Parable of the Minas (Oct 2010)
Luke 19: 12-26 Parable of the Minas
Please read the story first. It’s a very short story.
Luke 19:12-27 (Amplified Bible) 12He therefore said, A certain nobleman went into a distant country to obtain for himself a kingdom and then to return. 13Calling ten of his [own] bond servants, he gave them ten minas [each equal to about one hundred days' wages or nearly twenty dollars] and said to them, Buy and sell with these while I go and then return. 14But his citizens detested him and sent an embassy after him to say, We do not want this man to become ruler over us. 15When he returned after having received the kingdom, he ordered these bond servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know how much each one had made by buying and selling. 16The first one came before him, and he said, Lord, your mina has made ten [additional] minas. 17And he said to him, Well done, excellent bond servant! Because you have been faithful and trustworthy in a very little [thing], you shall have authority over ten cities. 18The second one also came and said, Lord, your mina has made five more minas. 19And he said also to him, And you will take charge over five cities. 20Then another came and said, Lord, here is your mina, which I have kept laid up in a handkerchief. 21For I was [constantly] afraid of you, because you are a stern (hard, severe) man; you pick up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow. 22He said to the servant, I will judge and condemn you out of your own mouth, you wicked slave! You knew [did you] that I was a stern (hard, severe) man, picking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow? 23Then why did you not put my money in a bank, so that on my return, I might have collected it with interest? 24And he said to the bystanders, Take the mina away from him and give it to him who has the ten minas. 25And they said to him, Lord, he has ten minas [already]! 26And [said Jesus,] I tell you that to everyone who gets and has will more be given, but from the man who does not get and does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 27[The indignant king ended by saying] But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them--bring them here and slaughter them in my presence!
OK. Ready?
First thing I noticed is that it doesn’t say if he called them by name, or if he just said “10 of you come here” and a miscellaneous 10 came. So based on what normally happens in most workplaces I figure that either way he comes up with the same 10 guys and here’s why. In every workplace there are the ones who have done the best, achieved the most, and become the most trusted. They always seem to stand out from the crowd by being in the front, or at the top of the list. Of course, there are always some rather hypocritical “wannabes” in that group and they need to be “weeded” out. Those are the guys who cheated to get there. They stole another guy’s idea to get recognition, or they lied to the boss to make him think they were special, or they were just plain “weasels”. You know the type. Well, when you are the boss, you try to figure out who those guys are, because honestly they don’t respect you; they aren’t there because they believe in their company or respect the goal of the company; they are only there because they are greedy and ultimately everything they do undermines the company and the people.
Granted, all the parables seem to fit into many different situations and explanations; but it’s always interesting to listen to the Holy Spirit and see what He reveals to YOU. This is what He revealed to me.
This parable is about getting the hypocrites and unbelievers out of the kingdom. I say that because you will see two things going on here. One is the 10 servants “thing” and the other is the comments about the people of the city – they are an important part . And at first I wondered why. But if the goal is to find the unbelievers and hypocrites, then the people belong here.
He gives those 10 guys, 10 coins and tells them to “buy and sell” with them.
Then he mentions that his citizens hate him and don’t want him to be their ruler. This is obviously in direct correlation to the fact that Jesus came to the Jews first and they rejected Him. He became King anyway – as he does in this parable.
When he comes back from his journey, he checks in with the 10 guys first to see what they have done. You will notice that you only hear about the first 3 guys results. What happened to the other 7? Apparently we are to assume that the same results continued. I don’t think he had to continue the story after #3 because this was the “weed” in the group – he was found out. There typically isn’t a LOT of them.
But did you wonder why he got so angry at the guy for just burying the coin? I did. At least he didn’t just spend it for himself. But, then the Holy Spirit told me. This guy didn’t do what he was told to do. He didn’t obey.
Jesus is really BIG on obedience. It is one of the two things He talks about the most; Love and Obedience.
This guy didn’t do what he was told because he either didn’t listen, because he was too wrapped up in his own agenda; or he didn’t think it was important to his agenda; or as he said “he was afraid”. Well, that goes back to the Love. Remember, “Perfect Love casteth out fear”. Apparently the other guys weren’t afraid. And I don’t think the remaining, unspoken 7 were afraid either, or they would have been mentioned.
