2. LUKE 19:11-13
• 11 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.
• 12 He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far
country to receive for himself a kingdom and then
return.
• 13 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten
minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business
until I come.’
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3. LUKE 19:14-16
• 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, 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.
• 16 The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your
mina has made ten minas more.’
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4. LUKE 19:17-19
• 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good
servant! Because you have been faithful in
a very little, you shall have authority over
ten cities.’
• 18 And the second came, saying, ‘Lord,
your mina has made five minas.’
• 19 And he said to him, ‘And you are to be
over five cities.’
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5. LUKE 19:20-22
• 20 Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your
mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief;
• 21 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.’
• 22 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?
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6. LUKE 19:23-25
• 23 Why then did you not put my money in
the bank, and at my coming I might have
collected it with interest?’
• 24 And he said to those who stood by,
‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the
one who has the ten minas.’
• 25 And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten
minas!’
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7. LUKE 19:26-27
• 26 ‘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.
• 27 But as for these enemies of mine, who
did not want me to reign over them, bring
them here and slaughter them before me.’”
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8. REVIEW
• The Kingdom of God will not appear in its
fullness until Christ returns.
• In the meantime, be productive and be patient.
• Those who receive and share Jesus will be
rewarded with eternal riches.
• Those who reject Jesus will be rendered
eternal punishment on Judgment Day.
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9. INVITATION
• “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all
things, and by your will they existed and were created.” Revelation 4:11
• “as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All
have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
Romans 3:10-12
• “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,” Hebrews 9:27
• “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us
to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” 1 Peter 3:18
• “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has
caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead,” 1 Peter 1:3
• “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life,
but the wrath of God remains on him.” John 3:36
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Editor's Notes
Luke 19:11–27 The Parable of the Ten Minas. This parable concludes Luke’s account of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem (begun in 9:51). It is distinct from the parable of the talents in Matt. 25:14–30, since most of the key elements are different, but there are also some similarities in wording. Jesus would sometimes modify his teachings to fit different situations and emphasize slightly different truths.
Luke 19:11 The key to the meaning of this parable is given at the beginning (cf. note on 18:1). Jesus gave the parable in response to those who supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. This was probably a concern especially because he was near to Jerusalem, where expectations of a political messiah may have been extra high. The parable will show that the kingdom will not be seen in its fullness until Christ returns; it begins in a small way and grows gradually until then (cf.13:18–21).
Luke 19:12 To receive for himself a kingdom means to receive authority over a kingdom. The kingdom that he is going to receive is not the far country to which he is traveling but the land from which he started out. Into a “far country” implies that the return of the nobleman (i.e., the second coming of the Son of Man) will not take place immediately. Luke’s readers should not be troubled over this delay, because Jesus had already taught that he would not return immediately. From here to the end of the Gospel, Luke frequently emphasizes the kingship of Jesus.
Luke 19:13 The rounded number ten shows that Jesus’ parable applies to all his disciples, not just the Twelve.Minas were about three months’ wages for a laborer, about 100 drachmas. “Until I come” refers to the time between Jesus’ ascension and return at the end of the age.Engage in business until I come is one of several examples where Jesus uses business activity in a positive way in his parables and teachings (however, Gk.pragmateuomai, “do business, trade, be engaged in a business,” occurs only here in the NT). Though the main point of the parable is stewardship rather than business per se, the NT in general (as is the case here) views work and business activity in a positive way (see Matt. 25:14–30;Luke 10:7; 19:13–23; Col. 3:23–4:1; James 4:13–15), but also as an area where there are substantial temptations to sin (see Matt. 6:19–21; 1 Tim. 6:9–10) and to exploit others (James 5:1–6).
Luke 19:14 His citizens represents the Jews who hatedJesus. sent a delegation. This image would be familiar to the Jews since they had sent delegations to Rome protesting some of their local rulers.
Luke 19:15 When he returned represents the time of Jesus’ second coming.
Luke 19:16 your mina has made ten minas more. An unusually high return in real life, indicating unusual wisdom and faithfulness on the part of the servant.
Luke 19:17 Well done, good servant! See note on Matt. 25:20–23. faithful in a very little. Cf. Luke 16:10. you shall have authority over ten cities. Faithful carrying out of stewardship responsibilities in this life will result in being given greater responsibility and stewardship in the life to come. This is one of a number of passages that teach degrees of reward and responsibility in heaven (see notes on Matt. 6:20; 1 Cor. 3:8; 3:14–15; 1 Tim. 6:17–19).
Luke 19:20 Lord, here is your mina. The third servant has not labored or conducted business with the mina but has hidden it away where it did no good for anyone and did not gain additional value. Those who fail to do anything useful with the resources, talents, and opportunities God has given them will fall under his displeasure and may thereby indicate that they are not even true believers (cf.Matt. 25:30).
Luke 19:21 Severe man does not mean selfish or unfair but, rather, strict and holding to high standards, or austere, like the Greek word it comes from (Gk. austēros, “strict in requirements,” “exacting”; cf. Matt. 25:24). This is not intended as a description of Christ, for Luke 19:17, 19 show him to be abundantly generous and gracious. This servant does not know his master well, or else he is simply making up an excuse for his own failure.
Luke 19:22–23 The servant is condemned by his own words, for if he believed what he said, he would at least have put the money in the bank to earn interest (see note on Matt. 25:27). This would have required minimal effort by the servant, and the money would have been useful to others, as the bankers used it to make loans.
Luke 19:26 given … taken away. See note on Mark 4:25.
Luke 19:27 But as for these enemies of mine may allude to the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70, but it also forecasts the final judgment of those who reject Jesus.