11 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.
In this parable, Jesus teaches several things
about the Millennial Kingdom and the time leading up to it. The crowd
following Him believed that He was going to Jerusalem to initiate the
“new” Kingdom of God” at that time. This will bring a gigantic crowd to
follow and celebrate Him on that first Palm Sunday as He rode into the
city. We know, after the fact, that Jesus was going to Jerusalem to be
arrested, charged, judged, and sentenced to die… as He had stated to His
disciples in the previous chapter.
12 So He said, “A nobleman went to a distant
country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return.
We’ll tell each step of the plot, so we don’t
have to wait until the end to discover it. Our Nobleman turns out to
represent Jesus. His time away in a distant country is the time He is
spending now with His heavenly Father. While the lesson was for the
Jewish people in its immediate context, we should also see that for the
then next two thousand years (minimum) the background principle will be
what is the value of what we as individuals are doing for Christ here in
this world while we are waiting for His return.
From the perspective of Jesus’ parable and the
covenanted nation of Israel, much was given them and for the most part…
there was little return on God’s investment at the time leading up to
the Cross. So, the question of the parable is… what will be the value of
our “work” done while He is away?
The major principle
to be recognized here is that God the Father’s Son came to earth and
demonstrated to His Father that He was
absolutely faithful and accomplished every one of His Fathers’
desires in the procuring of our salvation. Simply put, the nobleman who
leaves is Jesus. He is speaking of His death, resurrection, and
ascension back to His Father in Heaven. While there, he will acquire His
Kingdom from His Father, and become King of it. In His timing He will
return here as King and establish His Kingdom here.
As Luke 19:11 indicated, Jesus’ most basic point
is that the Promised Kingdom was not going to appear immediately. In
this verse we’re told there would be a period of time, during which the
nobleman (soon to be king) would leave and be absent for some time,
before he would return, and the kingdom would then be set up.
Right away we need to make the connection between
this nobleman, who would leave for some time, and return as King – and
Jesus (who is referencing Himself) as this nobleman.
13 And he called ten
of his slaves, and gave them ten minas and said to them, ‘Do
business with this
(money) until I come back.’
I have found it often easier to understand
many of the translations of verses like this by using the term
“Servants” instead of “Slaves.” In most situations these terms are
interchangeable. So, our nobleman has servants who serve Him. Right
away we should identify these servants as all those who either serve
the Lord Jesus as God and King, and those who profess to serve
Him--That is a distinction that will become important later in the
text.
The nobleman gives each of his ten servants
10 mina coins which are each quite valuable (at today’s prices, the
value of 1 mina is estimated to weigh in as much as 18 ounces of
gold. Gold is currently $2,045 per oz. So, 1 mina would be worth
$36,810.00 and 10 minas would be $368,100.00).
In our parable the minas indicate the large
value of their given responsibilities. Symbolically, our nobleman is
handing out responsibilities to his servants before he leaves.
Jesus is speaking to His disciples and all
those who are following Him at that time (and, of course, to us… but
later in history). He was going to head off to Heaven very soon,
leaving valuable responsibilities among those left behind then, and
through His Word to us now.
14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We
do not want this man to reign over us.’
THE NOBLEMAN LEAVES TO RECEIVE HIS KINGDOM
As Jesus is going to enter Jerusalem for His last week, we should know
that Israel’s leadership hates Him and indeed does not “want this man to
reign over” them, so much so that, in reality, they will kill Him and
this Nobleman will head off to that other country to acquire His
Kingship and His Kingdom.
CATCHING UP
Previously, in the parable of The Dishonest
Manager, we learned the lesson about putting all of the energy that you
put into your education, business studies, and work should likewise be
put into your Christian service and Bible education because Christ wants
this from you.
You, as a believer, face an eternity of
relationship with the Trinity as His children – brothers and sisters of
His Son Jesus. That’s your gift from God for believing and believing in
His Son. This is worth everything you can do in this life to benefit the
King’s Kingdom here and now.
So here in the ten Minas parable we should see
that our metaphor is first about the Disciples need to become the
leaders of a new people – the people of Christ – and their new
responsibilities and gifts that will make them the future leaders of the
new “Body of Christ,” the Church.
And second, the people of the nation of Israel
and a warning about their responsibilities when Jesus, their savior,
leaves.
And then, as time passes in the parable - for us,
about 2000 years has passed – being ready and productive when Our King
returns.
The enemies who rejected the king in the parable
are representative of the Jewish nation and their leadership that
rejected Christ while He walked on earth—and everyone who still denies
Him today.
It is the unbeliever who says, “No, I will not
believe in Jesus,” often said with this verse’s meaning “We do not want
this (God)/man to reign over us!”
The servants that the
nobleman charges with these Mina represent the followers of Jesus who
are charged with responsibilities of the Gospel the Lord has given them
in His earthly time, and us in our own time…
a
valuable commission!
Matthew 28:18b-20 - The Charges Jesus has given
to us before His departure.
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven
and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I
am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
And we must be faithful to serve Him using those
responsibilities until He returns. And then, upon His return, Jesus will
judge and ascertain the quality of the faithfulness of His own people.
Romans 14:10b-12
10b
For we will all stand before the
judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, “AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD,
EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.”