Another thing I noticed; Jesus doesn’t mention if any of them DID NOT make any money. We all know that when you buy and sell, you don’t always come out on top. Sometimes, you end up losing. He doesn’t mention any of those; not to reprimand them, or to reward them. That doesn’t mean that they didn’t exist. It just means that they don’t apply to the point He’s trying to make.
However, he does says at the end “he who gets and has will more be given, but he who does not get and does not have, even what he has will be taken away”. This is the Amplified Translation. I like this one because it adds that word “gets”. And that seems important to me. Why? Because out of all the servants, these 10 are the only ones who “got” something. They received the coins. I’m sure he has more servants. So, do you think he means that all the rest of his servants are “bad” just because they didn’t “get” any coins from their master? I don’t think so. Anyway, this says “he who does not get and does not have . . .” so how does that apply to this “wicked” servant. He was given a coin just like the other ten.
The main thing I see in Jesus parables is that you can’t really understand them with your own intelligence. If you do it that way, you will completely misinterpret them which is why Jesus told them in a parable. You must go thru the Holy Spirit to “get “it.
Watch this, “he who does not get and does not have, even what he has will be taken away”. To the human brain, that statement doesn’t even make sense. If a guy doesn’t have anything, then how can he have something to take away? We always skim right over that, like Jesus said it wrong. No, He didn’t. He was talking about two different “things”.
So, lets go back to the “wicked” servant. What did he NOT have to begin the story? Well, he didn’t have a real relationship with his Master. He didn’t really know who He was. He didn’t trust Him. He didn’t BELIEVE in Him.
In order to be obedient to your boss you have to believe that he has the authority to tell you what to do. In order to trust him you have to have some relationship with him that has been tested in your heart and found trustworthy. This guy didn’t have that. He didn’t believe in the Master’s authority – that’s why he didn’t obey him and “buy and sell”. And it’s why he told the Master that He was afraid of him because “you are a stern man; you pick up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow”. In making this statement, he was actually trying to “kiss up”. Think about how a hypocrite tries to ingratiate himself to the boss – by “Superman” flattery. That was what this guy was trying to do. He didn’t actually believe what he was saying. He thought this was what the Master wanted to hear . . . that he was a conqueror; a tough guy.
Did it ever bother you that this man describes the Master in those terms? This Master is an example of Jesus. Jesus doesn’t reap what he doesn’t sow. Jesus doesn’t pick up what he doesn’t lay down. Jesus is not greedy nor a thief – Satan is the thief. I believe that the Master’s reply is SARCASTIC. Because He answers him; “You knew {did you} that I was a stern man, picking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow?” Notice there is a question mark at the end of the statement. That’s because it’s not a statement. It’s a rhetorical question – a sarcastic one; meant to prove the servant to be a liar.
And it was a redundant question with continued sarcasm for him to say “then why did you not put my money in a bank, so that on my return, I might have collected it with interest?” This comment is not to say that it was acceptable for the servant to put the money in the bank, that would still have not been obedience; this comment is to prove the servant to be a liar. If he had truly thought the Master was such a thief, wouldn’t the money have been safer in the bank? And if he thought the Master was so greedy, at least in the Bank he would have earned interest. No, he actually didn’t think the Master was any of those things. He was lying. The truth was that he didn’t care about the Master at all. He didn’t respect Him and didn’t acknowledge His authority. This guy was a real jerk. He didn’t do what he was told; then when questioned – he pulls out the old “kiss up” act.
That is why he was a “wicked” servant.
In the middle of that statement was another statement “I will judge and condemn you out of your own mouth”. Since this servant judged the Master as a greedy thief, then the Master treated the slave as a greedy thief.
The key to this whole story is the reward that is received in Jesus kingdom. I will sum it up in Jesus own commandment. “Love one another as I have loved you”.
If we don’t “get and have” LOVE, then everything else we have will be lost – including our life – which is what happens to the citizens who didn’t want him to be their King. If we receive the Master’s Love and have His Love living inside us, then we will receive more and more of His love lavished upon us.
