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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Luke 16:1–18. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We mistake if we imagine that the design of Christ's doctrine and holy religion was either to amuse us with notions of divine mysteries or to entertain us with notions of divine mercies. No, the divine revelation of both these in the gospel is intended to engage and quicken us to the practice of Christian duties, and, as much as any one thing, to the duty of beneficence and doing good to those who stand in need of any thing that either we have or can do for them. This our Saviour is here pressing us to, by reminding us that we are but stewards of the manifold grace of God; and since we have in divers instances been unfaithful, and have forfeited the favour of our Lord, it is our wisdom to think how we may, some other way, make what we have in the world turn to a good account. Parables must not be forced beyond their primary intention, and therefore we must not hence infer that any one can befriend us if we lie under the displeasure of our Lord, but that, in the general, we must so lay out what we have in works of piety and charity as that we may meet it again with comfort on the other side death and the grave. If we would act wisely, we must be diligent and industrious to employ our riches in the acts of piety and charity, in order to promote our future and eternal welfare, as worldly men are in laying them out to the greatest temporal profit, in making to themselves friends with them, and securing other secular interests. So Dr. Clarke. Now let us consider,
I.The parable itself, in which all the children of men are represented as stewards of what they have in this world, and we are but stewards.
Whatever we have, the property of it is God's; we have only the use of it, and that according to the direction of our great Lord, and for his honour. Rabbi Kimchi, quoted by Dr. Lightfoot, says, "This world is a house; heaven the roof; the stars the lights; the earth, with its fruits, a table spread; the Master of the house is the holy and blessed God; man is the steward, into whose hands the goods of this house are delivered; if he behave himself well, he shall find favour in the eyes of his Lord; if not, he shall be turned out of his stewardship." Now,
1.Here is the dishonesty of this steward. He wasted his lord's goods, embezzled them, misapplied them, or through carelessness suffered them to be lost and damaged; and for this he was accused to his lord, Luk 16:1. We are all liable to the same charge. We have not made a due improvement of what God has entrusted us with in this world, but have perverted his purpose; and, that we may not be for this judged of our Lord, it concerns us to judge ourselves.
2.His discharge out of his place. His lord called for him, and said, "How is it that I hear this of thee? I expected better things from thee." He speaks as one sorry to find himself disappointed in him, and under a necessity of dismissing him from his service: it troubles him to hear it; but the steward cannot deny it, and therefore there is no remedy, he must make up his accounts; and be gone in a little time, Luk 16:2. Now this is designed to teach us,
(1.)That we must all of us shortly be discharged from our stewardship in this world; we must not always enjoy those things which we now enjoy. Death will come, and dismiss us from our stewardship, will deprive us of the abilities and opportunities we now have of doing good, and others will come in our places and have the same.
(2.)That our discharge from our stewardship at death is just, and what we have deserved, for we have wasted our Lord's goods, and thereby forfeited our trust, so that we cannot complain of any wrong done us.
(3.)That when our stewardship is taken from us we must give an account of it to our Lord: After death the judgment. We are fairly warned both of our discharge and our account, and ought to be frequently thinking of them.
3.His after-wisdom. Now he began to consider, What shall I do? Luk 16:3. He would have done well to have considered this before he had so foolishly thrown himself out of a good place by his unfaithfulness; but it is better to consider late than never. Note, Since we have all received notice that we must shortly be turned out of our stewardship, we are concerned to consider what we shall do then. He must live; which way shall he have a livelihood?
(1.)He knows that he has not such a degree of industry in him as to get his living by work: "I cannot dig; I cannot earn by bread by my labour." But why can he not dig? It does not appear that he is either old or lame; but the truth is, he is lazy. His cannot is a will not; it is not a natural but a moral disability that he labours under; if his master, when he turned him out of the stewardship, had continued him in his service as a labourer, and set a task-master over him, he would have made him dig. He cannot dig, for he was never used to it. Now this intimates that we cannot get a livelihood for our souls by any labour for this world, nor indeed do any thing to purpose for our souls by any ability of our own.
(2.)He knows that he has not such a degree of humility as to get his bread by begging: To beg I am ashamed. This was the language of his pride, as the former of his slothfulness. Those whom God, in his providence, has disabled to help themselves, should not be ashamed to ask relief of others. This steward had more reason to be ashamed of cheating his master than of begging his bread.
(3.)He therefore determines to make friends of his lord's debtors, or his tenants that were behind with their rent, and had given notes under their hands for it: "I am resolved what to do, Luk 16:4. My lord turns me out of his house. I have none of my own to go to. I am acquainted with my lord's tenants, have done them many a good turn, and now I will do them one more, which will so oblige them that they will bid me welcome to their houses, and the best entertainment they afford; and so long as I live, at least till I can better dispose of myself, I will quarter upon them, and go from one good house to another." Now the way he would take to make them his friends was by striking off a considerable part of their debt to his lord, and giving it in his accounts so much less than it was. Accordingly, he sent for one, who owed his lord a hundred measures of oil (in that commodity he paid his rent): Take thy bill, said he, here it is, and sit down quickly, and write fifty (Luk 16:6); so he reduced his debt to the one half. Observe, he was in haste to have it done: "Sit down quickly, and do it, lest we be taken treating, and suspected." He took another, who owed his lord a hundred measures of wheat, and from his bill he cut off a fifth part, and bade him write fourscore (Luk 16:7); probably he did the like by others, abating more or less according as he expected kindness from them. See here what uncertain things our worldly possessions are; they are most so to those who have most of them, who devolve upon others all the care concerning them, and so put it into their power to cheat them, because they will not trouble themselves to see with their own eyes. See also what treachery is to be found even among those in whom trust is reposed. How hard is it to find one that confidence can be reposed in! Let God be true, but every man a liar. Though this steward is turned out for dealing dishonestly, yet still he does so. So rare is it for men to mend of a fault, though they smart for it.
