And he said to him: Well done, thou good servant, because thou hast been faithful in a little, thou shalt have power over ten cities.
και ειπεν αυτω ευ αγαθε δουλε οτι εν ελαχιστω πιστος εγενου ισθι εξουσιαν εχων επανω δεκα πολεων
10 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 12 commentaries
Thus, the servant who increased his given talents tenfold is entrusted with authority over ten cities, signifying his elevation to significant power and abundant reward. In a similar manner, the follower who emulates his example also gains an appropriate reward.
Those who have increased their talents by ten or five times and have triumphed over many will be appointed as rulers over ten or five cities; they will regain authority not only over those they previously governed but also over numerous others. In this context, we observe how the saints, echoing the words of the psalmist, offer their praise and gratitude to Christ, who bestows crowns upon them, declaring, "He hath subdued the Gentiles and the nations under our feet." It is evident to all that the saints are committed to sharing the grace they have received from Christ with those they instruct,
as illustrated in the letter from the Apostle Paul, who expressed his desire to visit, saying, "For I desired to see you, that I might give you some spiritual gift, that ye might be strengthened." Furthermore, he encourages his disciple Timothy, advising him not to overlook the gift bestowed upon him through the laying on of hands. The Apostle aimed for him to excel in teaching. The Lord Himself, in another parable, queried, "Who is the faithful and wise servant whom his master shall set over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find doing so. Verily I say unto you, that he shall set him over all that he hath." What does it signify when he provides food for his servants, if not that he imparts spiritual guidance to those entrusted to his care, nourishing those who hunger and thirst for righteousness with spiritual sustenance?
One servant earned ten minas from a single mina, while another garnered five. The significance of the five minas may be moral, reflecting our five physical senses, but the ten minas represent a doubled measure, symbolizing the five sacramental minas related to the law and the five moral ones concerning a virtuous existence. In this vein, Matthew also references five talents and two talents; the five talents embody moral significance, while the two talents reflect a dual, both mysterious and moral meaning; thus, the smaller quantity carries a greater depth of understanding. Likewise, we may interpret the ten minas as pertaining to the instruction of the law, while the five minas serve as a representation of moral guidance.
It is my desire that the teacher of the law be fully proficient, for the kingdom of God manifests not merely through words, but in its transformative power.
When referring to the Jews, it is fitting that only two achieved a financial gain: this gain is not merely monetary but rather the fruit derived from preaching. There exists a distinction between the increase of wealth and the harvest of heavenly instruction.
What do the ten cities represent? Are they not the souls entrusted to one who is rightly designated as the Lord’s and whose words are pure, refined like silver, nurturing the hearts of individuals? Jerusalem, organized as a city, is likened to the souls that dwell in peace. Similarly, as angels are positioned at the forefront, so too will those who achieve an angelic existence be honored.
This also aligns with the character of the apostle Paul: a righteous individual demonstrates compassion and generosity. Observe how he shares the teachings of the Lord and lends his resources with a return! He received one mina and returned two, took two minas and returned four, obtained five and gave back ten (cf. Lk. 19:16). A mina represents a Greek currency unit valued at 100 drachmas. He did not conceal what he acquired but entrusted it to the money changers, receiving interest on what he had lent. The one who accepted this was liberated from great sin, for the Lord's funds remained intact, and he was worthy of a reward—he was made the governor of ten cities!
The nature of these ten cities is revealed in his letters, although the apostles did not adhere to a specific number; they were commanded, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). Paul distributed the Lord's provisions as he traveled from Jerusalem through the East to Illyria and Italy (cf. Rom. 15:19). And yet, no one dared think he was exploiting the Lord's possessions for gain! The apostle bore witness that it was the Lord’s wealth: "But unto them that are married I command not, but the Lord: the wife shall not divorce her husband" (1 Cor. 7:10). In another passage, he stated, "You seek proof whether Christ speak in me" (2 Cor. 13:3). Concerning this, the King, who bears the image of the Lord, proclaimed, "Therefore thou oughtest to give my silver to the changers" (Matt. 25:27), asserting, "Mine is not thine!" Thus, the righteous person shows mercy and shares. Listen to how he shares: "I teach in all the churches" (1 Cor. 7:17). Conversely, the sinner borrows without returning. Consider the wealthy man who borrows and fails to give, compared to the poor man who borrows but strives to repay quickly, desiring not to remain in debt. This embodies moral instruction. Now observe the poor man concerning whom the sacred teachings speak—the humble individual who reveres God's name; he hears the word of purity and acts on it, hears the call for compassion and fulfills it, hears the message of humility and refrains from anger. In contrast, look at the arrogant and prideful rich man who hears yet disregards God's words (cf. Psalm 49:17). He hears the warnings against indulgence but increasingly succumbs to it. In essence, the Church returns what it has received, unlike the synagogue. See how the Church gives back what it has borrowed: "They were thine, and thou gavest them to me, and they have kept thy word" (John 17:6); and in another place, "For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me" (John 16:27). The Church has returned the abundance of love she took from God, while the synagogue has failed to do so; hence it is stated of the Jews, "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have had no sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin" (John 15:22), because they listened yet did not believe. Thus, it is evident that sinners have borrowed without returning; for the sinner is perpetually in want, while the righteous person possesses an untroubled conscience, lacking any need for wealth. This explains why the Jews, despite their riches, were impoverished—the rich became poor and cried out (Psalm 33:11)—while Christians thrived without requiring the riches of simplicity.
