16:1-13 Is Jesus commending the dishonesty of the steward here?

No! It is the steward's own lord who commends his ingenuity, not the Lord Jesus Christ (cp V8). This is called the parable of the unjust steward. It is an unusual parable, but is easy to understand when we are clear in our minds what it does not teach.

Firstly, it does not teach that Christ condones the cunning deceit of the steward - Jesus simply contrasts the shrewd foresight of the steward in using present opportunities to ensure his future earthly well-being, with the lack of foresight by the children of God in not using their present earthly resources for their future heavenly well-being.

The point Jesus makes is that worldly men in their sphere to scheme and provide for themselves, are wiser than the children of God in their sphere; unbelievers are shrewder in handling their own temporal affairs than Christians are in handling the affairs of God. This should impress upon us how vital our stewardship is as a test of our relationship with God. Secondly, the parable also does not teach that by using the mammon of unrighteousness we can buy our way into Heaven.

The mammon of unrighteousness refers to material wealth, and Jesus is telling us to use what material wealth we have to win souls to Christ; so that when we get to Heaven they will be there to welcome us. Everlasting habitations in V9 refers to the kingdom of Heaven as our eternal home. Souls won through the deployment of our finances now will become our joy and crown of rejoicing in eternity (cp Dan 12:3; 1Th 2:19-20).

The core teaching of the parable of the unjust steward is not that believers are to make friends of material wealth, but to make friends for eternity by means of it. If what we have, whether much or little, is faithfully used as a servant of God, then it is capable of providing us with resources of eternal values.

Our Lord is teaching us here that the manifestation of common sense or prudence is the test of faithfulness. He is not teaching that Christians have to accumulate wealth for the purpose of extending God's kingdom, as some believe. Nowhere in scripture does God tell us that we need to accumulate money on His behalf - we are simply to make whatever we have available for His purpose. In Lk 16:10-13 Jesus explains the true meaning of V9 (cp Lk 16:9-13).

We must be faithful in the least as well as in much if we want to be received into everlasting life. If we have not been faithful in temporal riches, then the true riches will not be entrusted to us, and if we have not been faithful with that which belongs to another, we will not be rewarded for faithfulness - we cannot serve God and riches. It can only be one or the other (see also comments on Mt 6:24, 19:23-26; Lk 12:13-15; 12:16-21; 1Ti 6:6-10

Luke:-