Part 1: The Scope of Biblical Stewardship Part 3: Steward of Stewards Part 4: Stewards of the Mysteries of God When Jesus and the New Testament authors discuss stewardship as a spiritual concept, they are making an analogy from the work of literal human stewards. In order to understand the significance of this metaphor, it will help to review what stewards actually do. This post will look at several examples of stewards throughout the Bible. This survey from Abraham to Paul covers a vast stretch of time, encompassing many cultural, political, and economic upheavals. But while the details of a steward’s role may have adapted to different contexts, we will observe several common themes that remain true throughout ancient history. It will be helpful to keep in mind the meaning of the modern English word steward. Here’s the full definition of the noun from Merriam-Webster: 1 : one employed in a large household or estate to manage domestic concerns (such as the supervision of servants, collection of rents, and keeping of accounts) Keeping the meaning in mind will help us recognize instances of stewardship even if the word does not appear in an English translation (although it will in many cases). Eliezer of Damascus I wasn’t sure at first whether to include Abraham’s servant Eliezer in this list. While the KJV has Abraham calling him “the steward of my house” in Genesis 15:2, the Hebrew phrase is obscure and most modern translations render it as “the heir of my house”, which makes good sense in context. Genesis 24:2, however, refers to the servant Abraham sent to find a wife for Isaac as the one “who had charge of all that he had”, indicating a stewardship role. I will assume the traditional identification of this servant as Eliezer, although most of the following observations do not rely on that conclusion.
As the oldest servant of Abraham’s household (24:2), Eliezer has spent a lifetime building his track record. The level of trust Abraham has in him shows clearly in the mission he sends him on. The way Eliezer conducts himself as Abraham’s representative will reflect on his master’s reputation, for good or bad. The mission itself has several layers of importance. Of course, the bride he selects will have an impact on Isaac’s well-being, as well as that of Abraham. The choice also matters for the preservation of the family line, a high priority in ancient cultures. Even more critical, however, is what the continuation of this line means in particular: the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, not only that his own descendants would multiply, but that through the promised seed “all the nations of the earth [shall] be blessed” (Genesis 22:18). This story highlights the deep trust and family-like intimacy between Abraham and Eliezer. Given what Eliezer proved himself worthy of, it is no wonder that Abraham chose him to be in charge of all his possessions. It is also easy to see why, before Abraham had a son of his own, Eliezer was the one to whom he had planned to entrust his legacy (Genesis 15:2–3). As other examples will show, not all stewards enjoyed quite the same level of trust and closeness that Eliezer did. But his relationship with Abraham clearly gave him unique qualification for the role and helped ensure his success in it.
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Part 2: Stewards in Biblical History Part 3: Steward of Stewards Part 4: Stewards of the Mysteries of God Most lifelong Christians have probably encountered numerous sermons, articles, and Bible lessons about stewardship. I know I have. And based on the content of most such material, I came to associate the term stewardship with money. Stewardship seemed to be primarily about recognizing that our money was really God’s money and applying Christian principles to managing it. This was typically discussed in terms of budgeting, not wasting money, staying out of debt, giving tithes and offerings to the church, and estate planning. All of these are good things! Biblical principles should inform every aspect of our lives, including money management. But is this really the essence of Christian stewardship? Some expand it beyond money to talk about management of other resources, such as in the official Adventist statement of Fundamental Belief #21: Belief 21: Stewardship Despite the wide-ranging scope of this statement, however, much of Adventist discourse on stewardship still centers around stewardship of financial resources. A recent example of this is the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide for the first quarter of 2023. This quarter’s lesson, titled “Managing for the Master: Till He Comes”, was written by G. Edward Reid, former director of Stewardship Ministries of the North American Division. The lesson has focused heavily on money management, at times feeling more like a financial health seminar than a Bible study. Why this hyperfocus on one aspect of stewardship, when even the denomination’s official belief statement hints at much more? The article accompanying the belief statement on the church’s website attempts to answer this very question. Why is the emphasis in stewardship so often money-related? While this partly explains the emphasis on money, it does not address the neglect of other aspects of stewardship. The importance of one aspect does not excuse ignoring the rest.
I think a large part of the reason for this one-sided treatment of stewardship is that we have not been careful to first define stewardship in biblical terms. Most discussions of Christian stewardship seem to assume a definition—whether spending money responsibly, exercising good time management, or caring for the earth—and find Bible passages discussing that topic, rather than starting with what the Bible actually says about stewards and stewardship. Somewhat surprisingly, of the ten Bible passages listed in support of Adventist Fundamental Belief #21, not a single one uses the term steward or stewardship. This doesn’t mean the verses are irrelevant; all of them discuss topics related to stewardship. But it seems to me that if a term under discussion appears in scripture, a proper treatment of the subject should consider how the Bible uses the term. One often-cited verse does use it: 1 Corinthians 4:2. “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful” (unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the ESV). This verse rightly emphasizes the fidelity demanded of anyone holding a stewardship position. But stewards of what? Money? Time? The earth’s resources? Don’t skip verse 1! “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” Stewards of the mysteries of God! As we will see, this is not the only passage that links Christian stewardship to something far beyond material possessions. Other texts speak of stewarding the gospel, the plan of salvation, and the grace of God. Jesus even refers to Himself with language indicative of a stewardship role. At the most fundamental level, Christian stewardship is not about money; it is about the eternal riches of God. This series will attempt to refocus the discussion of Christian stewardship by examining passages that explicitly discuss it. Part 2 will look at several biblical examples of literal stewards of earthly estates, with the goal of understanding the scope of a steward’s role in the ancient world. Part 3 will show how Jesus refers to Himself as a steward and extract theological principles of stewardship from His teachings. Part 4 will trace how Paul and Peter apply those principles to our role as stewards of the things of God, and propose a definition of Christian stewardship based on biblical usage. Part 2: Stewards in Biblical History Part 3: Steward of Stewards Part 4: Stewards of the Mysteries of God |
AuthorMichael is an engineer in Indianapolis, Indiana. Read more on the About page. Archives
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