Study Bible
Luke
Chapter 19

The One Who Saves is the One Who Will Judge

Luke 19:11-27Luke: List of Major Bible Charts, Maps, & PicturesJesus' Journey to Jerusalem

Luke 19:11-27NIV11-EN

¹¹While 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. ¹²He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. ¹³So 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. ²¹I 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? ²³Why 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. ²⁷But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’ ”

New International Version · Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The One Who Saves is the One Who Will Judge

This Kingdom parable is similar to of the Kingdom parable regarding the talents in Matthew 25:14-29. However, there are some noted variations. The amounts are large and varied and the servants are being tested for their fitness for more significant tasks. Here the amounts are small and equal in size. The hearers are being taught that we all have one basic task: to serve God faithfully. So it is not the same parable.

Jesus is drawing near to Jerusalem (Luke 19:11) - the immediacy of the Kingdom was upon nearly everyone's mind. This expectation of the Kingdom's nearness means the Kingdom in its fulness; its consummation. At this time there was not a full understanding of the "now, but not yet" of the Kingdom (see below).

Some historical back ground may be helpful. Both Herod (40 B.C.) and Archelaus (4 B.C.) went to Rome to receive ruling authority from the emperor. In our parable set before us, we see "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return" (Luke 19:12). Hidden in this parable is the fact that it pictures Christ literally receiving the Kingdom after his vindication of the resurrection and ascension (see below).

While gone, the King's interests needed proper care. "So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. 'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back'" (Luke 19:13). A "mina" is equivalent to one hundred drachmas; approximately one hundred days of salary. See "Bible Weights and Measures" below. These servants represent anyone that claims to follow Jesus.

Moreover, in addition to these servants, are yet others that hated this nobleman, soon to be King (Luke 19:14). They sent a delegation to voice their complaint. This represents Israel rejecting their King - their Messiah. They killed the prophets (Luke 13:34; cf. Luke 19:41-44). In spite of this delegation the nobleman was made King and returned home (Luke 19:15).

When the King returns he met with his servants with whom he left interests - the minas. Though 10 servants were given minas, the story now focuses more narrowly upon only 3 of them. The first servant mentioned was given one mina but made 10. So, the King puts him in charge of 10 cities (Luke 19:16-17). The second servant made 5 minas from his one and was given authority over 5 cities (Luke 19:18-19). Both of these servants retained their minas to continue to invest in the Kingdom (Luke 19:25).

Then comes the third servant (Luke 19:20). He is afraid of his master (Luke 19:21). He has no sense of loyalty towards his master. He does not trust his master. There is no real "meaningful" relationship with him and the master. He is like Esau, who was part of the covenant of God, yet not a true believer. He had many of the benefits of the Kingdom of his master (Rom. 9:1-5), but was actually an alien to the Kingdom blessings themselves (Deut. 28:1-68).

The King was strong in his reply. He judged this servant according to his own words (Luke 19:22-23). If this servant did not desire to work for his master, he could have just put the money in a bank making some interest. Since, he "thought" his master was a "hard man" he should have taken a logical step and invested wisely. But the master was anything but hard, as he was a rewarder of those that diligently sought him and his interests (Heb. 11:6; cf. Luke 19:16-19).

The King orders that the mina be taken from this unfaithful servant and given to the one that made 10 (Luke 19:24). Some in the crowd protest, noting that the first servant already has 10 minas (Luke 19:25). Jesus now makes the application of the parable. The one who invests wisely gets more, but the one who treats what he has been given like nothing, receives nothing. The one who trusts God is rewarded (Heb. 11:6), but the one with no faith, thus no relationship, ends up with nothing in the Kingdom, except its curses. He is a "wicked servant" (cf. Luke 12:46).

Jesus is not yet finished with the parable. He deals with one final group - the ones who sent an evil false report (Luke 19:14). These he orders into death (Luke 19:27). There is an immediacy and finality to this order. This represents eternal death. See "Hell: What Is Hell Like?" below.

Jesus taught about his impending death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven. Though he would be gone from his disciples, he would be reigning as king and expected them to serve faithfully while he was gone. Jesus used the experience of Herod's son, Archelaus as the basis for his parable. After Herod died, Archelaus travelled to Rome to seek the right to rule over his father's kingdom. However, the people of that kingdom sent messengers to persuade Rome that Archelaus was a wicked man who was unfit to rule. This happened about thirty years before Jesus's began his ministry.

Luke 19:11

The following parable comes in response to those who saw Jesus' encounter with Zacchaeus. The parable was given to correct misunderstandings about God's kingdom. On the one hand, the kingdom was already present in Jesus (10:9; 11:20; 16:16; 17:20-21). Yet, there was also a fullness to the kingdom's presence that was yet to come (22:29-30; 24:44-49). kingdom of God. God's saving reign (see note on 4:43).

Luke 19:12

The kingdom here is not as much physical land, but the right to rule. The nobleman gains kingly authority to rule. Moreover, this parable corresponds to Jesus himself. He journeyed through his death and resurrection to God's right hand where he received authority to reign over all things (Eph. 1:29-23; Col. 1:13-14; Heb. 1:1-3.).

Luke 19:13

minas. A mina was a Greek coin worth about one hundred drachmas. This was about three months' worth of wages for that day. Each servant was given one mina. Conduct business. In the parable, the king entrusted the minas to his servants so they can be at work about his business until he comes. He is going away, even far away, and so his return will not be soon.

Luke 19:14

Many rejected the nobleman's authority over them even as Jesus was rejected by his own people (4:24; 23:18, 23).

Luke 19:15

The servants were held accountable for their stewardship of the mina entrusted to them (v. 13). The nobleman's return signified the return of Jesus (Acts 1:10-11; Heb. 9:28; see note on v. 12).

Luke 19:16-19

For those faithful to do business for the nobleman, there was a commendation and reward of more responsibility (12:32; 22:30).

Luke 19:20-21

The final servant was unfaithful and careless with the money entrusted to him by the nobleman. He defended his lazy inactivity by criticizing the nobleman. Yet, the nobleman's actions showed him to be gracious and generous (vv. 16-19).

Luke 19:22-23

your own words . . . judge. Since the servant presumed the nobleman was a severe man (vv. 20-21), the nobleman would judge him as such a man. wicked. The servant was disobedient to his master's instructions. bank. If the servant really believed the nobleman was harsh, he should at least earned simple interest at a bank. The servant would not have had to do anything. But he would still have a financial return to present.

Luke 19:24-25

The unfaithful servant's mina was given to one of the other faithful servants. This increased his reward and responsibility (vv. 16-19). mina. See note on v. 13.

Luke 19:26

By his wrong response to the nobleman's character, the unfaithful servant revealed that he did not really serve him (see John 14:15, 21). Thus, he lost what he once had. Likewise, when Jesus returns, those who truly knew him and served will be rewarded while false disciples will be punished (6:46; Matt. 7:21-23).

Luke 19:27

Jesus was rejected by many in Israel who claimed to be God's servants (v. 14, and note). When Jesus returns, he will bring judgment for sin (12:46; 13:9; 18:8; Matt 25:46; John 5:29). This includes the sin of refusing to follow him as king and living as faithful servants in his kingdom (see Acts 10:42; 2 Tim. 4:1; 1 Pet. 4:5).

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