Basil of Caesarea, on Luke 16:8

“And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.”

“(Hom. de Avar.) Or if thou hast succeeded to a patrimony, thou receivest what has been amassed by the unrighteous; for in a number of predecessors some one must needs be found who has unjustly usurped the property of others. But suppose that thy father has not been guilty of exaction, whence hast thou thy money? If indeed thou answerest, “From myself;” thou art ignorant of God, not having the knowledge of thy Creator; but if, “From God,” tell me the reason for which thou receivedst it. Is not the earth and the fulness thereof the Lord’s? (Ps. 24:1.) If then whatever is ours belongs to our common Lord, so will it also belong to our fellow-servant.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.