him to teach a positive spiritual principle. Recognizing that incongruity, some have attempted to read between the lines to find a way to recast this man in a positive light. But there are no hidden details in this straightforward narrative, nor is there anything more to it than the details He gave. And it is precisely the surprise ending, in which the master praises the unrighteous manager instead of punishing him, that provides the point of the story. The unexpected response is a pattern that Jesus