Lessons From The Parable Of The Ten Minas

Since it involves the distributions inwards add-on to role of money — called “minas” — the Parable of the Ten Minas (or Ten Talents) is ofttimes interpreted from a financial angle. I actually don’t think it’s truly virtually money, though it does comprise some obvious lessons most the resources nosotros are given.

Let’s offset yesteryear taking a expect at the parable.

Luke 19:12-26 (NIV)

He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come upwards dorsum.’

“But his subjects hated him as good as sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t wishing this adult man to live on our male someone monarch.’

“He was made Rex, all the same, also returned domicile. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, inward guild to allow out out what they had gained amongst it.

“The showtime ane came as well as said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned 10 to a greater extent than.’

“‘Well done, my practiced retainer!’ his principal replied. ‘Because y'all take away hold been trustworthy inward a rattling modest thing, bring accuse of x cities.’

“The infinitesimal came as good as said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned v more than than.’

“His chief answered, ‘You have got bill of 5 cities.’

“Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I receive kept it laid away inwards a patch of materials. I was afraid of yous, because yous are a hard adult male. You choose out what yous did non pose inward in addition to reap what you lot did non sow.’

“His brain replied, ‘I volition judge yous past times your ain words, you lot wicked retainer! You knew, did yous, that I am a hard human, taking out what I did not position inwards, besides reaping what I did non sow? Why so didn’t you lot pose my money on deposit, so that when I came dorsum, I could take away keep got collected it with interest?’

“Then he said to those standing past times, ‘Take his mina away from him together with give it to the ane who has 10 minas.’

“‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has x!’

“He replied, ‘I tell you lot that to everyone who has, to a greater extent than than testament be given, but every bit for the one who has cipher, even what they have volition live taken away.

Is the Parable almost Money?

Though Jesus uses money in the parable, it’s unlikely that He was talking about it specifically, particularly in regard to growing it. We have to remember that Jesus came into the world not for money, but for people. The money reference thence was most certain enough lone symbolic.

Consider also, that if Jesus had whatever money at all the Bible doesn’t tell us every chip much. As well, we have got no examples inward which Jesus sends his disciples out amongst money that needs to be grown inwards social social club to accolade Him. Clearly, He was using this parable to pull something other than coin, l-l though money is used to tell the story. Pure speculation on my sectionalization here, but peradventure Jesus was using money because He knew that it would assist His listeners to sympathize what He was trying to tell them.

A common non-monetary interpretation of the parallel — as good as the 1 I believe to alive on correct — is that Jesus was describing how the Kingdom of God would menses, also what our responsibilities would terminal inwards helping it make so.

Very briefly, the king inward the parable is Jesus Himself (“…went to a distant ground to have got himself appointed king together with together with so to homecoming”). The ii servants who grew their minas to v as good as ten, were those followers who embraced the mission besides multiplied what they had been given. They would each grip upwardly given cities to govern over (bang-upwardly inward the Kingdom).

The retainer who hid the money inwards fearfulness was given the same resources, but did null with them because He didn’t really believe (or 50-50 disagreed). Finally we maintain those who didn’t desire Him to handle upwards Rex — the citizens of the province he visited. They would be killed (the Judgment) for their lack of belief inwards him.

Using the Time as well Talents You’ve Been Given

The minas inward the parable, I believe, are representative of resources God gives us to brand the work of the Kingdom on public. First, at that location are spiritual resources. It starts amongst the gift of salvation; i time we have got it nosotros’re to tell others of it (sharing). Then in that location’s revelation. Each of us have got varying degrees of spiritual revelation. We give detect mean value of it every bit spiritual understanding where God opens our eyes to diverse teachings, too it’s a agency of reaching out to others on a different plane.

We’re also given resources in the form spiritual gifts. In Romans 12:6-8, the Apostle Paul lists some of these as prophesying, serving, teaching, encouragement, giving, leading as good as showing mercy.

We also have skills that can be used to spread the Gospel. We’re all spread across the employment and concern system spectrum and that gives us a chance to witness to those who don’t believe. God can use us where ever we are. In addition, by being good at the occupational work we do, we display integrity to those around us. And sometimes, we can even use our work skills to help others. Think about an accountant who helps another believer (or non-believer) with his tax returns, or a repairman who helps amongst repair piece of work at church building. Each of us tin give the sack witness wherever we are as well as inwards different ways through our skills.

Finally, there’s time. We don’t always think of it as a resource, but it is. We can use what time we have to volunteer at church, to help our neighbors, as good as to witness to others.

Each of these are resources that handgrip zilch to do alongside coin. I mean this is what the minas symbolize inwards the parable.

There Might live a Money Connection . . .

Does money gibe into this parable at all? Even though it’s non every chip pregnant as we may interpret it to be at outset glance, I mean it’s inwards inward that location likewise.

Like all the items listed above, money is also a resource. It can be used to further the Kingdom. Money can be used to do this by using it to dorsum upwardly the church building, to assist the pain likewise by supporting outreach ministries. And if it frees upwardly the holders time, it tin allow him or her to create mission piece of work or to participate inward outreach efforts closer to identify menage.

There’s also the affair of stewardship. Like all resources, coin is to live on grown besides preserved (as opposed to hoarded). Properly managed, money forcefulness out exist used as a resources inward the advancing of the Kingdom. By having money, you tin give the sack handgrip out inward a spot to attention others besides supply the financing to spread the Gospel.

Money isn’t the mina, but it is a cistron.

Whatever the mina is, whether it’s revelation, spiritual gifts, talents, time — or money — our greatest complete should be to use it to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. And when our lives are over we’ll hear, “Well done, proficient together with faithful retainer!” (Matthew 25:21)

What do you believe this parable is nigh? Leave your thoughts inward the comments below!