Therefore, Behold, Lord, he says, the half of my goods, of what I
have a right to in the world's eyes--what is my own, and I could
keep if I liked--I give to the poor. But if I have done wrong to
any man, I restore to him fourfold. Then said the Lord, 'This day
is salvation come to this man's house; forsomuch as he also is a son
of Abraham;' a just and faithful man, who knows what true repentance
is.
But now, my friends, suppose that this was just what our Lord tells
us to do in this parable. Suppose that this was just what the
unjust steward did. I only say, suppose; for I know that more
learned men than I explain the difficulty otherwise. Only I ask you
to hear my explanation.
The steward is accused of wasting his lord's goods.
He will be put out of his stewardship.
He goes to his lord's debtors, and bids them write themselves down
in debt to him at far less sums than they had thought that they
owed.
Now, suppose that these debtors were the very men whom he had been
cheating. Suppose that he had been overcharging these debtors; and
now, in his need, had found out that honesty was the best policy,
and charged them what they really owed him. They were, probably,
tenants under his lord, paying their rents in kind, as was often the
custom in the East.
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