Luke 16:9

[YCGP]

I just read a very long Q&A article on this passage though I did not find a clear explanation in it.

Does anyone know what this means?
"And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."

It is a from a parable. The manager told his master's debtors to pay back much less than they owed. And the scripture praises him for it, it tells us to do the same... but isn't this stealing in some way?

Thanks.

 

[Greg J.]

“And his master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light. “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings. (Luke 16:8-9, 1984 NASB)

Jesus is speaking to his disciples. IMO:

The manager is labeled unrighteous so the master was not praising the manager for his wrongdoing. He was praising him for his ability to be shrewd (not for using his shrewdness for wrongdoing). In that scenario it was someone of the world acting shrewdly to gain more worldly friends (which would benefit him in a worldly way). The analogy Jesus is making is: like the manager used his shrewdness to gain earthly friends, use your shrewdness to gain eternal dwellings.

Because of the last half of verse 8, verse 9 is making reference to using even worldly means to gain heavenly (or perhaps Godly [on earth]) friends so that when your worldly means are gone, you will have invested wisely and be welcomed into heaven.

Verse 10 and on adds nuances to this, such as investing wisely for a heavenly welcome counts as being a good steward of what one was given. He connects the whole thing with a person's character: Be wise. If you are someone who is wise for heavenly possessions, then you will also be someone who is wise with your earthly possessions.

 

[NJA]

I just read a very long Q&A article on this passage though I did not find a clear explanation in it.

Does anyone know what this means?
"And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."

It is a from a parable. The manager told his master's debtors to pay back much less than they owed. And the scripture praises him for it, it tells us to do the same... but isn't this stealing in some way?

In my experience, few people understand this parable, which is why people are questioning it and not receiving a clear answer.

"it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful" (1 Cor. 4:2)

Th unjust steward compromised what his/her master reqired to get on with people.
(Many churches today change what God actually wants to fit in with what people want).

Jesus says his disciples should compromise the things of mammon to get the things of God.
If our job/career or desire to get material things or worldly acceptance is taking up so much time or energy or compromising what God would have us be, then change!

The blessings of God are better, "everlasting", don't become spiritually poor by chasing the alternatives.

Realise your spiritual riches and actaccordingly!

"the rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender" Proverbs 22:7

 

[YCGP]

Ok, so...

We should be smart with our spiritual gifts. With these gifts we are supposed to make friends with other (Godly) Christians, so that... what? So that we are surrounded by faithful people, thereby making better decisions, having better influences, staying away from evil, etc.

Through those friendships we would do good and honest things?

I am so confused.

 

[Greg J.]

Be wise in your pursuit of the kingdom of God.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

It is a from a parable. The manager told his master's debtors to pay back much less than they owed. And the scripture praises him for it, it tells us to do the same... but isn't this stealing in some way?

I am so confused.

Most descriptions fail to address the sin involved, so don't accept them.

Perhaps YHWH will bring to light HIS meaning. (HE KNOWS , after all!)

A long time ago, there was one who showed clearly how this is so often MIS-represented due to , well, let's not go there at this point....

Rather realize the way it is usually discussed causes some violence, some unjustified twisting,
some contradiction with YHWH'S PURPOSE and YHWH'S WORD;
so it is not to be accepted .
(when that happens - contradicting HIS WORD elsewhere).

The actually meaning is simple, and DOES NOT contradict nor conflict with YHWH'S WORD in any way,
but it was unfortunately 'lost' long ago, and is not usually recovered.

The best thing to do is let it rest. Pray if desired.

YHWH will make it clear when HE wants to, as HE pleases.

Men will , naturally, continue twisting it or explaining it wrongly, most of the time.

(Yes, it is and was CLEAR when rightly explained; and with no contradiction with any of YHWH'S WORD.
It was thoroughly and completely enjoyable to read the right WORD.
But , as it was so long ago, I FORGOT IT..... only remembering the beauty and the wonder and the consistency and PERFECT HARMONY of ALL OF YHWH'S WORD when rightly seen.... )

 

[NJA]

We should be smart with our spiritual gifts. With these gifts we are supposed to make friends with other (Godly) Christians, so that... what?

if you do it you will discover! You will start to realise your potential (and your inadequacies, which you can call on God to fill). Also there is a ministry to the unsaved.

I am so confused.

Maybe you are trying to work it out without doing it?
Have you actrually received what all the disciples received in Acts 2v4 onwards?
(The gentiles got the same - Acts 10:44-48)

"If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine" (John 7:17)

 

[hedrick]

The parable above this is about someone with no faith who managed to accomplish something worldly by using money cleverly. There's a Jewish form of argument from the lesser to the greater. I wonder if that's what he's doing: if this guy could use his money to get worldly success, then surely my followers can use their money for better purposes.

The Word commentary notes: "... it is clear that the friends to be made are the poor to whom alms should be given in line with the injunction of 12:33 (cf. 18:22), which expresses the same thought, but with different imagery."

My reading is supported by verses 10 and 11: if you can't do the right thing with something like money, why would you be entrusted with something that really matters?