Now while they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they thought 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, ‘Engage in business 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.’ And it happened that 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 how much they had made in business. So 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.’ Then 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.’ Then another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I kept put away in a cloth; for I was afraid of you, because you are a strict man; you take up what you did not lay down and reap what you did not sow.’ He said to him, ‘From your own mouth I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am a strict 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.’”
Luke 19:11-27
Introduction
At first glance, this seems like a retelling of the same parable from Matthew 25:14-30. It even contains the same conclusion that those who have much will receive even more, and those who do not have much will lose what they have. But there are some key differences aside from the unit of currency being discussed.
In the Matthew account, there are three slaves given varying amounts, while here in Luke we see ten slaves given the same amount. Furthermore, we have differing blessings, with the slaves of Matthew receiving identical blessings, “I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master,” while the slaves in Luke have blessings proportional to their faithfulness. Finally, the wicked and lazy slave in Matthew is sent into the outer darkness, while the worthless slave in Luke is slain in the master’s presence.
While these appear similar on the surface, the differences between these parables should cause us to stop and consider what distinct lesson the Lord is teaching with each.
Talent or Mina?
In the similar parable from Matthew, the money given to the slaves is called a “talent,” causing some funny applications in some English speaking congregations. In reality, both “talent” and “mina” are units of weight. Naturally, these terms became synonymous with their value in that weight of precious metals, very similar to the currency used in the UK today, “pound.” The weight of a talent is significant: about 75 pounds (as a side note, that is also the weight of King David’s crown according to 2 Samuel 12:30). A mina is quite a bit less, being measured as 1/60 a talent.
Regardless of the precise amount, it is clear that in both parables this amount given to the slaves is representative of the blessings God gives to us in this life. Sometimes those blessings are material in nature, and He expects us to use our wealth for the advance of His Kingdom. In other cases it is something intangible, like the gift of teaching or hospitality that God expects us to use well for His purposes.
Here in Luke, though, it is interesting that each slave is given an identical amount: one mina. What each of them does with that mina then mirrors how each is rewarded. The return on investment is tremendous: 1 to 10, 1 to 5. While each of these is far more than what the S&P500 might expect at ~10% annual return, we should note that each of the slaves brought in a vastly different return on the master’s investment. Your impact on the kingdom will reflect how well you see that kingdom here and now.
Hidden in a cloth
Do you know how God has blessed you? Or are you hiding that blessing even from yourself? Take a moment to inventory the ways God has blessed you in your life. Know that He did not do this for nothing. All things exist for the purpose of His glory. And specifically you who are called by His Name are for His glory (Isaiah 43:7). So take what you have and invest it for Him. It is the best long-term investment you can possibly make. Just like passing on the extra latte will pay dividends in future savings, using your blessings for the advancement of the Kingdom in wisdom will bring forth eternal blessing.
I say “in wisdom” because there are also those who will prey on the generosity of Christians. Be careful of the wolves who try to dull your discernment. Instead, “be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16), praying to God for wisdom which He will surely give (James 1:5).
And be careful, too, with how you withhold blessings from others. The worthless slave hid his mina away, thinking the master would be furious with him if he were to squander it. But hiding it is squandering it, and the true Master does not wish that for us. As you grow in your knowledge and wisdom, you will find yourself compelled to do things with your blessings you never previously would have done. Perhaps the money you have been saving is suddenly the thing you want to part with the most (like in the case of Zaccheus whose story was told just prior to this). Or maybe you have kept a gift of wisdom kept secret for yourself, thinking no one else would benefit from it, when suddenly you feel the urge to share it. Do not resist the Spirit moving in you to bless His people in these ways. Otherwise you might find that your own mouth testifies against you in the day of judgment.
May the Lord bless you and conform you into the image of His Son.
Leave a Reply