Luke 16:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Do not claim, “Why do I lack the gift of teaching?” or “If I had such a gift, I would uplift many.” You cannot know whether possessing that talent might lead to your downfall or whether envy and laziness could prevent you from using it wisely. At present, you are free from these burdens, and if you do not inflict any measure of discomfort on yourself, you are not under condemnation. But had you possessed that gift, you might have been responsible for various misdeeds.

Even now, you are not entirely without ability. Demonstrate in small matters what you would accomplish if you possessed greater resources: "He who is unfaithful in little," says the Lord, "is also unfaithful in much... who will trust you?" Consider the example of the widow who gave two mites, offering everything she had. If you desire wealth, show that you do not value insignificant possessions; only then may I trust you with greater resources. If you do not disregard the small, how can you hope to value the large?

With respect to verbal gifts, demonstrate that you intend to use them for encouragement and persuasion. Even if you lack external eloquence or a wealth of thoughts, you know the fundamental truths; you have a child, a neighbor, a friend, a sibling, relatives. If you cannot deliver a lengthy discourse in church, you can still offer counsel in private. There is no need for harsh words or extended speeches; demonstrate through your actions that had you possessed the gift of speech, you would not be negligent. But if you are not diligent in minor tasks, how can I trust you with greater responsibilities?

One of the holy apostles instructs us, saying, ‘For all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.’ Such matters hold no benefit for those who live soberly and righteously; they are insignificant and temporary, filled with impurities, lead to destruction and judgment, and seldom endure to the finish of earthly life, even more so when unforeseen dangers suddenly confront those who possess them. Thus, the disciple of Christ admonishes the affluent, saying, ‘Come, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches are corroded, your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you.’ So, how do gold and silver become corroded? By being hoarded in excess; this testifies to their lack of mercy before God's judgment. For those who have amassed great and unnecessary wealth failed to care for the needy, although it would have been within their power to help many. They were not ‘faithful in the little.’ The Saviour Himself taught us how individuals can become faithful, and I will elaborate on this. A Pharisee invited Him to dine with him on the Sabbath, and Christ agreed; upon arriving, He reclined to eat, accompanied by many others. None of them appeared impoverished; rather, they were individuals of status and pride, seekers of high esteem, draped in the arrogance of riches. What did Christ respond to this invitation? ‘When you host a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends, brothers, relatives, or wealthy neighbors, lest they invite you in return and repay you. But when you host a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. You will be blessed, for they cannot repay you; you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’ Hence, I believe a person is faithful in small matters when they have compassion for the needy and extend help from their resources to those in dire need. Yet, we often disregard such a noble and assured path, choosing instead a disreputable and thankless one, overlooking those in grave poverty and sometimes ignoring their pleas; conversely, we lavishly prepare extravagant meals either for affluent friends or for those who readily flatter us, turning our generosity into an opportunity to seek praise. This is not the purpose for which God granted us the ability to possess wealth. Thus, if we are unfaithful in modest matters, failing to align ourselves with God’s will and offering the best of ourselves to our desires and pride, how can we expect to receive from Him what is genuine? And what is this genuine wealth? It is the abundant gifting of divine blessings that enrich the soul of humanity and instill in it a godlike beauty. It is spiritual wealth—not that which satisfies the flesh, enslaved by death, but that which rescues the soul, renders it worthy of emulation, respectable before God, and brings true acclaim. Therefore, it is essential for us to remain faithful to God, pure in heart, compassionate and benevolent, just and holy; for this shapes us in the image of the divine and perfects us as heirs of everlasting life. This is the essence of truth.

Having been unfaithful with the resources granted to them, which they recognized as not truly theirs (for the Lord God had bestowed upon everyone the bounty of the earth), and because they were reticent to share these blessings with the less fortunate, they were not worthy of receiving Christ. In contrast, Zacchaeus was so eager to welcome the Lord into his home that he offered half of his wealth! (see Lk. 19:8).

