Luke 19:11 - Meaning and Application

Our Lord Jesus is now on his way to Jerusalem for his last Passover, when he would suffer and die. At this moment, we are told how the hopes of his friends rose. They thought that the kingdom of God would appear at once (Luke 19:11). The Pharisees expected it about that time (Luke 17:20), and it seems Christ’s own disciples did too, though both groups had the wrong idea about it. The Pharisees thought it would be brought in by some other earthly ruler. The disciples thought their Master would bring it in, but with outward power and glory, since they knew he could show great power through miracles whenever he chose.

They assumed Jerusalem would be the center of his kingdom. So, now that he was going there, they expected to see him on the throne very soon. Even good people can misunderstand Christ’s kingdom and think what will only come later is about to appear right away.

Christ corrects their mistakes in three ways. First, they expected him to appear in glory at once, but he tells them he will not be publicly crowned king for a long time yet. He is like a certain nobleman, a man of high birth, because he is the Lord from heaven and has the right to the kingdom by birth. But he goes to a far country to receive a kingdom for himself.

Christ must go to heaven, sit at the Father’s right hand, and receive honor and glory there. Only then would the Spirit be poured out, by which his kingdom would be set up on earth, and a church would be formed for him among the Gentiles. He must receive the kingdom, and then return. He came back when the Spirit was poured out and when Jerusalem was destroyed. By then, the whole generation of friends and enemies who had known him in person had died and given account of themselves. But the main return meant here is the great day, which we still wait for. What they thought would appear immediately, Christ says will not appear until this same Jesus, who has been taken into heaven, comes again in the same way (Acts 1:11).

Second, they expected that his apostles and close followers would be raised to honor and rank. They imagined they would all become princes, important advisers, and judges, with all the wealth and display of court life. But Christ tells them that, instead of this, he intended them to be people of work. They should expect no other worldly advancement than the life of ordinary labor and service. He would give them resources to use, so they could serve him and support his kingdom among people.

That is the true honor of a Christian and especially of a minister. If we truly value it as we should, it makes us look on earthly honor with holy disregard. The apostles had been dreaming of sitting at his right hand and left in his kingdom, enjoying rest after their present toil and honor after the present shame. Christ gives them a picture that should have filled them with concern and serious thought instead of proud ambition.

They have a great work to do now. Their Master goes away to receive his kingdom, and at parting he gives each of them a pound. The margin of our Bibles says this was worth about three pounds and half a crown in our money. This points to the same truth as the talents in the parallel parable in Matthew 25, meaning all the gifts Christ gave his apostles, along with the opportunities and abilities they had to serve his kingdom. It also applies, in a lower way, to other ministers and Christians like them.

He may have used this image to keep them humble. Their honor in this world is only that of traders, and not even wealthy merchants with large sums to begin with. They are like poor traders who must work hard and carefully to make use of what they have. He gave these pounds to his servants, not to buy fine clothing or a splendid carriage for themselves, as they had expected, but with this command: “Occupy till I come.” Or better, “Trade till I come.” The word means, “Be busy.”

This was their work: to preach the gospel, to establish a church for Christ in the world, to bring the nations into obedience to faith, and to strengthen them in it. They would receive power for this, because they would be filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). When Christ breathed on the eleven disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” he was giving them these pounds. His command was, “Now mind your business, and do it earnestly. Apply yourselves to it, and keep at it. Give yourselves fully to doing all the good you can for the souls of people, and bring them to Christ.”

All Christians have work to do for Christ in this world, and ministers especially. The former were not baptized, and the latter were not ordained, to sit idle. Those whom Christ calls to his work he equips with the gifts they need. In return, he expects service from the gifts he gives. He gives the pounds with this charge, “Go work, go trade.” The Spirit is given to each one for the good of all (1 Corinthians 12:7). And as each one has received a gift, each one should use it to serve others (1 Peter 4:10).

We must keep minding our business until our Master comes back, no matter what trouble or opposition we face. Only those who endure to the end will be saved. Third, they have a great account to give soon. These servants are called to him to show how they used the gifts he had honored them with, what service they had done for Christ, and what good they had done for people’s souls, so that he might know what each man had gained by trading.

