working for your salvation. How then can we ‘secure our future in heaven?’ To understand that, we need to look at the next verse.
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.
Unrighteous wealth is the wealth we generate and accumulate here on earth.
Let’s see what Jesus says on the subject.
In the Book of Matthew, the Pharisees try to trap Jesus by asking him about paying taxes to Caesar.
“Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
In other words, ‘Render to the world the wealth that comes from the world, and to God, the things that are God’s,’ like compassion and generosity.
We need to use our ‘worldly unrighteous wealth’ to advance the kingdom.
What does that mean? Practically.
Supporting missions and outreach: Give to spread the Gospel.
Supporting local churches: Give to your church to help its work in your community.
Feeding the hungry: Buy food for people who don't have enough to eat.
Providing shelter: Help build houses or support shelters for people who don't have a safe place to live.
Caring for the sick: Give to those in medical crisis.
Education and empowerment: Give to help kids go to school or learn useful skills.
Supporting families in need: Give to families who are struggling to pay for things like food and rent.
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.
Read
That
Slowly
So when you die and enter eternity, there will be ‘friends’ who will welcome you. What friends? Those whom we help with our unrighteous wealth here on earth.
Can you imagine entering heaven’s gates and someone welcoming you and saying, “You helped my mother when she was sick. She was dying, and you had compassion. She saw the face of Jesus for the first time… in… you”?
Jesus is calling us to use our riches to further the kingdom, to spread the gospel, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
When I was younger, I thought, “Man, if I won the lottery, I’d give more to my church,” or “If I made more money, I’d give more.”
The thing is, that’s just not true. If you don’t give now, you won’t give then.
Be generous with what you have today.
“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. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?
That’s ONE interpretation. I can assure you there are many more. I spent more than 10 hours studying that one parable. I watched sermons by John MacArthur and John Piper. I read commentaries by RC Sproul and Matthew Henry.
We can’t just browse through the Bible anymore. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. It’s now. - Matthew 3:2
Let’s keep going.
The parable started out with Jesus talking to the Disciples. But in verse 14, it appears that…
The Pharisees were eavesdropping.
The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.
And then He takes them to school.
"The Law and the Prophets were until John"
The Law (referring to the Torah, the first five books of the Bible) and the Prophets (referring to the prophetic books of the Old Testament) were the primary sources of religious authority and guidance before John the Baptist.
"Since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached"
Jesus is telling the Pharisees that a new phase in God's plan is unfolding. The "good news" of the kingdom of God is being proclaimed, announcing the arrival of God's reign and salvation through Jesus Christ.
“But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.”
Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the Law, including its ceremonial and sacrificial aspects. As a result, believers are no longer bound by these specific requirements of the Old Testament Law.
Now, we’re called to follow the moral and ethical teachings of Jesus, which embody the essence of the Law.
And then… seemingly out of nowhere… Jesus talks to the Pharisees about divorce.
What?
Let’s back up a bit.
“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.
Jesus was exposing the Pharisees' misuse of the scriptures, and He pointed to one of their most blatant misinterpretations, which was concerning divorce.
"When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house,"
The Pharisees held loose interpretations of divorce laws that allowed divorce for almost anything.
Rabbi Hill was a prominent Jewish scholar and leader during the time of Jesus. His liberal interpretation allowed for divorce for reasons such as spoiling dinner, walking in public with an uncovered head, conversing with men in the streets, speaking disparagingly of one's mother-in-law, or engaging in arguments with the husband.
Jesus was calling out the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.
Finally, the story of Lazarus and the rich man shows the contrast between a wealthy, self-indulgent man and a poor, afflicted beggar named Lazarus. After their deaths, Lazarus is comforted in heaven, while the rich man suffers torment in Hades.
The story serves as a warning against the dangers of selfishness, neglecting the needs of the poor, and prioritizing worldly wealth over spiritual well-being.
The parable of the shrewd manager and the story of Lazarus and the rich man address different aspects of wealth and stewardship. Still, they both teach the importance of using worldly resources wisely and with an eternal perspective.
They highlight the fleeting nature of material possessions and the need for faithful stewardship in light of eternal realities.
Wow. That was a lot.
As I was researching, I started to get frustrated that it was taking so long, “I have things to do.”
And then I realized, “What’s more important than this? What’s more important than taking the time to understand a love letter from God that He sent to us thousands of years ago?”
Have an amazing weekend! Soak in scripture. Ask Beg God to put someone in your path to love.
I love you,
George
Uncovering Scripture
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George Sisneros serves as a full-time missionary in Guatemala. He is the founder of Ordinary Missionaries and the El Rosario Christian Academy for Boys.
He’s been married to his wife, Vonda, for 25 years. He’s a father to nine children, five adopted.
George and his family will be expanding to Cuba in 2014.