12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.
John 9:4 - And there is work to be done,
“4 We must work the works of Him who sent Me as
long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.”
And we must use what “responsibility gifts” God
has given to us for His glory. There are promised rewards for those who
are faithful in their charge. Towards the end of His departure, it will
become night – the Tribulation.
THE KING RETURNS TO SET-UP HIS KINGDOM
15 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.
Now, we will look at how three of these servants
used the “money,” (i.e., responsibilities) given to them before the King
left.
Jesus gives us three types of servants. First,
the very responsible and active investor. Second, the fairly normal, run
of the mill investor. And third, the fearful non-investor.
Before we come to any conclusion involving financial investments…
don’t go there, for our metaphor is about something entirely
different than money, and much more important. It is about
responsibility and accountability.
THE FIRST SERVANT’S RESPONSE
16 The first appeared, saying, ‘Master, your
mina has made ten minas more.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good
servant, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are
to be in authority over ten cities.’
At first you may well think that these coins
were worth a very large sum of money – now think of the difference
between the cost today of a home (the 10 minas) ... versus the value of
10 cities.
Now it is about you, as the believer, having been given the most
valuable gift possible for free through His grace. I think you will
begin to see the seriousness of this parable when you see it in this
light, for with this first servant—with great responsibility, with
successful investment, came come great reward.
THE THIRD SERVANT’S RESPONSE
20 Another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your
mina, which I kept put away in a handkerchief; 21 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.’
Our third servant, full of fear for his master, chose fear over
productivity with his responsibilities. At the end of his time he had
produced no profit. Fear had paralyzed him, perhaps. Or, perhaps, he did
not see any value in making his masters money (responsibilities) become
productive… for his master.
THE MASTER’S RESPONSE TO THE THIRD SERVANT
22 He *said to him, ‘By your own words I will
judge you, you worthless servant. Did you know that I am an exacting
man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow?
Immediately I would ask the question, “When
Christ returns… will it be your answer to Him, “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?’
23 Then why did you not put my money in the
bank, and having come, I would have collected it with interest?’
There’s no place for those who don’t honestly
respect the gift they have been offered. Those who have little regard
for the cost of salvation are possibly only found to be “professors” of
Christ and not true believers. The true believer should always attempt
to fulfill Christ’s final command – “Go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I
commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20a). Even if you are only able to
go next door and invest what God has given you to do.
24 Then he said to the bystanders, ‘Take the
mina away from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25 And
they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas already.’
Simply put…
In the Kingdom, “26 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.”
Perhaps it will be that unbelief will be
uncovered in those who “profess” their salvation in Him, and the end
result for them will be “no Kingdom in their future.”
And…
Jesus reports,
“27 But these enemies of mine, who did not want
me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.”
When Jesus returns to establish His kingdom, one of the first things He
will do is utterly defeat His enemies (Revelation 19:11–15). It does not
pay to fight against the King of kings or attempt to deceive Him.
Triumphal Entry
28 After He had said these things, He was going on ahead, going up to
Jerusalem.
FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS WITHOUT ANSWERS
1.
Who are Jesus’
two main audiences for this Parable?
2.
What is the main message for this Parable?
3.
What is the message to those who are against Jesus or refuse Him
in belief?
4.
What is the value granted to the believer who
does what he is called to do?
FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
1. Who are
Jesus’ main audiences for this Parable?
The first main audience concerns those angry and
evil Jews – especially the religious leadership (the Pharisees,
Sadducees, and the Scribes) as well as the Roman (gentiles) who were in
the same category as unbelievers.
The second audience, and a much larger number of
people – around the world who have refused to acknowledge Jesus as their
God and King by the time of His second coming.
The
third audience is all those who have placed their belief and faith in
Jesus as their King, who understand the concept of honoring the grace of
God by using their gifts to expand the number of those who will make up
that Promised future Kingdom—ruled by King Jesus.
2. What is the main message for this
Parable?
Human beings are responsible for their
relationship and their responsibilities to almighty God in the matter of
the authority and power of His Son as the King of all of Creation.
He has
announced in His Word that believers are gifted with responsibilities
which are linked to His Kingship. All will be judged according to what
they have done with His grace and free gifts in making ready the
Promised Kingdom of God both on earth and in heaven.
3.
What is the message to those who are against Jesus or refuse
Him in belief?
The unbeliever in relationship to their refusal
to both admit His authority and refusal to put their trust, faith, and
belief of and in Him will be sentenced to spend their eternity in that
place of unescapable punishment known as Hell.
The book of Revelation makes it clear that all
the individual members of the Jewish nation and the Romans, and any
others, who were responsible for the putting to death of the Son of God
will be judged more severely and their punishment will be eternal and
absolutely justified.
4.
What is the value granted to the believer who does what he is
called to do?
In the parable, the first and second servant
receive the governance of an entire city for each mina worth of
responsibility in his master’s absence.
Can you imagine the believer’s position for all eternity if the Lord
rewards, and continues to reward, His children for the carrying out of
His assigned tasks. In the parable each “cost of a single house” yields
the cost of an entire city. Just consider New York City or Los Angles,
for just doing what Jesus asks you to do!
