Luke 19:11-27.

Luke 19:11-27

This is Luke’s first teaching of the fact Jesus would leave and then return again.

Also of the receiving of the Kingdom

In verse 11 we are told that the reason the parable that was shared by Jesus was because he was near Jerusalem and people thought the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.  This is Jesus’ last time to come to Jerusalem.

Verse 1 tells us that Jesus is in Jericho as he tells this parable, a town on the way to Jerusalem where we saw the salvation of the Lord come to Zacchaeus.

If we will note all of this parable contains time elements:

    He will leave

    He will receive His Kingdom

    He will return

There is a time for all of this.  It is not left up to whims. Days of work are set, and days of accounting are set. This is all a message our Lord is giving to those that can hear what He was saying.

A future study to be put up will address why Jesus spoke in parables. It would be good for the reader here to stop and look up the following verses:

    Matthew 13:11-17

    Mark 4:10-12

    Luke 8:9-10

Jesus taught in parables because of the rejection of those he taught, to trust in Him as the Messiah. In short order, UNBELIEF. It is no different today.

Unbelief separates from God. (Romans 1:28)

Just a note here that all of this is prophesied in Daniel 7:13-14

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13–14)ESV

Before he leaves, he gathers 10 servants and gives them portions of money (something close to 4 months wages)

There are two peoples in this parable.

    Servants-verse 13

    Citizens-verse 14

Both are together in parable but separate in nature, however, both combined in meaning from our Lord and meaning of this parable.

These servants that have been called and given money to take care of in the absence of this nobleman.  As this parable unfolds, the Lord is fixing to enter into Jerusalem and these gathered around him, are sure that the KIngdom that he is going to set up, will happen as He enters into Jerusalem. Rome will be cast out and a new kingdom will be set up.This would be the kingdom prophesied by all the prophets and Moses who had told of this kingdom. However, much was to learn of this by the master. ( verse 11)

The nobleman parable lets them know quickly, he is going to go away, stay gone to secure his kingdom, and then return. This is not what they thought nor expected. And the same today. Men do not know.

That should be quite eye opening to these hearing the parable. What they expected is not going to happen as they think. It is all settled at the determinate counsel of God before the foundation of the world. If they would listen, they would hear, and they would know.

What are these to do with the money he leaves them. Verse 10 says they are to “Occupy” until he returns.

Basically they were to "engage in business" until he gets back. This is a test for them, and they really do not know it.

It is interesting now to note in verse 14 as this parable unfolds, another class of followers turn up. We are now introduced to “His citizens”.  They wait until the nobleman leaves to declare to him, we hate him….and we will not have this man rule over us.

Wow, what a statement. But yet many say the same thing today.

We will not accept his Kingdom.  We will see how that plays later.

I can say with that statement, Their unbelief did not alter the nobleman in any way. Their choice to not have this man rule, does not affect the plans of the nobleman….not in any way, shape, or form.

It would be interesting to know how these felt having declared this.  Can not help but wonder their attitude having made their opinion made.

Another of the time element shown here.  The returning king will deal with that in his time.

In verse 15, He returns and has with Him the kingdom.  Also with his return he now commands for the servants to come together and give an account of how they “engaged in business” while he was gone.

This parable is to be applied to people who believe they are the Lord’s servants-not unbelievers.

There are two sins that are noted in this parable, which really will be seen in the end to be one sin. What is the sin of the servant in verses 20-23? His sin is doing nothing.

You will see that the thing he is requiring is nothing but FAITHFUL in VERY LITTLE.(verse 17)

This is not about money. The money was just a little thing or called very little.  This small amount of money meant little. It was just a small matter to the returned king…..it was faithfulness he was holding the servant accountable for.  They were being tested for authority in this kingdom.

What have you done with the gospel that has been given you and left for you to “engage in business” until our Nobleman returns?

The first two servants passed their accountability. However in verse 20 we find the third servant had simply hid and sat on the money and gained nothing for the King.

The focus of the parable rests on the third servant in the story.

Look how in verse 21, this slothful servant accuses the King for all of this. For I feared you, because you are an austere man. This is your fault for expecting too much of me.

Wow, the blame is to the king, not the slothful servant himself.

Notice how the king responds. I will judge you from your own lips, your own words.

Judgement is coming. It is sure. Accountability is sure. Judgement is set for those who are called and chosen.

For these servants, judgement was set.

A servant is one who follows his king or his master.This was nothing but a proving and trying of servants to the king relationship. What the king requires has come home in the kings’ return.

This servant was judged unable to carry out the tasks given and all was stripped from him. He sat judged.

It is an interesting thing to see in verse 13, that he called up 10 servants, and only three are used in the analogy.

“Many are called, but few are chosen”

Notice now we have one more group here that the king must deal with. This is a group or a remnant if you will, that thought they would stop the king and his kingdom, by refusing to be subject to the king. “We will not have this man rule over us”

Verse 27 seals their fates. Bring those citizens, ones who are citizens of my kingdom, who refuse to have me as their king.

Remember back, these changed nothing for the king. Their refusal did not alter the king nor his kingdom in any way. Their accountability is set and now judgement is passed on them. All in the kings timing.

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

They started out as citizens, but ended as enemies.

Another discussion must be added, Acts 3: 19-21. The Kingdom in Acts. No study on the Kingdom is completer without this scripture. We will add that later.