The Parables of Jesus - The Ten Minas

Introduction

The central theme of this parable brings us back to what Jesus was seeking to communicate to His disciples, but also to the people who followed Him wherever He went.

For some time already, Jesus had been announcing His death and resurrection. Yet no one seemed to really understand what He was telling them.

Yes, Jesus was going to leave, die, and then rise again three days later. But He was also going to entrust a mission to those He would choose as His servants, so that they would remain faithful to the calling He had given them.

And when He would return to judge the earth, the just and the unjust, He would reward those who had faithfully carried out what had been entrusted to them.

What is important for us to see today is that when we are forgiven of our sins and justified by faith in Jesus Christ, we are saved and set apart for a work that God prepared beforehand.

And we have to understand that we will all be rewarded according to the works we have done for the glory of God.

However, we will also see that Jesus speaks about the unfaithful and useless servants, as well as those who will reject His authority and calling. We will see that their hatred, their rebellion, and their refusal to submit to the King’s will lead them to His severe punishment, which means eternal separation from God.

All these biblical truths are difficult to preach today. Yet the Lord asks us to examine the Scriptures and to teach the whole counsel of God. For those who are called to teach the Word will be judged more strictly if they neglect to proclaim fully and faithfully what God has revealed in His love and grace, so that we may understand His mercy and compassion.

Therefore, we, His servants, have the responsibility to warn people about the consequences of their refusal to believe in Jesus Christ, but also to exhort those who belong to Him to serve Him with faithfulness, zeal, and conviction.

So, let us begin. Let us read this parable together.

Reading — Luke 19:11–27 (ESV)

Context of the passage

— «As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. »  v.11

Jesus was in Jericho, on the road that was leading Him to Jerusalem, going toward the holy city to accomplish what the Father had planned for the redemption of men, through the work of His only begotten Son, at the cross of Golgotha.

But more specifically, He was at the house of Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector, a great sinner in the eyes of the people. Yet Jesus showed him grace, because He declared that he was also a son of Abraham and that He had come to seek and save those who were lost.

And then, those who were in Zacchaeus’ house were certainly listening carefully to His words, because all the people who were following Him thought that something extraordinary was about to happen.

Luke, in his Gospel, which was written before the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, shows us the tension that existed at that time and gives us an explanation for this expectation among the people. They thought that the Kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.

They were waiting for the liberation of the people of Israel, who were oppressed and under Roman rule, subjected to taxes and different forms of persecution. Yes, they were waiting for their long-awaited King to appear in His glory and power, to deliver them once and for all. This is what actually happened, but not in the exact way that they expected.

It is obviously from our perspective today that we know this was the truth: Jesus is the King for all those who put their faith in Him. But they did not yet know what He was going to accomplish, nor what they were going to see and experience through His suffering and death.

He was going to be crucified as a criminal in the eyes of the world, but recognized as Savior and Lord by those who would believe in Him as King of kings and Lord of lords, and empowered by the work of the Holy Spirit to be forever in God’s presence, with the Holy Spirit living in them.

Now let us see the parable itself.

The Announced Coronation

— «He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. »  v.12

The beginning of the parable clearly shows us, after what we have seen, that Jesus is speaking about Himself. He is announcing what He is going to accomplish before His triumphant arrival in Jerusalem.

Jesus uses the example of a nobleman, speaking about His very heavenly nobility, one that comes from a Kingdom that is not of this earthly world. However, what He announces is that this man will go to a distant country to receive royal authority, and then return.

This shows us a clear picture of what Jesus was going to accomplish through His death and resurrection. When He was taken up into heaven, He was exalted as King of kings, having perfectly accomplished what God had planned to restore a relationship with those who would believe in Him as their Lord, reigning over their lives, and rewarding them for the service they would render to the King.

And the major fact of this parable is that He says that He would “return,” speaking about His return on the day of judgment, which we will see later, as we look at what will take place between His ascension and His return to earth.

The Commissioned Servants

— « Calling ten of his servants he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’»  v.13

We see that the nobleman is going to leave, but just before his departure, he chooses ten servants and commissions them for something that is not only important, but also marked by a great level of trust, giving each one the liberty to accomplish this mission.

We see that the amount given by the master to his servants is equal: one mina each.

A mina was a coin at that time, representing about three months of wages for a worker. In today’s value, we could therefore imagine it as several thousand euros for a regular staff member or worker.

Their position and starting capital were equal, with no advantage for anyone, but with the same responsibility: to make fruitful what has been entrusted to each one, faithfully honoring the mission, so that the investment will be good for the Master.

The fact that the master entrusts this amount and says, “Do business until I come back,” also shows that he gives an indefinite amount of time to make the mina fruitful. This means that His return is therefore not presented as something immediate, but as a return that will take place after an unknown period of time.

This first phase of the mission is important, because the Lord says that He will return. In a sense, He is announcing that He will ask for a result from what He has invested, a report that will certainly lead to His response.

Not from a position of being harsh or unjust, but by showing that this is what the Master wants and commands His servants to do, for His honor and His glory.

This is a time of grace given so that each servant can honor the Master and therefore give glory to the One who watches over His servants and keeps them in His love until He returns.

The Rejected Coronation

— «But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ »  v.14

This passage shows us that some of the citizens of this region, or from the surrounding cities, do not want this man to reign over them. They rebel against his authority and do not accept him as Lord over their lives.

That is why they send a delegation. In other words, the citizens send a group of people to the authorities to express their opposition and their dissatisfaction with the coronation of this man, whom they do not recognize as their king.

For a king to reign, it is only possible if the citizens want him and allow him to be king, right?

This reminds us of the religious leaders who did not want to make Jesus their King, their long-awaited Messiah, and who rebelled against Him before the Romans, even going as far as saying to Pilate: “We have no king but Caesar!” (John 19:15)

When a person chooses to govern his own life or take care of himself rather than obey and rely on God, the reign of Jesus as Lord cannot be considered good or beneficial. 

Those who reject Him as King will ultimately have to answer before Him as Judge, and it is the same for us today.

The Hour of Judgment Has Come

— « When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. »  v.15

Here we are. The King, crowned with His glory, has returned! The time to give an account has come!

First of all, the fact that Jesus uses the picture of servants with money, while Zacchaeus and the others were present, shows that Jesus really wanted them to understand the importance of His message, especially after saying that salvation had come to his house. 

Zacchaeus was used to “giving an account,” as he was the one who had to collect taxes from the Jews and give them to the Romans. Giving an account was his daily duty.

Secondly, the servants must have understood the importance of this meeting with their master, after such a long period without having to give any report.

This reminds us that the Lord’s return to judge the earth is certain, but that the time of His return is unknown. The Word of God tells us that He will return in the night, like a thief, and “in the twinkling of an eye.” This means that He will come at a moment that is unexpected for all of us.

But today, as His servants and disciples, His living Church, we have to be ready for His glorious return! Because if we are true servants, we will have only joy when we see Him again, and not fear.

“What will our reward be?” we may ask. Well, as we will see in the next part of the passage, it will be proportional to what we have done for the Master, and much more.

The Faithful Servants

— «The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant!c Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’»  v.16-19

The Lord begins by speaking with the first two servants. The first servant, who had received one mina, gained ten more, multiplying his capital ten times. Considering the value of a mina, this represents almost two and a half years of wages.

And he leaves with a great reward: the authority to govern ten cities, because he honored his commitment through his faithfulness, which means good, faithful, and responsible management of what had been entrusted to him.

The second servant also worked very well. He managed to multiply his starting capital five times, and this also earned him the reward of being given authority over five cities.

So why is that? Well, quite simply, just as in the world today, if we are sensible employers, we will naturally promote a good employee who brings results, keeps his commitments and responsibilities, and works with loyalty and faithfulness, right?

Well, how much more is this true in the Kingdom of God! Faithfulness is also rewarded by the Lord, and we see this very clearly in this passage.

But then, what about the unfaithful servants? We are going to see that right now.

The Unfaithful Servant

— «Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’»  v.20-21

The words of this third servant are the opposite of what the King wanted to hear. Because if he calls someone to be a servant or a worker, the least that person can do is accomplish what he has been asked to do, which is to make this money grow and generate a profit. Otherwise, what is the point? What use is such a servant?

The very idea of thinking and saying such things shows the servant’s passivity and fear toward his master, revealing a lack of faith. In other words, he does not trust him at all, nor does he honor his commitments toward him.

This also shows us that if Jesus entrusts us with spiritual gifts, or with the responsibility to proclaim and live out the Gospel of salvation, and we do not use what He has given us, remaining passive, what will the consequences be? We are going to see that together now.

The Judgment of the Unfaithful Servant

— « He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’» v.22-24

The answer does not take long to come, with harshness and severity, but also with justice according to what he said about the King and what he did for His Kingdom. The King judges him according to his own words. 

In other words, his words were not the words the King wanted to hear from him. He was finding reasons to justify his inaction, but what about the others? Did they also find a reason not to do anything?

God tells us in His Word that our words come from the heart. And if the heart is not right and sincere, the words that come out of our mouths will reveal what is in our hearts.

He says to him, “Wicked servant!” This shows that his problem is not only his lack of action, but also his attitude toward his master. His heart and his view of his master are wrong, and his inaction is the consequence of that.

The King also asks him why he did not put his money in a bank, so that it could at least earn some interest. In other words, even if he did not want to work with the money himself, he could at least have entrusted it to someone who could make it grow. But even that, he was not willing to do!

Finally, the King gives an instruction that sounds harsh, but reflects the reality of what the Lord tells us and expects from us: “Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.”

How are we to understand this? Well, inaction has consequences. The Word of God tells us that “whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly.”

This means that we are called to sow and to work for the Kingdom that we represent, according to what the Lord has entrusted to us. It is not our works that save us, but our works reveal the fruit of God’s grace in our lives.

And by God’s sovereign will, we will be rewarded according to His grace. But persistent inaction has a serious consequence for those who refuse to do the will of God—the will taught by Jesus and worked out through the action of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

The truth is that the Lord will give more to the one who is productive and faithful with what He entrusts to him: the gifts and opportunities to bear fruit for His glory. Let us continue.

The Judgment Questioned

— «And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. » v.25-26

Here we have a response that seems to show some surprise, perhaps even a form of jealousy on their part. They do not understand that God sees the one who is sincere and faithful in his commitment to his Master, and who bears fruit as a way of honoring Him.

The reward should rightly be given to the good servant who has ten minas, because he fully participated in the calling to which he was called.

And we can expect that the one who can now govern ten cities will be able to bear even more fruit for His Kingdom and therefore receive greater responsibilities for the glory of the King he represents.

When the Lord says to us in this verse, “I tell you,” He establishes, with the authority of His reign, a truth that remains for eternity.

The servants have to bear fruit and participate in the mission that the Lord has entrusted to them: to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth. He will give to the one who bears fruit, and He will take away from the one who bears no fruit.

But now the explanation is going to be given to them. Let us look at it.

The Judgment Explained

— «‘But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’”» v.27

“But as for these enemies” refers this time not to His servants, but to the citizens who sent a delegation to the authorities to reject the reign of the new king.

These are those who, through their rebellion, their unbelief, or their refusal to submit to the newly established King, do not want to recognize His authority over them.

For us today, in this church and elsewhere, this is definitely a call for us to ask ourselves: Is Jesus our King? Is He truly Lord over our lives?

The Lord tells us, “Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters.” — Matthew 12:30 (ESV)

This establishes a clear division between those who are with Jesus, who have heard His voice and follow Him with a sincere and genuine heart, and those who reject Him by going in the opposite direction.

And His sentence against them is terrible. They will be judged by the holy and righteous wrath of God. This is the ultimate consequence of their rebellion against Christ: spiritual death and separation from God for eternity.

This reminds us how serious it is to reject the salvation offered by God through Jesus Christ. They have rejected the King of kings and Lord of lords, and their judgment will be eternal.

When we are in the world, there are many people who refuse or reject the Gospel of Christ and go in the opposite direction. But God knows every heart and the right moment for each person.

Conclusion

To conclude this parable, we see the reality of Jesus’ journey, His ascension, and His return at His second coming.

We see the selection of servants, which speaks of those whom He has called. We also see that some will bear fruit and make what has been entrusted to them fruitful for His Kingdom, and they will be rewarded, while others will not.

But we also see that those who refuse His Lordship over their lives will ultimately have to answer before Him and face the eternal consequences of their rejection.

Scripture presents this outcome as certain, just, and final. But at the same time, let us not take upon ourselves the burden of the outcome of salvation that is not ours to carry. 

Rather, let us focus on our responsibility to remain faithful to the Master, Jesus Christ, to use what He has entrusted to us, and to seek to make it fruitful by proclaiming the Gospel while we wait for His return.

Let us allow the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of men and women, drawing them to the Father, and let us allow the Lord to be the only Judge of souls, according to His grace and His sovereignty.