The Unfaithful Steward — The Wicked Rich Man

III: The Unfaithful Steward — The Wicked Rich Man

Luke xvi. 1 to 31. xvii. 1-10.

Just about this time Jesus gave the Pharisees further cause for bitter dislike of Him.  We know how boundless was their love of wealth; only desirous of temporal blessings they asked for nothing beyond "the dues of heaven and the fatness of earth;" but though this abundance, of old promised to the Synagogue, had ever been and as yet remained their portion, such was not to be the case in the new Realm of Jesus.  Wealth was something to be dreaded,— so said the Master; for He knew that it spreads an invisible net roundabout the soul, immeshing it and dragging it to earth.  Therefore He never let pass any occasion for denouncing it to His disciples as an enemy and a deceiver.  The cunning strategem of a dishonest agent, which had been brought to light, doubtless, just at this time and in this very region which the Saviour was now traversing, furnished Him with an opportunity for renewing His warnings.

"There was a rich man," He began, "who had a steward, and the man was accused before him of having wasted his goods.  He called him, and said to him:—

"‘What is this I hear them say of you?  Render an account of your administration, for hereafter you shall no longer manage for me.’

"The steward mused within himself: ‘What shall I do, since my master will take the administration of his property away from me?  I have not the strength to labour on the earth, and I am ashamed to beg.  I know what I'll do, so that when I shall be removed from my trust, there may be some who will receive me into their houses.’

"Accordingly, having called each one of his master's a debtors, he said to the first:—

"‘How much do you owe my master?’

"‘A hundred barrels of oil,’ he answered.

"‘Take back your bond,’ the steward told him; ‘sit down at once and write Fifty.’

"Thereupon he said to another—

"‘And how much do you owe?’

"‘One hundred measures of wheat,’he said.

"‘Take back your bill,’ was the reply, and write "Eighty."’

"And his master praised the unfaithful servant for that he had dealt prudently."

That Jesus held up this fellow's rascality for His disciples' consideration was not because He approved of trickery and craftiness, but because He wished to remind them " how much more watchful and wary, encompassing their schemes, are the children of this world than other children of light!"

"And do you likewise," He told them, "make friends for yourselves of these riches of iniquity, so that when you shall happen to be in need they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles."

The hardihood with which Jesus proffered His followers this striking illustration has astonished the world, yet it reveals at the same time that contempt with which the Saviour regarded man's craving for money.  In His eyes riches appear, as it were, altogether stripped of any value, except that of being emptied into the outstretched hands of the poor, and thereby commuted into everlasting treasures.  Here, as on many other occasions, Jesus is giving His own suggestion, more than He is laying down the law.  By treating wealth as iniquitous He does not deny that riches can be legitimately acquired and retained; but He judges of riches as they oftenest show themselves, taking their rise in greedy injustice and unfairness, displaying their effects in sullen haughtiness, hard-heartedness, and intemperate conduct; and because He finds wealth living in such fellowship as this, He brands it for what it is.  Nor is He content with lending all the majesty of His speech to this stern reprobation; He wishes to make those who love Him share in His aversion for the perishable dross of earth.  The first step taken by the Christians of Jerusalem was to have one common purse, just as they had but a single heart, and, down to this day, one of the first promptings which springs up in holy souls is the longing to devote themselves to Jesus by vows of perpetual poverty.

Yet, although the Lord’s principal object was to show that great wealth is foreign to the true life of man, He was careful not to leave any false impression upon the minds of the disciples,— explaining to them that they are to imitate the prudence, and not the dishonesty of the faithless steward, and that they should prove by their steadfast integrity "in little things, whether they are worthy of great." He concluded by repeating His customary maxims concerning the love of terrestrial possessions:—

"No man can serve two masters at one and the same time.  You cannot serve God and Mammon."

It was to the disciples He addressed these words; but the avaricious Pharisees who stood among the listeners laughed them to scorn.  As usual Jesus quietly brushed aside the insult.