Temporal riches are referred to as foreign; they are inherently destructive and constantly exchanged; they do not rightfully belong to humanity, serving as a reminder of our reliance on self-sufficiency and the fall from grace. Wealth is relentless! It does not settle or linger with anyone; it is always temporarily bestowed, fleeting even in the face of endless eternity. Eternal treasures are regarded as true, being imperishable, immutable, and the lasting possession of the one who initially received them. Such treasures are rightly considered man's own, for humanity was designed to possess and delight in them. To attain genuine, inherent, and unalienable possessions, maintain your loyalty to God concerning what has been entrusted to you. Do not be mistaken: do not equate earthly goods with true ownership! Do not deceive yourself into believing you have the right to manage these possessions as you wish! Do not mislead yourself into thinking that using these resources for indulgence and pleasure is innocent! You are bound to manage them according to the Divine instructions of He who entrusted them to you. By utilizing your possessions for purely luxurious or pleasurable pursuits, you violate God's commandments, thereby depriving your neighbors of what God has directed you to share with them. By indulging in excess and frivolity, you bring destruction upon yourselves. You become enslaved to the physical, dulling the soul, forgetting God and eternity, potentially losing your very faith. By nurturing merely bodily pleasures, escalating them with extravagant and excessive indulgence, you may find it impossible to resist temptation, becoming ensnared in sin. In such transgressions, your salvation is buried. "Woe to you," the Savior proclaimed, "rich individuals who mismanage your wealth, for you will forfeit your comfort. Woe to those who are well-fed now, for you shall experience hunger. Woe to those who presently laugh, for you will mourn and lament" (Luke 6:24-26). Those who give to the needy secure for themselves treasures that do not diminish, storing up wealth in heaven (Luke 12:33). Delight in cultivating virtues! As soon as you engage in their practice, you will encounter a spiritual, sacred joy that renders earthly pleasures distasteful. From the acts of charity you perform, a vibrant faith will emerge within you, granting you experiential knowledge of God. It is the nature of grace to generate faith, and of faith to enrich grace.

Here, the admonition applies not only to tax collectors and others of similar disposition but also to the Apostles, with a pointed reprimand aimed at Judas, to whom this description notably applies.

Moreover, this saying from the Lord can also be understood as an expression of divine justice concerning the everlasting rewards of heaven. In this sense, the Lord's statement implies that if one proves untrustworthy with what is fleeting and unreliable, they should not expect to have been entrusted with the genuine, steadfast, and eternal blessings of heaven within Christ's Kingdom. The Lord depicts rewards in terms of stewardship over blessings to be managed according to His design. This approach encompasses all believers throughout the ages, regardless of their circumstances.

The Lord intentionally uses the phrase "in unrighteous possessions" rather than "in unrighteous riches" to evoke a deep sense of conviction among tax collectors and similar individuals, stirring feelings of guilt that might prompt them toward quick repentance—a desire not to be excluded from the true, lasting, and secure blessings of the Kingdom of Christ due to their evident unfaithfulness regarding worldly goods. In counterpoint, the term "in the true" is used to signify that He is referring broadly to any temporal good that lacks authenticity, thus removing any justification for those who possess solely what is acquired righteously to evade the judgment implied, encouraging them to diligently manage their possessions in accordance with the Lord’s purposes and guidance.

These offerings should not remain with the worldly entities from which they derived, for this act does not signify unfaithfulness to the one who has entrusted you with wealth but is, rather, a testament of loyalty to the true Sovereign, the Lord, upon whom all possessions rely. By demonstrating such fidelity over worldly wealth, you will gain the trust of the Lord in granting you stewardship over your own resources—those of the kingdom of God—and as this trust multiplies, the blessings you receive within this kingdom will also grow. Once you enter the kingdom of God, you cannot simultaneously belong to the kingdom of this world; you cannot serve both God and wealth.

In essence, if you have not dedicated your meager (unjust) monetary resources to God's service, how can you expect to be entrusted with genuine spiritual gifts—such as the ability to heal and receive divine visions?

The Apostle Paul conveys a similar message to Timothy: “Exhort the rich in this present age... that they... trust not in unfaithful (unrighteous) riches, but... that they may do good, be rich in good works (true riches)” (1 Tim. 6:17, 18). Some may argue that if the Lord refers to unjust riches, He must also include money earned rightfully through labor or lawful inheritance. The illustration of the dishonest steward, who misappropriated others' wealth to enrich himself, is indeed perplexing. However, the Lord does not endorse the actions of this untrustworthy steward; when “the Master praised the unfaithful steward for his cleverness” (Luke 16:8), it was not an endorsement of his moral conduct but rather an ironic acknowledgment of his shrewdness.

Just as in other teachings, the Savior highlights a disapproved action in earthly contexts while simultaneously encouraging listeners to glean wisdom for their spiritual lives. This mirrors the parable of the unjust judge, “who feared not God, neither was he ashamed of men” (Luke 18:2), and the tale of the woman who sought a lost coin. Here too, while disapproving of the steward's actions, the Lord calls His audience to contemplate the prudence the steward exhibited in earthly matters.

Whose resources did the steward squander? They belonged to his master. Whose belongings do we manage in our lives? Undoubtedly, they are God's possessions, which we oversee temporarily during our earthly existence. As we approach death and divine judgment, we will be called to account for our stewardship. If we hold only temporary dominion over these treasures, why not choose to give them to those who can offer us benefit once we are stripped of our earthly life and all that accompanies it?

