08.01 A story of worldly acuteness

I. A STORY OF WORLDLY ACUTENESS THIS is a parable which excessive literalism has turned into a maze of subtleties. It has indeed difficulties of its own; but these have been magnified and complicated by a perverted industry which has attempted to extort the most fantastic theories out of every clause. A list of the hundreds of interpretations which during all these centuries have gathered round and entangled in obscurity this parable of the unjust steward is a pathetic record of wasted ingenuity pathetic, because, it represents such a pitiable abuse of the right reverence which is due to all the words of Jesus. Here, more perhaps than in any other parable the simplest will be found to be at once the clearest and the deepest explanation. It seems plain that our Lord was using a story of worldly acuteness a story perhaps which He had heard in ordinary talk to teach a lesson of spiritual prudence. The details of the steward’s clever fraud are of no intrinsic importance: our Lord makes no comment on them. He merely takes the man’s foresight and promptitude wicked as they were in their application as an illustration of qualities which have a necessary place in the spiritual life.

TAGS: [Parables]