“The Just Shall Live By Faith”

New King James Version                          Written by: David Hicks

 

Romans 1:17 “ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

Galatians 3:11 “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith."

Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."

“Articles of Faith"

An Orderly Account Of The Greatest Story Ever Told

(A Study in Luke)

Chapter 19:11-27:

As the Lord travels through Jericho on the way to Jerusalem , He has entered the house of the chief tax collector and once again displayed that He did not regard the person of men, but came to seek and save the lost.

Text #1:

Luke 19:11 “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.”

In this lesson, the Lord is going to use a parable in an attempt to dispel many false hopes concerning the coming of the kingdom of God . There was some who thought that it would appear immediately and that it would be on earth. In addition, there would be those who would not want for its king to be after the likeness of Jesus. These would be the enemies mentioned in verse 27.

Text #2:

Luke 19:12-14 “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.”

See also: Matthew 25:14-30.

There is without a doubt a certainty of the receipt of a kingdom, which all the Jews awaited and a nobleman (Messiah). However, there can be little doubt in the minds of anyone reading this parable, that Jesus and the kingdom He spoke of was not the same one on the minds of those who looked to inherit the kingdom.

The attitude displayed by these who did not want Him to be their king played itself out; not to long from now, note:

Matthew 27:39-44 “And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
41 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, 42 “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel , let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. 43 He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.'”
44 Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.”

Luke 23:35-37 “And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.”
36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”

John 19:15 “But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!”
Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?”
The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”

However, the nobleman would still choose out from among His servants ten whom He would give charge over a sum of money to do business until He returned.

Minas: Also known as the “pound” or “talent”; was the equivalent of 3,000 shekels or about 3 months salary or wages. Although this was a good sum of money, it would be a paltry amount for a great nobleman of this day. This suggests that the poverty and humility displayed by this “certain nobleman” would give little incentive for His servants to remain faithful and show why they did not want Him to be their King.

Text #3:

Luke 19:15-19 “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.'

Again there is emphasis in the parable of the surety of the receipt of the kingdom by this Nobleman that no one wanted!

Then Came the First, and Second: The first two servants to appear before their King had been prosperous on His behalf. The Master, having been of humble estate Himself, could sympathize with His servants (Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:15-16), and delight in promoting them!

The success of the humble faithful is shared in the teaching of the Apostles to Christians who are diligent in the work they have been given by the Lord, note:

Hebrews 2:10-11 “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,”

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

2 Timothy 2:11-13 “This is a faithful saying:
For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.
12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”

Keep in mind that these chosen servants are going to be designated as different from the enemies of the Lord (Vs. 27). Thus there is some indication that although they may not have seen the Lord in the fashion they believed the Messiah would come, they recognized that He was from God and going to be their King. Thus they were obedient to this recognition and rewarded; unlike the next servant. Remember:

Luke 9:62 “But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke 14:11 “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Text #4:

Luke 19:20-23 “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?”

In stark contrast to the servants that may not have wanted this King, but were faithful anyway; here is an impudent servant. His rebellion knows no end, for not only is he unfaithful, he shows his contempt for the King by attempting to blame Him for his lack of success. This servant exemplifies the attitude of the enemies of the Lord and His teachings of the kingdom.

Austere: He places the blame for his failure on the demanding nature of the King. An austere man is harsh, severe, stern, and sometimes cold.

Here the wicked servant displays an attitude many have towards much of what Christ demands. “You ask too much”, some may say. It is the attitude “We do all the work and you reap all the benefits”.

The nature of our King is truly austere in demanding from us true discipleship (the King never denies this nature and states it as the very nature that now finds this servant unworthy). This is something He has been universally requiring of all who will follow Him. Yet, there is true benefit for such cross bearing as discipleship requires (displayed by the reward of the first two servants).

It would be the very obedience of the first two servants that would judge this last servant as unworthy (read: 2 Corinthians 10:3-6). Faithfulness in dire circumstances always judges as unworthy the excuse makers!

In addition, the Lord adds that the King would have been satisfied with an effort to just collect His investment back with interest from the money changers, rather than be faced with out-right rebellion.

Text #5:

Luke 19:24-27 “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.'”

Here, in the summary of the this parable of the Lord; is a simple recognition that not only the recognized enemies of the King, but also those servants of His that reject Him and fail to bear fruit, will be stripped of their benefits and utterly rejected in that day!

Something we as Christians ought to be mindful of!

Hebrews 4:1 “Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.”

Next: “The Triumphant Entry”