Thematic Bible: Malfeasance in office


Thematic Bible



And Jesus began to speak to them in parables: "A man once planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a wine-press, built a tower, and then let it out to tenants and went abroad. At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants, to receive from them a share of the produce of the vintage; But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty- handed. read more.
A second time the owner sent a servant to them; this man, too, the tenants struck on the head, and insulted. He sent another, but him they killed; and so with many others- -some they beat and some they killed. He had still one son, who was very dear to him; and him he sent to them last of all. 'They will respect my son,' he said. But those tenants said to one another 'Here is the heir! Come, let us kill him, and his inheritance will be ours.' So they seized him, and killed him, and threw his body outside the vineyard.

But Jesus began to tell the people this parable-- "A man once planted a vineyard, and then let it out to tenants, and went abroad for a long while. At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants, that they should give him a share of the produce of the vineyard. The tenants, however, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. The owner afterwards sent another servant; but the tenants beat and insulted this man too, and sent him away empty-handed. read more.
He sent a third; but they wounded this man also, and threw him outside. 'What shall I do?' said the owner of the vineyard. 'I will send my son, who is very dear to me. Perhaps they will respect him.' But, on seeing him, the tenants consulted with one another. 'Here is the heir!' they said. 'Let us kill him, and then the inheritance will become ours.' So they threw him outside the vineyard and killed him. Now what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

Jesus said to his disciples: "There was a rich man who had a steward; and this steward was maliciously accused to him of wasting his estate. So the master called him and said 'What is this that I hear about you? Give in your accounts, for you cannot act as steward any longer.' 'What am I to do,' the steward asked himself, 'now that my master is taking the steward's place away from me? I have not strength to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. read more.
I know what I will do, so that, as soon as I am turned out of my stewardship, people may welcome me into their homes.' One by one he called up his master's debtors. 'How much do you owe my master?' he asked of the first. 'Four hundred and forty gallons of oil,' answered the man. 'Here is your agreement,' he said; 'sit down at once and make it two hundred and twenty.' And you, the steward said to the next, 'how much do you owe?' 'Seventy quarters of wheat,' he replied. 'Here is your agreement,' the steward said; 'make it fifty-six.'