Luke 16: A Contract for Theophilus to Sign Wisely
Luke 16: A Contract for Theophilus to Sign Wisely
8 The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.
9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
13 No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
16 The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it.
31 He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’
In chapter 16, Luke finally presents a contract for Theophilus to sign. Theophilus must not only become a wise manager (verses 1-16) but also be embraced in Abraham’s bosom (verses 19-31). However, the parable of Jesus chosen by Luke seems problematic at first glance. The manager, who had been embezzling his master’s property, upon being discovered, further reduces his master’s wealth instead of pleading for forgiveness. He falsifies the debt documents of those who owed his master. Jesus concludes the parable by praising this dishonest manager for his shrewdness. Is the problem with Jesus or with Luke for choosing this parable among many?
Most readers of Luke’s Gospel often forget that Theophilus is reading along with them. Only by reading this parable with Theophilus can one understand Jesus’ unconventional praise and Luke’s peculiar choice of parable. Luke presents Theophilus with a document urging him to sign and buy Jesus with his dishonest wealth. Theophilus cannot take Jesus' words, "use worldly wealth to gain friends" (verse 9), lightly. How much of Theophilus’s money is honest, and does he own a sword that hasn’t been stained with blood? Yet, Luke insists that Theophilus can still choose Jesus with his blood-stained money and sword (verse 13). Moreover, Luke presses him, saying this document is forcibly given to him, so he must not miss this opportunity (verse 16).
Ending here wouldn’t be Luke’s style. He adds another layer to ensure Theophilus has no choice but to sign. The rich man in hell, seeing Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom, pleads with Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers, who are still unaware of their dire fate, to give them a chance to live wisely. Abraham’s reply is Luke’s message to Theophilus: "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead" (verse 31). To the “wise” Theophilus, who might be looking for a better contract, Luke asserts there is no other contract but this one. Theophilus is left with the choice to sign or not, as no other opportunity will present itself.