Ever had someone in charge make a decision that felt off? Maybe a boss who played favorites. A leader who demanded more but gave less. Or someone who seemed to win no matter how they treated people.
Jesus told His followers a story like that.
At first glance, the parable of the ten minas sounds like a lesson about money or productivity. But there’s something deeper going on here. Something that pokes at power, injustice, and what it really looks like to follow Jesus in a world that doesn’t always reward faithfulness.
Most of the time, Jesus’ parables confused their listeners; this one was different. The people listening to Jesus would have known exactly who He was talking about.
A noble who left for a distant country to be appointed king and then returned to crush those who opposed him wasn’t just a fictional illustration; it was a painful part of Jewish history. This connection wouldn’t have been lost on them. The parable reminds us that Jesus was offering His followers a very different kind of kingdom—a kingdom built on justice, mercy, and peace.
What Is a Parable?
A parable is a simple story that uses everyday imagery to reveal deep spiritual truths. Jesus didn’t invent parables, but He was a master parable teller, using them to teach timeless lessons about God’s kingdom.
Parables invited listeners to lean in, reflect, and wrestle with what Jesus was really saying. For those with open hearts, these simple stories revealed deep spiritual truths. But for those who resisted, the meaning remained hidden.
Want to go deeper into Jesus’ stories? Here’s your guide: The Ultimate Guide to the Parables of Jesus.
Where Does the Parable of the Ten Minas Appear in Scripture?
The parable of the ten minas appears in Luke 19:11-27.
Different Perspectives on the Parable of the Ten Minas
In this article, we focus on an interpretation of this parable where the king represents corrupt, oppressive power, and the so-called “wicked servant” offers a glimpse of resistance within a broken system.
But this isn’t the only way people read these kinds of parables. In the parable of the talents, many readers today see the master as representing God and the servants as representing us, with the message centered on stewardship and faithfulness.
If you’re interested in exploring that more traditional view, be sure to check out our guide to the parable of the talents.
A Parable of the Ten Minas Summary
Jesus told a story about a ruler who went away to be made king and left his servants with an important task. Here’s what happened:
- A man of noble birth left for a distant country to be appointed king.
- Before leaving, he gave ten of his servants one mina each (about three months’ wages) and told them to put the money to work while he was gone.
- The citizens hated the man and sent a message saying they didn’t want him to be king, but he was made king anyway.
- When the king returned, he asked his servants what they had done with the ten minas.
- The first servant had earned ten more minas and was rewarded with authority over ten cities.
- The second servant had earned five more minas and was given charge of five cities.
- The third servant had done nothing with his mina because he was afraid. The king called him a wicked servant and took the mina away, giving it to the servant who had earned ten.
- Finally, the king ordered that his enemies, the subjects who had rejected him, be brought before him and killed.
Who’s Who in the Parable of the Ten Minas?
Every parable has people, objects, or places that carry deeper meaning. This parable is no different. Before we explore what it means, here’s a quick guide to who or what each character or element represents:
- Man of noble birth: leaders who seek power at all costs and rule through oppression and fear.
- Ten servants: people living under unjust systems, forced to choose between going along with corruption or risking punishment for resisting.
- Ten minas: the wealth or responsibility given to people within that system—tools that can be used for personal gain, exploitation, or avoided altogether at a cost.
- First and second servants: those who choose to play along with the unjust systems and are rewarded for their exploitative success.
- Wicked servant: those who refuse to participate in corruption, and are condemned by the system as unfaithful or lazy.
- Subjects who hated the man of noble birth: the people who resisted the ruler’s authority entirely and paid the ultimate price for it.
The Parable of the Ten Minas Explained
This parable isn’t about being a good steward. The parable of the ten minas challenges us to examine our loyalties. Will we pursue success and acceptance, even when it might hurt others? Or will we live with integrity and risk losing our reputation, status, and earnings?
Key takeaway: Jesus calls us to live for His kingdom, not the broken systems of this world.
The Context of the Parable of the Ten Minas
This parable wasn’t written to us, but it was spoken to real people in a real moment. Understanding that moment helps us see what Jesus meant more clearly.
Jesus told this story while on His way to Jerusalem. His followers expected Him to set up God’s kingdom right then and there in a bold, dramatic way.
They were hoping for a king who would bring peace, violently drive out the Romans, and fix everything immediately. But instead of confirming their expectations, Jesus shared this parable. Before we get to it, though, we need to explore the famous Bible story that sets up this parable.
The Story of Zacchaeus
Right before Jesus shared this parable, He met Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector.
Tax collectors at that time were community members who’d sold out to Rome. The law set manageable taxes for people within the empire, but there was a lot of room for corruption.
As a tax collector, Zacchaeus probably faced pressure from his bosses to collect more taxes. Following their lead would’ve helped Zacchaeus get promoted and gain favor with the Roman elite, who would appreciate and reward those who went above and beyond.
Zacchaeus had a well-paying job, and as long as he did what his boss expected of him, didn’t ask too many questions, and ignored any guilt he felt about who his corruption hurt, he could expect to rise through the ranks of wealth and power.
But one day, Jesus came to town, and something led Zacchaeus to seek Him out. Jesus noticed Zacchaeus and showed him simple kindness. Zacchaeus was so moved that he decided to give half of his possessions away and repay anyone he had cheated.
How Zacchaeus Relates to the Parable of the Ten Minas
So what happened? Zacchaeus was a person who was entrusted with money and had a habit of growing wealth through unjust means to please his employers—but then he decided he no longer wanted to participate in corruption. Keep that in mind moving forward.
Now, here’s one more key thing you need to know when it comes to the context: Jesus wasn’t being subtle or abstract with this parable. This may be one of His most direct parables in the Bible.
Jesus’ audience would have known that He wasn’t talking about some fictional ruler. He was talking about a specific ruler from recent history: Herod Archelaus.
Who Was Herod Archelaus?
Herod Archelaus was the son of Herod the Great. After Herod the Great died in 4 BCE, Archelaus traveled to Rome to ask Caesar Augustus to confirm him as king over Judea, Samaria, and Idumea. This is the distant country (or far country) detail in the parable that would have hit home for Jesus’ audience.
The people of Judea sent their own delegation to Rome at the same time, begging Caesar not to let Archelaus rule over them because of his cruelty.
Despite the protests, Archelaus was made ruler (though he wasn’t given the official title of king). When he returned, he ordered the massacre of thousands to crush opposition and secure his power.
The story of Archelaus was fresh in the minds of Jesus’ listeners. Some may have even had relatives killed in the protest.
What the Parable Meant to the Original Listeners
So let’s put these pieces together. You have an unjust ruler who entrusts wealth to people. The ruler expects several years’ worth of wages to be multiplied in a short amount of time. How does someone do that? Not through honest investments and hard work.
In that situation, a person had two options:
- Exploit others: The fastest way to turn a profit in the ancient world was through corruption, taking advantage of the poor, or shady business deals.
- Refuse to play along: Like the wicked servant, you could choose to do nothing, refusing to join the system. But in doing so, you risked facing the ruler’s judgment.
We see Zacchaeus live out both of these options. He’d chosen to exploit others, but His encounter with Jesus changed him, turning him into a man of integrity. But that integrity came with a cost.
We don’t know what happened to Zacchaeus after this story, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he had an uncomfortable meeting with his boss. Because what does a wealthy, powerful person who’s comfortable with corruption call someone who refuses to play along? Probably lazy, weak, and, if you lived back then, maybe even “wicked servant.”
But this story insists that it’s better to be seen as a “wicked servant” in a corrupt system than to play along—a powerful message for Jesus’ original audience and Christ followers today.
What the Parable of the Ten Minas Means Now
This parable is not about wealth management, using your gifts for God, or eternal rewards. It’s a story about how following Jesus will cost us, not because we hold certain theological beliefs, but because we refuse to participate in injustice.
You’ve probably experienced this in your own life. Someone tells you to look the other way, insists it’s no big deal, or that no one will get seriously hurt. And your instinct is to keep this person happy or look forward to the benefits you’ll get from going along with it.
You have to ask yourself, will I go along with what’s easy, even if it hurts others?
In moments like these, you have to ask yourself: Will I go along with what’s easy, even if it hurts others? Will I chase success and people pleasing, no matter the cost? Or will I live with integrity, even if it means being misunderstood, overlooked, or called weak?
Jesus invites us to see that His kingdom is not built on greed, fear, or oppression. It’s built on love, justice, and mercy. The parable of the ten minas pushes us to examine where our loyalty lies. Are we living for the approval of people in power, or are we living for the true King who rules with compassion?
Living with integrity today can look like this:
- Speaking up when you see injustice at work, in your community, or among your friends, even when it puts you in an awkward or risky position.
- Paying a little more for goods or services when you know the cheaper option likely comes at the cost of someone else’s dignity or fair treatment.
- Calling out family in conversations when racist, sexist, or hateful comments are made, even when it creates tension.
- Refusing to cheat on taxes or exaggerate deductions, even if “everyone does it.”
- Standing with someone who is being mistreated, even if it means losing social standing or being seen as difficult.
- Choosing not to share memes, posts, or articles that mock or insult people with different political views, even if they get a lot of laughs or likes.
- Stopping yourself from joining in when others are bashing someone’s beliefs or identity.
- Refusing to spread half-truths or stereotypes about groups of people, even when it supports your side of an argument.
In today’s world, these choices may come with a cost. But the parable reminds us that it’s far better to be seen as a “wicked servant” by a corrupt system than to betray what’s right in God’s eyes.
Jesus lived a perfect life, and what did people call Him? Demon-possessed, a drunk, a sinner, and more. If we’re following Him, we should expect to gain some less-desirable labels. Not because we’re rude or prideful about our beliefs, but because we live with love for all, even those who are being exploited.
3 Truths to Hold On to From the Parable of the Ten Minas
- God’s kingdom doesn’t look like the kingdoms of this world. While earthly leaders may misuse power, Jesus is a King who leads with justice, mercy, and love.
- Living with integrity may cost you, but it’s always worth it. It’s better to be faithful to God’s ways than to gain success through corruption or compromise.
- Your faithfulness matters, even when no one else sees it. God sees your choices, big and small, and He values your commitment to doing what’s right.
Next Steps
Here are a few ways you can reflect, pray, and act on what this parable teaches:
Reflection question: Where in your life are you tempted to go along with what’s easy, even if it’s not right?
Prayer idea: Ask God to give you the courage to live with integrity, even when it’s hard. Invite Him to show you where you can reflect His kingdom values in your daily choices.
Action step: Look for one small way this week to use what you have—your time, resources, or influence—to serve someone who could never repay you.
Read the Parable for Yourself 📖
While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 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.’
But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’
He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’
‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’
The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’
His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’
Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’
His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’
Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’
‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’
He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’” Luke 19:11-27 NIV