MUCH MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT THE LORD JESUS TAUGHT
1. Misunderstanding:
a) About the Kingdom of God
i) The Kingdom of David
ii) The restoration of David’s kingdom
iii) A political kingdom was in the mind of many
b) About when the Kingdom of God would come
i) The Lord Jesus had said many times over
ii) The Kingdom of Heaven was at hand
iii) Many thought He was talking about an earthly kingdom
c) Many thought that the Kingdom of God would come immediately
i) This added to the confusion
ii) The Lord Jesus had to set things right
2. The Lord Jesus was preparing to make His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
a) He taught the Parable of the Minas
b) He had to help the people clear up their misconception about the kingdom of God
FEATURES OF THE PARABLE OF THE MINAS (Luke 19:11-27)
1. A nobleman was traveling to a far country
2. He was going to receive a kingdom
3. He would return (Luke 19:12)
4. He called 10 of his servants
5. He gave them 10 minas (One mina each) (Luke 19:13a)
(A mina is equivalent to about 1 talent or 6000 denarii)
6. He instructed them:
“Do business till I come” (Luke 19:13b)
7. His citizens
a) They hated him
b) They sent a delegation
c) They expressed that they do not want him to be their king (Luke 19:14)
8. He returned after he had received his kingdom
a) He called his servants to report on what they had done
b) He wanted to know how each servant performed (Luke 19:15)
9. Two servants were cited
a) One earned 10 minas
b) One earned 5 minas
17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’ 18 And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas.’ 19 Likewise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities.’Luke 19:17-19
10. To the one who did best of all
a) Well done
b) Good servant
c) Because you were faithful in a very little
d) Have authority over ten cities
11. To the one who earned 5 minas
a) Likewise
i) Similar commendation was given
ii) This is the meaning of the word “likewise”
b) Reward
i) Less than the first one
ii) He was given charge over five cities
iii) He was rewarded according to his performance
12. The servant who did nothing at all
a) He returned the mina
b) He had kept the money safe (Luke 19:20)
13. His excuses
a) I feared you
b) Because you are an austere man
c) You collect what you did not deposit
d) And reap what you did not sow (Luke 19:21)
14. The response of the returned king
22 And he said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. 23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ Luke 19:22-23
a) His word to the wicked servant
b) He would be judged by his own words
c) His knowledge of his master was correct
i) He is an austere man
ii) He will collect what he did not deposit
iii) He will reap what he did not sow
iv) Why did the servant not put his money in the bank?
There would have been some interest earned!
15. Instructions to his servants
a) The mina would be taken from this wicked servant
b) It would be given to the servant who had earned 10 minas
16. The query of the servants
a) The servant already has 10 minas
b) Why give him another one?
17. The reply of the king
‘For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Luke 19:26
a) To everyone who has
b) (More) will be given
c) From him who does not have
Even what he has will be taken away from him
18. The response of the king whose subjects did not want him
a) But bring here those enemies of mine,who did not want me to reign over them and slay them before me.’
b) The enemies would be judged severely
LESSONS FROM THE PARABLE OF THE MINAS
1. The kingdom of God may not appear immediately
a) Don’t read into signs
b) Don’t have wrong expectations
2. The Lord has given us responsibilities we must discharge
a) Our life
b) Our work
3. He expects much from us
a) We have to account to Him one day
b) Let there be good work done
4. Wickedness
a) Excuses will be of no use
b) The Lord will have to deal with us according to what we say and do