The Parable of the Faithful and Wise Manager

A rich man's manager is accused of mismanagement, but cleverly secures his future by making deals with the rich man's debtors.

The Parable of the Faithful and Wise Manager

Luke 16:1-13/ KJV

1. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

General themes for this chapter of the Bible: The Parable of the Unjust Steward; The Rich Man and Lazarus

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Night scene, a shadowy figure (the manager) hands over documents to a debtor in a dimly lit alleyway. The clandestine meeting symbolizes the secret nature of the manager’s actions. The darkness is symbolic of the risk. This highlights the secret nature of the manager's actions with the night setting and shadowy figures.

A detailed depiction of a sealed clay tablet, similar to ancient Near Eastern accounting records, bearing the marks of amended debts, suggesting the manager's manipulation to secure his future. This directly focuses on the accounting aspect. This directly relates to the altered accounting records, focusing on the manipulative aspect of the parable.

A close-up of several coins, meticulously arranged, showing different denominations and quantities, subtly arranged to suggest a calculated financial strategy implemented by the shrewd manager. This focuses on the financial element. This focuses on the financial strategy employed by the manager, symbolized by the carefully arranged coins.

Macro closeup of a weathered ledger, ink-stained and worn, with meticulously written accounts, showing shrewd calculations and adjustments that hint at manipulation for future benefit. The scene is dimly lit, symbolizing the manager's clandestine actions. This prompt focuses on the secret and manipulative actions of the manager, reflected in the worn ledger and dim lighting.

Macro closeup of a hand, calloused and worn from years of work, deftly counting coins, with a glint of strategic calculation in the eye visible reflected in the coin's sheen. This detail depicts the manager's financial expertise. This emphasizes the manager's financial skills and strategic thinking, symbolized by the counting of coins.

Bright morning sunlight bathes a bustling marketplace in golden hues. Merchants haggle, goods overflow and a manager, dressed in simple robes, discreetly negotiates with a wealthy debtor amidst the lively scene. The vibrant colors represent the opportunistic atmosphere. This depicts the manager's actions within the context of a bustling marketplace, highlighting the opportunistic nature of his dealings.

Morning sun illuminates a lush olive grove. A lone figure, the manager, walks among the trees, deep in thought, his facial expression conveying both cunning and apprehension of future uncertainty. The fruitful grove reflects the successful outcome of his planning. This uses the olive grove as a symbol of prosperity and the manager's contemplative state.

Dusk settles over a dusty road, casting long shadows as the manager, on a donkey, travels toward an unknown future. The darkening sky and solitary journey symbolize the uncertainty after the actions taken. This shows the manager's uncertain future after his actions, symbolized by the darkening sky and solitary journey.

Evening light paints the sky in warm oranges and reds as a group of debtors gather in quiet conversation, their facial expressions reflecting relief and gratitude to the manager for their reduced debt. This represents the impact of the manager's actions. This highlights the positive impact of the manager's actions on the debtors, symbolized by the evening light and their grateful expressions.

A group of people gather in a courtyard at dawn. A man (the manager) addresses them earnestly. Their expressions show a mixture of anxiety and hope. This suggests the scene is the announcement of new terms. This illustrates the manager addressing a group, showing his initiative and the anxiety and hope this caused.

Morning light breaks over a group of villagers, their daily lives interrupted by the manager’s arrival with news of debt reduction. Their joyous reactions highlight the manager’s impact. The bright light signifies a new beginning. This shows the positive impact of his actions on the villagers, highlighted by their joyous reactions and the bright morning light.

Night falls on a sparsely furnished room. A solitary figure, the manager, pores over documents, a single oil lamp casting long shadows. The shadows and lamplight symbolize the clandestine nature of his actions. This focuses on the clandestine nature of the manager's work, symbolized by the solitary figure and dim lighting.

overlayed with the bible verse 1. 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.

NOTE: The images reflect the following descriptions related to the theme : The Parable of the Faithful and Wise Manager

Macro closeup of a weathered ledger, ink-stained and worn, with meticulously written accounts, showing shrewd calculations and adjustments that hint at manipulation for future benefit. The scene is dimly lit, symbolizing the manager's clandestine actions.
Macro closeup of a hand, calloused and worn from years of work, deftly counting coins, with a glint of strategic calculation in the eye visible reflected in the coin's sheen. This detail depicts the manager's financial expertise.
Bright morning sunlight bathes a bustling marketplace in golden hues. Merchants haggle, goods overflow and a manager, dressed in simple robes, discreetly negotiates with a wealthy debtor amidst the lively scene. The vibrant colors represent the opportunistic atmosphere.
Morning sun illuminates a lush olive grove. A lone figure, the manager, walks among the trees, deep in thought, his facial expression conveying both cunning and apprehension of future uncertainty. The fruitful grove reflects the successful outcome of his planning.
Dusk settles over a dusty road, casting long shadows as the manager, on a donkey, travels toward an unknown future. The darkening sky and solitary journey symbolize the uncertainty after the actions taken.
Evening light paints the sky in warm oranges and reds as a group of debtors gather in quiet conversation, their facial expressions reflecting relief and gratitude to the manager for their reduced debt. This represents the impact of the manager's actions.
A group of people gather in a courtyard at dawn. A man (the manager) addresses them earnestly. Their expressions show a mixture of anxiety and hope. This suggests the scene is the announcement of new terms.
Morning light breaks over a group of villagers, their daily lives interrupted by the manager’s arrival with news of debt reduction. Their joyous reactions highlight the manager’s impact. The bright light signifies a new beginning.
Night falls on a sparsely furnished room. A solitary figure, the manager, pores over documents, a single oil lamp casting long shadows. The shadows and lamplight symbolize the clandestine nature of his actions.
Night scene, a shadowy figure (the manager) hands over documents to a debtor in a dimly lit alleyway. The clandestine meeting symbolizes the secret nature of the manager’s actions. The darkness is symbolic of the risk.
A detailed depiction of a sealed clay tablet, similar to ancient Near Eastern accounting records, bearing the marks of amended debts, suggesting the manager's manipulation to secure his future. This directly focuses on the accounting aspect.
A close-up of several coins, meticulously arranged, showing different denominations and quantities, subtly arranged to suggest a calculated financial strategy implemented by the shrewd manager. This focuses on the financial element.

A link to this resource is much appreciated to let others know about this free christian resource. The AB Church in LAusanne-Renens is happy to make the image collection available for free.