Introduction
Herod ruled over Judea in the decades leading up to the birth of Christ. He was the same ruler (Mt. 2) ruler who killed hundreds of babies in response to the visit of the magi. As he was nearing the end of his life, he divided his kingdom between a couple of his sons. Around 4BC, he gave the region of Judea and Samaria to his son Archelaus.
Mike McKinley notes:
Herod’s bequeathals were ultimately subject to Roman approval, so Archelaus went off to Rome to have Caesar Augustus approve his appointment.
Before he left, however, there was a riot in the temple at Passover and Archelaus had over 3,000 Jews slaughtered. The Jews of Jerusalem and the surrounding areas had not much cared for Herod the Great and his murderous ways …, and they were even less thrilled about the idea of being ruled by his son. So they dispatched a delegation of 50 men to Rome to appeal to Caesar for a different king. They lost their appeal; Archelaus became king … and his palace was in Jericho, the town that Jesus had just walked through
…on his way to Jerusalem. Archelaus was ultimately deposed after just a few years and exiled by Roman authorities because of his brutal ways, but his memory still lingered in the region.
Open your bibles to Luke 19. We’ll be considering verses 11-27.
For some time now, Jesus has been headed to Jerusalem and He seemed to sense that there was an attitude of anticipation among his followers and detractors about the coming of the Kingdom of God and what that would entail.
Last week, Armal helped us to see the ways that Jesus interacted with the outcasts and the ways that those outcasts could see Jesus for who he was. Jesus concluded the encounter with Zacchaeus by stating:
Luke 19:10 ESV
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
The purpose of His ministry was to usher in the Kingdom of God - but not at that time in ways that met the expectations of some around Him. But rather His ministry is to seek and save the outcast, the downtrodden, the weak, the humble, the lost, those who are dead in sin. Now they are headed up the steep climb to Jerusalem and there is hope among his followers that Jesus would take His rightful place on the throne.
In order to temper their expectations, Jesus tells them this parable:
Luke 19:11–27 ESV
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. He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 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. The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 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.’ 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.’ 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.’ 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.’ 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. But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’ ”
If we could boil this down to a big idea, it might be that:
Big Idea: Faithfully following Jesus requires that we actively engage with our gifts and opportunities to testify to the Kingdom of God, ensuring that we are not just recipients of His grace but also active participants in His work.
In other words, Jesus’s mission to seek and to save the lost is our mission - and He equips us to work toward that mission.
As we consider this parable together, we’re going to reflect some on the context and on what Jesus is saying, but also on where we fit in to what He’s saying.
So, let’s consider some of the characters in this parable. They don’t all have direct correlations to specific people, but they correlate enough to provide some context.
The Nobleman/King - Jesus’ location gives us some potential historical parallels to this character. In some ways, I think Jesus is providing a context to the extreme in order to give His listeners an emotional connection. Archelaus was a cruel and wicked man who had to go away to get the blessing of Rome in order to gain a title. There is also a sense in which Jesus is represented by this nobleman. He did not have a formal title while He ministered, but in the spiritual realm He is a similar person. Where Archelaus and this nobleman were cruel and harsh, Jesus is, by his own words and actions, gentle and lowly. As we’ll see in the coming weeks, He will go to a cross and receive a crown of thorns in order to gather a Kingdom for himself.
Citizens - just as the citizens or subjects of Archelaus despised him, so too the citizens in this parable despise this ruler. In some ways, these people also represent the Jewish leaders and their relationship to Jesus. Jesus’ reign may not be marked with the same cruelty that marked Archelaus’ reign, He is equally despised by the religious leaders of His day. These citizens may also represent people of our world who don’t think that they need Jesus. They don’t want His reign.
The Servants or Slaves - The Greek word there is doulos which can mean bondservant or slave. Historically, these may have been people close to Archelaus - literal slaves or political appointees. Spiritually, I think these people represent Jesus’ followers - you and me - people who have been invited to be a part of Jesus’ family, Kingdom.
So with the characters in mind, let’s first…
Recognize Received Responsibilities (11-14)
In the parable this Nobleman departs for an unknown period of time in order to gain His Kingdom. As he goes, he entrusts 10 of his servants with some significant resources - specifically minas. A mina (or mna in Greek) was about 3 months of wages. He tells them to engage in “business” while he is away. In other words, strengthen or grow his kingdom.
It’s clear from the content of the parable that this Nobleman is shrewd and harsh. So the expectation is great growth.
As Jesus’ followers, we have been entrusted with so much. As Armal read last week, Jesus commissioned His disciples with the business or work of making more disciples. By extension this commission applies to us:
Matthew 28:19–20 ESV
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Mark 16:15–16 ESV
And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
In Luke’s second volume - the book of Acts, Jesus commissioned them by saying…
Acts 1:8 ESV
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Just as the servants were given a command to do business on the nobleman’s behalf, so too we have been given this commission or assignment to make disciples.
The Nobleman generously gave His servants minas for this work. Jesus has given us several things as well.
The Holy Spirit
First of all, He has given us His Holy Spirit - in other words, He has given us Himself.
John 14:15–17 ESV
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
What a joy it is to consider that the very Spirit of Jesus resides in those who believe in Him. No matter where we are or what we are doing, we have His help, if we will take it.
Spiritual Gifts
Not only does He give us His Spirit, His very presence, but He gifts us with spiritual gifts through His Spirit - gifting us with certain spiritual abilities to be used in His church and in the expansion of His kingdom. There are several places that talk about spiritual gifts. One of those is..
1 Corinthians 12:4–11 ESV
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
Beyond that, I believe there are several other things that Jesus, our gracious nobleman has entrusted to us, namely…
All that we are and all that we have
Where as the Nobleman gave his servants financial resources in order to do business, Jesus as the creator of the universe has given us all that are are - he made us; and all that we have.
Let’s consider a couple of verses and then reflect more closely on these implications.
In his address to the people of the Areopagus, Paul said:
Acts 17:24–27 ESV
The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him.…
In his letter to the Romans, Paul concludes the instructive portion with this statement:
Romans 11:36 ESV
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
Think about that - from him, through him and to him are all things. That sounds a bit like entrusting to me.
There are several other places that we could go to reflect on this, but let’s consider this for a moment. As our creator and architect, Jesus has endowed each of us with certain abilities, strengths, weaknesses, etc. If He is Sovereign, then even the jobs that we have and the places that we live, the financial resources that we have, and relationships around us are all given by His grace. Therefore, all of life is a stewardship. What we do with that is a received responsibility.
Think for a moment about all that is around you, all that you have, all that you are - God has entrusted that to you! I believe He has made us stewards. Just as the Nobleman would return to request an accounting of his servants, so too, Jesus will return one day, as we read about in Revelation a few minutes ago, and will review what we’ve done with what He’s entrusted to us. Our works will be considered.
Which means, therefore that there is a…
Reward for Righteous Risk (15-19)
A couple of the servants produced great results with the minas that the nobleman entrusted to them. One saw 1000% returns; the other 500% returns. In response, the Nobleman blesses those men with other rewards and responsibilities. These men took risks on the Nobleman’s behalf.
What does appropriate righteous risk look like for us? What does stewardship of all of life mean?
Trusting in His Spirit’s leading - the Holy Spirit often gently and quietly directs us, bringing to mind people with whom we should engage with the gospel or invite to church or bible study or community group. He may prompt us to share a meal with a neighbor or open our homes or our tables to a foreign student. He may prompt us to help that person in need or make our time available to serve in a certain ministry.
He may lead you to give to a certain ministry.
Fearing God more than man - not being afraid of what people might think. Boldly offering to pray for a coworker in a time of crisis, or speaking up about your faith in Jesus in the normal course of conversations.
Doing work on His behalf - after all it is his work. Have you ever noticed how we treat things that are not ours? Often we treat them better than we treat our own things. If I borrow someone’s tool or vehicle, my hope is to return it in the same way or better than I received it.
If all that we have is from Jesus, then what we do with that, what we return to him, is then an act of stewardship. It may not be a righteous risk, but it is a righteous stewardship.
Do our work His way - we represent Jesus in all of our lives. How we treat others, how we love, speak, act - represents Him!
Fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23)
Budgets - tithing, saving, responsible spending.
I realize this has some vast ramifications in our lives and could feel quite burdensome. While there is a weight to that, there is also a privilege and an honor. Jesus wouldn’t entrust you with what He has unless He thought you were able to make the most of it. What’s more, because He’s given you His Spirit and placed you in a family of believers, you are not alone, I am not alone.
Spend some time this afternoon reflecting on what this means in your:
time
home
finances
relationships
work
thoughts
So, we recognize that we have received responsibilities from Jesus and that there will be rewards for righteous risk - or what we do with those responsibilities, thirdly, in this parable, we see a…
Rebuke for Reticence (20-23)
The third servant who speaks saves/protects what he’s received, but does not make it grow. In other words he is disobedient to the nobleman.
It’s common in our day to think of faith as being a personal or private matter. While there is a personal response, our commission from Jesus communicates that it’s not private. We can’t make disciples if we don’t speak to anyone. We can’t train up others to grow in Christ if we’re not speaking to them about the things of Jesus or of His Word.
This servant is rebuked because he disobeyed the master. He was commanded to “engage in business” and yet he squandered that command.
In response, the master in this parable helps us to see finally, that there will be a…
Reckoning and Reward (24-27)
For this Nobleman, this represented a time when he returned and expected an accounting.
In a similar way, Jesus has promised that He will return. We don’t know when, but He is coming.
The return of this Nobleman marked a time for punishment for some and reward for others.
Again, as we read in Revelation and as is implied in this passage, there will be a time of reckoning and a time of rewarding in the end.
While it’s unpopular to talk about things like judgment and an end - there is something about that in us and in our culture that marks all of life with judgments and endings. Students, you’re coming up to the end of a marking period. You are in the process of being graded and examined. Numerous movies, TV shows, and books revolve around apocalyptic themes. Scripture discusses that time and time again.
Friend, if you’re not yet a follower of Christ, let me encourage you to consider all that Jesus has done for you. Some of it is what theologians call “common grace,” that is grace that is given to all of humanity - life, health, breath, provision, etc. Jesus’ delayed return could also be considered a common grace - as he is not wanting that any should perish. But there is also something called “specific grace,” that is the grace unto salvation. That is grace that brings you eternal life through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. This is the grace that takes you as you as you are and offers you forgiveness, redemption, hope, life. Will you come today? Will you receive Him as your savior? (man in the middle of the cross)?
Brothers and sisters in Christ, several different NT authors talk about looking forward to a time when Jesus will reward them. These writers refer to those rewards as crowns. Literal or not, these crowns are the reward for a life well-lived in Christ.
James 1:12 ESV
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
Revelation 2:10 ESV
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Paul, in some of his closing remarks to Timothy said:
2 Timothy 4:6–8 ESV
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
Beloved, Jesus has entrusted us with so much. There are people around us that need to hear of the good news of the gospel. There are daily habits or patterns of faithfulness that we can do demonstrating our allegiance to Him.
When He comes and opens the books that testify to our lives, what a joy that will be to hear Him say “Well done.”
Let’s pray.
Jesus, we are humbled that you would entrust so much of your Kingdom to us. Thank you for all that you’ve equipped us with to fulfill the mission you’ve place before us. Help us to be faithful stewards. Amen
Benediction
2 Timothy 4:22 ESV
The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.
Questions for reflection and discussion
Read: Luke 19:11-27
What does the word “stewardship” bring to mind?
Do you think Christians give appropriate emphasis to justice in our Christian lives? Why or why not?
“If you are a follower of Christ, every aspect of your life is a gift given to you for the purpose of investment.” Is that your perspective on your time, your talents, and your relationships?
What does Jesus seem to think about hell based on this passage? How should the horror of hell factor into how we steward the gospel?
What do we learn about the sovereignty of Christ and the certainty of his kingdom from this passage? Do these things give you hope?
For what kind of Christian is Jesus’ parable a warning? For what sort of Christian is it a wonderful encouragement?
Sources:
Anyabwile, Thabiti. Exalting Jesus in Luke. Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2018.
Bock, Darrell L. Luke 9:51-24:53. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999.
Josephus, Flavius, and William Whiston. The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987.
Martin, John A. “Luke.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
Liefeld, Walter L. “Luke.” In The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, edited by Frank E. Gaebelein, Vol. 8. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984.
McKinley, Mike. Luke 12-24 for You. Edited by Carl Laferton. God’s Word for You. The Good Book Company, 2016.
Stein, Robert H. Luke. Vol. 24. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992.
Tyler, William S. “The Son of Man.” Bibliotheca Sacra 22, no. 85 (1865): 51–78.
The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible. Biblical Studies Press, 2005. Print.
Wilcock, Michael. The Savior of the World: The Message of Luke’s Gospel. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979.