Luke 19: 12-26 Parable of the Minas
Please read the story first. It’s a very short story.
Luke 19:12-27 (Amplified Bible) 12He therefore said, A certain nobleman went into a distant country to obtain for himself a kingdom and then to return. 13Calling ten of his [own] bond servants, he gave them ten minas [each equal to about one hundred days' wages or nearly twenty dollars] and said to them, Buy and sell with these while I go and then return. 14But his citizens detested him and sent an embassy after him to say, We do not want this man to become ruler over us. 15When he returned after having received the kingdom, he ordered these bond servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know how much each one had made by buying and selling. 16The first one came before him, and he said, Lord, your mina has made ten [additional] minas. 17And he said to him, Well done, excellent bond servant! Because you have been faithful and trustworthy in a very little [thing], you shall have authority over ten cities. 18The second one also came and said, Lord, your mina has made five more minas. 19And he said also to him, And you will take charge over five cities. 20Then another came and said, Lord, here is your mina, which I have kept laid up in a handkerchief. 21For I was [constantly] afraid of you, because you are a stern (hard, severe) man; you pick up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow. 22He said to the servant, I will judge and condemn you out of your own mouth, you wicked slave! You knew [did you] that I was a stern (hard, severe) man, picking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow? 23Then why did you not put my money in a bank, so that on my return, I might have collected it with interest? 24And he said to the bystanders, Take the mina away from him and give it to him who has the ten minas. 25And they said to him, Lord, he has ten minas [already]! 26And [said Jesus,] I tell you that to everyone who gets and has will more be given, but from the man who does not get and does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 27[The indignant king ended by saying] But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them--bring them here and slaughter them in my presence!
OK. Ready?
First thing I noticed is that it doesn’t say if he called them by name, or if he just said “10 of you come here” and a miscellaneous 10 came. So based on what normally happens in most workplaces I figure that either way he comes up with the same 10 guys and here’s why. In every workplace there are the ones who have done the best, achieved the most, and become the most trusted. They always seem to stand out from the crowd by being in the front, or at the top of the list. Of course, there are always some rather hypocritical “wannabes” in that group and they need to be “weeded” out. Those are the guys who cheated to get there. They stole another guy’s idea to get recognition, or they lied to the boss to make him think they were special, or they were just plain “weasels”. You know the type. Well, when you are the boss, you try to figure out who those guys are, because honestly they don’t respect you; they aren’t there because they believe in their company or respect the goal of the company; they are only there because they are greedy and ultimately everything they do undermines the company and the people.
Granted, all the parables seem to fit into many different situations and explanations; but it’s always interesting to listen to the Holy Spirit and see what He reveals to YOU. This is what He revealed to me.
This parable is about getting the hypocrites and unbelievers out of the kingdom. I say that because you will see two things going on here. One is the 10 servants “thing” and the other is the comments about the people of the city – they are an important part . And at first I wondered why. But if the goal is to find the unbelievers and hypocrites, then the people belong here.
He gives those 10 guys, 10 coins and tells them to “buy and sell” with them.
Then he mentions that his citizens hate him and don’t want him to be their ruler. This is obviously in direct correlation to the fact that Jesus came to the Jews first and they rejected Him. He became King anyway – as he does in this parable.
When he comes back from his journey, he checks in with the 10 guys first to see what they have done. You will notice that you only hear about the first 3 guys results. What happened to the other 7? Apparently we are to assume that the same results continued. I don’t think he had to continue the story after #3 because this was the “weed” in the group – he was found out. There typically isn’t a LOT of them.
But did you wonder why he got so angry at the guy for just burying the coin? I did. At least he didn’t just spend it for himself. But, then the Holy Spirit told me. This guy didn’t do what he was told to do. He didn’t obey.
Jesus is really BIG on obedience. It is one of the two things He talks about the most; Love and Obedience.
This guy didn’t do what he was told because he either didn’t listen, because he was too wrapped up in his own agenda; or he didn’t think it was important to his agenda; or as he said “he was afraid”. Well, that goes back to the Love. Remember, “Perfect Love casteth out fear”. Apparently the other guys weren’t afraid. And I don’t think the remaining, unspoken 7 were afraid either, or they would have been mentioned.
Another thing I noticed; Jesus doesn’t mention if any of them DID NOT make any money. We all know that when you buy and sell, you don’t always come out on top. Sometimes, you end up losing. He doesn’t mention any of those; not to reprimand them, or to reward them. That doesn’t mean that they didn’t exist. It just means that they don’t apply to the point He’s trying to make.
However, he does says at the end “he who gets and has will more be given, but he who does not get and does not have, even what he has will be taken away”. This is the Amplified Translation. I like this one because it adds that word “gets”. And that seems important to me. Why? Because out of all the servants, these 10 are the only ones who “got” something. They received the coins. I’m sure he has more servants. So, do you think he means that all the rest of his servants are “bad” just because they didn’t “get” any coins from their master? I don’t think so. Anyway, this says “he who does not get and does not have . . .” so how does that apply to this “wicked” servant. He was given a coin just like the other ten.
The main thing I see in Jesus parables is that you can’t really understand them with your own intelligence. If you do it that way, you will completely misinterpret them which is why Jesus told them in a parable. You must go thru the Holy Spirit to “get “it.
Watch this, “he who does not get and does not have, even what he has will be taken away”. To the human brain, that statement doesn’t even make sense. If a guy doesn’t have anything, then how can he have something to take away? We always skim right over that, like Jesus said it wrong. No, He didn’t. He was talking about two different “things”.
So, lets go back to the “wicked” servant. What did he NOT have to begin the story? Well, he didn’t have a real relationship with his Master. He didn’t really know who He was. He didn’t trust Him. He didn’t BELIEVE in Him.
In order to be obedient to your boss you have to believe that he has the authority to tell you what to do. In order to trust him you have to have some relationship with him that has been tested in your heart and found trustworthy. This guy didn’t have that. He didn’t believe in the Master’s authority – that’s why he didn’t obey him and “buy and sell”. And it’s why he told the Master that He was afraid of him because “you are a stern man; you pick up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow”. In making this statement, he was actually trying to “kiss up”. Think about how a hypocrite tries to ingratiate himself to the boss – by “Superman” flattery. That was what this guy was trying to do. He didn’t actually believe what he was saying. He thought this was what the Master wanted to hear . . . that he was a conqueror; a tough guy.
Did it ever bother you that this man describes the Master in those terms? This Master is an example of Jesus. Jesus doesn’t reap what he doesn’t sow. Jesus doesn’t pick up what he doesn’t lay down. Jesus is not greedy nor a thief – Satan is the thief. I believe that the Master’s reply is SARCASTIC. Because He answers him; “You knew {did you} that I was a stern man, picking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow?” Notice there is a question mark at the end of the statement. That’s because it’s not a statement. It’s a rhetorical question – a sarcastic one; meant to prove the servant to be a liar.
And it was a redundant question with continued sarcasm for him to say “then why did you not put my money in a bank, so that on my return, I might have collected it with interest?” This comment is not to say that it was acceptable for the servant to put the money in the bank, that would still have not been obedience; this comment is to prove the servant to be a liar. If he had truly thought the Master was such a thief, wouldn’t the money have been safer in the bank? And if he thought the Master was so greedy, at least in the Bank he would have earned interest. No, he actually didn’t think the Master was any of those things. He was lying. The truth was that he didn’t care about the Master at all. He didn’t respect Him and didn’t acknowledge His authority. This guy was a real jerk. He didn’t do what he was told; then when questioned – he pulls out the old “kiss up” act.
That is why he was a “wicked” servant.
In the middle of that statement was another statement “I will judge and condemn you out of your own mouth”. Since this servant judged the Master as a greedy thief, then the Master treated the slave as a greedy thief.
The key to this whole story is the reward that is received in Jesus kingdom. I will sum it up in Jesus own commandment. “Love one another as I have loved you”.
If we don’t “get and have” LOVE, then everything else we have will be lost – including our life – which is what happens to the citizens who didn’t want him to be their King. If we receive the Master’s Love and have His Love living inside us, then we will receive more and more of His love lavished upon us.
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