Parable of the Minas

Jesus told this parable to His disciples on the way to Jerusalem because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. A parable would take a subject that was well known to the listener & compare or demonstrate that which was unknown. A mina was a unit of weight & currency, equal to 60 shekels, & 1/4 of an agricultural workers annual earnings.

Jesus said—

A nobleman went away to a far land to receive a kingdom for himself & to return. He called his servants to him, giving each one mina & said, Do business till I come.

After receiving his kingdom, he called his servants to see what they had gained by trading. The first servant had earned ten minas. The master gave him authority over ten cities in his kingdom because he had been faithful with a little amount. The second had five minas & was given authority over five cities. The third presented him with the original mina which he had put away because he was fearful & knowing the master as an austere man, collecting what was not deposited and reaping what he did not sow.

You knew this about me and did not even put the mina in the bank to draw interest. You wicked servant! Out of your own mouth I will judge you.

So the mina was taken from him & given to the servant with ten. The master said, for I say to you, that everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

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Figs

I am sitting here eating sun-dried Greek figs, small, seedy and light skinned fruit. What variety of fig is this one that is so little and sweet? It is an Adriatic fig, pale yellow and sometimes called the white fig when it glows in the bright sunshine. It is brillant red on the inside and extra sweet, considered a dessert fig served with crème fraîche or mascarpone cheese, ice cream, or plain unsweetened yogurt. Or even better a sheep milk yogurt if you can find it.

Remember the fig tree that did not bear fruit? How it withered and died in the ground. “This is the barrenness of harvest or pestilence.”  

Now whenever I see a fig tree I look for the fruit. I want to see that the harvest is coming, or that it is here. Right now.

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dVerse prompt on season and using the quote “This is the barrenness of harvest or pestilence.” from Louise Gluck’s All Hallows.

Wheat and Tare

Jesus said

Let the two grow together

The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man

The field is the world

And the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom

This was a kingdom of heaven parable used by Jesus to teach the message of His kingdom.  The disciples asked if He would teach them further about the parable of the weeds in the field.  They wanted to know more about how they could spot the tare, the weed.  Perhaps they were confused about what could be discerned among themselves for you know that sometimes they argued and wanted to know who was the greater of them.  Perhaps they wanted to understand better how it was possible that they should let an enemy be amongst them for you know that Judas was there too.  These weeds would have to be removed at harvest so how will this be possible?

Jesus said

The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend

Now perhaps the disciples put away all of their offense and began to see the harvest as it was and not what they had wanted it to be.
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dVerse prompt to see what is outside the window and Jesus’s parable of The Wheat and the Tare