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 19:21 mean?

Explanation

The verse Luke 19:21 appears in the Parable of the Minas, where Jesus tells a story of a nobleman who goes to a distant country to receive a kingdom and then return.

Before leaving, he gives each of his ten servants a mina (a unit of currency) and tells them to engage in business until he comes back.

Upon his return, the nobleman calls his servants to see what profit they have gained.

While some servants report multiplying their mina, the servant in this verse gives back the single mina and explains his inaction by describing the nobleman as an "austere man." The servant feared to take risks with the money because he perceived the nobleman as harsh and exacting, taking what he didn’t deposit and reaping what he didn’t sow.

This indicates a wrong understanding of the master's character and a missed opportunity to fulfill the expectations of his trust.

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Historical Context

This verse comes from the Gospel of Luke, which is the third book of the New Testament in the Christian Bible, and was written by Luke, the physician and companion of the Apostle Paul, likely between 59 and 63 A.D.

The parable is part of Jesus' teachings during his journey to Jerusalem, and it reflects some historical settings.

Herod the Great’s son Archelaus had gone to Rome to receive the authority to rule over Judea, which could have served as a background for the parable.

The listeners would be familiar with this kind of event, where a person of nobility left to receive a kingdom and then returned.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, the "austere man" represents God and the servant's response represents the different ways people react to God's expectations. One viewpoint might suggest that the fear and perception of God as harsh and punishing can lead believers to inaction and a legalistic faith.

In contrast, a more grace-centered interpretation may emphasize that a proper understanding of God’s nature is crucial to foster a fruitful and active faith.

Practical Applications

This verse can be applied to daily life as a teaching on how our perception of authority, or God's character, influences our actions.

Fear can paralyze and hinder the productive use of talents and opportunities.

This passage encourages individuals to act boldly and responsibly, using the "minas" they have been given – talents, time, resources – in service of the greater good and their higher calling, without being inhibited by fear based on misunderstanding.

Cross-References

Matthew 25:14-30 - The Parable of the Talents, which also discusses servants being entrusted with their master's money.
Matthew 25:26 - The master's response to a similar servant in the Parable of the Talents, who is also reprimanded for being unproductive out of fear.
Luke 19:26 - A verse within the same parable emphasizing the principle of reward in proportion to faithfulness.

Language Study

The original Greek words in this verse are significant for understanding its fuller meaning:

"austere" (αὐστηρός, austēros): stern, strict, or severe in manner or appearance.
"feared" (ἐφοβοῦμαί, ephoboumai): indicative of being frightened or having a reverential fear.
"takest up" (αἴρω, airō): to lift up or take away, but can also mean to receive or accept in some contexts.
"layedst not down" (οὐ τιθημι, ou tithēmi): did not put, place or deposit.
"reapest" (θερίζω, therizō): to harvest or gather.
"didst not sow" (οὐ σπείρω, ou speirō): did not scatter seed or plant.

Understanding these words in their original context enriches the interpretation of the servant's fear and response to the perceived harshness of the master.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In other religious traditions and cultures, the concept of a deity or authority figure who demands strict accounting from their followers can be seen. For example, in ancient Greek mythology, Zeus is often portrayed as a deity with strict expectations and severe punishments.

However, the parable challenges this perspective by demonstrating that the master expected the servants to understand his character and act accordingly rather than shrinking back in fear.

Scientific Perspectives

From a psychological standpoint, the servant's behavior reflects a fear-based response, which can be understood in light of modern understandings of human psychology.

Avoidance and inaction due to fear are well-documented behaviors that can lead to a failure to maximize one's potential.

The study of risk perception and risk-taking behavior is also relevant here; assessing one's master as "austere" may limit one's willingness to take risks that could lead to personal or communal growth.

Commentaries

Commentators have various interpretations of this verse.

Some align with the perspective that fear of the master's strictness rendered the servant inactive.

Others suggest that the servant's accusation was a defense mechanism to justify his own laziness or lack of responsibility.

Still, other commentators focus on the implied judgment by the master that the servant should have known better and acted differently.

It is widely agreed among experts that the parable as a whole teaches about being faithful with what one has been entrusted by God.

Luke 19

Luke 19

What does Luke 19:21 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 19:21 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?