Exegesis Sample: Luke 16

This exegesis deals with what is, arguably, Jesus’ most difficult parable: the parable of the shrewd manager. This sample hear examines the historical and literary contexts of the parable.

The parabolic teachings and examples of Jesus play a crucial role in understanding His ministry. For the student of the Scriptures – those who claim to be disciples of the Master’s teaching – these demonstrations of the nature of the Kingdom and of those who enter it are pivotal to any comprehensive understanding of Jesus’ teachings and, indeed, His whole life. Often misconstrued to be allegories or fables intended to teach only a moral lesson, it is vitally important – absolutely essential – to understand both the historical and literary context of each parable. Without these, the student of Scripture is doomed to many errors and, likely, constant misapplication of the parable.

With parables, historical and literary contexts are very much inter-related. Historical context will talk about the society and roles of different characters or objects in that society while the literary context examines the actual audience and the importance of those characters and/or objects to the text of the parable. In the case of the parable of the dishonest steward, both are key to having even a small chance at properly interpreting the parable.

The historical setting is Second Temple Judaism in Palestine. The Jews of this time formed a small backwater province in the mighty Roman Empire, governed in Judea by a Roman governor and in surrounding provinces, by the native Herodians (native Edomites, not Jews). The Sanhedrin and the Temple priesthood were well-established and the priesthood itself maintained diplomatic lines of communication open with the Romans as a means of both obtaining their power and maintaining it. Given the agrarian nature of Palestine, the society is heavily burdened with a need to sell its produce. It’s gains – which amounts to approximately 33% of all the wealth in Palestine - such as they are, cannot sustain 90% of the population.

Thus, the disciples (to whom this parable is addressed), identify readily with the debtors, who all receive a decrease in debt. To this add the religious connection that they will make. Rabbi David Kimhi, at the beginning of the tenth century A.D., speaks of a similar parable concerning one of the prophetic oracles of Isaiah. All through the centuries preceding Christ, the present concept is “he indeed that built it, is the holy blessed God. Man in the world is, as it were, the steward of the house.”

In a very literary sense, the religious aspect brings out, all the more, the faults of the manager. After all, Isaiah 40 declares the glory and power of God and His entrusted stewardship to mankind. By making this connection, the listeners already have a very negative opinion of the manager. Their disgust would no doubt increase as he goes to the debtors and, on the surface, appears to defraud them. All throughout, the hope would be that this man suffers for his sins. Yet, what does Jesus do but say that the rich man commends the man for his cleverness! The historical connection with those in need (90% of the population), in addition to the literary genius that Jesus displays in surprising the audience with the fact of the steward’s redemption, lay the groundwork for further interpretation and application of this parable.

 

Resources:

 

Landry, David T.; May, Ben. Journal of Biblical Literature. “Honor Restored: new light on the parable of the prudent steward (Luke 16:1-8a).” 119, No. 2, Sum 2000, pgs. 287-309

Bishop John Lightfoot’s Commentary of the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraic Literature on Luke 16:1

United Theological Seminary. A Portrait of Jesus: Social/Cultural World of Jesus. http://www.united.edu/portrait/social.shtml.