Lk. 19:15. And when he returned, having received the kingdom, he commanded these servants to be called to him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know who had gained what.
Lk. 19:16. The first came and said: Lord, your mina has produced ten minas.
Lk. 19:17. And he said to him: Well done, good servant! Because you were faithful in a very little, receive authority over ten cities.
Lk. 19:18. The second came and said: Lord! Your mina has produced five minas.
Lk. 19:19. He said to this one also: and you be over five cities.
"When he returns" — Christ, noble both in His humanity (for the Lord was of royal lineage) and in His Divinity, at His second coming, when He shall appear with the apostles as King, coming in the glory of the Father, and when every knee shall bow before Him, then He will indeed demand an accounting from the servants who received the gifts. It is revealed that one brought benefit to many and multiplied the gift tenfold; another also brought benefit, but to a lesser number; and the third was of absolutely no benefit to anyone, but spent the time of activity in idleness. Therefore, the one who multiplied what he received tenfold is set over ten cities, that is, he receives authority over ten cities, and consequently is rewarded many times over. The one who follows him receives a proportionate reward. But the one who brought no profit is condemned.
Lk. 19:20. The third came and said: Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief.
Let us see what he says: "Lord! here is your mina," take it; "I kept it, wrapped in a handkerchief." A cloth was placed on the head of the deceased Lord (John 20:7), and the face of Lazarus in the tomb was wrapped with a handkerchief (John 11:44). Therefore this negligent man rightly says that he wrapped the gift in a handkerchief. For having made it dead and inactive, he made no use of it and brought no profit.
Lk. 19:21. For I feared you, because you are a harsh man: you take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did not sow.
"For I feared you," he says, "because you take up what you did not lay down." Many excuse themselves with such a pretext. Not wishing to be of benefit to anyone, they say: where God has not sown giftedness and ability, do not seek a harvest there. He did not create such-and-such a person gifted and capable of learning — so why demand from me that I be of benefit to him?
Lk. 19:22. The master said to him: Out of your own mouth I will judge you, wicked servant! You knew that I am a harsh man, taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow;
Lk. 19:23. Why then did you not put my money in the bank, so that when I came I might have collected it with interest?
Therefore the Lord also says: you teach and give My silver to the laborers, that is, to all people appointed to receive benefit. For every person has been established by God as a money-changer, so as to make transactions in the great workshop of this world. And "so that when I come, I may receive it back with interest," that is, demand it back with profit. We must do our part, and as for what follows, God will judge those who did not wish to make use of it.
Lk. 19:24. And he said to those standing by: Take the mina from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.
Lk. 19:25. And they said to him: Lord! He already has ten minas.
Lk. 19:26. I say to you, that to everyone who has, it shall be given, and from him who does not have, even what he has shall be taken away;
The gift is taken away and given to the good worker. Although he already has, for that very reason it is profitable for him to receive more. "To him who has, it will be given," that is, whoever through good dealings has accumulated rich means, to him even more will be given. For if he increased a small amount tenfold, then obviously, having multiplied a greater amount tenfold, he will bring the master even greater profit. But from the negligent and lazy one, who did not take care to multiply what he received, even that which he has will be taken away, so that the master's property does not lie useless when it can be given to another and increased many times over. We understand this not only of the word and teaching, but also of moral virtues. For in these too God has given us gifts — to one the gift of fasting, to another of almsgiving, to another of meekness, to another of humility. And if we are watchful, we will multiply these gifts; but if we are careless and willingly die, then afterwards we will lay the blame on God, as we commonly say: what am I to do? If such-and-such a person is holy, it is because God favors him and he is holy; but He does not favor me, and I am not holy; and that one was Peter, the other was Paul. Foolish man! The very mina given to you makes you a Peter and a Paul. Work according to your ability and bring something to the One who gave it, if not as much as Peter and Paul — for they received a mina each, and you too received a mina. And then, having not advanced at all in doing good, you accuse God! Therefore, proving ourselves unworthy of the gifts, we are deprived of them.
Lk. 19:27. But those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring here and slay before me.
Lk. 19:28. Having said these things, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
"But as for my enemies – He says – those who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me," that is, the Jews, whom He will deliver to destruction, sending them into eternal fire. Yes, the wretches were slain here too, that is, in this world, by the Roman armies, and they are still kept and will be kept for slaughter there.
Lk. 19:29. And when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, He sent two of His disciples,
Lk. 19:30. saying: Go into the village opposite; entering it, you will find a young donkey tied up, on which no one has ever sat; untie it and bring it.
Lk. 19:31. And if anyone asks you: why are you untying it? say to him thus: it is needed by the Lord.
Lk. 19:32. Those who were sent went and found it just as He had told them.
Lk. 19:33. And as they were untying the young donkey, its owners said to them: Why are you untying the colt?