"God knows your hearts," He told them, "for that which is great among men is an abomination before Him."

And He showed how this abomination was plain to be seen in the disdain which they evinced for the Law given to man, from Moses down to John Baptist, whereof the reign of the Messiah was but the fulfilment and perfection.  Yet what else were the Pharisees doing but violating that same Law by tolerating the adultery which it prohibited?  Without mentioning their tetrarch by name Jesus made an evident allusion to his crime, and proceeded to scourge the grovelling timidity of these doctors who had sanctioned the evil by their silence.  Then reverting to His contempt of riches which had first shocked them, He dwelt still more forcibly upon the dangers besetting earthly goods.

Lazarus the beggar at the rich man's door. J-J Tissot.

"There was once a rich man," He said, "who went all robed in purple and linen, and every day he took his pleasure in great and gorgeous state.  And there was a beggar named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate covered with sores.  He would have been well pleased to have cloyed his hunger with the scraps which fell from the rich man's table, and no one gave him anything, but the dogs came and licked his sores.  Now it came time for the beggar to die, and he was born by the angels into Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man died also, and was buried in Hell.  And lifting up his eyes, as he was in torments, he saw afar off Abraham, and Lazarus in his bosom.

"‘Father Abraham,’ he cried, ‘have pity up on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame!’

"‘My son,’ Abraham answered him, ‘remember that thou didst receive thy goods during thy life, while Lazarus hath had evil things for his portion; therefore it is that he is comforted and thou art in anguish. Ay, and moreover, there is a great chaos for ever fixed between you and us; they that would pass from hence to you, or from thence hither, may not so do.’"

What could the rich man do except plead his ignorance, and so make shift to cast the blame of his wretchedness upon God?  Howbeit, Jesus would not even allow him this excuse, and thus continuing the dialogue across the impossible gulf:—

" ‘Father,’ said the damned, ‘I adjure you, send Lazarus to my father's house,—for I have five brothers.  He will testify to them of these things, for fear lest they themselves should come into this place of torments.’

"But Abraham replied: ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’

" ‘Nay, Father Abraham,’ answered the wicked rich man, but if someone from the bosom of the dead go and seek them they will do penance.’

" ‘Nay!  If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, even though One rise again from the dead, they will not believe Him.’"

In this manner Jesus designated those numberless Jews who, even after the Resurrection, would persist in their obstinate incredulity.  But though by their scoffs and jeers the Pharisees of Perea justified this prediction, the multitude showed themselves much more teachable, and to them the Lord repeated the lessons He had once given the Galileans,— warning them of scandals, urging forgiveness of injuries, and telling them of the all-powerfulness of faith.  Saint Luke but barely alludes to these various instructions; one of them, however, he records more at length.

"Which of you," said Jesus, "having a servant in the ploughlands, or keeping the cattle, will say to him when he comes in from the field: ‘Go straightway and sit down to table!’  And he does not say on the contrary, ‘Make ready my supper; gird Thyself, and serve me until I have eaten and drunk and, after which thou shalt eat and drink.’  Is he under any obligation to the servant for having done that which he was commanded to do?  Nay, I think not.  So you also, when you shall have done all things which are commanded you, say: ‘We are useless servants; we have done that which we ought to do.’"

This Parable is an inestimable treasure which merits a foremost place in our memory, for it denotes that at a time when Jesus was exalting the poor of his Realm, when He invited them to His Table, bidding his Angels transform their death into victory, He, nevertheless, took care not to flatter any man, of whatsoever rank or condition he might be.  One and all were reminded that the Master Husbandman has given to each a task at the tillage,— some in this near place, some further afield, and on the day when the plough-handle slips from their weary grasp, and the sickle falls from the listless fingers, they must not pretend to any credit beyond "having done what they ought," nor claim the right to any glory other than their share in the boundless mercies of the Lord of the Harvest.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam