Why did the master expect interest from the money given in Luke 19:23? Situating the Parable • Luke 19:12-27 presents a nobleman (Christ) who entrusts ten servants with one mina each while he departs to receive a kingdom. • Verse 23 records his rebuke of the servant who hid the money: “Why then did you not put my money on deposit, so that when I returned I could have collected it with interest?”. • The master’s expectation of interest flows from normal economic practice and illustrates spiritual accountability. Normal Business Practice in the First-Century World • Banks (money-changing tables) operated in Judea and the wider Roman Empire; deposits earned modest, regulated interest. • A mina equaled about three months’ wages—substantial capital intended for trading, not hoarding. • Placing funds “on deposit” was the lowest-risk, lowest-effort option; failure to do even that exposed the servant’s indifference, not caution. The Master’s Rights as Owner • The money remained “my money” (v. 23); the nobleman retained full ownership. • Psalm 24:1—“The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof”—grounds the theological point: God owns all; we manage what is His. • Because the resources were never the servant’s, returning them without increase amounted to dereliction. Stewardship Demands Increase, Not Preservation • 1 Corinthians 4:2—“Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” • John 15:8—“This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit.” Mere maintenance falls short of faithfulness. • In Matthew 25:27 (parallel parable of the talents), the master uses identical wording about depositing funds—showing that fruitful stewardship is a consistent biblical theme. Interest as a Minimum Return • The servant could have chosen trade (v. 15) like the others, yet even passive interest would have satisfied the master’s floor requirement. • Thus the expectation was modest: evidence of any purposeful engagement sufficed. The servant’s excuse (“I was afraid,” v. 21) crumbles because fear would still allow a bank deposit. No Conflict with Mosaic Law • Exodus 22:25 and Leviticus 25:35-37 forbid charging interest to an impoverished Israelite brother; they do not ban commercial interest. • Deuteronomy 23:20 permits interest from foreign commerce. The parable mirrors a business setting, not a compassionate loan to the poor, so the expectation of interest is lawful and ethical. Spiritual Implications for Believers Today • God entrusts time, abilities, opportunities, relationships, and material resources. • Doing nothing squanders grace and invites censure (James 4:17). • Even small, seemingly “safe” acts—praying faithfully, sharing the gospel once, supporting missions—are the spiritual counterpart to “interest.” • The parable assures reward for faithful use and warns that passivity masquerading as prudence is unacceptable to the returning King. Key Takeaways • Expectation of interest underscores God’s right to see His resources grow. • Faithfulness is measured by increase, not merely by safeguarding what was given. • Any believer can at least “deposit” talents—serve in basic ways—while actively seeking greater kingdom fruit. |
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