He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’” Luke 19:11-13

            Jesus told two similar parables with similar points, but with different characters and situations in the parable.  In the bags of gold parable in Matthew 25, Jesus told about a master who gave three servants different quantities of gold in bags—five, three and one—and told them to multiply it.  The two with five and three bags multiplied while the one bagger buried it.  The two servants were applauded and the last servant punished for doing nothing.

            In the ten minas parable found in Luke 19, all three servants received the same quantity of money (a mina equals three months wages so that’s 30 months wages in total) and then two were celebrated for multiplying the money and one punished for doing nothing.

            The differences are subtle.  In the bags of gold parable, the servants loved the master.  In the minas parable, the subjects hated the one made king.  Jesus drove the parables point home to two different audiences.  Jesus encouraged his followers in the bags of gold to use what they’ve been given to multiply the kingdom of God.  He loved them.  If they do nothing, God will be disappointed and there will be questions as to whether they were saved.

            In the ten minas, Jesus confronted the Pharisees (the ones in the story who didn’t want the man to be king).  They were all given the same incredible opportunity—to be religious leaders for the Jews.  However, if they didn’t multiply the priceless gifts they were given and acknowledge the coming Messiah, they would have everything stripped away and given to those who were working for the one who became king.

            Similar parables to different audiences.