4.The approbation of this: The lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely, Luk 16:8. It may be meant of his lord, the lord of that servant, who, though he could not but be angry at his knavery, yet was pleased with his ingenuity and policy for himself; but, taking it so, the latter part of the verse must be the words of our Lord, and therefore I think the whole is meant of him. Christ did, as it were, say, "Now commend me to such a man as this, that knows how to do well for himself, how to improve a present opportunity, and how to provide for a future necessity." He does not commend him because he had done falsely to his master, but because he had done wisely for himself. Yet perhaps herein he did well for his master too, and but justly with the tenants. He knew what hard bargains he had set them, so that they could not pay their rent, but, having been screwed up by his rigour, were thrown behindhand, and they and their families were likely to go to ruin; in consideration of this, he now, at going off, did as he ought to do both in justice and charity, not only easing them of part of their arrears, but abating their rent for the future. How much owest thou? may mean, "What rent dost thou sit upon? Come, I will set thee an easier bargain, and yet no easier than what thou oughtest to have." He had been all for his lord, but now he begins to consider the tenants, that he might have their favour when he had lost his lord's. The abating of their rent would be a lasting kindness, and more likely to engage them than abating their arrears only. Now this forecast of his, for a comfortable subsistence in this world, shames our improvidence for another world: The children of this world, who choose and have their portions in it, are wiser for their generation, act more considerately, and better consult their worldly interest and advantage, than the children of light, who enjoy the gospel, in their generation, that is, in the concerns of their souls and eternity. Note,
(1.)The wisdom of worldly people in the concerns of this world is to be imitated by us in the concerns of our souls: it is their principle to improve their opportunities, to do that first which is most needful, in summer and harvest to lay up for winter, to take a good bargain when it is offered them, to trust the faithful and not the false. O that we were thus wise in our spiritual affairs!
(2.)The children of light are commonly outdone by the children of this world. Not that the children of this world are truly wise; it is only in their generation. But in that they are wiser than the children of light in theirs; for, though we are told that we must shortly be turned out of our stewardship, yet we do not provide as we were to be here always and as if there were not another life after this, and are not so solicitous as this steward was to provide for hereafter. Though as children of the light, that light to which life and immortality are brought by the gospel, we cannot but see another world before us, yet we do not prepare for it, do not send our best effects and best affections thither, as we should.
II.The application of this parable, and the inferences drawn from it (Luk 16:9):
"I say unto you, you my disciples" (for to them this parable is directed, Luk 16:1), "though you have but little in this world, consider how you may do good with that little." Observe,
1.What it is that our Lord Jesus here exhorts us to; to provide for our comfortable reception to the happiness of another world, by making good use of our possessions and enjoyments in this world: "Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, as the steward with his lord's goods made his lord's tenants his friends." It is the wisdom of the men of this world so to manage their money as that they may have the benefit of it hereafter, and not for the present only; therefore they put it out to interest, buy land with it, put it into this or the other fund. Now we should learn of them to make use of our money so as that we may be the better for it hereafter in another world, as they do in hopes to be the better for it hereafter in this world; so cast it upon the waters as that we may find it again after many days, Ecc 11:1. And in our case, though whatever we have are our Lord's goods, yet, as long as we dispose of them among our Lord's tenants and for their advantage, it is so far from being reckoned a wrong to our Lord, that it is a duty to him as well as policy for ourselves. Note,
(1.)The things of this world are the mammon of unrighteousness, or the false mammon, not only because often got by fraud and unrighteousness, but because those who trust to it for satisfaction and happiness will certainly be deceived; for riches are perishing things, and will disappoint those that raise their expectations from them.
(2.)Though this mammon of unrighteousness is not to be trusted to for a happiness, yet it may and must be made use of in subserviency to our pursuit of that which is our happiness. Though we cannot find true satisfaction in it, yet we may make to ourselves friends with it, not by way of purchase or merit, but recommendation; so we may make God and Christ our friends, the good angels and saints our friends, and the poor our friends; and it is a desirable thing to be befriended in the account and state to come.
(3.)At death we must all fail, hotan eklipēte - when ye suffer an eclipse. Death eclipses us. A tradesman is said to fail when he becomes a bankrupt. We must all thus fail shortly; death shuts up the shop, seals up the hand. Our comforts and enjoyments on earth will all fail us; flesh and heart fail.
(4.)It ought to be our great concern to make it sure to ourselves, that when we fail at death we may be received into everlasting habitations in heaven. The habitations in heaven are everlasting, not made with hands, but eternal, Co2 5:1. Christ is gone before, to prepare a place for those that are his, and is there ready to receive them; the bosom of Abraham is ready to receive them, and, when a guard of angels carries them thither, a choir of angels is ready to receive them there. The poor saints that are gone before to glory will receive those that in this world distributed to their necessities.
(5.)This is a good reason why we should use what we have in the world for the honour of God and the good of our brethren, that thus we may with them lay up in store a good bond, a good security, a good foundation for the time to come, for an eternity to come. See Ti1 6:17-19, which explains this here.
2.With what arguments he presses this exhortation to abound in works of piety and charity.
(1.)If we do not make a right use of the gifts of God's providence, how can we expect from him those present and future comforts which are the gifts of his spiritual grace? Our Saviour here compares these, and shows that though our faithful use of the things of this world cannot be thought to merit any favour at the hand of God, yet our unfaithfulness in the use of them may be justly reckoned a forfeiture of that grace which is necessary to bring us to glory, and that is it which our Saviour here shows, Luk 16:10-14.
[1.]The riches of this world are the less; grace and glory are the greater. Now if we be unfaithful in the less, if we use the things of this world to other purposes than those for which they were given us, it may justly be feared that we should be so in the gifts of God's grace, that we should receive them also in vain, and therefore they will be denied us: He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much. He that serves God, and does good, with his money, will serve God, and do good, with the more noble and valuable talents of wisdom and grace, and spiritual gifts, and the earnests of heaven; but he that buries the one talent of this world's wealth will never improve the five talents of spiritual riches. God withholds his grace from covetous worldly people more than we are aware of.
