The Rhetoric of the Manipulative Steward of the Mammon

November 7, 2025 Friday

Lk 16:1-8

A Confused Preacher or a Crafty Rhetor

My friend George expressed his doubts as to what this parable would mean. The great storyteller Jesus, as was his wont, introduces this parable to his followers. Yes, he is on his tour of villages and communities but heading to Jerusalem. The great narrator Luke inserts most of the teachings of Jesus through his engagements and conversations en route.  So his audience is the ordinary people, his bunch of disciples and followers, and a few of his constant detractors - perhaps, the elite of those times. 

Perhaps, Jesus observes the cleverness people in general employ in their daily affairs almost instinctively - deploying their resources (material and relational - human) in such a way as to secure their lives, their future. This adroitness that comes out from a survival instinct is appreciated by the Master Teacher! However, he just stops with a statement of the fact - "the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than the children of light"

Doubts are regarding: 

1. Is this prudence? It is more of a terminological question, I feel. It could also be cleverness or efficiency.  The Master was broad-minded enough to see the cleverness of the steward, beyond his manipulativeness. 

2. Resources for the Reign Does the parable speak about ends and means? I don't think Jesus' focus is on attaining ends by any means.  I think he is concerned about the lack of adaptive responsiveness on the part of those who claim to be or want to be in the track of light. Are they generally dull-witted? 

It is more about utilising the opportunities before you while you can. Not later, not after you have been thrown out of your stewardship 

That would mean when you are alive and active, when your faculties are in order, when you are able-bodied, when you have possibilities to make good for the time when you would be 'thrown out' not as a punishment, but as a natural progression of your life. 

Everybody's Stewardship While you are on the earth, in this body - you have the stewardship - starting with your body, your surroundings, the network of your human and other relationships/engagements. It is the time you could 'cleverly employ' your powers to have people or treasures stored up for eventualities. 

In the first reading, St Paul (Rom 15:17-18) speaks (boasts) from the assurance of having been a clever and efficient steward in this respect, which he ackno\wledges as 'accomplished by Christ through me'. 

Apparently, a bit confusing, when we read Jesus as the one who went about doing good, it is perhaps very much in line with the arch teacher's general deployment of paradoxes to drive home messages for life - an appeal to shed complacency and work with vigilance, optimally (?maximally) employing earthly resources for the looked forward to access to heaven - the passport to the realm where God reigns. 

The Middle Path of the Radical Is it a balancing act by Jesus? Elsewhere, he tirades a set of curses to those who possess wealth, saying 'woe to you, who are rich' (Luke 6:24-26), contrasting with the poor, who are the blessed.  While that too can be viewed as a rhetorical statement of Jesus, here is indicating a practical wisdom - that wealth and money which can easily become means that take you away from the divine realm or path of righteousness, the very 'mammon' can be deployed in the right manner (tactfully) to ensure access there (Lk 16:9). 

And amply proven by the many who have followed the path, including kings and queens of this world!!

My Stewardshpi Prayer I am reminded of my stewardship on the planet as a great opportunity and a task -and my resources of money, material, time, talent, energy - to be tapped wisely - not necessarily to secure that coveted passport, but rather to be part of building up (establishing) that realm of righteousness!!

Lord, guide me on your path of righteousness, while I enjoy your blessings of life on this wonderful planet, our common home!! Amen! 

P.S. But the question still remains, does the Almighty need such round-about ways of teaching to tell people to do good and avoid evil, using their resources prudently, that extremes of a straight-thinking minister or a paradox-loving rhetor of the word is forced to confess that s/he is confused?