Luke 16:8

And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. AND THE LORD (THAT IS, THE STEWARD'S LORD, AS HE IS EXPRESSLY CALLED IN LUKE 16:3 ; LUKE 16:5 ), COMMENDED THE UNJUST STEWARD - not the injustice of the steward; for what master would praise his servant for defrauding him? but he commended the man, BECAUSE HE HAD DONE WISELY, [ fronimoos (G5430)] - 'shrewdly,' 'sagaciously,' 'prudently;' with commendable promptitude, foresight, and skillful adaptation of means to end: for "men will praise thee when thou doest well to thyself" ...

8._And the master commended the unjust steward _Here it is obvious that if we were to attempt to find a meaning for every minute circumstance, we would act absurdly. To make donations out of what belongs to another man, is an action which is very far from deserving applause; and who would patiently endure that an unprincipled villain should rob him of his property, and give it away according to his own fancy? It were indeed the grossest stupidity, if that man who beheld a portion of his substance taken away, should _commend _the person who stole the remainder of it and bestowed it on others. But Christ only meant what he adds a little afterwards, that ungodly and worldly men are more industrious and skillful in conducting the affairs of this fading life, than the children of God are anxious to obtain the heavenly and eternal life, or careful to make it the subject of their study and medi...

1-12 Whatever we have, the property of it is God's; we have only the use of it, according to the direction of our great Lord, and for his honour. This steward wasted his lord's goods. And we are all liable to the same charge; we have not made due improvement of what God has trusted us with. The steward cannot deny it; he must make up his accounts, and be gone. This may teach us that death will come, and deprive us of the opportunities we now have. The steward will make friends of his lord's debtors or tenants, by striking off a considerable part of their debt to his lord. The lord referred to in this parable commended not the fraud, but the policy of the steward. In that respect alone is it so noticed. Worldly men, in the choice of their object, are foolish; but in their activity, and perseverance, they are often wiser than believers. The unjust steward is not set before us as an exampl...

Verse Luke 16:8. _THE LORD COMMENDED_] Viz. the master of this unjust steward. He spoke highly of the _address_ and _cunning_ of his iniquitous servant. He had, on his own principles, made a very prudent provision for his support; but his master no more _approved_ of his conduct in _this_, than he did in his wasting his substance _before_. From the ambiguous and improper manner in which this is expressed in the common English translation, it has been supposed that our _blessed Lord commended_ the conduct of this wicked man: but the word κυριος, there translated _lord_, simply means the _master_ of the unjust steward. _THE CHILDREN OF THIS WORLD_] Such as mind worldly things only, without regarding God or their souls. A phrase by which the Jews always designate the _Gentiles_. Children of light.

THE LORD COMMENDED - Praised, or expressed admiration at his wisdom. These are not the words of Jesus, as commending him, but a part of the narrative or parable. His “master” commended him - saw that he was wise and considerate, though he was dishonest. THE UNJUST STEWARD - It is not said that his master commended him because he was “unjust,” but because he was “wise.” This is the only thing in his conduct of which there is any approbation expressed, and this approbation was expressed by “his master.” This passage cannot be brought, therefore, to prove that Jesus meant to commend his dishonesty. It was a commendation of his “shrewdness or forethought;” but the master could no more “approve” of his conduct as a moral act than he could the first act of cheating him. THE CHILDREN OF THIS WORLD - Those who are “devoted” to this world; who live for this world only;

EXPOSITION LUKE 16:1 The _Lord_'_s teaching on the right use of earthly possessions with regard to the prospect of another world, in the form of the two parables of the unjust steward, and Dives and Lazarus._ LUKE 16:1, LUKE 16:2 AND HE SAID ALSO UNTO HIS DISCIPLES. There is no doubt that this important teaching belongs to the last portion of our Lord's life, and it is probable that it is closely connected with the parable of the prodigal son just related. It is not likely that two such weighty sermons had been preached at the same time, but in the evening, or on the following day, or at leas

AND THE LORD COMMENDED THE UNJUST STEWARD,.... Not the Lord Jesus Christ, who delivered this parable, as the Syriac version seems to suggest, rendering it, "our Lord"; but the Lord of the steward, or "God", as the Ethiopic version reads: not that he commended him for the fact he did, or the injustice of it for this is contrary to his nature and perfections; but for his craft and cunning in providing himself a maintenance for time to come: for he is on that account branded as an "unjust steward", as he was, in wasting his Lord's goods; putting false glosses on the Scriptures; doing damage both to the souls and worldly estates of men: and in neglecting and despising lawful and honest ways of living, by digging or begging, asking favours at the hand of God, and doing good works; and in falsifying accounts; breaking the least of the commandments, and teaching men so to do; and in corrupting...

CHAPTER 16 _ 1. The Unjust Steward. (Luke 16:1)_ 2. The Impossible Service. (Luke 16:13) 3. The Deriding Pharisees Answered. (Luke 16:14) 4. Concerning Divorce. (Luke 16:18) 5. The Rich Man and Lazarus. (Luke 16:19 .) Luke 16:1 Let us notice that this story was spoken to the disciples. It contains a number of difficulties. It has well been said “there are knots in it which perhaps will never be untied, until the Lord comes again. We might re

PARABLE OF THE UNJUST STEWARD (Lk. only). It has been suggested that a better title would be The Shrewd Agent. At any rate the epithet unrighteous has as much reference (if not more) to Luke 16:1 as to Luke 16:5. A steward in danger of dismissal for mismanagement of his master's estate seeks to provide for the future by making friends with the tenants. That this is at his master's expense has nothing to do with the point of the parable-_,_ it is a parable, not an allegory. The agent summons the tenants, who are under bond to pay part of their rent in kind (or perhaps they are merchants having supplies of goods on credit) and encourages them to alter their contracts in their own favour. Who is the lord that praises the overseer for his action? Apparently it is the landlord (_cf._...

Jesus said to his disciples, "There was a rich man who had a steward. He received information against the steward which alleged that he was dissipating his goods. He called him, and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.' The steward said to himself, 'What am I to do? I have not the strength to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I will do, so that, when I am removed from my stewardship, they will receive me into their houses.' So he summoned each of the people who owed debts to his master. To the first he said, 'How much do you owe my master?' He said, 'Nine hundred gallons of oil.' He said to him, 'Take your account and sit down and write quickly, four hundred and fifty.' Then he said to another 'And you--how much do you owe?' He said, 'A thousand bushels of corn.' He said to him, 'Take your account...