[2.]The riches of this world are deceitful and uncertain; they are the unrighteous mammon, which is hastening from us apace, and, if we would make any advantage of it, we must bestir ourselves quickly; if we do not, how can we expect to be entrusted with spiritual riches, which are the only true riches? Luk 16:11. Let us be convinced of this, that those are truly rich, and very rich, who are rich in faith, and rich towards God, rich in Christ, in the promises, and in the earnests of heaven; and therefore let us lay up our treasure in them, expect our portion from them, and mind them in the first place, the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, and then, if other things be added to us, use them in ordine ad spiritualia - with a spiritual reference, so that by using them well we may take the faster hold of the true riches, and may be qualified to receive yet more grace from God; for God giveth to a man that is good in his sight, that is, to a free-hearted charitable man, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy (Ecc 2:26); that is, to a man that is faithful in the unrighteous mammon, he gives the true riches.
[3.]The riches of this world are another man's. They are ta allotria, not our own; for they are foreign to the soul and its nature and interest. They are not our own; for they are God's; his title to them is prior and superior to ours; the property remains in him, we are but usufructuaries. They are another man's; we have them from others; we use them for others, and what good has the owner from his goods that increase, save the beholding of them with his eyes, while still they are increased that eat them; and we must shortly leave them to others, and we know not to whom? But spiritual and eternal riches are our own (they enter into the soul that becomes possessed of them) and inseparably; they are a good part that will never be taken away from us. If we make Christ our own, and the promises our own, and heaven our own, we have that which we may truly call our own. But how can we expect God should enrich us with these if we do not serve him with our worldly possessions, of which we are but stewards?
(2.)We have no other way to prove ourselves the servants of God than by giving up ourselves so entirely to his service as to make mammon, that is, all our worldly gain, serviceable to us in his service (Luk 16:13): No servant can serve two masters, whose commands are so inconsistent as those of God and mammon are. If a man will love the world, and hold to that, it cannot be but he will hate God and despise him. He will make all his pretensions of religion truckle to his secular interests and designs, and the things of God shall be made to help him in serving and seeking the world. But, on the other hand, if a man will love God, and adhere to him, he will comparatively hate the world (whenever God and the world come in competition) and will despise it, and make all his business and success in the world some way or other conducive to his furtherance in the business of religion; and the things of the world shall be made to help him in serving God and working out his salvation. The matter is here laid plainly before us: Ye cannot serve God and mammon. So divided are their interests that their services can never be compounded. If therefore we be determined to serve God, we must disclaim and abjure the service of the world.
3.We are here told what entertainment this doctrine of Christ met with among the Pharisees, and what rebuke he gave them.
(1.)They wickedly ridiculed him, Luk 16:14. The Pharisees, who were covetous, heard all these things, and could not contradict him, but they derided him. Let us consider this,
[1.]As their sin, and the fruit of their covetousness, which was their reigning sin, their own iniquity. Note, Many that make a great profession of religion, have much knowledge, and abound in the exercise of devotion, are yet ruined by the love of the world; nor does any thing harden the heart more against the word of Christ. These covetous Pharisees could not bear to have that touched, which was their Delilah, their darling lust; for this they derided him, exemuktērizon auton - they snuffled up their noses at him, or blew their noses on him. It is an expression of the utmost scorn and disdain imaginable; the word of the Lord was to them a reproach, Jer 6:10. They laughed at him for going so contrary to the opinion and way of the world, for endeavouring to recover them from a sin which they were resolved to hold fast. Note, It is common for those to make a jest of the word of God who are resolved that they will not be ruled by it; but they will find at last that it cannot be turned off so.
[2.]As his suffering. Our Lord Jesus endured not only the contradiction of sinners, but their contempt; they had him in derision all the day. He that spoke as never man spoke was bantered and ridiculed, that his faithful ministers, whose preaching is unjustly derided, may not be disheartened at it. It is no disgrace to a man to be laughed at, but to deserve to be laughed at. Christ's apostles were mocked, and no wonder; the disciple is not greater than his Lord.
(2.)He justly reproved them; not for deriding him (he knew how to despise the shame), but for deceiving themselves with the shows and colours of piety, when they were strangers to the power of it, Luk 16:15. Here is,
[1.]Their specious outside; nay, it was a splendid one. First, They justified themselves before men; they denied whatever ill was laid to their charge, even by Christ himself. They claimed to be looked upon as men of singular sanctity and devotion, and justified themselves in that claim: "You are they that do that, so as none ever did, that make it your business to court the opinion of men, and, right or wrong, will justify yourselves before the world; you are notorious for this." Secondly, They were highly esteemed among men. Men did not only acquit them from any blame they were under, but applauded them, and had them in veneration, not only as good men, but as the best of men. Their sentiments were esteemed as oracles, their directions as laws, and their practices as inviolable prescriptions.
[2.]Their odious inside, which was under the eye of God: "He knows your heart, and it is in his sight an abomination; for it is full of all manner of wickedness." Note, First, It is folly to justify ourselves before men, and to think this enough to bear us out, and bring us off, in the judgment of the great day, that men know no ill of us; for God, who knows our hearts, knows that ill of us which no one else can know. This ought to check our value for ourselves, and our confidence in ourselves, that God knows our hearts, and how much deceit is there, for we have reason to abase and distrust ourselves. Secondly, It is folly to judge of persons and things by the opinion of men concerning them, and to go down with the stream of vulgar estimate; for that which is highly esteemed among men, who judge according to outward appearance, is perhaps an abomination in the sight of God, who sees things as they are, and whose judgment, we are sure, is according to truth. On the contrary, there are those whom men despise and condemn who yet are accepted and approved of God, Co2 10:18.
