THE GOSPEL OF LUKE: - Vital Christianity

214THE DISTRIBUTION OF MINAS (19:12-13)“ He said: ‘A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointedking and then to return” (v. 12).In the following parable there are two distinct morals intended; let it be viewed in thesetwo points of light.1. The behavior of the citizens to the nobleman2. The behavior of his own servants to himBy the behavior of the citizens, and their punishment (vv. 14,27) we are taught that theJews, who were the people of Christ, would reject Him, and try to prevent His reigning overthem in his spiritual kingdom, and would for that crime be severely punished by the destructionof their state. The disciples, who are His servants; and who made a good improvement of thefavors granted them by the Gospel, should be rewarded in proportion to the improvement madeunder the means of grace. This latter moral is all that is intended by Matthew (Mt 25:14) asspoken by Christ after His triumphant entry into Jerusalem; though Luke has here placed thatevent after the parable.The meaning of the different parts of this parable appears to be as follows.The Lord Jesus, who was shortly to be crucified by the Jews. He “went into a farcountry,” that is, ascended to the right hand of the Divine Majesty.The phrase “to receive a kingdom” refers to taking possession of the mediatorialkingdom, the right to which, as Messiah, Jesus had acquired by His sufferings (Php 2:8-9; Heb1:3,8-9). Here is an allusion to the custom of those days, when they who had kingdoms orgovernments given unto them went to Rome to receive that dignity from the emperors. TheJewish historian Josephus confirms this interpretation as he points out that Herod went to Rometo receive the sanction and authority of the Roman emperor. Here Herod divided his territoriesafter his death among his family and before its bequests became valid, they had to be confirmedby the Roman Emperor. Herod’s son Archelaus went to Rome for confirmation his post and wasin fact followed by an embassy of protesting Jews. In the event, Augustus sided with Archelaus.1He returned to judge and punish the rebellious Jews: