The Kingdom of the Dishonest God: The Scandal of the Parable of the Dishonest Steward (Luke 16:1−12)

The Parable of the Dishonest Steward is considered by many to be a moral example for the pious. It supposedly speaks of the accurate handling of money and provides a model for almsgiving. However, this interpretation has several limits, as it reads the parable similarly to Luke’s own interpretation. If we read the parable outside its context, it appears that the text does not concern fiscal responsibility but presents a paradox: a cunning servant’s illegal machination receives praise from his master. Although scholars have invested much erudition in eliminating this contradiction, this paper argues that this effort is incongruous with the parable’s inherent intention. The solution is to let this shocking inconsistency drive the interpretation, which forces us to pose the question of its original Sitz im Leben. Our analysis leads us to the very situation of Jesus, who was attacked as a ‘dishonest steward’.