Luke 19

And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.

And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.

And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.

And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.

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.

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?

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.

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

And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.

And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,

Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.

And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.

And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.

And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?

And they said, The Lord hath need of him.

And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.

And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.

And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;

Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.

And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;

Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,

And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.

What does Luke 19:16 mean?

Explanation

Luke 19:16 features a servant reporting to his master on the return he has generated from the investment that was entrusted to him.

In the Parable of the Minas (also known as the Parable of the Pounds), Jesus tells the story of a man of noble birth who goes away to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return.

Before leaving, he entrusts his servants with minas (a form of currency) and instructs them to put the money to work.

In this verse, the first servant has successfully traded with the mina and has produced a tenfold return. The literal meaning is straightforward: the servant has been industrious and efficient in using the resources given to him, yielding substantial profit.

Deeper meanings can be drawn from this parable.

It speaks to the concept of stewardship and the expectation that faithful followers will use their gifts and resources wisely to produce fruit for the kingdom of God.

The mina can be interpreted as anything that God gives to believers - time, talents, financial resources - and the expectation is that these are not to be wasted but are to be developed and grown in service to God and others.

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

The Parable of the Minas is found in the gospel of Luke, which was written around 80-110 A.D.

The parable reflects the societal and economic practices of the period, where servants would be entrusted with the wealth of the master and expected to engage in trade or investment to increase it.

The historical context within the narrative also suggests a second layer - that of a local ruler who would travel to a distant land to receive the right to rule (referencing the historical practice of receiving authority from a higher power, like the Roman emperor).

This doubles as a reference to Jesus himself, who, after his death, resurrection, and ascension, will one day return as King.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse (and parable) highlights aspects of Kingdom ethics and eschatology.

The expectation of the nobleman's return parallels the Christian expectation of Christ's second coming.

The diligent servant who multiplies the mina can be seen to represent the ideal disciple, who actively works in anticipation of the Master's return.

Different theological viewpoints may emphasize:

The Protestant work ethic, where personal diligence is believed to align with divine expectation.
Catholic social teachings might emphasize the aspect of serving the community and caring for the common good as part of stewardship.

Moreover, it demonstrates the principle of "to whom much is given, much will be required," recognizing varying levels of responsibility for different individuals based on their abilities and resources.

Practical Applications

In daily life, this verse encourages individuals to take responsibility for the resources and opportunities they have been given.

It serves as a call to action, suggesting that it is not enough to merely maintain what one has, but to strive to develop, grow, and multiply the impact one can have in the world.

This could manifest in various ways, such as:

Using talents and skills to serve and uplift the community.
Investing time in spiritual growth and helping others in their faith journeys.
Managing financial resources with integrity and for the purpose of supporting God’s work.

Cross-References

Matthew 25:14-30: The Parable of the Talents, which has a very similar theme and message.
Luke 12:48: "But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.

For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required."

Matthew 13:12: "For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath."

Language Study

The key words in this verse are rooted in Koine Greek.

The term "lord" (κύριος, kyrios) denotes one with authority or dominion, often used for masters or as a title for Jesus.

"Pound" (μνᾶ, mna) refers to a unit of currency in ancient Greece, equivalent to 100 drachmas, and is symbolic in this story of anything of value entrusted to someone by God.

"Gained" (προσειργάζομαι, proseirgazomai) means to produce or earn through work or effort, implying active and productive management of resources.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Similar themes are found in other ancient and religious literature where servants are given responsibility and expected to manage resources wisely.

The notion that those who are faithful in small matters will be entrusted with greater things is a common moral in many cultures.

However, this parable is unique in its context of the incoming Kingdom of God and the person of Christ as the returning nobleman.

Scientific Perspectives

While this verse does not directly intersect with scientific understandings, it does deal with principles of growth, investment, and returns, concepts that find parallels in the natural sciences (such as biology, where investment in energy leads to growth) and economic sciences (the study of resource management and growth).

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and theologians have commented on this passage.

For instance, John Calvin sees the parable as affirming the necessity of good works for the faithful, while Martin Luther suggests it shows believers must make use of their God-given gifts.

Contemporary commentaries often highlight principles of wise stewardship and the call to active discipleship.

They also tend to reflect on the judgment that comes from how well the resources were used, stressing accountability and the rewards of faithful service in the Kingdom of God.

Luke 19

Luke 19

What does Luke 19:16 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 19:16 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?