LUKE 19:11-27 MULTIPLICATION

MULTIPLICATION

Luke 19:11-27

Luke 19:11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.

Susan: Since Jesus had left Jericho and was nearing Jerusalem, his followers assumed that He would now set up His earthly kingdom. They were still thinking of the Messiah as the One who would conquer the Romans and get them out from under their rule.

Susie: Therefore, Jesus told a parable that makes the point that the timing of His earthly kingdom is not as important as the fact that they should be about building that kingdom and serving Him until such time as He returns to take the throne.

Susan: The timing of Him assuming His role as an earthly kingdom is His part. Our part is to go ahead and serve Him here and now. We are to not only occupy but be busy about Kingdom business until His returns. We should be multiplying His Kingdom by internalizing His word in order to share it and make disciples.

Luke 19:12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.

Susie: This concept would have been familiar to Jesus’s listeners. In order to officially assume rule over an area, the king would have to travel to another place to be named king by a higher king. Herod the Great had to travel to Rome to be awarded his kingship.

Luke 19:13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

Susie: He gave ten pounds (or minas) to servants to be used while he was gone. There were ten servants, and each one got one mina which was the equivalent of about three months wages.

Susan: They were all given the same amount. The Complete Jewish Bible says they are to “Do business with this while I’m away.” Today, they might invest it in the stock market, a mutual fund, a certificate of deposit, or a savings account.

Susie: Or they might buy something at a low price and sell it at a higher price like the show “Flea Market Flip.”

Luke 19:14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

Susan: Some of his subjects sent an envoy ahead of him with the message, “We despise the idea of this man ruling over us. We won’t stand for it.”

Susie: As we will see in a later verse, this message apparently got back to the king. He found out about their rejection.

Luke 19:15 And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

Susan: He called them to, as they say in Missouri, “Show me the money!”

Susie: He required that each man give an accounting of how wisely he had invested his one mina.

Luke 19:16-17 Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

Susie: The amount they were given to start with was not a huge sum of money. In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), the three servants were given a great deal more. A mina was 1/60^th of a talent!

Susan: A current example would be if a Sonic™ waitress had been given $100 and brought back $1000 to her boss. Then her boss makes her the manager of 10 Sonic™ locations.

Susie: The servant had been responsible for really very little compared to now being awarded the responsibility of managing ten cities!

Susan: Even though we are saved by grace, our works done as a result of knowing Jesus, will be rewarded even more bountifully than we can imagine.

1 Corinthians 3:13-15 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Luke 19:18-19 And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.

Susan: We know the king was not disappointed with the second servant because he gave him no rebuke for only multiplying his money five times.

Susie: Perhaps he was aware of this man’s abilities and realized he had done his best.

Susan: The king gave him a reward in keeping with his skill set. He multiplied the money five times and was put over five cities.

Susie: We do not see the servant complaining that the other man got ten cities and he was only awarded five. I think they were both in shock that they were being given this great honor and responsibility.

Luke 19:20-21 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.

Susan: The third man had no internal motivation to do his best to serve the master. Instead, out of abject terror, he just made a point not to lose the one mina he had. He wrapped it up carefully and hid it so it would not be stolen or lost.

Susie: His impression of the master was that he cheated people by reaping something that someone else sowed and taking out what he didn’t put in.

Luke 19:22-23 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?

Susie: The king is not admitting that he truly was as the man described him. He is just stating that if the man truly believed this about him, he should have made a point to put the money to use. He should have known the master would want to see an increase.

Luke 19:24-26 And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)  For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.

Susan: He told those standing nearby to take the money from the one who had not multiplied it and give it to the one who had multiplied his resources most wisely. It makes sense to place his money with the better investor.

Susie: The crowd protested that the first servant already had ten pounds (minas), but the king did not change his mind. The only punishment for the servant that earned nothing was to take away the small amount he had been given. Lest we think this is too harsh, remember that he had not earned this money. It belonged to the master the whole time. He was just not given further opportunity to prove himself as a steward of the king’s resources.

Luke 19:27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

Susan: Those who protested his appointment as king and secretly sent an envoy to try to have his kingship annulled were brought before him to be executed.

Susie: Those who had rejected him as king would not be given the privilege of living in his kingdom. In fact, they would not be given the privilege to keep on living at all!

Ponder this and Apply it: Every believer has been given the gift of salvation and the responsibility to multiply the kingdom of God by sharing the Gospel and making disciples. Some are more diligent about Kingdom business than others and will receive greater rewards. Are you using the skills the Lord has given you to His glory? Are you using your time wisely to further the Kingdom of God by witnessing as you go about your daily business? Do we proclaim the victory of His cross and the reality of His resurrection? Do you long to hear the words, “Well done!” when you meet the Lord? Then be about His business while we wait for His return to reign on the earth.