The Parable of the Ten Minas

Don't miss the setting for the Parable of the Ten Minas.  According to Luke, Jesus is at Zacchaeus' house (Lk 19:7).  Zach has just exhibited the fruit of true repentance by announcing what he was going to do with the incredible fortune he had amassed as chief tax collector (Lk 19:8).  Fifty percent of what he had would go to the poor.  He would repay those he defrauded four times the amount he had squeezed from them.  Christ commended this former mob boss for his heartfelt repentance as indication of true faith.  It was here, in Zach's living room, that Jesus told this parable.

(This is very similar to the Parable of the Talents in Mt 25:14-30, but it is NOT the same event.  Jesus told that parable during the Olivet Discourse.  This occurred in Jericho before He arrived in Jerusalem.)

First of all, we can't miss that Jesus was on the road to the Roman cross.  "He was near to Jerusalem" (v11).  He had set His divine GPS on Calvary (Lk 9:51, 53).  He would not be stopped.  

Because Jesus was marching to Jerusalem, more and more were convinced that His arrival would culminate in His kingdom reign.  "They supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately."  Actually the following parable does much to explain that the kingdom of God will not be fully realized until Jesus returns.

So the reason for the telling of this parable is prompted by two factors.  First, the repentance of Zacchaeus and his desire to honor God with his wealth.  Second, the belief that the kingdom of God would appear at any moment.

And don't forget the purpose of the parables.  They were illustrations that the locals could understand on some level.  Those who could wrap their minds around what Jesus was talking about would grasp one main idea.  But these parables also allowed Christ to veil His teaching for those didn't have a clue what He was talking about (Lk 8:10).

There in Zacchaeus' house, Jesus this parable of a traveling nobleman and his three managers.  This idea of stewardship or managing is not new in Luke.  Don't forget the illustration of the shrewd manager (Lk 16:1-13).

The man had ten employees.  He was headed out of town on business.  As a matter of fact, it was the most important business trip he would ever make.  He was to receive his kingdom from the home office.  This is exactly how things worked in the Roman empire.  Rulers would travel to Rome to be given their kingdoms.  In a similar way, Jesus will be crowned as King upon His ascension to His heavenly home.  When He returns, He will return as victorious King Jesus.  That's the teaching of Phil 2:5-11.

The boss puts these managers in charge of portions of his portfolio while he's out of town.  He gives one mina to each of his ten employees.  One mina was worth slightly more than 3 months salary.  He gave them this money "that he might know what they had gained by doing business" (v15).  In other words, it was a test or an audition to see what kind of managers they had become.

This parable is really less about money management than it is faithfulness.  How faithful are we with what God has given us?  What am I doing with all that I have received from Him?  First, it is a reminder that it is not mine.  Second, I must always remember that what He's given me is to be leveraged for His kingdom.  Honestly, I'm not proud of my answer to the second part of this.

When the boss returned with kingdom authority in hand, he called the boys in for a report.  Note that we only hear of three of the employees.  Manager Number One absolutely rocked it (v16).  He had increased the nobleman's investment tenfold!  What started as 3 months salary was now two and a half years worth of income.  There is little doubt that Number One did little else but focus on increasing his boss' investment while he was gone.

The newly crowned king had returned with the authority.  And he used that authority to grant his employee with the right to rule over ten cities (v17).  While the first employee did a tremendous job with the mina, his reward was ridiculously more relative to the return on investment.  Jesus provides a peek behind the curtain at the jaw-dropping blessing given to those who are faithful with what God has given them.

The boss called Manager Number Two into the office for his earnings report (v18).  He had leveraged one mina into five.  Outstanding!  While it was only half of what the first trustee had produced, the second man had clearly made his responsibility a priority.  We don't know if the first manager had worked that much harder or if the second manager's choices weren't as strategic.  

The boss responds by granting him a similar reward to the first (v19).  He gives him the privilege and honor of governing one city for each of the minas he has returned.  A return of a year and a half salary.  Outstanding. Five minas.  Five cities.  Good work.

Manager Number Three enters the office (v20).  He's not carrying a briefcase and a portfolio but a handkerchief.  Uh oh.  This can't be good.  He unfolds the dusty rag to reveal one mina.  

Number Three tries to justify his results (or lack of them).  He said that he was afraid of his boss (v21).  The boss was overly demanding and difficult to work for.  His standards were unrealistic.  He went on to criticize how his boss conducted business.  "You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow."  These seem to be nothing more than excuses for not carrying out the instructions the boss had given him.

He had done absolutely nothing with what he was given.  How are we doing?  We've given a boatload of blessings to steward until Jesus returns.  Are we leveraging our lives for a great return on His investment?  Or have we simply wrapped them up in a dirty rag?

The nobleman can't believe his employee's lack of faithfulness (v23).  Why didn't he at least put it in the bank?  The interest from the bank wouldn't be much, but it would be more that what a handkerchief can produce.

The boss then makes a decision (v24-26).  He will act just as Number Three believes he should act.  Take the one mina from this unmotivated slacker and give it to Number One.  At first glance, this would seem to be unfair.  But this isn't about fairness.  This is about doing the most with what we've been given responsibility for.

"To everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away."  We need to know that God has every right to redistribute the stewardship of His resources in a manner that is the most strategic.  Would you leave your 401k in the care of some slacker mutual fund manager?  I don't think so!

Each of us needs examine what we're doing with all that God has given us to steward.  Are we leveraging it for His kingdom?  Or have we folded it away in a dirty rag?       

Created 10 months ago