And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.
LUKE 16:6KJVWhat does Luke 16:6 mean?
Luke 16:6 describes a moment in Jesus’ parable where a manager tells a debtor to quickly change his bill from owing one hundred measures of oil to fifty, effectively reducing the debt by half. This action shows the manager making a deal to benefit the debtor, likely to gain favor for himself.
In this scene, Jesus is telling a story about a manager who is about to lose his job for wasting his master’s goods. The manager calls in people who owe his master and reduces their debts, hoping they will help him later. The “hundred measures of oil” refers to a large quantity, and the instruction to “write fifty” is a significant reduction, showing the manager’s urgency and shrewdness in securing goodwill.
The Greek behind Luke 16:6
- μέτρα (metra, G943): This word means “measures” and refers to a specific unit of liquid, likely about eight or nine gallons each. The size of the debt (a hundred measures) highlights the generosity of the reduction.
- γράμμα (gramma, G1121): Translated here as “bill,” this word means a written document or account. The manager tells the debtor to physically alter the written record, not just make a verbal agreement.
- ταχέως (tacheōs, G5030): This word means “quickly.” The manager’s instruction to act fast shows urgency, possibly so the master does not find out before the changes are made.
Why Luke 16:6 matters
- Luke 16:6 helps clarify the shrewdness of the manager, who uses his last moments of authority to secure future help for himself, which is key to understanding Jesus’ point in the parable.
- The verse shows the practical details of how debts were recorded and could be altered, grounding the story in everyday business practices of the time.
- This moment sets up the lesson that follows in the passage, where Jesus comments on using worldly resources wisely, making the manager’s actions central to the teaching.