The Parable of the Ten Minas

Reading: Luke 19:11-27
While they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. So He said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return. And he called ten of his slaves, and gave them ten minas and said to them, ‘Do business with this until I come back.’ But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ When he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves, to whom he had given the money, be called to him so that he might know what business they had done. The first appeared, saying, ‘Master, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.’ The second came, saying, ‘Your mina, master, has made five minas.’ And he said to him also, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ Another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I kept put away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are an exacting man; you take up what you did not lay down and reap what you did not sow.’ He *said to him, ‘By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? Then why did you not put my money in the bank, and having come, I would have collected it with interest?’ Then he said to the bystanders, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ And they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas already.’ I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.” [NASB1995®]

As they approach Jerusalem, everyone is expecting decisive moments (in that they are absolutely right). The parable that Jesus tells is similar to that of the talents, but it has some differences.

The circumstances: Luke tells us that Jesus recounts this parable because many people thought the kingdom of God was going to appear from one moment to the next. Some hoped that Jesus would proclaim himself king of Israel and drive out Romans and Edomites who were ruling. Perhaps some had already realized that the nature of God’s kingdom had not been described in a temporal and earthly way, and rather that Jesus had come to bring God’s eternal and heavenly kingdom to us.
With this parable Jesus changes the focus and makes them see that the important question is not “when?” but something else entirely.

The story:
The story is simple. A king (Jesus himself) must travel to receive his kingdom, and while he is gone, he leaves a certain amount of money to different servants. Upon the return of the king the servants give an account of what they have done with the money entrusted to them. Two of them are rewarded for their efforts in making the money that they received bear fruit, while the third, who has limited himself to keeping the mina given to him, receives the reprimand and punishment of the king.

What we can learn:
The Bible teaches us that each of us has received gifts, by the Spirit of the Lord. For what purpose? We must glorify God and build up the church. We will have to give an account of what we have done when the Lord returns. Thus, the question remains: How are we using the gifts God has given us? How are we developing these capabilities? Do we hide them or do we put them at the service of the Lord?

Another valuable lesson we must learn is that, as children of God, we long for His coming, and we know that every day that passes is one day less until we see the kingdom of God firmly established. As we wait for His return we must continue to serve Him, so that when He returns he will not find us idle but working for the extension of the Gospel.

MEDITATE: As those who wait expectantly for the return of the King of Kings, let us make good use of our time and strive to reach those who do not yet know Him with the wonder of the Gospel.

Translation By: Emily Stader

Sebastián Winkler (169)

Sebastián Winkler lives in General Pinto, a small town in the interior of Argentina, and serves the Lord in the Baptist Church of his city as a teacher of Bible studies. He is a Professor of Literature, he likes music, reading and sharing the Bible with others.
He is married to Karina they have two daughters named Julia and Emilia.
He is the main author in his blog: engraciaysabiduria.com (in spanish)