Ten Mina Man

About a decade ago, I was struck by  “The Parable of the Ten Minas” [Luke 19.11-27].  Luke sandwiched the story between the one on Zacchaeus [Luke 19.1-10] and Jesus’ Triumphal Entry [Luke 19.28-44].  The more I studied this parable, the more I realized I needed to make this my “life passage.”

This parable is extremely rich!  I won’t attempt to discuss everything in this one blog.  

Here are some of the things I have learned:

• The setting for this parable is just prior to Jesus’ triumphal entry. Most people thought Jesus was going to establish an earthly “kingdom of God” and the Jews would be free from the Roman rule. [11]

• The “man of noble birth” is Jesus. [12]

• Jesus would soon be leaving this “country” and going to a “distant country” [12]

• Jesus chose ten of His servants / slaves to entrust with a mina to do “business” while He was gone. [13]

• Based on some assumptions, a mina would be worth about $5,000 today

• The parable discusses three of the servants that serve as “types” for us today.

• First servant

  • Investment results: Produced ten more minas [16]

  • Rewards:

    • Praise: Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very small matter … [17]

    • Authority: Authority over ten cities [17]

    • More minas: Received the mina from the third servant [24-26]

• Second servant

  • Investment results: Made five minas [18]

  • Reward:

    • Praise: None

    • Authority: Authority over five cities [19]

    • More minas: None

• Third servant

  • Investment results: Buried it and received zero return [20-21]

  • Reward:

    • Praise: None but rather condemnation [22-23]

    • Authority: None

    • More minas: None. Lost initial mina to the one who had earned ten [24]

It isn’t clear from the parable what a mina represents. I have heard it suggested that it could be the gospel or it could be time. Either way, Jesus wants us to invest what He has given us into advancing / expanding His kingdom.

In addition to getting authority over more cities and more minas, the first servant received praise from Jesus. I want Jesus to slap me on the back, give me high-fives and say, “Well done, good servant! You have been faithful”.

I am striving to be a 10-mina-man. I don’t know exactly what that looks like, but that is my life goal.

How about you? What does this parable say to you?