What Are We To Do With The Unrightous Steward?

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting September 8 to study Luke 16:1-13, the parable of the unrighteous steward.  I doubt this parable is all that familiar since most teaching and preaching avoids it like some disease.  But this parable serves to introduce several sayings, teachings, and discourses of Jesus on wealth.  So, to understand this parable, viewing the chapter as a whole is probably necessary. 

To that end, begin by reading all of Chapter 16.  Note the various things Jesus says about wealth throughout.  These things will need to be used in examining this parable.  Once through the chapter, go back and read the parable again with the issues raised in the rest of the chapter also in view.  Try and distill Jesus' point of the parable down to a single sentence.  Make notes as to why you chose that particular sentence and jot down questions that have occurred to you as you study the parable (we'll get to the rest of the chapter in due time...okay this month, I hope).

After you've done your own study, try looking through any commentary you have available and see how that affects your views.  Revise your sentence if you like, and any questions or notes as well.

After you have gone through the chapter yourself, go back through with the questions below:

• Luke has a "scene switch" as he says Jesus switches to talking to His disciples.  Basically, Jesus narrows His audience.  Why do you think this parable would be for just them?
• The characters of the parable are the master, his steward, accusers, and debtors.  Who do you think they correspond to in the application of the parable in Jesus' day?  Who do you think they correspond to in our day?
• The steward is accused of squandering the goods, he is called on the carpet to give an account, and he doesn't know what to do.  So, do you think that means he was squandering the goods, or what do you think?
• The steward reasons himself into a "solution".  How would you describe his goal with his solution?
• The steward summons each of his master's debtors and reduces their debt on the books he's about to return to his master.  Why do you think this is such a good idea?  Does Jesus think it's a good idea?
• The master firing the steward praises him for reducing the debts of those who owed him money.  Why do you think the master would praise the steward for reducing his assets?  How is that a good thing?
• Jesus' explanation is that the "sons of this age are more shrewd than the sons of light in dealing with their own generation."  What do you think this means?
• So how do you think the steward is a good example?
• Jesus says to makes friends for yourself with unrighteous wealth so that these friends will welcome you into eternal dwellings...so what do you think this means?  It seems to be the point of the parable, so it seems to be important.
• We have the "faithful in little, faithful in much" and it's opposite.  And then a further application of being faithful with what isn't yours and perhaps you will have of your own.  Your own what?  What sort of wealth do you think Jesus has in view here?  Earthly, heavenly, monetary, more people "saved", something entirely different?  Cleaner laundry? (may it never be!)
• We stop at Luke's quote of Jesus about servant serving two masters. Matthew uses nearly the exact same statement of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:24).  Look up "mammon" on the Blue Letter Bible (love this site - I keep saying that, don't I?).  What strikes you about the difference between the two conclusions?
• How do you see this truth Jesus about serving two masters as true in your own life?  What have been your two masters?
• Money or wealth seems to be what we spend at least 8 hours a day seeking or trying to obtain.  What do you spend more than 40 hours a week seeking that's not an occupation?
• So, between whatever you used to answer the previous question and a job, how much of your life do you think is available to the Holy Spirit?  How do you think we can make that a trick question?

That should keep us busy for a while.  This is a goofy wonky parable.  It's one of the more difficult to understand, but may not be that difficult to accept once understood (however you understand it).  Be sure to bring your notes and questions, and single-sentence summary to group Thursday!