Day 90

Luke 19:11–27 (NIV)

¹¹ While 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. ¹² He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. ¹³ So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘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. ²¹ I 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? ²³ Why 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. ²⁷ But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’ ”

Helpful Information

a mina is equal to about 100 days of an average workers wage.

Pray for God to show you something to use from the passage

Read the Passage

Who is in the passage?

What action verbs do you see?

What other words stick out in your mind

Questions

Why do the people think the Kingdom is going to appear now in verse 11?

How does the “man from noble birth” compare to Jesus?

What are the three responses to the King? What is the message Jesus is giving believers in this parable?

Notes

This is the last parable before Jesus goes to Jerusalem the last time. In many ways it is similar to the parable of the sower in Luke 8. In this parable He again talks about there being time between the Kingdom coming (that happened with Jesus coming into the world and His death and resurrection) and what will be its final fulfillment. (think of the servant parable in Luke 12:35-38)

vs 11- people think Jesus is going to bring God's glory to earth now. That He will restore the Israelite kingdom on earth. So Jesus tells this parable

vs 12 The man from noble birth- as the parable goes on it is clear this represents Jesus. He goes away for appointment, He is appointed King, comes back, Judges what people have done about what he had asked.

vs 13 - the servants represent people who are at least in name servants of the man. This would be people who have at least been listening to Jesus.

vs 14- This group represents the Pharisees and others who have outright rejected Jesus

vs 15- in spite of the vs 14 groups desire they cannot change the fact that the man is appointed king. Just as the Pharisee cannot change God's plan because they don't like Jesus. Jesus is made King because He fulfilled what He was asked to do (Isa 53:12) He will return as promised. the question will be what have people done with what they know about the King and what He has given them.

There are three different responses that Jesus describes here.

vs 16-19 The first two servants have looked to increase what the King has given them. One has earned 10 times and the other five times what they had been given. Both are given more to do because they were faithful with what the Man who became King had given them. The one who had earned ten was given more responsibility because of his obvious dedication to the King's cause. The five mina man still has increased his position as well. Note- In heaven we will have responsibilities based on how we have honored Jesus on earth. It is not that we will be envious of others but rather we will understand why we are where we are and we will be happy serving the King, whether we are over much or little! (see Luke 12:42-45)

vs 20 -21 The next class of people are those who have been entrusted with God's message in Jesus but have done nothing with it. In other words they believe Jesus is the Christ but do not act on that belief. (Accept as Savior without it changing how they live)

Their excuse for not doing anything with what they were given is the King is hard and they were afraid to do anything because they might lose it. Note- just because it is their excuse doesn't mean it is true. People will have all types of excuses as to why they did not respond correctly to God (think of the excuses of the people at the banquet in 14:18-, and 13:24-) The truth will be like the soil where the seed did not grow (8:13-14)

vs 22-23 Their excuse is dismissed as foolish. If the King really was a hard man then that should have made them at least invest it. They have no excuse!

vs 24-26 echoes 8:18- there is rich rewards for faithful servants and ultimate judgment for those who are not.

vs 27- the final group of people judge are those who in vs 14 tried to deny the King. They will be Judged for not only not doing anything with the message but actually trying to keep people from the true King (see 17:1-2, the woe statements of 11:42-52)