Year 2, Week 35, Day 3 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 35, Day 3

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Luke 15-16.

Today’s reading consists of two chapters from Luke’s Gospel account. The opposition to Jesus, on the part of the Jewish religious establishment continues to be a strong theme in today’s reading, as each chapter refers to the outward grumblings and ridicule by the Jewish leaders. Luke 15 opens with the Pharisees’ grumblings about the company that Jesus was keeping: “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:1-2). These grumblings prompted Jesus to provide instruction about the importance of seeking the lost. Then as Jesus provides instruction concerning the proper use of money and resources, Luke 16 reports on the ridicule that the Pharisees directed towards Jesus’ instruction: “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him” (Luke 16:14). Jesus responds to their ridicule by exposing their sin: “And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15). God knows the true state of their hearts and what they truly love. The Pharisees claim to be devoted to God, but they are actually detestable before God.

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was the intriguing point of the parable of the manager: “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions” (Luke 16:1). Jesus had just finished the parable of the two sons, in which he insinuates that the older brother depicts the Pharisees. The Pharisees’ offense over Jesus welcoming sinners is compared to the older brother’s anger that his father is happy over the younger brother’s return home: “But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends” (Luke 15:28-29). The Pharisees cared nothing for the lost for they actually cared little about God. Their religious practice was a ruse for their true love—themselves and their stuff. The parable of the manager has great pertinence to the Pharisees and what they truly love. Jesus is instructing them with the hope that they would realize that they will face God and give an account for themselves. Therefore, they should alter their lives immediately.

A rich owner had put his manager on notice: “And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager” (Luke 16:2). The reality of having to face his superior, the manager corrects his actions: “And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses” (Luke 16:3-4). Upon meeting the manager, the owner commends him: “The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness” (Luke 16:8a). The owner acknowledges that the manager is shrewd and wise in that he has acted in a way to preserve his future. It is not the dishonesty of the manager that is actually being commended as much as it is the fact that the manager made adjustments in order to be ready to face the accountability that awaited him.

What the Pharisees were being given a chance to grasp, and what the disciples would most certainly need to grasp was the importance of investing their lives and their money at present in order to prepare for the future. The manager envisioned his future life on earth, but believers should consider their future in eternity: “And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9). We show whom we serve by how we live our lives and how we spend our money. Living our lives and using our money should reflect not only our present love for the Lord, but also our awareness that we will give an account of our money and our stuff.

The conclusion of the parable led to application: “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?” (Luke 16:10-11). Those who are reliable and faithful in small matters (the small matter here is how money is handled) will also be faithful and reliable in large matters (these large matters refer to life in the eternal dwellings, to the future world that is coming). On the other hand, those who are dishonest in small things will be dishonest in larger things as well. We think here of the unjust manager, who did not handle money or property honestly. Those who have not handled “unrighteous wealth” faithfully will not be entrusted with wealth in the future world. Disciples are to see themselves like managers to whom God grants gifts, and such gifts are to be used responsibly and for God’s sake. If disciples are faithful managers, God will give them greater responsibility in the age to come. And the bottom line is that either God or money will rule one’s life: “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Luke 16:13). The Pharisees ridiculed these words.

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe