Luke 19:11-28
Dear RTB’ers,
Jesus tells a realistic parable here. It was not uncommon for noblemen to go to Rome and get their orders – receiving regions for their administration. My Study Bible noted that the Herods did just that when they were appointed rulers over the Jews. So the first two servants being appointed over ten cities and five cities, respectively, was a reasonable reward for their stewardship. But as a parable, Jesus is less interested in the local rulers and more interested in heavenly things. He is telling us about our earthly behavior and rewards accruing to us based on what we do: “I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Luke 19:26) I suspect that Jesus could well have been inferring to the Jewish leaders as “servants” who had not done anything with what they were receiving from Him, and that their leadership in heavenly matters would be taken away and given to others. We see this happening in the book of Acts and in later history as the Church grows and the Jewish kingdom falters.
And when He had said these things, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. (Luke 19:28) And that’s how we leave Luke for now, as we go back to the Old Testament for the next three weeks to finish the second half of Genesis.
Blessings!