Daily Bread Luke 19
Daily Bread Luke 19
The Parable of the Ten Minas
11While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas.[a]'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.'
14"But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.'
15"He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
16"The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.'
17" 'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.'
18"The second came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned five more.'
19"His master answered, 'You take charge of five cities.'
20"Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.'
22"His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?'
24"Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.'
25" 'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten!'
26"He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. 27But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me."
Observation:
As Jesus moves toward Jerusalem his teachings start intensifying. Remember the people thought that Jesus, as the anticipated Messiah, would bring in God’s kingdom in the way they anticipated. This meant a return of Jewish dominance both politically and religiously. They thought he would take it by force.
Instead, he gives them this parable. In the parable each of the servants are given a “mina” and told to put it to work. A mina was approximately equal to a laborers day of work. Not a ton of money, maybe equal to $20 - $30 today. “Put it to work” is a financial term meaning to invest with the intent to increase the value of what you were given.
The men who were faithful with a relatively small amount, were given a huge responsibility, managing cities. And they were given the responsibility based on the return they obtained with what they were given. The one who earned ten, received ten cities and the one with five, five cities. The other servant buried his mina in fear of his master. His rationale was the master can do what he wants, so he didn’t want to lose the money. But the master doesn’t buy his excuse and tells him he could at least have earned interest!
Application:
If we make the application for today’s living, we might say that although we view what we have today to be of great importance to us, compared to what we will be managing it will pale in comparison. And yet, what we have been given is important because from it we can either be faithful, or in fear, hoard our resources.
It is easy today, especially in our economy, to be fearful and think only in terms of the here and now. But ultimately as we seek first God’s kingdom, we will be investing in something that will last forever. And Jesus’ tells us that as we invest in God’s kingdom and make good on the gifts we have been given, that we will be given a much bigger responsibility in heaven some day.
Some might reason as the third servant, “Well God is going to do whatever He is going to do, so what does it matter what I do?” That was the rationale of the servant in the story, and he was unpleasantly surprised when the master called him into account at the end of the day.
Jesus will return home some day, may He find us faithful in doing something with what we have been given however small that may seem to us!
Prayer: Jesus thank you for entrusting to us gifts to build your kingdom. Remind us to put them to work so that we may be found faithful when you return to us some day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Parable of the Ten Minas
11While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas.[a]'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.'
14"But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.'
15"He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
16"The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.'
17" 'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.'
18"The second came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned five more.'
19"His master answered, 'You take charge of five cities.'
20"Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.'
22"His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?'
24"Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.'
25" 'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten!'
26"He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. 27But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me."
Observation:
As Jesus moves toward Jerusalem his teachings start intensifying. Remember the people thought that Jesus, as the anticipated Messiah, would bring in God’s kingdom in the way they anticipated. This meant a return of Jewish dominance both politically and religiously. They thought he would take it by force.
Instead, he gives them this parable. In the parable each of the servants are given a “mina” and told to put it to work. A mina was approximately equal to a laborers day of work. Not a ton of money, maybe equal to $20 - $30 today. “Put it to work” is a financial term meaning to invest with the intent to increase the value of what you were given.
The men who were faithful with a relatively small amount, were given a huge responsibility, managing cities. And they were given the responsibility based on the return they obtained with what they were given. The one who earned ten, received ten cities and the one with five, five cities. The other servant buried his mina in fear of his master. His rationale was the master can do what he wants, so he didn’t want to lose the money. But the master doesn’t buy his excuse and tells him he could at least have earned interest!
Application:
If we make the application for today’s living, we might say that although we view what we have today to be of great importance to us, compared to what we will be managing it will pale in comparison. And yet, what we have been given is important because from it we can either be faithful, or in fear, hoard our resources.
It is easy today, especially in our economy, to be fearful and think only in terms of the here and now. But ultimately as we seek first God’s kingdom, we will be investing in something that will last forever. And Jesus’ tells us that as we invest in God’s kingdom and make good on the gifts we have been given, that we will be given a much bigger responsibility in heaven some day.
Some might reason as the third servant, “Well God is going to do whatever He is going to do, so what does it matter what I do?” That was the rationale of the servant in the story, and he was unpleasantly surprised when the master called him into account at the end of the day.
Jesus will return home some day, may He find us faithful in doing something with what we have been given however small that may seem to us!
Prayer: Jesus thank you for entrusting to us gifts to build your kingdom. Remind us to put them to work so that we may be found faithful when you return to us some day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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