Luke 19:11-27 - Ten Minas

This parable is found in Matthew 25:14-30 but Matthew does not mention the subjects hating the king (v14). The point seems to be to highlight the futility of their rebellion.The essence of the parable is twofold. First we are stewards of all that we have. Everything we have, be it talents or material wealth, we have only because God has given it to us. Just think about it, you had no say in whether or not you came into existence. We are dependent beings. And God will demand an accounting for what we do with our wealth. 

Secondly, we are to put our talents to good use, and what we do here will affect what happens in the future.

As we all know the one who got it in the neck was the servant who got one talent. He "played safe". Now there are several significant things about the parable. One is that Jesus, as He often does, surprises us. The ones who had a lot benefited most, the one who had least gets judged most harshly. We have a terrible habit of swinging from one extreme to the other. On the one hand there is the "prosperity gospel" merchants, and on the other the "God loves the poor" people. You know what we should do? Read the whole Bible and take it all on board! Prosperity is Biblical and following God will make a difference to your financial life (including being more generous towards others). God does love the poor and have a special concern for the oppressed, if we are Christlike then so will we. Money can be a dangerous snare. Wealth is not guaranteed and most certainly must not become the primary goal of your life. There are many things way more important than money. If we have food to eat and clothes to wear we should be content. And of course the Bible says much more, the point is read all of it, get the whole picture.

There is an important point here for the poor, and this applies to spiritual poverty as well as financial poverty.We have a responsibility to make the most of what we have, even if it is little. Charity (and socialism) has a habit of engendering a dependency culture and this is demeaning of humanity. We need to make the most of what we have.