Luke 19:11-27
11 Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. 12 Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’ 14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’
15 “And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. 16 Then came the first, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’ 18 And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas.’ 19 Likewise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities.’
20 “Then another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief. 21 For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 And he said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. 23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’
24 “And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.’ 25 (But they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas.’) 26 ‘For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 27 But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.’ ”
In this text, the faithless servant who did nothing with his master’s mina allotted to him did not trust his master. The servant suspiciously presumed that his master would return his distrust and therefore give him only something of little or no value. At the very least this is a violation of the Eighth Commandment by not putting the best construction on everything and assuming the worst instead of the best. More unfortunately, the servant, by his callous attitude, lost whatever good he might have gained if he had only known what benefits his master’s gifts could deliver.
It was simple unbelief on the part of the servant that caused him to lose the good he had coming to him. All he had to do was not turn down the gift and responsibility from his master, and he would have received all the benefit.
It is simple unbelief on our part also that causes us to lose the good we have coming to us, the spiritual and eternal blessings and benefits that God Himself delivers through His Word and sacraments. If we do not trust the Giver of these gifts, we cannot appreciate what God does for us through Word and Sacrament. Ultimately it is our sin which turns us against God.
But when the Holy Spirit brings us to repentance, then we turn to Christ who has not turned His back on us. Indeed, He is the one who “gave His back to the smiters” (Is 50:6) in His cruel suffering and death which He willingly and perfectly endured for us and in our place.
Thanks and praise be to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who has called us to the one true faith and keeps us in it.
Let us pray: O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of Your Word; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
