Faithfulness While Jesus Is Gone – Luke 19:11-27

Wikipedia says about the monetary unit called a mina, from earliest Sumerian times, a mina was a unit of weight, before talents and shekels were introduced. By Jesus’ day the mina had a value of ​1⁄60 of a talent, or 60 shekels. The weight of this mina was calculated at 1.25 pounds.  This would be worth $110.10 for silver and $6,422.50 for the gold mina, in modern values.  Jesus describes the amount of money a king gave his servants to do small business with.

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.’”  (Luke 19:11-27 ESV)

Jesus’ reception from the Father of the world as his kingdom will not happen immediately (he must die first, be raised, ascend to heaven, and await the Father’s timing).  But his subjects must prove faithful as they await his return.  If we use the resources he gives us faithfully we will be rewarded upon his return.  If we do not there is a question as to whether we are really believers.

The servant who hid his master’s money away did so, supposedly, because his master was so exacting or severe.  This showed either his misperception of his master or was simply an excuse to hide the money away in hopes that the master would not return and he could claim it for his own.  God sees through our selfish motivations and His judgment will be accurate and swift.