PUT THIS MONEY TO WORK UNTIL I COME BACK

Luke 19:11-27 / Keywords 19:13

So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. 'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.'

 

The Parable of the Ten Minas

19:11 While 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. 12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas.[a] ‘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. 21 I 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? 23 Why 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. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

Footnotes

a. Luke 19:13 A mina was about three months’ wages.

 

1. As Jesus was near Jerusalem, people expected the earthly messianic kingdom to appear. But Jesus would suffer, die for the sins of the world, and rise again from the dead. Then he went to heaven but will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. In his parable, a noble man went away to be crowned king. He gave each of his servants a mina with his word, “Put this money to work until I come back.” The parable teaches us how his people should live until the Lord Jesus comes again.

 

2. On his return the master discovers that his servants have managed his money with various degrees of success. The first one earned ten minas, 1,000%; another five minas, 500%. He rewarded each of them for their trustworthiness in small matters out of loyalty to him. But the third servant returned the mina. He did not put the mina to work but made many excuses. The master rebuked this wicked servant and took away what he had. He was no better than the enemies who defied his master’s kingship. Jesus wants us to put our life to work by being trustworthy in small matters, overcoming fear or human calculations while expecting our Lord’s recognition when he comes again.

 

Prayer Lord, thank you for the life and talent you entrusted to me. Help me to work hard for you and be trustworthy in small things as I eagerly wait for your return in glory.

One Word Be trustworthy in small things