(3.)He turned from them to the publicans and sinners, as more likely to be wrought upon by his gospel than those covetous conceited Pharisees (Luk 16:16): "The law and the prophets were indeed until John; the Old Testament dispensation, which was confined to you Jews, continued till John Baptist appeared, and you seemed to have the monopoly of righteousness and salvation; and you are puffed up with this, and this gains you esteem among men, that you are students in the law and the prophets; but since John Baptist appeared the kingdom of God is preached, a New Testament dispensation, which does not value men at all for their being doctors of the law, but every man presses into the gospel kingdom, Gentiles as well as Jews, and no man thinks himself bound in good manners to let his betters go before him into it, or to stay till the rulers and the Pharisees have led him that way. It is not so much a political national constitution as the Jewish economy was, when salvation was of the Jews; but it is made a particular personal concern, and therefore every man that is convinced he has a soul to save, and an eternity to provide for, thrusts to get in, lest he should come short by trifling and complimenting." Some give this sense of it; they derided Christ or speaking in contempt of riches, for, thought they, were there not many promises of riches and other temporal good things in the law and the prophets? And were not many of the best of God's servants very rich, as Abraham and David? "It is true," saith Christ, "so it was, but now that the kingdom of God is begun to be preached things take a new turn; now blessed are the poor, and the mourners, and the persecuted." The Pharisees, to requite the people for their high opinion of them, allowed them in a cheap, easy, formal religion. "But," saith Christ, "now that the gospel is preached the eyes of the people are opened, and as they cannot now have a veneration for the Pharisees, as they have had, so they cannot content themselves with such an indifferency in religion as they have been trained up in, but they press with a holy violence into the kingdom of God." Note, Those that would go to heaven must take pains, must strive against the stream, must press against the crowd that are going the contrary way.
(4.)Yet still he protests against any design to invalidate the law (Luk 16:17): It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, parelthein - to pass by, to pass away, though the foundations of the earth and the pillars of heaven are so firmly established, than for one tittle of the law to fail. The moral law is confirmed and ratified, and not one tittle of that fails; the duties enjoined by it are duties still; the sins forbidden by it are sins still. Nay, the precepts of it are explained and enforced by the gospel, and made to appear more spiritual. The ceremonial law is perfected in the gospel colours; not one tittle of that fails, for it is found printed off in the gospel, where, though the force of it is as a law taken off, yet the figure of it as a type shines very brightly, witness the epistle to the Hebrews. There were some things which were connived at by the law, for the preventing of greater mischiefs, the permission of which the gospel has indeed taken away, but without any detriment or disparagement to the law, for it has thereby reduced them to the primitive intention of the law, as in the case of divorce (Luk 16:18), which we had before, Mat 5:32; Mat 19:9. Christ will not allow divorces, for his gospel is intended to strike at the bitter root of men's corrupt appetites and passions, to kill them, and pluck them up; and therefore they must not be so far indulged as that permission did indulge them, for the more they are indulged the more impetuous and headstrong they grow.
Historical interpretation
Nine Centuries of Reception
14 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
And, for this reason, the Lord declared to those who showed themselves ungrateful towards Him: "If ye have not been faithful in that which is little, who will give you that which is great? "
Accordingly, this will throw light upon the sense in which it was said, "If ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? " "In the unrighteous mammon," that is to say, in unrighteous riches, not in the Creator; for even Marcion allows Him to be righteous: "And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who will give to you that which is mine? " For whatever is unrighteous ought to be foreign to the servants of God.
In fine, He calls those the children of Abraham whom He sees to be laborious in aiding and nourishing the poor. For when Zacchaeus said, "Behold, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have done any wrong to any man, I restore fourfold," Jesus answered and said, "That salvation has this day come to this house, for that he also is a son of Abraham." For if Abraham believed in God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness, certainly he who gives alms according to God's precept believes in God, and he who has the truth of faith maintains the fear of God; moreover, he who maintains the fear of God considers God in showing mercy to the poor. For he labours thus because he believes-because he knows that what is foretold by God's word is true, and that the Holy Scripture cannot lie-that unfruitful trees, that is, unproductive men, are cut off and cast into the fire, but that the merciful are called into the kingdom. He also, in another place, calls laborious and fruitful men faithful; but He denies faith to unfruitful and barren ones, saying, "If ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to you that which is true? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?"
He told another parable of the steward, who was accused in the presence of his master. The shrewdness of this unjust steward was praised in the presence of his master. He unjustly wasted the initial treasures and then unjustly and cunningly cancelled the later debts. He was praised because he acquired what was to be his by what was not his, namely, his friends and supporters. Through what was not his, Adam got something that was not his, namely, thorns and pains. O children of Adam, buy for yourselves those things that do not pass away, by means of those temporary things that are not yours!
(Hom. de Avar.) Or if thou hast succeeded to a patrimony, thou receivest what has been amassed by the unrighteous; for in a number of predecessors some one must needs be found who has unjustly usurped the property of others. But suppose that thy father has not been guilty of exaction, whence hast thou thy money? If indeed thou answerest, "From myself;" thou art ignorant of God, not having the knowledge of thy Creator; but if, "From God," tell me the reason for which thou receivedst it. Is not the earth and the fulness thereof the Lord's? (Ps. 24:1.) If then whatever is ours belongs to our common Lord, so will it also belong to our fellow-servant.
“No servant can serve two masters,” not because there are two, but the Lord is One. Although there are those who serve mammon, he still does not possess any rights to sovereignty, but they impose on themselves the chains of slavery. Power is not just, but slavery is unjust. He says, “Make for yourself friends of the mammon of iniquity,” so that by giving to the poor, we may match the grace of the angels and all the saints for ourselves. He does not rebuke the steward. By this, we learn that he does not belong to the Lord himself but to the riches of others. Although he has sinned, he is praised because he sought help for himself in the future through the Lord’s mercy. He fittingly mentions the mammon of iniquity, because greed tempted our dispositions with different enticements of wealth, so that we were willing to be the slaves of riches.
You know that many high standing people renege on repayment of a loan. They are either resistant with a bad attitude or unable to pay because of poverty, as it often happens. In the case of the Lord of all, there is no room for thinking this. On the contrary, the loan is proof against loss. He guarantees to return in good time one hundred percent of what was deposited, and he keeps life everlasting in reserve for us. In the future, what excuse will we have if we are negligent and fail to gain a hundredfold in place of the little we have, the future in place of the present, the eternal in place of the temporary? What excuse will we have if we heedlessly lock our money behind doors and barricades, and we prefer to leave it lying idle? Instead, we should make it available to the needy now, so that in the future we may count on support from them. Remember that Scripture says, “Make friends with ill-gotten gains so that, when you go down in the world, they may welcome you into their eternal dwellings.”
Mark also that He said not, "that they may receive you into their own habitations." For it is not they who receive you. Therefore when He said, Make to yourselves friends, he added, of the mammon of unrighteousness, to show, that their friendship will not alone protect us unless good works accompany us, unless we righteously cast away all riches unrighteously amassed. The most skilful then of all arts is that of almsgiving. For it builds not for us houses of mud, but lays up in store an everlasting life. Now in each of the arts one needs the support of another; but when we ought to show mercy, we need nothing else but the will alone.
You proposed a little question about the Gospel of Luke (Chapter 16, verse 1 et seq.): Who is the steward of iniquity who is praised by the voice of the Lord? When I wanted to know the reason for this and from which source it came, I examined the volume of the Gospel, and I found among other things that, as the tax collectors and sinners approached the Saviour to hear him, the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, "Why does this one receive sinners and eat with them?" (Luke 15:2). He spoke to them the parable of one hundred sheep, and one that was lost, which was found and carried back on the shoulders of the shepherd. And when it was proposed, he immediately said: "I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner repenting than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need for repentance." He also proposed another parable about ten drachmas lost and found, and he completed it with a similar ending. So I tell you, there will be joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner repenting. He also proposed a third parable about a man who had two sons, and who divided his wealth between them. And when the younger son had lost his faculties and began to eat the pods that the pigs ate, he returned to his father, who accepted him. The envious elder brother, too, was rebuked by his father's voice, and he should have rejoiced because his brother was dead and had come back to life; he was lost, and he has been found. He spoke three parables against the Pharisees and Scribes who did not want to receive the repentance of sinners and the salvation of Publicans. He said also, he said to his disciples (Ibid. 16.1), without doubt, that he used a parable, just as before to the Scribes and Pharisees: by which parable he would exhort the disciples to mercy and would say in other words: Forgive and you shall be forgiven (Luke 6:7), so that you may ask boldly in the Lord's Prayer, Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors (Matthew 6:12). Therefore, what is the parable that urges the disciples towards mercy? There was a certain rich man who had a steward (Luke 16:1), or a manager, for this is what οἰκονόμος means. The steward is properly the governor of the estate, from which he is also called a steward. The οἰκονόμος, however, is a dispenser of both money and fruits and all that the master possesses. Therefore, the most beautiful book of Xenophon's Oeconomica is not about the management of the estate but the management of the entire household (interpreted by Cicero). Therefore, this steward was accused before his master because he was squandering his master's property. When he was called, [the master] said: "What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, for you can no longer be steward." What did he say to himself? "What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg." I know what I will do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses." He called each one of his master's debtors to him and said to the first, "How much do you owe my master?" He said, "A hundred measures of oil. He said to him: take your bill, and sitting down quickly, write fifty. Then he said to another: And how much do you owe? Who answered: A hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: take your bill, and write eighty. And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light. And I say to you: make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity; that when you shall fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings. He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in that which is greater: and he that is unjust in that which is little, is unjust also in that which is greater. If then you have not been faithful in the unjust mammon, who will trust you with that which is the true? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's; who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Now all these things were heard by the Pharisees, who were greedy, and they ridiculed him. I have put the entire text of this parable so that we do not seek understanding from elsewhere and strive to find certain persons in the parable, but we should interpret it as a parable, that is, a comparison, which is called "parabolē" because it is "thrown beside" or compared, and is like the shadow of the pre-existent truth. Therefore, if the steward of unjust mammon is praised by the voice of the Lord because he has prepared justice for himself from an unjust matter, and the Lord, having suffered losses, praises the prudence of the steward, when he has acted fraudulently towards the Lord but wisely for himself, how much more will Christ, who cannot suffer any loss and is inclined to mercy, praise his disciples if they are merciful towards those who will believe ((or have believed)) in them? Finally, after the parable, he said: And I tell you, make friends for yourselves with unjust mammon. Mammon, however, in the language of the Syriacs, not the Hebrews, means wealth, because it has been collected unjustly. If, therefore, well-dispensed iniquity turns into justice: how much more will divine speech, in which there is no iniquity, and which is entrusted to the apostles, if it is well-dispensed, raise its dispensers to heaven? Therefore it follows: "He who is faithful in the least, that is, in earthly things, will also be faithful in many, that is, in spiritual things. But whoever is unjust in small things, so as not to give to his brothers for their use what has been created by God for all, he will also be unjust in dividing spiritual wealth, so that he may divide the doctrine of the Lord not for necessity, but for persons." But if, he says, you do not manage well the perishable riches of the flesh, who will trust you with the true and eternal riches of the doctrine of God? And if you have been unfaithful in what belongs to someone else (but everything that belongs to this age is someone else’s), who will give you what is yours? That is why he criticizes avarice and says that those who love money cannot love God. Therefore, even the Apostles, if they wish to love God, must hold money in contempt. So the scribes and Pharisees, who were greedy, understanding that the parable was directed at themselves, mocked Him, preferring the carnal things, which are certain and present, to the spiritual and future things, which are uncertain. Theophilus, the seventh Bishop of the Church of Antioch after the Apostle Peter, who compiled the sayings of the four Evangelists into one work, has spoken about this parable in his Commentaries. 'The rich man who had a steward, or manager, is Almighty God, who is richer than anything else. His steward is Paul, who learned the sacred Scriptures at the feet of Gamaliel (Act. 22. 3), and had received the Law of God to be dispensed.' When he had begun to persecute the believers in Christ, to bind them, to kill them, and to plunder all the substance of his Lord, he was rebuked by the Lord: Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the pricks. (Acts 9:4-5). And he thought to himself: What should I do? Since I, who was a teacher and a steward, must become a disciple and a worker. I cannot dig. For I see that all the commandments of the Law, which were on the earth, are destroyed; and that the Law and the Prophets were fulfilled up to John the Baptist. I am ashamed to beg, that I, who was a teacher of the Jews, should be compelled to beg for instruction from a gentile and from the disciple Ananias. Therefore, I will do what I think is useful to me: so that after I am dismissed from my position, Christians will receive me into their homes. And those who formerly practiced the law, but had now believed in Christ, began to teach that the law was abolished, and that the prophets had foretold these things. And they taught that what had been done by those who kept the law, was worthy of nothing but contempt (Philippians 3:8). Then he called two of his debtors. The first owed him one hundred measures of oil, that is, those who had been gathered from the Gentiles and were in great need of God's mercy; and he made them write fifty in the document instead of one hundred, which was a special number for those who repented, and based on the Jubilee, and that parable in the Gospel in which one is forgiven five hundred denarii, and another fifty. However, he called the people of the Jews who were nourished on the wheat of God's commandments, and who owed him a hundred denarii, and he forced them to make eighty out of a hundred, that is, to believe in the resurrection of the Lord, which is contained in the number of the eighth day, and is completed in eight decades, so that he might pass from the Sabbath of the Law to the first Sabbath. For this reason, it is preached by the Lord that he did well, and that he was changed from the severity of the Law to the mercy of the Gospel for his salvation. And if you ask why he is called the steward of iniquity in the Law, which is from God, he was an unjust steward who indeed offered well, but did not divide well, believing in the Father, but persecuting the Son; having almighty God, but denying the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Apostle Paul was wiser in transgressing the Law than the once children of light who, engaged in the observation of the Law, lost Christ who is the true light of God the Father. You can read what Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, thought about this place in his comments. I could not find an explanation of this parable in Origen and Didymus, and I am uncertain whether it has been abolished by the antiquity of the times or whether they did not write it themselves. To me, it seems according to my previous interpretation, that we ought to make friends for ourselves from the unjust mammon, not just any poor person, but those who can receive us into their homes and eternal dwellings, so that when we offer them small things, we may receive great things from them, and giving them what belongs to others, we may receive what belongs to us, and sow in blessing, so that we may reap blessings. For he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly.
