November 30, The Parable of the Pounds (Ten Minas), Luke 19:12-27
Here is another parable that I have not read very often. This parable is very similar to the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25 and is often passed over in preference to Matthew’s. Here are a few differences; The Parable of the Talents is placed during Holy Week (probably just before Passover and the Lord’s Supper on Thursday), after Palm Sunday. The Parable of the Pounds is placed shortly before the Triumphal Entry that occurred on Palm Sunday. In the Talents, the three individuals were given differing amounts of money according to their abilities: one received 10, one 5, and one 1. In the Pounds, each received 10 minas, which would amount to about 3 month’s wage. In the Talents the emphasis is on individual faithfulness according to our abilities.
Luke uses The Parable of the Pounds to emphasis a completely different aspect of the coming of the Kingdom of God. People were anticipating that when Jesus arrived at Jerusalem, the Kingdom of God was going to appear. Jesus gives this parable to show that He would depart, His followers would be entrusted with resources for Kingdom building, and He would return as King and Judge.
I believe the “man of noble birth” is Jesus. He would ascend back to the Father and be Crowned King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Jesus will return at some future time and judge Christians according to their works and condemn unbeliever because of their refusal to believe. This is as hard hitting a parable as Jesus gives.
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 they have 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.’”—Luke 19:11-27
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