1 "AND He said also unto the disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused 2 unto him that he was wasting his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, What is this that I hear of thee? render the account of thy stewardship; for thou canst be no longer 3 steward. And the steward said within himself, What shall I do, seeing that my lord taketh away the stewardship from me? 4 I have not strength to dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the steward- 5 ship, they may receive me into their houses. And calling to 6 him each one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, A hundred 7 measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bond, and sit down quickly and write fifty. Then said he to another, 8 And how much owest thou? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. He saith unto him, Take thy bond, and 9 write fourscore. And his lord commended the unrighteous steward because he had done wisely; for the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the 10 light. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall 11 fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles. He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and 12 he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mam- 13 mon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye can not serve God and mammon."
NOTE.—Read Luke 16: 1-18, and study also 1 Tim. 6: 17-19. Give careful heed to the lesson which is taught in this parable. That lesson is that we should use those things with which God has entrusted us in such a way as to make for our eternal good. The unjust steward was wise for his temporal well being. If men of the world show such earnestness, thought, and care in the things which are temporal, certainly the "children of light" should not show less earnestness, thought, and care in providing for their eternal welfare. The Saviour does not commend the unjust steward for an unjust act; but uses His earnestness as an example for those who lack earnestness in laying up treasure in heaven.
Golden Text: "Ye can not serve God and mammon." Luke 16: 13.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) Whom does the Saviour address in to-day's lesson? What persons are introduced in the lesson? What accusation had been brought against the steward? V. 1. Note 1. (2) What question did the master ask of his servant? What did he command him to do? What announcement did he make in regard to his stewardship? V. 2. (3) What question did the steward ask of himself? What would be his condition when he had been thrown out of employment? V. 3. (4) What did the steward at once begin to plan for? V. 4. Note 2. (5) What did he immediately do? What did he ask of the first of his master's debtors? V. 5. (6) What was the amount of the first debtor's obligation? What did the unjust steward suggest that the debtor do? V. 6. Note 3. (7) What was the debt of the second man? What reduction did the steward grant in this man's indebtedness? V. 7. (8) What did the landlord do when he learned what his steward had done? What comparison does the Lord make with reference to this transaction? V. 8. Note 4. (9) What injunction did the Saviour then give His disciples? What would be the result of doing this? V. 9. Note 5. (10) What may we expect of those who are faithful in little things? What of those who are unrighteous in the little things? V. 10. (11) What application does the Saviour make of this truth to Christian workers? V. 11. (12) What other question does the Saviour ask in regard to the result of unfaithfulness? V. 12. (13) What does the Saviour declare in reference to serving two masters? What will the servant do who attempts to serve two masters? With what admonition does the lesson close? V. 13.
NOTES.
1. Said also unto His disciples.—The also would imply that this lesson was given at the same time that the Saviour spoke the three parables of the previous chapter. The first two were spoken to the Pharisees; the third to both publicans and Pharisees; and this one to His disciples in the presence of the others. Verse 14 shows that the Pharisees were present at this gathering.
2. I am resolved what to do.—"This unfaithful servant made others sharers with him in his dishonesty. He defrauded his master to advantage them, and by accepting this advantage, they placed themselves under obligation to receive him as a friend into their homes. The worldly man praised the sharpness of the man who had defrauded him. But the rich man's commendation was not the commendation of God. Christ did not commend the unjust steward, but He made use of a well-known occurrence to illustrate the lesson He desired to teach. . . . The servant in the parable had made no provision for the future. The goods entrusted to him for the benefit of others he had used for himself; but he had thought only of the present. When the stewardship should be taken from him, he would have nothing to call his own. But his master's goods were still in his hands, and he determined to use them so as to secure himself against future want. To accomplish this he must work on a new plan. Instead of gathering for himself, he must impart to others. Thus he might secure friends, who, when he should be cast out, would receive him."—Christ's Object Lessons.
3. Take thy bond.—The document which the steward held showing the obligation of the debtor. The steward, having done the business before, would apparently have the right to change the bond. The altered bond, having been made by the steward, would stand in law.
4. Commended the unrighteous steward.—The master had expected to find that his steward had been dishonest; but this display of sharpness, shrewdness, cunning, seems to have pleased him. This shows that he himself was a worldly man, and one who admired unscrupulous cunning. His steward had taken of his goods and distributed them among others, that he might lay up for himself a living; and he commended the steward for doing it. This is all a worldly transaction. Now our Lord permits us to use what He has entrusted to our charge (what we call our talents, our means) in order to lay up for ourselves an eternal living; and our Lord commends us for doing it. All we have is entrusted to us by the Lord. If we use it for our own selfish ends, we will be in a worse condition than the unjust steward when our Lord requires an accounting of us.
5. Make to yourselves friends.—"God and Christ and angels are all ministering to the afflicted, the suffering, and the sinful. Give yourself to God for this work; use His gifts for this purpose, and you enter into partnership with heavenly beings. To you these dwellers in the eternal tabernacles will not be strangers. When earthly things shall have passed away, the watchers at heaven's gates will bid you welcome."—Christ's Object Lessons.