(ubi sup.) The steward whom his Lord cast out of his stewardship is nevertheless commended because he provided himself against the future. As it follows, And the Lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely; we ought not however to take the whole for our imitation. For we should never act deceitfully against our Lord in order that from the fraud itself we may give alms.
(ubi sup.) On the other hand this parable is spoken, that we should understand that if the steward who acted deceitfully, could be praised by his lord, how much more they please God who do their works according to His commandment.
(Serm. 113.) That which the Hebrews call mammon, in Latin is "riches." As if He said, "Make to yourselves friends of the riches of unrighteousness." Now some misunderstanding this, seize upon the things of others, and so give something to the poor, and think that they are doing what is commanded. That interpretation must be corrected into, Give alms of your righteous labours. (Prov. 3:9. LXX.) For you will not corrupt Christ your Judge. If from the plunder of a poor man, you were to give any thing to the judge that he might decide for you, and that judge should decide for you, such is the force of justice, that you would be ill pleased in yourself. Do not then make to yourself such a God. God is the fountain of Justice, give not your alms then from interest and usury. I speak to the faithful, to whom we dispense the body of Christ. But if you have such money, it is of evil that you have it. Be no longer doers of evil. Zaccheus said, Half my goods I give to the poor. (Luke 19:8.) See how he runs who runs to make friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; and not to be held guilty from any quarter, he says, I If hare taken any thing from any one, I restore fourfold. According to another interpretation, the mammon of unrighteousness are all the riches of the world, whenever they come. For if you seek the true riches, there arc some in which Job when naked abounded, when he had his heart full towards God. The others are called riches from unrighteousness; because they are not true riches, for they are full of poverty, and ever liable to chances. For if they were true riches, they would give you security.
(de Quæst. Ev. l. ii. q. 34.) Or the riches of unrighteousness are so called, because they are not riches except to the unrighteous, and such as rest in their hopes and the fulness of their happiness. But when these things are possessed by the righteous, they have indeed so much money, but no riches are theirs but heavenly and spiritual.
(Serm. 113.) For who are they that shall have everlasting habitations but the saints of God? and who are they that are to be received by them into everlasting habitations but they who administer to their want, and whatsoever they have need of, gladly supply. They are those little ones of Christ, who have forsaken all that belonged to them and followed Him; and whatsoever they had have given to the poor, that they might serve God without earthly shackles, and freeing their shoulders from the burdens of the world, might raise them aloft as with wings.
(de Quæst. Ev. l. ii. q. 34.) We must not then understand those by whom we wish to be received into everlasting habitations to be as it were debtors of God; seeing that the just and holy are signified in this place, who cause those to enter in, who administered to their necessity of their own worldly goods.
(de Qu. Ev. lib. ii. q. 36.) But these things were not spoken indifferently or at random. For no one when asked whether he loves the devil, answers that he loves him, but rather that he hates him; but all generally proclaim that they love God. Therefore either he will hate the one, (that is, the devil,) and love the other, (that is, God;) or will hold to the one, (that is, the devil, when he pursues as it were temporal wants,) and will despise the other, (that is, God,) as when men frequently neglect His threats for their desires, who because of His goodness flatter themselves that they will have impunity.
Thus then Christ taught those who abound in riches, earnestly to love the friendship of the poor, and to have treasure in heaven. But He knew the sloth of the human mind, how that they who court riches bestow no work of charity upon the needy. That to such men there results no profit of spiritual gifts, He shows by obvious examples, adding, 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. Now our Lord opens to us the eye of the heart, explaining what He had said, adding, If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? That which is least then is the mammon of unrighteousness, that is, earthly riches, which seem nothing to those that are heavenly wise. I think then that a man is faithful in a little, when he imparts aid to those who are bowed down with sorrow. If then we have been unfaithful in a little thing, how shall we obtain from hence the true riches, that is, the fruitful gift of Divine grace, impressing the image of God on the human soul? But that our Lord's words incline to this meaning is plain from the following; for He says, And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
But the conclusion of the whole discourse is what follows, Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Let us then transfer all our devotions to the one, forsaking riches.
(18. Mor. cap. 18.) In order then that after death they may find something in their own hand, let men before death place their riches in the hands of the poor. Hence it follows, And I say to you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, &c.
(21. Mor. cap. 14.) But if through their friendship we obtain everlasting habitations, we ought to calculate that when we give we rather offer presents to patrons, than bestow benefits upon the needy.