Those who work faithfully in Christ’s service will gain something. We cannot say that about the work of this world, because many laborers lose instead of gain. But those who trade for Christ will surely gain. Even if Israel is not gathered, they will still be honored. The conversion of souls is a real gain. Every true convert is clear gain to Jesus Christ.

Ministers are only agents for him, and they must give an account of how many they have brought in through the gospel net, and how many have been persuaded to come to the wedding feast. In other words, they must tell what they have gained by trading. Now notice the good report given by some of the servants, and the master’s approval of them.

Two examples are given here, in Luke 19:16 and Luke 19:19. Both servants made real gains, but not equal gains, one earned ten more pounds by trading, the other earned five. Those who are diligent and faithful in serving Christ are often blessed by becoming a blessing to the places where they live. They will see the result of their work and will not labor in vain.

Still, not all faithful servants have the same outward success. The difference may also suggest that one worked harder and gave himself more fully to his task than the other, and so did better. Paul, who may be pictured here as the servant who gained ten pounds, says he worked more than the others, and preached the gospel fully. Yet he also knew that this was by God’s grace.

Both servants also admitted their debt to their master for giving them the chance and ability to serve him. In effect, they say, “Lord, it was not my skill, but your pound, that gained these pounds.” God must have all the glory for every gain we make. “Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory” (Psalm 115:1). Paul says the same thing when he writes, “I labored, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10). He does not boast in what he did, but in what God did through him (Romans 15:18).

Both servants were praised for their faithfulness and effort: “Well done, good servant” (Luke 19:17). He says the same to the other servant in Luke 19:19. Those who do what is good will receive praise for it. Do what is right, and Christ will say, “Well done.” If he speaks that word, it matters little who speaks against you. See Genesis 4:7.

They were also rewarded according to the increase they had made. The master says, in effect, “Because you were faithful in a very little thing, and did not say, ‘It is only one pound, why bother to trade with it?’ but honestly and humbly used it well, have authority over ten cities.” Those who begin low and stay faithful are on a good path to rise. A deacon who serves well gains a good standing for himself (1 Timothy 3:13).

This also points to two promises to the apostles. First, after they had worked to plant many churches, they would have the joy and honor of guiding them. They would be respected and loved by sincere Christians. The one who tends the fig tree gets its fruit, and the one who labors in teaching is worthy of double honor. Second, after serving their generation according to Christ’s will, even if they were despised, mistreated, and sent out of this world under shame or persecution as the apostles were, they would reign with Christ in the next world. They would sit with him on his throne and share authority over the nations (Revelation 2:26).

This shows that heaven’s joy will be a much greater promotion for a good minister or believer than it would be for a poor trader to be put over ten cities. The servant who gained only five pounds was given rule over five cities. That suggests that there are degrees of glory in heaven. Every vessel will be full, but not every vessel will be the same size. The degrees of glory there will match the degrees of usefulness here.

Next comes the bad report from one servant and the sentence given for his sloth and unfaithfulness, in Luke 19:20 and following. He admitted that he had not traded with the pound entrusted to him: “Lord, here is your pound. I have not increased it, but I have also not lost it. I kept it safe in a cloth.” This pictures the careless person who has gifts but never uses them for good. Such a person does not care whether Christ’s kingdom advances or falls back. He will take no trouble, spend no effort, and risk nothing. These are the servants who hide their pound in a cloth. They think it is enough to say they have done no harm, though they have done no good.

He then tried to excuse himself, but his excuse only made the matter worse. He said, “I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man” (Luke 19:21). The word means a sharp or harsh man. He accused his master of making unreasonable demands, as if the master were taking what he had not given and expecting a harvest where he had not sown. In truth, the master expected a return in line with what he had entrusted, just as a farmer expects a crop from his own seed. The servant had no real reason to fear his master or blame his expectations. This was only a weak excuse for laziness, with no solid ground at all. When lazy believers are examined, their excuses usually bring shame, not defense.