And He spoke to him, saying, Well done, good servant, for you have been faithful with a few things. Your diligence with one mina is commendable. You shall govern over ten cities. The authority over ten cities signifies a tremendous reward and the richness of divine grace.
The reward is bestowed in accordance with the effort of uplifting or the inner illumination of oneself guided by grace. It raises the question of what constitutes spiritual life and how one can align with it.
Mothers approached Him with their little ones, seeking His blessing. For reasons unknown, the disciples attempted to prevent them from reaching Him. The Lord intervened, stating that those who wish to receive the honor of the kingdom of God must possess the spirit of a child.
Having made clear the true understanding of His actions to those who were upset with Him, and observing that as they drew closer to Jerusalem the people and His disciples became increasingly consumed by visions of the establishment of His kingdom, the Lord felt it necessary to provide His disciples with further guidance. To ensure their attention, He chose to express this through a parable.
In this parable, He conveyed important insights to temper their expectations: that in Jerusalem He would face significant resistance to the establishment of His kingdom; that He would need to depart from that city, only to return later in order to confront His adversaries and to initiate His kingdom; and that in the meantime, the apostles should not be passive or idle, expecting the Messiah's kingdom to manifest without their own efforts, but rather they should actively engage in working for the advancement of this kingdom.
This parable, more explicitly than similar ones, illustrates the Lord's departure from this world, His exaltation in heaven, and His eventual return to judge His people for the full revelation of His kingdom. It portrays a wealthy man traveling to a far-off land to seek the approval of a powerful ruler for governing his realm, returning with the authority of a king. Through this figure, the Saviour clearly represents Himself, illustrating His ascension from earth to reign in heaven, and His return in judgment upon the Jewish people who rejected Him and resisted His rule. To emphasize the importance of the apostles' own efforts, the parable tells of the rich man, who upon his departure, entrusted ten of his servants with a mina each to invest. Upon his return, he rewarded each servant with cities to govern based on the profits they had generated, while one servant who failed to utilize his mina lost everything.
The parable of the minas, as explained by the Evangelist, emerges at a crucial moment when Christ was about to advance His journey to Jerusalem. This journey had been momentarily interrupted by His visit to Zacchaeus's home, and many believed He was entering Jerusalem to officially establish the Messiah's reign. The intent of this parable is to illustrate that before the full manifestation of Christ's kingdom, a period of testing will occur. As Christ prepares to unveil His kingdom in all its glory, His authority will be denied by many, creating a division between Him and His followers. During this time, each person is entrusted with gifts of grace, which they must utilize wisely to ready themselves for the coming of the Lord.
When He does return, radiant and glorious, it will be accompanied by a final judgment where the faithful are rewarded, the negligent face punishment, and the unfaithful adversaries, who once rejected Him as sovereign, will encounter eternal suffering. The backdrop for this parable reflects the political context of Judea, which was under Roman control. Initially, it was governed by its own kings, but these rulers had to gain the approbation of Rome, at times traveling there to secure their positions. Archelaus, for instance, journeyed to Rome following Herod the Great's death, yet the Jews opposed his rule due to his cruelty, sending a delegation to Rome to request he not be affirmed as king.
The master commended those servants and assigned them authority over the cities as a reward: the first received ten, the second five. The first servant will approach the Judge-Christ and say: "Lord, Your merciful instruction and guidance toward the Kingdom of Heaven have greatly enriched my life. I have embraced it, I have loved my neighbors as myself, I have alleviated their anguish, I have assisted them in their times of trouble, I have laid down my life for them." A second servant will likewise present the righteous acts he has performed to account for his life; many servants like them will come forth, and all will be recompensed for their faithfulness to the King.
Since both the ordinary people and His disciples were still clinging to the erroneous belief that the kingdom of God would soon manifest in Jerusalem, Christ shared a poignant parable about a nobleman who ‘went into a far country to receive a kingdom for himself and return’ (Luke 19:12-27). This narrative drew from a familiar historical event among the Jews, specifically the journey of Archelaus to Rome after the death of his father, Herod the Great, in order to secure kingship from the emperor. Before embarking on his journey, Archelaus entrusted a mina of silver to his servants, instructing them to invest it while he was away.
Despite opposition from numerous citizens, he successfully obtained the kingdom, and upon his return, he rewarded both his adversaries and faithful servants based on their loyalty and actions. One servant, however, was unproductive and unfaithful; instead of utilizing the mina given to him, he concealed it in a handkerchief and returned it with an insulting accusation of cruelty against his master. Consequently, the mina was taken from him and given to the most deserving servant. The faithful were abundantly rewarded, while those who had opposed his reign faced severe consequences. This parable carries numerous meanings: it symbolically foreshadows Christ the Savior's imminent departure from the world, reflects the animosity He encountered, emphasizes the importance of being faithful stewards of all He entrusted to us, highlights the uncertainty surrounding His return, confirms that everyone will ultimately account for their actions upon His return, condemns laziness, celebrates the rewards for diligent service to Him, and foretells the final devastation awaiting those who reject Him. This parable is elaborated upon in Matthew 25. Regarding Archelaus, see Matthew 2:22.
"‘Take ten cities' reflects the ten minas that have been increased. This symbolizes the rewards in Christ's kingdom, relating to the blessings of God and material possessions that are multiplied and employed for the benefit of oneself and others, all for the glory of God."
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 17 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS