Here is what Jesus said...
And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.
So this stewards master found out that he wasted what he was trusted with...
2. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.
³ Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.
So this steward knows he is in deep trouble
So here is how he remedies it...
⁴ I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.
⁵ So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?
⁶ And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.
⁷ Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.
The steward amends everyone's debts....and in the next verse his lord praises his actions..
⁸ And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
Then Jesus says.....
9. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
¹⁰ He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
¹¹ If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
¹² And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
¹³ No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Seems several perspectives on the above parable have already been given in this thread. Only an opinion but consider:
1) the steward cut the debts in half. Why only half...? Matthew 18:24-28 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. [25] But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. [26] The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and
I will pay thee all. [27] Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and
forgave him the debt. [28] But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
...the last verse Matthew 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not
every one his brother their trespasses.
Only half?
Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Only half?
2) the ‘when you fail’ ...not an ‘if’ you fail, but instead ‘when’ Luke 16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
how many everlasting habitations can one who ‘when you fail’ be received into? Ephesians 2:20-22 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone ; [21] In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: [22] In whom ye also are builded together for an
habitation of God through the Spirit.
Luke 16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
Make friends with the spirit of unrighteous mammon; make friends with corruption, make friends with
the greedy pursuit of gain ... that, when you fail ...Luke 12:33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old
, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
Go make friends with it, that, when you fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations...sounds like...1 Corinthians 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh,
that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Point is ...He may have been saying go ahead and make friends with the spirit of unrighteous mammon but the ‘when you fail’ sounds like a warning (imo), that it isn’t going to end well and there is going to be loss.