The master turns the servant’s own words against him: “Out of your own mouth I will judge you, wicked servant” (Luke 19:22). He is condemned by his action, and also by his own claim. If the servant thought it was too much to ask for profit from trading, he could at least have put the money in a bank so it could earn interest. That would have given the master back his own money plus some gain. If he truly feared losing the principal, and that is why he would not trade, then he still had no excuse for not lending it out at interest, where it would have been safe. Whatever excuses lazy believers offer, the real reason is a settled indifference to Christ and his kingdom. They do not care whether religion grows or shrinks, as long as they can stay comfortable.

So his pound is taken away from him (Luke 19:24). It is right that those who will not use their gifts should lose them, and that those who deal falsely should no longer be trusted. If a person will not serve his Master with what the Master gives, why should he be allowed to use it for himself? “Take the pound from him.”

Then it is given to the one who had the ten pounds. When people objected, since he already had so much, “Lord, he has ten pounds” (Luke 19:25), the answer was, “To everyone who has, more will be given” (Luke 19:26). This is a rule of justice. Those who have shown the most diligence should be encouraged the most, and those who have worked hardest to do good should have wider chances to do good and a larger place of service.

The grace and gifts a person uses well will grow, so he will be able to use them for even more good. But those who keep their gifts as if they had none, who do nothing worthwhile with them, will lose them. If we work to increase the grace we already have, God will give more. If we neglect it and let it fade, we should expect God to let it fade too. Christ gives this needed warning to his disciples, so that while they were looking for honors on earth, they would not neglect their real work and miss their happiness in heaven.

The disciples also expected that when the kingdom of God appeared, the Jewish nation would quickly accept it, submit to Christ, and lose all hatred toward him and his gospel. But Christ tells them that after his departure, most of them would stay stubborn and rebellious, and that would lead to their ruin. This is shown in the message his citizens sent after him, in Luke 19:14. They opposed him while he was still low and hidden, and even after he went into glory to receive his kingdom, they kept up their hatred. They protested against his rule and said, "We will not have this man reign over us."

This was fulfilled in the Jews' widespread unbelief after Christ's ascension and the setting up of the gospel kingdom. They would not bow to his rule or submit to his authority. Their words echo Psalm 2:1-3 and Acts 4:26. They also speak for all unbelievers. Many may be willing for Christ to save them, but they do not want him to rule over them. Yet Christ is a Savior only to those who also receive him as ruler and are willing to obey him.

Their sentence is shown in Christ's return: "Bring here those enemies of mine" (Luke 19:27). When his faithful subjects are honored and rewarded, he will also judge his enemies, especially the Jewish nation, whose doom is pictured here. Once Christ set up his gospel kingdom and gave honor to the gospel ministry, he called the Jews to account. They had openly rejected his kingly office when they said, "We have no king but Caesar," and would not own him as their king. They appealed to Caesar, and Caesar would become their ruin.

Then the kingdom of God appeared in another way, when judgment fell on those stubborn enemies of Christ and his rule. They were brought out and slain before him. No war ever caused so much slaughter as the wars of the Jews. That nation lived to see Christianity victorious among the Gentiles, despite its own hatred and opposition, and then it was removed like worthless dross. The wrath of Christ came on them fully (1 Thessalonians 2:15-16), and their destruction greatly honored Christ and brought peace to the church. This also applies to all who keep refusing the faith and will surely perish in it.

Complete ruin will be the sure lot of all Christ's enemies. In the day of judgment, they will all be brought out and slain before him. Bring them here, so saints and angels may see the result, as in Joshua 10:22, 10:24. Bring them here, so they may see the glory and joy of Christ and his people, whom they hated and persecuted. Bring them here, so their weak excuses are silenced and sentence is passed according to what they deserve. Bring them, and slay them before me, as Agag was brought before Samuel. The Savior they rejected will stand by and see them judged, and will not step in for them.

Those who will not have Christ rule over them will be treated as his enemies. We may be tempted to think that only persecutors of Christianity, or at least mockers, are Christ's enemies. But this shows that those also count as enemies who dislike the terms of salvation, will not submit to Christ's rule, and want to be their own masters. Whoever will not be ruled by Christ's grace will surely be ruined by Christ's wrath.