“And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.”
My Notes
What Does Luke 16:9 Mean?
Luke 16:9 is one of the most puzzling sayings of Jesus: "Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations." It follows the parable of the unjust steward — a manager who, about to be fired, reduces his master's debtors' bills to secure future relationships. Jesus commends not the dishonesty but the shrewdness.
The "mammon of unrighteousness" isn't money that was stolen — it's money in general, which by its nature belongs to this passing, fallen world system. Jesus calls all wealth "unrighteous" not because having it is sinful but because it belongs to a system that is temporary and corrupted. His instruction is to use this temporary resource to make eternal investments — specifically, to use money in ways that benefit people who will welcome you into "everlasting habitations."
The logic is startling: the children of this world are shrewder than the children of light (verse 8). Worldly people understand how to leverage present resources for future advantage. Jesus is asking: why don't My followers show the same strategic thinking with eternal stakes? Use your money — your temporary, worldly resources — to serve people, to give generously, to invest in relationships and needs that have eternal significance. When the money runs out ("when ye fail"), the relationships and the good done with it will endure.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Are you currently using your financial resources in ways that have eternal significance — or mostly for temporary comfort?
- 2.What does it mean to you that Jesus calls all wealth 'the mammon of unrighteousness' — does that change how you relate to money?
- 3.Who could you invest in this week — financially or practically — in a way that serves an eternal purpose?
- 4.How would your spending change if you genuinely believed the money was temporary but the relationships it could build were permanent?
Devotional
Jesus is essentially saying: be as smart with eternity as the world is with money. The unjust steward saw the crisis coming and used every resource at his disposal to secure his future. He was a crook, but he was a strategic crook. And Jesus looks at His followers and says: why are you less strategic about things that actually last?
Money is temporary. Jesus calls it the "mammon of unrighteousness" — not evil in itself, but part of a system that's passing away. It's a tool with an expiration date. The question isn't whether you have it or how much. The question is what you're doing with it while you still can. Are you hoarding a resource that's about to become worthless, or are you converting it into something eternal — relationships, generosity, lives changed, needs met?
"When ye fail" — that's an honest phrase. Not if. When. The money will run out. The career will end. The resources you're clutching will slip through your fingers eventually. What will remain? The people you helped. The needs you met. The friendships formed not around status but around genuine care. That's what "everlasting habitations" means — an eternal welcome from people whose lives you invested in with temporary resources. Money can't follow you into eternity. But the fruit of how you used it can.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And I say unto you,.... These are the words of Christ, as are also the latter part of the preceding verse, accommodating…
I say unto you - I, Jesus, say to you, my disciples. Make to yourselves friends - Some have understood the word…
The mammon of unrighteousness - Μαμωνα της αδικιας - literally, the mammon, or riches, of injustice. Riches promise…
We mistake if we imagine that the design of Christ's doctrine and holy religion was either to amuse us with notions of…
Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness The Greek may mean either Make the unrighteous mammon your…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture