Parable of the Minas
I was reading my Bible the other day and stumbled across a parable that I don’t ever remember reading before. It was in Luke 19, which starts off talking about Zacchaeus. Now, I’ve read that story a hundred times, sang the song a hundred more…but I never saw the part about Zack giving back and repaying those he’d robbed from. Now Zack was a Jewish tax collector for Rome…highly influential at least in Roman circles. (Some Jews thought he was being disloyal to the Jews by collecting money for the “invading” Romans). However Zack agrees to pay back 4 times as much as he’s taken dishonestly and donate half of his considerable wealth to the poor. Jesus commends him by saying “truly salvation has come into this household” and furthermore that Zack had “become a son of Abraham” that day. Then Jesus makes a statement that He, Himself has come to seek and save all those that are lost, like Zach. All of this happened in Jericho as Jesus was passing through.
As Jesus was nearing Jerusalem, He began to tell a parable to correct the mistaken impression that the Kingdom of God was going to be made manifest right away. He then began speaking of the ten minas. When He’s just outside Jerusalem, He begins weeping over her for what’s about to happen within her walls. After that, He has His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the donkey (a time we refer to as Palm Sunday). It amazes me that these things happened to Jesus all right in a row. However, that is not the focus of this particular word, so marvel with me as I share what God showed me.
Keep in mind while reading that a mina is equivalent to 3 months wages. Luke 19:12 starts out the parable. Here it is in the NKJV: Luke 19:12-27
12 Therefore He said: "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business till I come.' 14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.' 15 "And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. 16 Then came the first, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned ten minas.' 17 And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.' 18 And the second came, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned five minas.' 19 Likewise he said to him, 'You also be over five cities.'
20 "Then another came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief. 21 For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 And he said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. 23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that 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 him who has ten minas.' 25(But they said to him, 'Master, he has ten minas.') 26'For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 27 But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.'"
So let me summarize: A nobleman is going away to a distant country to acquire his kingdom. Certain of his citizens decide that they don’t want him to be king and send a delegation to stop the proceedings or at least protest. He gets ten of his servants and gives them EACH the equivalent of three months wages with the instructions to “work” while he is away. Upon his return the now King calls each of the ten servants and asks what manner of “work” they’ve done while he’s been away becoming king (the delegation has obviously failed). The first comes and states that he’s turned his 3 months worth of wages into 30 months of wages (a tenfold increase). A second comes and states that his 3 months have turned into 15 months worth of wages (a fivefold increase). Each of these servants is told WELL DONE! In fact, the first one is told well done, splendid, and so forth to the degree that it is the only recorded time that word was used in the Bible. The first is given rule over 10 cities; the second given rule over 5. A third servant comes and delivers terrible news…his mina has earned zero months’ worth of wages (a zero fold increase).
Now, I know that was lengthy, and I hope you read it all. Here are some things that stood out to me. In verse 13, the nobleman (I assume Jesus) says to his servants “do business” till I return. Some translate that as “occupy”; the Greek says “to busy oneself with.” The New Angie version thinks “to work.” Basically He’s implying that there is a job to be done, and those He’s entrusting His money to, must do something with it. Kinda sounds like when Jesus told us to go into all nations, making disciples. (Matt 28:19).
Then in verse 17 is a word only used in Luke…the phrase “well done.” The Greek means well done! Splendid! Excellent! (All with exclamation points). I think that goes beyond, “good job” and Jesus was trying to make a point. In fact this word is a compound of the “well done” in the parable of the 10 talents recorded in Matt 25:21 and another Greek word).
Also in verse 17 is the word “authority”. This Greek word is exousia and means “delegated influence.” In other words that servant was able to use his own authority as if it were the nobleman’s (and soon to be king’s) ruling authority. That’s pretty awesome when we realize that we have that same authority!
Verse 20 is the verse that probably amazed me the most, however. This servant meekly approaches the nobleman and says (in Angie paraphrase), “Even though you told us to ‘occupy’ and ‘work’ till you returned, I was afraid of you so much that I was inactive. Here is your mina, safe and sound just as you gave it to me. I kept it safe here in this napkin/handkerchief.” The word “napkin” there means “a sweat cloth, i.e. a towel used for wiping perspiration from the face” or “binding the face of a corpse.” A footnote in my Bible states that it was a cloth placed around the neck to ward off sunburn. What do all these definitions have in common? The cloth that he wrapped his UNUSED mina in was the SAME CLOTH that he should have worn while WORKING! Do you see it? No wonder the nobleman (and Jesus) was angry with the servant…he clearly understood from the beginning what he was supposed to do with the mina. Then not only did he do NOTHING with the mina – not even invest it - but he wrapped it in laziness, inactivity, and DEATH!
Remember my summary? The third servant (we’re never told about the other 7) got a zero-fold increase. If he would have invested it, it could have gained at least one – a one-fold increase – but he chose instead to bury it, hide it, and present it back pristine to the one who gave it to him.
Now parables are meant to illustrate a truth…what was Jesus illustrating? I think a couple of things. First, that on Earth, (i.e. “in the bank”) we get addition; but investing in heavenly pursuits (i.e. “God’s Kingdom”) we get multiplication. God’s first command was to Adam, Eve, and all creation, “Go, be fruitful and multiply” (Gen 1:22, 25, 28). Jesus said in the Great Commission, “Go and make disciples…” (Mat 28:19).
Secondly, it was that God invests us with “work resources” and we all get the same amount. (Hmmm, sounds like “time” to me. Time is a work resource and we all get the same amount). If we invest them wisely, we can maximize our time and our impact for God. However, if we’re so afraid of us getting the proper credit for the time (or other resources) we invest that we do nothing with it; then judgment will come. If we’re so afraid of God that we see that He uses things we might never use, or that He blesses what we’d never bless, then even what we think we have will be taken from us and given to someone who WILL use it for God and His Kingdom. God WANTS to use us, but He won’t force us; He’s a gentleman.
One final word about this parable that has touched me so deeply. (I hope I’ve done justice to the truth God has revealed to me through it). Many compare this parable to the parable of the 10 talents found in Matthew 25:14-30). It is my belief that these were two separate stories. The talents were given “according to each person’s ability” whereas the minas were the same amount to every person. Also, I’ve always felt like the 10 talents were actually talents like musical ability or leadership or organization. The judgments are quite similar. So, I guess we could group them together and say, “Use your time, talents, and other resources to multiply God in others, making disciples. This is an investment in all God has entrusted you with. Remember it’s all God’s anyway, so treat it with care. Don’t be lazy, and don’t invest in things that bring death – things like sin whose very wage is death! Don’t hide from God thinking that you can get by. Investing in even ONE PERSON brings a one-fold return. One times zero is always zero. Find out what God wants you to do, then get busy seeking Him how to do it. If He called you to it, He’ll equip you to do it. Be blessed!
Submitted by Angie Kovarovic |
