Luke 19
As promised we have Jesus entry into Jerusalem. I recall commenting on this, and the cleansing of the temple last time, so I will not this time.
I am more familiar with the parable in verses 11-27 in Matthew 25. In that one, there are only three servants, and the first two double their money - and that is the version usually used in church. I think this is the first time I have read Luke's version properly - so it is effectively new for me. Each servant starts with only one mina. The first servant is obviously talented at investing. The second servant has also done an excellent job. We do not find out what happened to the third servant who earned nothing. I guess he went back to his old role. What about the other seven servants who also got a mina each? We have to assume these were the ones who didn't want the noble to become king. It seems it didn't matter how much they earned with what they were entrusted. This is all different to Matthew's account. I think I now need to pray and research this different story.
It is worth noting that Zacchaeus was the _Chief_ Tax collector in Jericho (and the surrounding region). This would have made him very unpopular with EVERYBODY. Yet Jesus sought him out, and look what happened.
Verse 10 (NIV) - "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." - what are we doing to assist our Lord on this mission?
Luke 19
I wonder how many riches Zacchaeus had left after he'd done all his giving, what with "repaying fourfold" everyone he had cheated. I guess that depends on how often he'd cheated people. I gather it was pretty standard practice for tax collectors to collect more than what was owed, and pocket the difference - and the Roman government evidently didn't have any anti-corruption laws in place at all; they only cared about getting their taxes, not the means by which they were collected.
Again we have "he was a sinner" -- were all tax collectors automatically sinners, then?
The parable of the servants... yes, it was a bit confusing about the other seven servants, but your interpretation makes sense, that these were the ones who had spoken against their ruler.
At least, here, the phrase "to those who have much, much will be given, and those who have little, even that will be taken away" makes sense in this context of being faithful servants who are diligent with what they have been given. The third servant... was *afraid* of his master, afraid of making a mistake and therefore he made nothing. But it is interesting that there were no examples of a servant who tried to make money and lost it instead. I suppose he would be equally chastized for not putting it in the bank, so there was no point? Mind you... it is odd, now that I think about it, that a bank is mentioned, and interest (the King James has "usery") because that was a practice that was frowned on by the Jews, so why would it have been a "good" thing to do?
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DaveB
Kerr Avonsen (she/her)