The children of light and the children of this world are spoken of in the same manner as the children of the kingdom, and the children of hell. For whatever works a man does, he is also termed their son.
(ex Hier.) Let then the covetous hear this, that we can not at the same time serve Christ and riches; and yet He said not, "Who has riches," but, who serves riches; for ho who is the servant of riches, watches them as a servant; but he who has shaken off the yoke of servitude, dispenses them as a master; but he who serves mammon, verily serves him who is set over those earthly things as the reward of his iniquity, and is called the prince of this world. (John 12:31, 2 Cor. 4:4.)
By the children of this world then He means those who mind the good things which are on the earth; by the children of light, those who beholding the divine love, employ themselves with spiritual treasures. But it is found indeed in the management of human affairs, that we prudently order our own things, and busily set ourselves to work, in order that when we depart we may have a refuge for our life; but when we ought to direct the things of God, we take no forethought for what shall be our lot hereafter.
Those then are called the riches of unrighteousness which the Lord has given for the necessities of our brethren and fellow-servants, but we spend upon ourselves. It became us then, from the beginning, to give all things to the poor, but because we have become the stewards of unrighteousness, wickedly retaining what was appointed for the aid of others, we must not surely remain in this cruelty, but distribute to the poor, that we may be received by them into everlasting habitations. For it follows, That, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
Thus then hitherto He has taught us how faithfully we ought to dispose of our wealth. But because the management of our wealth according to God is no otherwise obtained than by the indifference of a mind unaffected towards riches, He adds, No man can serve two masters.
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Summary
Luke 16:11 serves as a profound statement within Jesus' broader teaching on stewardship, particularly following the Parable of the Unjust Steward. It posits that an individual's faithfulness in managing earthly, perishable resources—termed "unrighteous mammon"—is the foundational test of their character and trustworthiness. This faithfulness is presented as a prerequisite for God to entrust them with truly valuable, eternal spiritual riches, highlighting a direct correlation between material integrity and spiritual capacity.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is a direct, axiomatic application of the principles illustrated in the preceding Parable of the Unjust Steward, found in Luke 16:1-9. Jesus tells the parable to His disciples, commending the steward's shrewdness in preparing for his future, albeit through dishonest means. The parable's shocking conclusion, where Jesus encourages His followers to be "shrewd" in using worldly wealth for eternal purposes, leads directly into a series of aphorisms on money and faithfulness. Luke 16:10 immediately precedes our verse, stating, "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." This sets up the specific application of "the least" as "unrighteous mammon" and "much" as "true riches" in Luke 16:11. The subsequent verses, such as Luke 16:13, further reinforce the impossibility of serving both God and wealth, solidifying the ethical and theological implications of wealth management within the Kingdom of God.
Historical & Cultural Context
In first-century Judea, wealth was often viewed with suspicion, especially by those who embraced ascetic or communal lifestyles, such as the Essenes. However, the prevailing Jewish thought also recognized wealth as a potential blessing from God, provided it was acquired justly and used charitably. The term "mammon" itself, derived from Aramaic, was a common word for money or possessions, but it could also be personified as a deity or an object of worship, particularly in later rabbinic literature. This context helps understand Jesus' deliberate use of "unrighteous mammon" not to condemn wealth itself, but to highlight its inherent fallenness, its potential for idolatry, and its transient nature in contrast to eternal realities. The Roman taxation system and the prevalence of debt also made the management of money a daily, often oppressive, reality for many, making Jesus' teachings on financial stewardship highly relevant to His audience.
Key Themes
Luke 16 is a chapter rich with themes of stewardship, the nature of true wealth, and the implications of our choices for eternity. The overarching theme is that our handling of material possessions is a critical indicator of our spiritual state and our readiness for God's eternal kingdom. Jesus emphasizes that earthly resources, though temporary and tainted by sin ("unrighteous mammon"), are entrusted to us as a test. Faithfulness in managing these "lesser" things demonstrates a capacity for greater, spiritual responsibilities. This contrasts sharply with the world's values, which often prioritize the accumulation of material wealth as an end in itself. The chapter also explores the theme of accountability, as seen in the parable, and the stark choice between serving God and serving wealth, a principle explicitly articulated in Luke 16:13. Ultimately, Jesus redefines "riches" from a worldly perspective to a divine one, shifting the focus from perishable assets to enduring spiritual treasures, such as righteousness, eternal life, and a relationship with God.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This particle introduces a conditional clause, setting up a premise for the subsequent consequence. In this context, it functions as a direct challenge, implying that the condition of unfaithfulness in material things is a real and common occurrence, leading to a specific, negative outcome regarding spiritual trust.
Derived from a negative particle and the word for "justice" or "right," this term signifies that which is unjust, wicked, or treacherous. When applied to "mammon," it does not necessarily mean the money itself is inherently evil, but rather that it belongs to the fallen, corrupt world system, is often acquired or used unjustly, and can easily become an object of idolatry, leading people away from God's righteousness. It highlights the moral ambiguity and spiritual danger associated with worldly wealth.
This word, of Chaldee origin, refers to wealth, property, or money. Crucially, the Strong's definition notes its potential for personification as "avarice (deified)." This suggests that mammon is not just a neutral resource but can become a rival god, demanding allegiance and trust that rightly belong to God alone. Its "unrighteous" nature stems from its capacity to ensnare and corrupt, diverting loyalty from divine principles.
This adjective describes someone who is trustworthy, reliable, and true. It encompasses both objective trustworthiness (being deserving of trust) and subjective trustfulness (exercising faith). In the context of Luke 16:11, it refers to the quality of being dependable and responsible in one's management of resources, demonstrating integrity and adherence to God's will. This faithfulness is the criterion by which one's capacity for greater spiritual entrustment is judged.
This verb means "to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing)" and, by implication, "to entrust (especially one's spiritual well-being to Christ)." Here, it is used in the sense of entrusting something valuable to someone, implying a transfer of responsibility based on demonstrated reliability. The question "who will commit to your trust" highlights that God is the ultimate entrustor of both material and spiritual riches, and He only entrusts the "true riches" to those who have proven themselves faithful with the "unrighteous mammon."
