The Parable of the Minas (Kingdom of God) By Mark Mayberry 7/24/2016 INTRODUCTION In Luke 19:11 27, Jesus offers a parable of the kingdom addressing the issues of misunderstanding, insubordination, and accountability. May our study lead to better understanding, humble submission to the will of God, and acceptance of personal responsibility. Luke 19:11 27 (NASB95) 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. 12 So He said, A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return. 13 And he called ten of his slaves, and gave them ten minas and said to them, Do business with this until I come back. 14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, We do not want this man to reign over us. 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. 16 The first appeared, saying, Master, your mina has made ten minas more. 17 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. 18 The second came, saying, Your mina, master, has made five minas. 19 And he said to him also, And you are to be over five cities. 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. 22 He said to him, By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I 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? 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. 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. 27 But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence. MISUNDERSTANDING THE KINGDOM Many have a flawed understanding of the nature of the kingdom. Even at the end of His ministry, many of those who listened to Christ supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately (Luke 19:11). Luke 19:11 (NASB95) 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 a sense, this was true. Preaching a message of repentance, John the Baptist, Jesus Christ and the apostles all taught, the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt. 3:1 2; 4:17; 10:5 7). Matthew 3:1 2 (NASB95) 1 Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17 (NASB95) 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 10:5 7 (NASB95) 5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; 6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Our Lord repeatedly affirmed, There are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom (Matt. 16:28; Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27). Matthew 16:28 (NASB95) 28 Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. Mark 9:1 (NASB95) 1 And Jesus was saying to them, Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power. Luke 9:27 (NASB95) 27 But I say to you truthfully, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God. After the day of Pentecost, the kingdom of God is presented as a present reality (Col. 1:13 14; 4:10 11; Rev. 1:6, 9). Colossians 1:13`14 (NASB95) 13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 4:10 11 (NASB95) 10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas s cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him); 11 and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me. Revelation 1:6 (NASB95) 6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:9 (NASB95) 9 I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Unfortunately, the Jewish people expected the Messianic kingdom to be a physical, earthly dominion (John 6:14 15). In the modern era, many believers make the same mistake.
John 6:14 15 (NASB95) 14 Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed [i.e., the feeding of the 5,000], they said, This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world. 15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone. Jesus repeatedly sought to correct these misconceptions (Luke 17:20 21; John 18:33 38; Acts 1:6 8). Luke 17:20 21 (NASB95) 20 Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; 21 nor will they say, Look, here it is! or, There it is! For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst. John 18:33 38 (NASB95) 33 Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, Are You the King of the Jews? 34 Jesus answered, Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me? 35 Pilate answered, I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done? 36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm. 37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, So You are a king? Jesus answered, You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice. 38 Pilate said to Him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, I find no guilt in Him. Acts 1:6 8 (NASB95) 6 So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel? 7 He said to them, It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth. REJECTING THE KINGDOM Manifesting a spirit of rebellion, many resist and reject the rule of God (Luke 19:12 14, 27). Luke 19:12 14 (NASB95) 12 So He said, A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return. 13 And he called ten of his slaves, and gave them ten minas and said to them, Do business with this until I come back. 14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, We do not want this man to reign over us. Luke 19:27 (NASB95) 27 But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence. Such defiance is prophetically foreshadowed in Psalms 2, where earthly kings/rulers take their stand against the Lord and His Anointed (Christ), saying, Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us! (vv. 1 3). Psalm 2:1 3 (NASB95) 1 Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the
Lord and against His Anointed, saying, 3 Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us! It is also observed in sinful man s negative reaction to the preaching of the gospel (Acts 13:5 12; Gal. 4:12 20; Phil. 3:18 19). Many today demonstrate the same rebellious spirit. Acts 13:5 12 (NASB95) 5 When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper. 6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar Jesus, 7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him, 10 and said, You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? 11 Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time. And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord. Galatians 4:12 20 (NASB95) 12 I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong; 13 but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time; 14 and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. 15 Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16 So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them. 18 But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable manner, and not only when I am present with you. 19 My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you 20 but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. Philippians 3:18 19 (NASB95) 18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. RESPONSIBILITY IN THE KINGDOM Many discount the importance of personal responsibility (Luke 19:12 13, 16 26; Matt. 25:14 30). Luke 19:12 13 (NASB95) 12 So He said, A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return. 13 And he called ten of his slaves, and gave them ten minas and said to them, Do business with this until I come back. Luke 19:16 26 (NASB95) 16 The first appeared, saying, Master, your mina has made ten minas more. 17 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. 18 The second came, saying, Your mina, master, has made five minas. 19 And he said to him also, And you are to be over five
