The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-05-06

Again in one chapter (and here
only) we have before US two OF the
Masters more famous parallels, the
unjust steward and the rich man and
Lazarus. Both are parallels Of warn
ing against the common sins OF hypoc-
risy and gluttony. Luke links this
teaching with the events In connec-
ton with our Lords teaching about
the lost things. There is clearly a
close connection. The parable Of the
lost things was spoken directly to the
Pharisees and scribes, that now be-
fore US to the disciples. The fall
ure Of the Pharisees as stewards OF
the things Of God, the divine law,
calls from Jesus, for those gathered
as his disciples, teaching that will
o THEN to fulfill perfectly the
stewardship responsibilities. The story
is both positive and negative, Is
direct against co%vetousness, and It's
main purpose to us Is how to use
money, while we have II, so that 1t
may bring US a recompense in the
eternal world when it Is gone ". 81.
Immoral Acts Not Approved.
J.. The Unrighteous Steward, w. 1-3.
Our Lord does not, OF course, intend
that this steward is to be our pattern
in every respect. He is taking a
son of the world" ". s R. w. and
showing us that, in the use of money
entrusted to his care, he is making
provision for the future. He is pre-
pairing himself against the time when
his stewardship is taken from him.
How much more shall a son OF the
light" be shrewd, SO to use the money
entrusted to his stewardship, that
when 1t is taken from him, he has
provided for the future. The record
does not imply that Jesus approved Of
the mans immoral actions. He is U.s.
ing the example Of an uprighteous
steward as a contrast to show how
much more is to be expected from God
or cody men, Luke 1876, Z; 1888;
Matt. 12:11, 10. Recognizing these
facts, the story is perfectly simple and
straightforward. The dishonest son
of his age" has a wrong method.
though his motive from this point Of
view is a wise and prudent one, clever
in our modern use Of that word. This
does not condone his fraud, nor does
our Lord commend him. The contrast
is established in the parable between
men wholly Of their age, and men,
professedly, at least, sons of light. In
their dealings with eternal things they
had not shown the same a%stuteness
as the former. Luke 15 deals with the
heartless contempt Of the Pharisees
for those who are lost, while the
parallels OF this chapter deal with
Observation-Disclosures Il Cor. SGD,
and as such should come home to the
hearts. of us all. All we call ours be.
longs to him, Hag. 2:S; Ps. 50:10-12.
The accusation against this steward
can be brought against many Of Gods
stewards. Some stewards waste IN
sin, In luxury, or by non-use, v. 1, CT.
Luke 1913, 80; 1919; 1920. There
was a two-fold result. CD he was called
to an accounting v. 2, and (2) his
stewardship was taken from him ".
81. Such also Is the prospect Of all
Of Gods stewards, for we must AL
give an account of himself" Rom. IA:
u; II Cor. $40.
On Higher Level.
II. The Use of Money, vs.. e.13. The
value of this parable is in the actual
teaching Of Jesus which follows the
parable. That is Introductory, empha'
sizing the need for wisdom on the
part Of all stewards. After that we
are on a higher level and in a clear.
er atmosphere. Unrighteous nam
mon means money, and to make
friends by means Of the mammon OF
unrighteousness" (R. W. is so to
use our money for the cody poor as
to win their love and that they may
receive US into the eternal t~abernacles
to which they shall go. see Matt. 10:
81; 2~5:33-40; 6:19; l Tim. 6:17-19;
Prov. 1917. AS has been said, Jesus
does not commend this steward for his
wrong use of his masters money, but
the steward Of God has the right to
bestow his Masters goods upon the
needy, as that is the very reason they
have been bestowed upon him-en
trusted to his care. Matt. 24:45;
Pet. 4:10. Our entrance into the king
dom will be more abundant because OIL
our liberality with Gods money, Matt
1921. This does not preclude faith
but rather, real faith worketh by love
Gal. So. James 2:1S (R. W. Il
we are faithful with that entrusted tt
our stewardship, God will entrust us
with the true riches Our earthly
riches belong to another ". IL R. w.
and we cannot serve two masters.
This story moves within the realm o.
material wealth, e. g., Of mammon. L
illustrates the higher wisdom OF how
mammon is to be used by the stew
ards Of the kingdom of God. Verses
10 and 16 Of this chapter reveal to III
our Lords reason for such an illustra
ton. 1t was directed against the GOV
etous and false stewards, the Phari
sees, who "scoffed at him because the!
were lovers of money" We are tt
use money so as to make frierds, no
friends for this present life, but fol
that life which lies beyond the grave
Stewardship principles are Away
the same, no matter what the amount
che hat is unrighteouS in a very littlt