Who are these friends garnered through unjust (i.e., temporal or financial) wealth, and who might welcome us “into eternal dwellings” upon our passing? They are the poor whose prayers for the repose of our souls will unlock the gates of heaven for us. These teachings from our Lord speak against those who deny the practice of praying for the deceased, including various Protestant perspectives.

As echoed in the Apostle’s following directives to Timothy, the rich are encouraged “to do good works, to be rich in good works, to be generous and sociable, laying up for themselves a treasure, a good foundation for the future, that they may attain to eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:18, 19). Conversely, the rich man who lacks compassion for the needy faces imminent peril, as illustrated in another parable where the Lord questions, “So who will receive what you have prepared?” Conclusively, the Savior remarks, “So it is with those who lay up treasures for themselves, and do not get rich in God” (Luke 12:20-21).

All these teachings from Christ and the Apostle convey a unified message akin to the lesson from the unfaithful steward: the act of sharing one’s possessions with the poor is not only a reflection of a loving heart but also a matter of fundamental wisdom. Such earthly treasures are ultimately transient and not rightfully ours but belong to God. Thus, let us transform them into lasting wealth through acts of charity.

Since managing riches in alignment with God’s will requires unbiased integrity, the Lord strengthened His lesson with the assertion: You cannot serve God and riches (Luke 16:13). This means that anyone entangled in materialism and clinging to their possessions cannot truly serve God. To manage wealth faithfully, one must not become enslaved or overly attached; in doing so, you will genuinely serve God. According to Blessed Theophylact, wealth intended solely for personal benefit is classified as unrighteous. However, sharing this wealth with the poor creates bonds, as mentioned by the Lord, that can lead the benefactor to eternal dwellings. It is undeniable that all earthly riches belong to God, the Supreme Owner of all creation. Those who possess this wealth act as temporary stewards, accountable to the Divine. While some may question whether these stewards are required to distribute every cent to the poor, leaving nothing for themselves, there remains uncertainty in this regard. Christ did not condemn the use of earthly goods as gifts from God, but He insisted that we must not view ourselves as absolute masters and unanswerable custodians of these provisions. He urged us to regard these goods as belonging to God and to remember His command to love and aid our neighbors, which includes feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, providing shelter, clothing the naked, and visiting the suffering... (Matthew 25:34-40). The unfaithful vinedressers (Mt 21:33-41; Mk 12:1-9; Lk 20:9-16) were deemed sinful not for utilizing the vineyard's yield for themselves, but for withholding the portion due to the Master; they aimed to appropriate the vineyard for their own gain. The Lord does not demand that we give away all we possess, leaving nothing for ourselves or our families. Hence, Blessed Theophylact's assertion that any wealth kept for personal benefit is inherently unrighteous can be contested. It appears this may not fully encapsulate his direct views and instead reflects a lingering ambiguity, evidenced by his reference to "dividing the estate with one's brothers"; this implies retaining a share from what is distributed. Furthermore, Theophylact's commentary leaves unanswered key questions when reflecting on the parable of the shrewd steward: Was the steward praiseworthy? Why did the Lord hold him up as an exemplar? Why instruct us to "make friends through unrighteous wealth" if wealth is neither righteous nor unrighteous but is labeled as such depending on its acquisition or usage, or because of idolatrous attachment? Can the Lord truly state that the gates of heaven can be opened through unrighteous wealth? Blessed Theophylact's explanation lacks clarity on these issues.

According to Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow, "the essence of the parable can be gleaned from several defining elements. The steward manages another’s property, mirroring our earthly experience where we are caretakers of God's gifts, accountable to Him whose essence and origin is the source of all creation and provision. Ultimately, stewards must relinquish their management and report on their stewardship; similarly, at the end of earthly existence, each person will leave their earthly duties and account before God. The departed steward realizes he faces poverty; likewise, those who have left this life frequently find themselves lacking in good deeds that would earn them heavenly abodes. What can a poor parishioner do? What recourse does a tormented soul have? The steward relies on the hospitality of those he has aided in the past from the wealth entrusted to him. A soul lacking in virtues hopes that the less fortunate, to whom it extended help, may, through their grateful prayers, pave the way to eternal refuge—these friends earn favor by steadfastness in tribulation.

Certainly, the intricate nuances of the parable highlight how those of worldly wisdom often navigate their earthly prospects through dubious means, while the followers of divine wisdom sometimes lack the diligence to secure their paths to eternal refuge. The Saviour’s admonition, 'make friends for yourselves with unrighteous wealth' (Luke 16:9), conveys finding solace through earthly means, thus hinting that wealth, if tainted by idolatry, becomes a vice; through benevolence to the needy, it transforms into genuine friendships fostering spiritual intercession and prayer on behalf of the benefactor. However, the wealthy, burdened by the transgression of not only their attachment but also the origins of their riches, miss the essence of this instruction.

If interpreted through the lens of Zacchaeus, consideration arises that the unfaithful steward, rather than burdened by ‘the mammon of unrighteousness’ he seeks to absolve, likely finds himself grappled by the misappropriations of his prior behavior as he seeks redress within the tapestry of this narrative. Thus, many different interpretations challenge its clarity, with some suggesting that a sinful individual, laden with iniquities, could convert his earthly gains to seal friendships that plead for his clemency before God. As he openly repents, such vulnerability may bear fruit in redemptive love similar to that of the prodigal son, ultimately securing a place in God’s embrace, amidst his failings. This interpretation aligns with the spirit of Christ’s teachings, though it fails to encapsulate the particulars of the steward in the parable, who does not outwardly confess nor warn others against iniquities. Consequently, much debate surrounds various interpretations, yet none fully resolve the integral questions left unaddressed.

It is widely held that the parable's rich master symbolizes God, while the unfaithful steward exemplifies individuals who fail to use the blessings bestowed by God in accordance with His divine intention by neglecting the needs of their neighbors. When the Lord demands accountability, it mirrors God’s imperative on every individual to account for their lives in eternity. The debtors represent those in need of assistance, while the steward’s acceptance into their homes reflects the intercession of angels and the faithful.

However, this interpretation leaves certain perplexities unattended. Professor Archpriest T. Butkevich recently presented an analysis of the parable, pondering why the master neither reprimanded nor condemned the steward, but instead praised him. He elucidates how throughout history, the Jewish people have demonstrated a propensity for greed and exploitation in their dealings, from Moses through the prophets. During Christ’s ministry, the burdens bore by the poor were exacerbated by heavy taxation and harsh treatment from affluent overlords and tax collectors. Thus, the social disparity grew more acute, with wealthy figures living ostentatiously while the common folk labored tirelessly beneath oppressive constraints.

The manager likely lived beyond his means, inciting the report against him—not because he outright squandered resources, but rather indulged in luxurious living supplied by illicit surcharges from tenants. Thus, when summoned by his lord, he faced a pivotal moment where he reflected on his future. Realizing he had few options left for survival following his dismissal, he opted to lessen the debts of the tenants to secure their favor, demonstrating not only cleverness but hinting at a measure of integrity.

In doing so, the master did not accuse the steward of wrongdoing since no loss to his investments was incurred—the steward was rather confronting his past actions through the act of forgiveness. His example shines light on the process necessary for repentance. Just as the steward creatively sought relationships to mitigate his fate, in the same manner, a conscious sinner must engage earnestly in reconciling with neighbors and seeking their forgiveness to facilitate their own divine absolution.

On a spiritual plane, the debts owed are to be understood as those confirming our shared humanity—where we owe to one another in a relative sense, yet hold an unpayable debt toward God Himself. The command to love stems from God's will; hence, sins against our neighbors mirror sins against God. An essential truth emerges: mere adherence to neighborly kindness, void of love for God, proves insufficient for salvation.

Ultimately, this parable serves as a sobering reminder that, while earthly riches are often tainted, they can nonetheless grant us opportunities for substantial moral contributions when directed toward noble causes. Blessed Butkevich’s interpretation, rich in insight, dances around these poignant facets while often straying from the core understanding of possessive stewardship as demonstrated throughout Scripture. A careful analysis reveals that God, as the rightful Owner of all, affords us earthly goods with the expectation of accountability in their stewardship, urging diligent efforts toward righteousness. Hence, as we undertake the mission to interpret the Saviour's parables, we await the fullness of understanding inherent within the divine wisdom of Christ's teachings.

These allies would, of course, be the impoverished and the needy, whose acts of charity could merit them access to the eternal dwellings.

The Gospels vividly capture the increasing hardship in Palestine, a consequence of the financial exploitation by the Romans and the household of Herod. Within Christ's dialogues, there is frequent mention of debtor, creditor, and imprisonment. This chaotic system, gradually undermining the empire, particularly affected the agrarian society of the Jewish people. Essentials like oil and grain were often borrowed from affluent households (Luke 16:6). Lacking resources to cultivate their fields, they resorted to using pickaxes instead of plows. "What shall I do?" lamented the destitute homeowner, "I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg" (Luke 16:3). The Gospels consistently reflect this plight faced by the Jewish community under Roman authority, which worsened during the later years of Christ's earthly ministry, culminating in a significant financial crisis that erupted across the empire five years after His crucifixion.

It is essential to develop a strong moral compass of integrity ('repent' - Matthew 4:17), as only then can spiritual gifts be entrusted to you; otherwise, you might also waste them, just as the steward wasted his master’s possessions ("do not give what is holy to dogs," etc.: Matthew 7:6).