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equally true in the case of the parable of the Unjust Steward, and is quite
unnecessary. In fact, this argument applies to the parable of the Good
Samaritan, for that opens with the words, 'A certain man', just as the two in
Luke 16. Or again, Peter's question in Luke 12:41, 'Speakest Thou this
parable unto us, or even unto all?' shows that the words of verse 39, which
commence with, 'And this know, that if the good man of the house had known,'
etc., is a parable, even as the Lord's words about the faithful and wise
steward immediately follow (verses 42 -48). We shall, therefore, speak of
the parable of the rich man and Lazarus without further explanation, and hold
that the language of all parables, being figurative, must always give place
to those passages that teach plain doctrine.
Luke has several parables where the truth is found by realizing that
the Lord is instituting a contrast. Take, for example, the parable of the
Unjust Steward. His prudence is commended by the lord referred to in the
parable, but does that justify anyone following the example of the unjust
steward? All will agree that no one would be justified in copying the
example of this man, even though commended by the lord of the parable. One
may ask, are we then left without guidance from the Lord Jesus as to what His
intentions are in this parable? and our answer is most emphatic, we are not,
for the Lord has most definitely repudiated the whole attitude of the unjust
steward. Thanks to the translators and their traditional interpreters, the
truth lies buried, and Christians have been given the awful instruction to
'Make to themselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness' in spite of 2
Corinthians 6:14, 'What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?'
or Peter's repudiation, 'Thy money perish with thee' (Acts 8:20).
Some things which stand as positive statements in the A.V. are better
rendered as questions, e.g., the marginal reading of Romans 8:33,34 R.V. A
consultation of the great commentaries will reveal that honest and godly men
have felt the difficulty of taking the despicable action of this steward as
in any sense an example, or as justifying the use of anything so unrighteous
as mammon in the service of the Lord, particularly when it is remembered that
at the end of the parable the Lord most definitely says, 'Ye cannot serve God
and mammon'. The trouble is all man -made. lf we but take the Lord's words
in Luke 16:9 to be a question demanding a negative answer, we shall see that
He utterly repudiates the attitude of mind manifested by the unjust steward,
and follows with what He does enjoin upon His followers, in contrast:
'And Do I Say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of
unrighteousness: that, when ye fail, they may receive you into
everlasting habitations?'
The answer demanded is, No, I teach no such thing; this is what I teach
you, in contrast:
'He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much:
and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If
therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will
commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful
in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your
own?'
A similar misconception arising out of the same fault is found in
Matthew 23:2 -4, where it reads: