Parables Of Jesus Christ: God And Mammon
by Wayne Blank

See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

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) 눅 16:1 또한 제자들에게 이르시되 어떤 부자에게 청지기가 있는데 그가 주인의 소유를 허비한다는 말이 그 주인에게 들린지라 눅 16:2 주인이 저를 불러 가로되 내가 네게 대하여 들은 이 말이 어찜이뇨 네 보던 일을 셈하라 청지기 사무를 계속하지 못하 리라 하니 눅 16:3 청지기가 속으로 이르되 주인이 내 직분을 빼앗으니 내가 무엇을 할꼬 땅을 파자니 힘이 없고 빌어 먹자니 부끄럽구나 눅 16:4 내가 할 일을 알았도다 이렇게 하면 직분을 빼앗긴 후에 저희가 나를 자기 집으로 영접하리라 하고

"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.

Mammon
"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) 눅 16:5 주인에게 빚진 자를 낱낱이 불러다가 먼저 먼저 온 자에게 이르되 네가 내 주인에게 얼마나 졌느뇨 눅 16:6 말하되 기름 백 말이니이다 가로되 여기 네 증서를 가지고 빨리 앉아 오십이라 쓰라 하고 눅 16:7 또 다른 이에게 이르되 너는 얼마나 졌느뇨 가로되 밀 백 석이니이다 이르되 여기 네 증서를 가지고 팔십이라 쓰라 하 였는지라 눅 16:8 주인이 옳지 않은 청지기가 일을 지혜 있게 하였으므로 칭찬하였으니 이 세대의 아들들이 자기 시대에 있어서는 빛의 아들들보다더 지혜로움이니라 눅 16:9 내가 너희에게 말하노니 불의의 재물로 친구를 사귀라 그리하면 없어질 때에 저희가 영원한 처소로 너희를 영접하리라

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) 눅 16:10 지극히 작은 것에 충성된 자는 큰 것에도 충성되고 지극히 작은 것에 불의한 자는 큰 것에도 불의하니라 눅 16:11 너희가 만일 불의한 재물에 충성치 아니하면 누가 참된 것으로 너희에게 맡기겠느냐 눅 16:12 너희가 만일 남의 것에 충성치 아니하면 누가 너희의 것을 너희에게 주겠느냐 눅 16:13 집 하인이 두 주인을 섬길 수 없나니 혹 이를 미워하고 저를 사랑하거나 혹 이를 중히 여기고 저를 경히 여길 것임이 니라 너희 가 하나님과 재물을 겸하여 섬길 수 없느니라 눅 16:14 바리새인들은 돈을 좋아하는 자라 이 모든 것을 듣고 비웃거늘 눅 16:15 예수께서 이르시되 너희는 사람 앞에서 스스로 옳다 하는 자이나 너희 마음을 하나님께서 아시나니 사람 중에 높임을 받는 그것은하나님 앞에 미움을 받는 것이니라

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