PART II: PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM

            CHAPTER 15
 

Introduction

            Jesus told the Parable of the Talents  to  his  Apostles
         while  seated  on  the  Mount  of Olives, on his third day in
         Jerusalem.  Jesus gave this parable to the public and to  his
         Apostles  as he was nearing Jerusalem.   Both parables have a
         similar message.  (Trench, NOTES ON THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD,
         p.  91).  The  Ten  Minas is sometimes called The ten Pounds.
         It is found only in Luke 19:11-27.

The Story

                         While they were listening  to  this,
                   he  went  on  to  tell  them  a  parable,
                   because he was  near  Jerusalem  and  the
                   people  thought  that  the kingdom of God
                   was going to appear at once.  He said: "A
                   man  of  noble  birth  went  to a distant
                   country to have  himself  appointed  king
                   and  then to return.  So he called ten of
                   his servants and  gave  them  ten  minas.
                   `Put this money to work,' he said, `until
                   I come back.'

                        "But his subjects hated him and sent
                   a delegation after him to say, ` We don't
                   want this man to be our king.'

                   "He  was  made  king,  however,  and
                   returned  home.  Then  he  sent  for  the
                   servants to whom he had given the  money,
                   in order to find out what they had gained
                   with it.

                        "The first one came and said,  `Sir,
                   your mina has earned ten more.'

                          "`Well done,  my  good servant!' his
                   master replied.  `Because you  have  been
                   trustworthy  in a very small matter, take
                   charge of ten cities.'

                       "The second came and said, `Sir, your
                   mina has earned five more.'
                       "His  master  answered,   `You   take
                   charge of five cities.'

                         "Then another servant came and said,
                   `Sir, here is your mina; I have  kept  it
                   laid  away  in  a  piece of cloth.  I was
                   afraid of you, because  you  are  a  hard
                   man.  You  take  out what you did not put
                   in and reap what you did not sow.'

                        "His  master  replied, `I will judge
                   you  by  your  own  words,   you   wicked
                   servant!   You knew, did you, that I am a
                   hard man, taking out what I did  not  put
                   in,  and reaping what I did not sow?  Why
                   then didn't you put my money on  deposit,
                   so  that  when I came back, I  could have
                   collected it with interest?'

                            "Then  he said to those standing by,
                   `Take his mina away from him and give  it
                   to the one who has ten minas.'
                        "`Sir, they said,  `he  already  has
                   ten!'

                           "He replied, `I  tell  you  that  to
                   everyone who has, more will be given, but
                   as for the one who has nothing, even what
                   he  has  will  be  taken away.  But those
                   enemies of mine who did not want me to be
                   king  over them--bring them here and kill
                   them in front of me.'"   (Luke  19:11-27,
                   New International Version).
 

               Jesus begins with a story that his audience  knew  well.
         However,  we  must  have  it explained to us since we did not
         live in that period of history.  Herod the Great's three sons
         inherited  his  kingdom.   His son Archelaus inherited Judea,
         but had to go to Rome where he persuaded  Augustus  to  allow
         him  to  have his inheritance.  Jesus was apparently alluding
         to this historical event to teach a new truth.

              Jews  had  been  taught that the Messiah would set up an
         earthly kingdom immediately  when  he  appeared  in  history.
         Many  of  us  believe that Jesus will set up a true Theocracy
         for a thousand years later in history and  this  is  probably
         that  to  which    the  Old  Testament  prophecy refers.  Old
         Testament prophets tended to lump end time  events  together,
         much  like  we  see when we view a mountain range from a long
         distance.  However, when we get closer to the  mountains,  we
         more clearly see individual mountains.   When Jesus told this
         parable, this was his first coming.  His mission  during  his
         first  coming  was primarily to die for the sins of the world
         and to establish the Kingdom of God in the hearts of  people.
         (See  my freeware booklet, JESUS THE MASTER TEACHER).  So, to
         correct the misunderstanding  of  the  nature  of  his  first
         coming, he told this parable.

                A nobleman left his home to go to a distant authority to
         request  appointment  as king over his home country, and then
         return to reign.  Before he left, he gave ten of his servants
         a  mina  (equal  to  about  100  drachmas or 20 dollars), and
         commanded them to invest it until he returned.
              While  he  was away, the subjects of the nobleman sent a
         delegation  to the authority to testify  against  making  the
         nobleman their king.

            The nobleman was made king and returned home.   He  then
         sent  for  the  ten  servants  and  asked them to give him an
         account.

              The  first  servant  reported  that  he  had  earned  10
         more  minas,  and  was  given the oversight of 10 cities as a
         reward.

              The  second  servant  reported  that  he  had  earned  5
         more minas,  and was given the oversight of 5 cities.
             Another servant reported  that  since  his  master  was a
         hard man, he was afraid and hid  his  mina--he  returned  the
         original  mina  to  the  king.    The king saw that he was an
         disobedient servant and had those standing by take  the  mina
         and give it to the one who had earned 10 minas.

                He then had his  enemies--those  opposing  his  becoming
         king--executed in his presence.

                                 The Interpretation
           The characters and events in the story  and  the  people
         and events they represent are:

              1.  The nobleman            Jesus
              2.  The ten servants        Christians
              3.  Subjects who hated him  Those who reject Christ as  Lord
              4.  Time when the nobleman  Time between the First and  was
                  away Second Coming of Jesus
              5.  Destruction of enemies  Judgment of the wicked

         Much  of  what was said concerning the Parable of the Talents
         applies here.

                Faithful  servants  are  rewarded  with   administrative
         responsibility.  This could be both in the  here-and-now  and
         in the coming ages.

               Unfaithful   servants  lose  even  what  they  presently
         possess.   Trench notes that the parable was told
              to  teach  the need of a patient waiting for Christ
              by His disciples; and not merely that, but also  of
              an  active  working  for  Him  during  his absence.
              (Trench, NOTES ON THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD,  p.
              185).
 

                                Central Truth

                    GOD EXPECTS US TO BE FAITHFUL IN SERVICE
              AND WAIT PATIENTLY FOR THE SECOND RETURN OF CHRIST.
 

                                 Conclusion

             We must all face  the  judgment  of  Christ.  Christians
         will  give  an account of their faithfulness.  It makes sense
         to work for the Lord, since that is all  that  will  survive.
         The  love  we  have  for  him  motivates us.  The love he has
         placed in our hearts  for  the  lost  motivates  us.   It  is
         absolute  folly  to  reject the lordship of Christ, who loves
         even the sinner absolutely.  It would be devastating to  face
         Christ unprepared.  END.