Will You Have Any Friends in the Future?

What Did Jesus Mean By This?

Many people have wondered about what Jesus Christ meant in a parable He told in Luke 16. He made this statement in Luke 16:9 ....

“And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by the unrighteous money, that when you die they may welcome you into the eternal homes.” (Luke 16:9, My Own Translation)

[For Greek students who may object to the word die, simply check the meaning of ἐκλείπω in The Brill Dictionary of Ancient Greek. Money is a translation of the Greek word μαμωνᾶς mamonas, often translated mammon, wealth.]

Clearly this parable is about μαμωνᾶς mamonas = MAMMON = MONEY = WEALTH, for this word is mentioned - at crucial paces - 3 times in this parable. Note...

11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? (Luke 16:11, NKJV)

13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Luke 16:13, NKJV)

But what point is Jesus trying to make about MAKING FRIENDS FOR YOURSELF WITH MONEY?

A Connective Link…?

Here is an interesting point in the language used in Luke 16:9. The phrase ΠοιήσατεN ἑαυτοῖς = provide for yourselves is only used 2 times in the entire New Testament but the other time is in Luke 12:33. Note...

33 Sell what you have and give alms; provide for yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. (Luke 12:33)

9 “And I say to you, provide for yourselves friends by unrighteous mammon, that when you die, they may receive you into the eternal homes. (Luke 16:9)

A major point to consider is that - in Luke 12:33 - Jesus Christ is speaking of ETERNAL REWARD through the use of MONEY. And there is something I MUST DO to get that!

[As a further Greek note, ΠοιήσατεN ἑαυτοῖς = provide for yourselves is a Greek imperative. Not to obey that command is not to obey Jesus Christ.]

“Provide for yourselves” is a command from Jesus Christ. Therefore I should seek to obey it!

How Does This Fit Into Jesus’ Parable?

He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. 2 So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’ 3 “Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’ 5 “So he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. 9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. (Luke 16:1–9, NKJV)

It seems clear that ...

The RICH MAN = GOD or CHRIST

The STEWARD = a BELIEVER

GIVE ACCOUNT = THE JUDGMENT-SEAT OF CHRIST

But Who Do the DEBTORS Represent?

I think a clue is given in Matt 19:27-29 [and also the parallel passage in Luke 18:28-30]....

Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” 28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:27–29, NKJV)

Note also....

5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? (James 2:5, NKJV)

That is,

GOD’S DEBTORS = Believers who are living by faith in God to meet their financial needs. This would particularly include those in full-time ministry.

According to the previous references these DEBTORS will INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE and INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

ENTERING Eternal Life versus INHERITING Eternal Life ....

It is important to understand that ENTERING into eternal life in the present - and INHERITING eternal life in the future are two different things.

I ENTER into eternal life and the kingdom of God by simply BELIEVING IN JESUS CHRIST...

40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40, NKJV)

5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5, NKJV)

I INHERIT eternal life and the kingdom of God by OBEDIENCE TO JESUS CHRIST UNTIL THE END of my life [or the Rapture occurs]. Inheriting eternal life and inheriting the kingdom of God is based on WORKS - and will evaluated at the Judgment-Seat of Christ.

25 But hold fast what you have till I come. 26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations— 27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’— as I also have received from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star. (Revelation 2:25–28)

14 For we have become Partners of Christ if we hold the beginning of our endeavor steadfast to the end, (Hebrews 3:14)

Note that..

INHERITING ETERNAL LIFE and INHERITING THE KINGDOM OF GOD includes both RULING WITH JESUS CHRIST and ETERNAL REWARD. God’s DEBTORS will obtain both.

What Does “Welcome into The Eternal Homes” Mean?

“And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by the unrighteous money, that when you die they may welcome you into the eternal homes.” (Luke 16:9)

This undoubtedly is part of the ETERNAL REWARD which God’s DEBTORS will receive. For example, Jesus said to the Apostles...

2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2, NKJV)

The Grace New Testament Commentary comments on this verse...

The Grace New Testament Commentary 3. Jesus Prepares the Disciples for His Death, Resurrection, and Ascension (13:31–16:33)

The dwellings (mansions) refer to literal homes or apartments which someday will come down with the New Jerusalem out of the new heavens onto the new earth. Revelation 21:2, which refers to the descending New Jerusalem as a bride prepared for her husband, probably parallels John 14:2, which speaks of Jesus preparing a place for His disciples. The New Jerusalem with its golden buildings is prepared by Jesus both for His disciples’ joy, and for His own.

As the book of Hebrews points out - the New Jerusalem [with its dwelling places] is the home of those who INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD...

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn ones who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. (Hebrews 12:22–24, NKJV)

That is....

These DEBTORS will have HOMES which are part of their REWARD in the world to come.

That the DEBTORS [in the parable] INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD is shown by the fact that they had HOMES for the steward to enter.

How Does This Relate to Me and You?

Jesus explains this in the rest of the parable. He says...

9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you die, they may receive you into an everlasting home. 10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own? 13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Luke 16:9–13, NKJV)

That is, Jesus was simply saying..

Invest your money - which really belongs to God - to sacrificially support those who are preaching the Gospel - and YOU WILL HAVE ETERNAL REWARD.

In fact, you will have fellowship with them [“be invited into their homes”] in ETERNITY.

Notice how the Philippians had made FRIENDS with Paul through their financial giving...

3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. 8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:3–8, NKJV)

[“good work” is referring to the financial gift the Philippians had made. The Grace New Testament Commentary says...

The Grace New Testament Commentary 1. Thanksgiving for Fellowship (1:3–8)

A common view of this verse is that sanctification of believers is a guaranteed work of God. However, a preferable view is that this is a promise that the Lord will honor and bless the missionary efforts of the Church in ways far beyond what it can see or understand.

Jesus says...

11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s [GOD’S], who will give you what is your own? (Luke 16:11–12, NKJV)

Jesus is saying that - if I want ETERNAL REWARD and ETERNAL RICHES I should use God’s money [which he has entrusted to me] to support others in the family of God who have a financial need. I don’t really OWN anything in this life (because I will die). But I can have PERMANENT POSSESSIONS (“what is your own”) in the life to come.

A Real Life Example....

I think that the first Assembly in Jerusalem is an excellent example of this parable. Note...

44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. (Acts 2:44–45, NKJV)

32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. 34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need. (Acts 4:32–35, NKJV)

These early believers were “providing for themselves treasure in heaven” and “providing for themselves friends in eternity” by their faithful handling of the Lord’s resources. They were banking on ETERNAL REWARD.

And..the more I give away…the more REWARD I will get....

38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38, NKJV)

Believer - Are you investing your money right NOW to gain ETERNAL REWARD in the FUTURE? Are you “providing for yourself” today?