Parable of the Dishonest Manager

Luke 16:1-13

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Biblical Text

Jesus told his disciples: "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.'

The manager said to himself, 'What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg. I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.'

So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' 'Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied. The manager told him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.' Then he asked the second, 'And how much do you owe?' 'A thousand bushels of wheat,' he replied. He told him, 'Take your bill and make it eight hundred.'

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. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings."

— Luke 16:1-9 (NIV)

Context

Jesus told this parable to His disciples, teaching about the proper use of material resources. It's one of the most challenging parables to interpret, as it appears to commend dishonest behavior.

Theological Interpretation

This parable isn't endorsing dishonesty but rather highlighting the importance of using worldly resources wisely for eternal purposes. The manager is commended not for his dishonesty but for his shrewd planning for the future, encouraging believers to be equally wise in using material resources for spiritual purposes.