cities. 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. 22 He said to him, By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I 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? 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. 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. To better understand the Lord s message, we must ask, What is a mina? The Greek word mna, translated mina, referred to a Greek monetary unit equal to 100 drachmas [Thomas 3414]. Found only in this parable, this word occurs 9x in 6 verses (Luke 19:13, 16, 18, 20, 24, 25). What was the value of a single drachma? Generally speaking, in NT times, a drachma equaled a day s wages. In the parable of the lost coin, Jesus referred to a woman who evidenced concern over the loss of just one drachma (Luke 15:8 10). Luke 15:8 10 (NASB95) 8 Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost! 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. BDAG say a drachma was a Greek silver coin, combining weight and value; varying in weight and value in all Greek currencies, depending on currency standards, times, and social circumstances. Citing extra Biblical sources, they say Its purchasing power was by no means insignificant; it was the price of a sheep, or one fifth the price of an ox. Under specially favorable circumstances it was even possible to buy a whole ox for one drachma, or a slave for four. God entrusts each of us with various objects of considerable value (our souls, talents, time, opportunity, influence, etc.). The key requirement of stewardship is that one be found trustworthy (1 Cor. 4:2). 1 Corinthians 4:2 (NASB95) 2 In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. Determining whether an individual is able to handle greater responsibility is based upon how they handle lesser responsibility (Luke 19:16 17). Luke 19:16 17 (NASB95) 16 The first appeared, saying, Master, your mina has made ten minas more. 17 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. This lesson is emphasized elsewhere, especially in the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:20 21, 22 23) and the parable of the unrighteous steward (Luke 16:10 12).
Matthew 25:20 21 (NASB95) 20 The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents. 21 His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master. Matthew 25:22 23 (NASB95) 22 Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents. 23 His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master. Luke 16:10 12 (NASB95) 10 He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? 12 And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another s, who will give you that which is your own? Similarly, one who is unfaithful, even in a few things, demonstrates weakness of character, and stands in need of repentance (Rev. 2:12 17, esp. vs. 15 16). Revelation 2:12 17 (NASB95) 12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two edged sword says this: 13 I know where you dwell, where Satan s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. 15 So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it. The Lord delegates responsibility to servants and subordinates. God is Omnipotent (All Powerful), Omniscient (All Knowing), and Omnipresent (Ever Present). If He so chose, God could have accomplished His eternal purpose entirely apart from human agency. After all, the physical creation was accomplished by God alone (Gen. 1:1 5; Ps. 33:6 9). Genesis 1:1 5 (NASB95) 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, Let there be light ; and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. Psalm 33:6 9 (NASB95) 6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host. 7 He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deeps in storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. 9 For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.
In the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, the kingdom of God would be greater than any earthly dominion, and is likened to a stone that was cut out of the mountain without hands (Dan. 2:31 35, 44 45, esp. vv. 34 & 45). Daniel 2:31 35 (NASB95) 31 You, O king, were looking and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome. 32 The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. Daniel 2:44 45 (NASB95) 44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. 45 Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy. Although God doesn t need us, nevertheless, He employs us in accomplishing His cause. A craftsman can often do a better job laboring alone, without the encumbrance of an apprentice. Yet, there is value in passing along skills to another generation. Mothers and fathers can often do a better job, performing some task in the kitchen or the garage, apart from the assistance of children. Yet, there is value (and reward) in teaching our children how to work, imparting knowledge, skills, giving them experience, etc. What a glorious privilege to be thus used in the service of the Lord (Acts 13:1 3; 14:24 28; Eph. 3:1 13). Acts 13:1 3 (NASB95) 1 Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. 3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. Acts 14:24 28 (NASB95) 24 They passed through Pisidia and came into Pamphylia. 25 When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed to Antioch, from which they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had accomplished. 27 When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they spent a long time with the disciples. Ephesians 3:1 13 (NASB95) 1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles 2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God s grace which was given to me for you; 3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. 4 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are
fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, 7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. 8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. 13 Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory. CONCLUSION Having studied Luke 19:11 27, hopefully we have a greater appreciation of the dangers of ignorance, rebellion, and slothfulness. May we continually grow in spiritual understanding. May we humbly submit to the Lord s will. May we eagerly embrace our various responsibilities.