This adjective means "truthful" or "genuine." When contrasted with "unrighteous mammon," "true riches" refers to that which is authentic, real, and enduring, in opposition to the fleeting and deceptive nature of worldly wealth. It points to spiritual blessings, eternal life, righteousness, and a relationship with God as the only truly valuable and lasting treasures.
Verse Breakdown
"If therefore ye have not been faithful"
This opening clause establishes a conditional premise, directly linking back to the preceding teachings on stewardship. It challenges the listener to consider their past and present conduct regarding resources. The implication is that faithfulness is not merely a desired trait but a demonstrable quality, observed through actions.
"in the unrighteous mammon"
This specifies the arena in which faithfulness is tested: worldly wealth and possessions. The term "unrighteous mammon" highlights its transient nature, its association with a fallen world system, and its potential to lead to sin or idolatry. It is the "least" in comparison to spiritual riches, yet it serves as the initial proving ground for one's character.
"who will commit to your trust"
This rhetorical question underscores the logical consequence of unfaithfulness with material things. It implies that if one cannot be trusted with the lesser, temporary, and potentially corruptible resources, then no one, especially God, will entrust them with something far more valuable and significant. This points to a divine principle of progressive responsibility.
"the true riches?"
This phrase defines the ultimate prize or blessing that is withheld from the unfaithful. "True riches" stands in stark contrast to "unrighteous mammon," representing spiritual, eternal, and incorruptible treasures such as righteousness, eternal life, a relationship with God, and the blessings of His Kingdom. The question suggests that these profound spiritual blessings are reserved for those who have demonstrated integrity and faithfulness in all areas of their lives, beginning with their handling of earthly wealth.
Literary Devices
Luke 16:11 employs several powerful literary devices. Contrast is central, setting "unrighteous mammon" against "true riches," highlighting the vast difference between worldly, temporary wealth and spiritual, eternal blessings. This stark juxtaposition emphasizes Jesus' redefinition of value. The verse also utilizes rhetorical question ("who will commit to your trust the true riches?"), which is not meant to elicit an answer, but to provoke thought and underscore the self-evident truth that unfaithfulness in one area precludes trust in another. This serves to challenge the audience's assumptions about wealth and divine entrustment. Furthermore, the verse functions as an aphorism, a concise statement of a general truth or principle, offering a profound moral and spiritual lesson in a memorable form. It distills a complex theological idea—that material stewardship is a test of spiritual readiness—into a clear, impactful declaration.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Luke 16:11 is a pivotal statement that integrates the practicalities of financial stewardship with profound theological truths about God's nature and His relationship with humanity. It reveals God as a discerning entrustor, who assesses our faithfulness in the tangible realm before bestowing intangible, eternal blessings. The verse underscores the theological principle that our earthly lives are a proving ground for eternity, and how we manage what is "least" (worldly wealth) directly impacts our capacity to receive what is "much" (spiritual riches). It challenges the common human tendency to compartmentalize life, asserting that our financial integrity is inextricably linked to our spiritual integrity. This teaching aligns with the broader biblical emphasis on holistic discipleship, where every aspect of life, including material possessions, is to be brought under the Lordship of Christ and used for His glory.
Reflection and Application
Luke 16:11 challenges us to deeply examine our relationship with money and possessions, urging us to see them not as ends in themselves, but as tools entrusted to us by God for a greater purpose. It compels us to consider whether our handling of earthly resources reflects a heart that truly trusts God and prioritizes His Kingdom. Faithfulness in the "unrighteous mammon" means using our financial resources, time, and talents in ways that honor God, advance His purposes, and bless others, rather than hoarding them, spending them selfishly, or allowing them to become idols. This faithfulness is not merely about avoiding dishonesty, but about cultivating a generous, kingdom-minded perspective that views all we possess as belonging to God. By proving ourselves reliable with the temporary, we demonstrate our readiness for the eternal, showing God that we are prepared to receive and steward the immeasurable "true riches" of His grace, righteousness, and eternal life. Our integrity in the small matters of daily finance is a direct reflection of our deeper spiritual commitment and our capacity for divine trust.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "unrighteous mammon" mean, and why is it called "unrighteous"?
"Unrighteous mammon" refers to worldly wealth, money, or possessions. It is called "unrighteous" not because money is inherently evil, but because it is associated with the fallen, corrupt world system. It is transient, often acquired or used unjustly, and has the dangerous potential to become an idol, drawing people away from God and His righteousness. Jesus uses this term to highlight the moral ambiguity and spiritual danger inherent in worldly riches, contrasting them with the "true riches" that are spiritual and eternal. It signifies wealth that is tainted by the world's sin and can easily be misused or lead to unrighteousness.
What are the "true riches" Jesus refers to in this verse?
The "true riches" are the spiritual, eternal, and incorruptible treasures that come from God. In stark contrast to the fleeting nature of "unrighteous mammon," these riches include righteousness, eternal life, a deep and abiding relationship with God, the blessings of His Kingdom, and spiritual wisdom. They are authentic, enduring, and of ultimate value, representing the blessings that God entrusts to those who prove themselves faithful in their stewardship of earthly things. This concept aligns with Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:20 to "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven."
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Luke 16:11, while a direct teaching on stewardship, finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest meaning in Christ. Jesus Himself is the embodiment of "true riches," for in Him "are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). He demonstrated perfect faithfulness, not in managing earthly wealth, but in His complete obedience to the Father's will, even unto death on the cross (Philippians 2:8). Through His sacrifice, He purchased for us the "true riches" of salvation, eternal life, and an inheritance that is "incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away" (1 Peter 1:4). Our faithfulness in handling "unrighteous mammon" is not a means to earn these riches, but a demonstration of our transformed hearts, made new by Christ, and our readiness to steward the spiritual blessings He has freely given. As we are faithful in the "little" things of this world, we reflect the character of Christ, who was faithful in all things, and are prepared to receive the immeasurable wealth of His presence and Kingdom, which He Himself committed to our trust through the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17).