Christmas Holiday Easter Gifts Giving Pets Farm Ranch Equine Horse Family Cooking Electronics Music Kitchen Storage Tools Hobby Reading Publications Travel Repair Vehicles Fun
Copyright © 2012 J. Neely. All rights reserved.
To receive notice of each days Bible Study,
please go to my twitter page and sign up.
https://twitter.com/jneelyranch
You can help people worldwide. Please make a small donation.
Make a difference in someone elses life.
Chapter 23 - Ten Minas
Luke 19:16-19
16 Then [de] came [paraginomai] the first [protos] , saying [lego] , Lord [kurios] , thy [sou] pound [mna] hath gained [prosergazomai] ten [deka] pounds [mna] .
17 And [kai] he said [epo] unto him [autos] , Well [eu] , thou good [agathos] servant [doulos] : because [hoti] thou hast been [ginomai] faithful [pistos] in [en] a very little [elachistos] , have [echo] thou authority [isthi] [exousia] over [epano] ten [deka] cities [polis] .
18 And [kai] the second [deuteros] came [erchomai] , saying [lego] , Lord [kurios] , thy [sou] pound [mna] hath gained [poieo] five [pente] pounds [mna] .
19 And [de] he said [epo] likewise [kai] to him [touto] , Be [ginomai] thou [su] also [kai] over [epano] five [pente] cities [polis] . KJV-Interlinear
16 'And the first appeared, saying, 'Master, your mina has made ten minas more.' 17 'And he said to him, 'Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, be in authority over ten cities.' 18 'And the second came, saying, 'Your mina, master, has made five minas.' 19 'And he said to him also, 'And you are to be over five cities.' NASB
The number ten is used in the Bible to indicate the expectation or the number sufficient to form a completion of an era, an event, or something similar to that. As an example, there were ten antediluvian patriarchs, Gen. 5, or the possibility of ten righteous men who would have allowed the saving Sodom, the ten plagues of Egypt, the ten commandments, Ex. 20:2-17, Deut. 5:6-21. The number ten was a favorite symbolic number suggestive of a rounded total, or a number which indicated the completion of a thing.
The slaves were given ten minas, or one mina each. There were ten slaves. This indicates that all slaves were given the same thing. All were given an amount sufficient to carry them through life until they were called before the Master, the Nobleman, Jesus Christ. This calling for evaluation would not occur until the Nobleman had received His kingdom. That is to say, the Cross and coronation must precede the Kingdom.
The first slave though given an amount which is small by worldly standards, just three months pay, turned it into ten times the original amount. He was given the title 'good' slave. He did as much as could be expected from a slave. The slave was not super hero, and living in a prejudiced world would be fighting an uphill battle in order to maintain his investment track. But he was obedient to the Master and he persevered despite the onslaught of the world against Him. This is the mature believer. The believer who sees the value and the destiny which lay before Him. Who trusts the promises of God and sticks with Gods plan which will benefit the believer immensely in the long run.
Given but three months pay of a common laborer, and being a slave, now he is given command of ten cities. A city is not a village, not a town, but a large metropolitan area. It is the center of commerce, of power, or authority, and so forth. This is quite a jump or promotion from slave, to Governor, or Duke if you will.
In centuries past the royalty of the region would give appointments to various people and these appointments came with titles and lands to own or control. An example of titles given are Duke, Marquis, Count or Earl, Viscount, and Baron. The Duke being the highest title and the Baron being the lowest title for landed nobility. Likewise in Rev. 1-3, which we have already studied, we note that Christ will give out new names, new titles, new privileges and so forth to those who are faithful to His Word, to those who advance to spiritual maturity.
With this parable, and with the Ten Talents parable (which we have not yet studied), we complete a picture of what is waiting those who pursue their spiritual life. Great blessings beyond imagination. From slave to Duke is quite a jump. But believers in Christ are more than appointed nobility, we are family of God, and therefore we are royalty, that means that the blessings are just that much greater.
Blessings given out in heaven are not an all or nothing proposition. As we see here, the second slave was faithful, but could have done more. Nevertheless he is given blessings over five cities, though not complete authority, also he was not given the title 'good' slave.
Th difference between the two is attitude toward God and His word.
Psa. 115:1
1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, But to Thy name give glory Because of Thy lovingkindness, because of Thy truth. NASB
1 Cor. 15:10
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, NASB
Some will see the value of their spiritual life, and they will pursue it with a vigor, regardless of the criticisms and distractions that the world will throw at them. They will follow that check list we put together a while back (find it on the web site index page), and try to maximize their spiritual life. Placing God first and themselves last.
Others see the value of the Spiritual life, but they fill their lives with excuses, compromises, distractions and so forth. They just don't apply themselves quite as much in their spiritual lives. Their worldly life is too important to them. They pick and choose which Biblical principles they will comply with. And it is just too easy to keep hold of something they are comfortable with in this life. So their spiritual growth is handicapped and cut short by their other interests.
These are the first two faithful slaves. They were obedient to some extent and therefore they receive blessings far beyond anything that they could ever possibly achieve on their own.
The parable speaks of cities as the object of high honor but since we know more of our universe today, and that it will be destroyed and changed into something new and infinitely better, then we can think of galaxies or their future replacement as the example of the blessings which God has waiting for us.
We do not know the exact blessings which will be given out, but the magnitude of them is in view here and it will be beyond imagination. Now let your imagination run a little wild !!!
End of Lesson
Previous Page
Table of Contents
Next Page
Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.
Go To Online Bible Index Page