Parables Of Jesus Christ: God And Mammon

The Messiah's parable of God and mammon (also known variously as the parable of the shrewd manager or the parable of the dishonest steward):

"^16:1 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. ^16:2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.

^16:3 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. ^16:4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses." (Luke 16:1-4 KJV)

"Ye cannot serve God and mammon"

The parable of the man turning his master's business into his own, that is, using his master's interests to further his own interests, continued.

"^16:5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?

^16:6 And he said, An hundred measures of oil.

And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.

^16:7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou?

And he said, An hundred measures of wheat.

And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.

^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. ^16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations." (Luke 16:5-9 KJV)

The Messiah then explained the foremost meaning of the parable - that Christ's servants must not be servants of themselves in Christ's Name, selling themselves by making compromise "deals" with the LORD's Truth (in the time of Christ, "mammon" was a Syrian idol "god" of worldly wealth).

"^16:10 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. ^16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? ^16:12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?

^16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

^16:14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. ^16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." (Luke 16:10-15 KJV)

Fact Finder: How is "Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (chosing between obedience to God and idolatrous wealth) evident today?
See The Fall Of Satan's Financial Empire; also No Class Struggles In Christianity

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