Written by Megan Meier
The Word
“22 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? 23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and 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 the one who has the ten minas.’ 25 And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ 26 ‘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. 27 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 19:22-27 ESV
Reflection
The king in the parable isn’t severe, the apathetic servant is trying to be manipulative (Luke 19:21). Like a kid who played video games instead of studying for the test, the servant is trying to deceive his lord into going easy on him and give him a higher grade than what he deserves. In failing to understand his lord’s heart, he broke it. The lord calls the servant “wicked” because he doesn’t do what he was told to do at the time, which was to put the money to work (Luke 19:13). This servant knew better than to waste his lord’s money and opportunities, he didn’t try to multiply his mina, not even the bare minimum and put the money in the bank. If he had been honest and repentant, saying “I was lazy and apathetic with your generous gift” instead of accusing his master of severity and theft, he would not have been spoken to as harshly.
Why does Ten get One’s mina? Why not Five? Because Ten put in the most effort for his lord, he made ten minas out of one. He was willing to put in the most effort, make the most personal sacrifices, and make himself vulnerable, even open to ridicule or persecution, to increase his mina. He proved himself to be the most faithful and trustworthy of the servants. But the apathetic servant loses out on his lord’s blessings entirely.
Then the king orders for the slaughter of his enemies, the subjects who rebelled against the King, foreshadowing Revelation 20, ending the parable.
Application
You’ve been given a mina, and God expects you to multiply it (Luke 19:13), it is our job to increase God’s Kingdom, those who aren’t productive or faithful will be subject to judgment (R.C. Sproul, 2015). The good news is God wants you to succeed in multiplying His Kingdom, and there are countless ways to do so.
At church, you can volunteer at the Children’s Ministry, donate your time to be a greeter, or join the prayer team, just to name a few examples. There is a right ministry for you. And while you’re finding it, you can witness to your atheist co-worker or to the waitress or barista, work on the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), the opportunities for multiplying your mina are endless!
Prayer
Dear Lord, help me to increase my mina for Your Kingdom so You can tell me, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Luke 19:17a). In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
References
Sproul, R. C. (2015, September 27). The parable of the minas, a sermon from R.C. Sproul: Listen
to free sermons from R.C. Sproul at ligonier.org. Ligonier Ministries.
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