Luke 19:11-27

7. The parable of the minas 19:11-27

This parable serves in Luke’s narrative as a conclusion to the section on salvation’s recipients (Luke 18:9 to Luke 19:27). It provides something of a denouement (i.e., a final unraveling of the plot) following the excellent example of Zaccheus’ faith and the summary statement describing Jesus’ ministry. In this teaching to the people who were observing his meal with the tax collector, Jesus taught several important lessons. He repeated His coming rejection and future return, and He clarified the time when the kingdom would appear. He also explained the duty of His disciples during His absence from the earth. Both the nation of Israel and the disciples had duties to Jesus. This parable summarizes Jesus’ teaching on this subject.

The parable also prepared the people for the postponement of the kingdom. Most of the people who believed on Him expected it to arrive when Jesus reached Jerusalem. This teaching should have dispelled those hopes.

This parable is similar to the parable of the talents that Jesus gave later in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 25:14-30). However that one lacks the emphasis on the rejection of Jesus that was appropriate for the mixed audience that Jesus addressed in Zaccheus’ house (Luke 19:27).