Praying Together 21st September 2025

A tale of two scoundrels

The first rule of telling an effective story is knowing your audience. Luke says that Jesus is telling this well-known story to His disciples – but the audience Jesus is really talking to is actually not the group of disciples, but the Jewish leadership who are listening in, waiting for the opportunity to condemn Jesus for insulting the religious leadership.

In the story, the manager has been incompetent. His job was to invest his rich bosses’ money and deliver a sizeable return, driving a hard bargain with his suppliers. Clearly, he wasn’t even clever enough to disguise his poor performance, and when he is found out, he looks to buy himself friends for after he will inevitably get sacked. He makes a deal with the debtors. (I wonder if they intend to keep their part of the bargain?)

Again, he is found out. He is summoned to account for his actions – but is astounded when instead of receiving punishment, he is praised for his initiative. His boss has himself achieved his riches through underhand methods, and recognises a fellow thief. The manager breathes a sigh of relief – but doesn’t realise that he is now beholden for ever with the threat of his dishonesty being revealed unless he does whatever he is told. Blackmail on the cards if he ever doesn’t do what his master wants. He’s on the slippery slope and there’s no way back. And through complying with his dodgy dealing, the debtors also become accessories after the fact – they can be blackmailed and their lies made public at any time.

The stories Jesus tells are usually metaphorical, and this is no exception. His hearers – including the Pharisees – know what He is really saying. In the story, the rich man is the Satan; the unfaithful manager is a Pharisee; and the debtors are the people the religious authorities capture into the net of their corruption. The vehicle the Satan uses to ensnare them all is greed. Their love of money blinds them to the sinfulness of their actions.

‘…make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes…’ says Jesus with a touch of sarcasm – the eternal home being Hell. Or choose truth – and live in His Kingdom.