Luke 19:23
in Luke 19Why then did you not deposit my money in the bank, and upon my return I could have collected it with interest?’
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
then wherefore gavest thou not my money into the bank, and I at my coming should have required it with interest?
KJV
Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
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This verse in Luke 19
Commentary
18 notes on this verseBut money or silver is the preaching of the Gospel and the word of God, for the words of the Lord are pure words as silver tried in the fire. (Ps. 12:6.) And this word of the Lord ought to be given to the bank, that is, put into hearts meet and ready to receive it.
This site's exposition
here is your mina
on Luke 19:20-23
The third servant gives fear as his reason for laying the mina away in a piece of cloth: you are a harsh man. The master takes the description as the charge without disputing it: I will judge you by your own words.
This site's exposition
deposit my money in the bank
The bank was the least the servant could have done, a deposit that earns interest with no labor. Augustine reads the bank as the public profession of religion. Bede reads the interest as works that repay the word received by faith.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
We are well aware of the threats made by the Lord's merciful "greed." He is everywhere seeking a profitable return on his money. He says to the lazy servant, who wished to pass judgment on something he could not see, "Wicked servant, out of your own mouth I condemn you. You said I am a difficult man, reaping where I have not sown, gathering where I have not scattered. So you knew all about my greed. You, then, should have given my money to the stockbrokers. When I came, I would have demanded it with interest." We could only lay out our Lord's money. He is the one who will demand the interest on it, not only from this man but also from all of us.
Nothing is said of the other servants, who like wasteful debtors lost all that they had received. By those two servants who gained by trading, are signified that small number, who in two companies were sent as dressers of the vineyard; by the remainder all the Jews. It follows, And they said unto him, Lord, he has ten pounds. And lest this should seem unjust, it is added, For to every one that hath, it shall be given.
(de Quæst. Ev. lib. ii. qu. 46.) Or the bank into which the money was to be given, we take to be the very profession of religion which is publicly put forth as a means necessary to salvation.
Interest on the Word of God is having in life and deeds things that the Word of God has commanded. When you hear the Word, if you use it and act according to those words that you hear and live according to these words, then you are preparing interest for the Lord. Each of you can make ten talents from five. You will then hear from the Lord, "Well done, good and faithful servant, you shall have power over ten cities." Beware of this, fearing that any one of you may gather "in a napkin" or bury "in the earth" the money that has been received. You know well the nature of the outcome for this kind of man when the Lord comes.
What you have offered to God you shall receive back multiplied. Something like this, although put in another way, is related in the Gospels when in a parable someone received a pound that he might engage in business, and the master of the house demanded the money. If you have caused five to be multiplied to ten, then they are given to you. Hear what Scripture says, "Take his pound, and give it to him who has ten pounds."We therefore appear at least to engage in business for the Lord, but the profits of the business go to us. We appear to offer sacrifice to the Lord, but the things we offer are given back to us. God does not need anything, but he wants us to be rich. He desires our progress through each, individual thing.
10 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
In the payment of earthly riches the debtors are obliged only to strictness. Whatever they receive, so much must they return, nothing more is required of them. But with regard to the words of God, we are not only bound diligently to keep, but we are commanded to increase; and hence it follows, that at my coming I might have required the same with usury.
The Medieval Church4 voices
And I coming, would have certainly demanded it with interest. He who receives the money of the word from the teacher, and acquires it by believing, must necessarily repay it with interest by working, so that what he has learned by hearing, he may carry …
For they who by faith receive the riches of the word from a teacher, must by their works pay it back with usury, or be earnestly desirous to know something more than what they have as yet learnt from the mouth of their preachers.
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 …
And why did you not put my money at the bank? through the diligence of watchfulness, by which he ought to have multiplied the money of evangelical preaching by evangelizing, lest through negligence he incur divine wrath. Whence the Gloss: "If you knew me to …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank,.... Or "on the table", at which the bankers sat, and received and delivered money on interest.
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The occasion of our Lord speaking the parable before us, is clear and plain. It was intended to correct the false expectations of the disciples on the subject of Christ's kingdom. It was a prophetic sketch of things present and things to come — which ought to raise solemn thoughts in the minds of all professing Christians. We see, for one thing, in this parable — the present position of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is compared to "a certain nobleman, who went into a far country, to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return."
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The occasion of our Lord speaking the parable before us, is clear and plain. It was intended to correct the false expectations of the disciples on the subject of Christ's kingdom. It was a prophetic sketch of things present and things to come — which ought to raise solemn thoughts in the minds of all professing Christians. We see, for one thing, in this parable — the present position of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is compared to "a certain nobleman, who went into a far country, to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return." When the Lord Jesus left the world, He ascended up into Heaven as a conqueror, leading captivity captive. He is there sitting at the right hand of God, doing the work of a High Priest for His believing people, and ever making intercession for them. But He will not sit there always. He will come forth from the holy of holies to bless His people. He will come again with power and glory — to put down every enemy under His feet, and to set up His universal kingdom on earth. At present "we do not see all things subjected to Him." The devil is the "prince of this world." (Hebrews 2:8; John 14:30.) But the present state of things shall be changed one day. When Christ returns — the kingdoms of the world shall become His! Let these things sink down into our minds. In all our thoughts about Christ — let us never forget His second coming. It is well to know that He lived for us, and died for us, and rose again for us, and intercedes for us. But it is also well to know that He is soon coming again for us! We see, for another thing, in this parable — the present position of all professing Christians. Our Lord compares them to servants who have been left in charge of money by an absent master, with strict directions to use that money well. They are to "Put this money to work, until I come back."
With usury? - Συν τοκῳ, With its produce, i.e. what the loan of the money is fairly worth, after paying the person sufficiently for using it: for, in lent money, both the lender and borrower are supposed to reap profit.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The bank - The treasury, or the place of exchange. Why did you not loan it out, that it might be increased? Usury - Interest.
The words behind it
17 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | Then | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| διὰ | dia | because of | G1223 → | 664 times |
| τί | ti | why | G5101 → | 563 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἔδωκάς | edokas | did you give | G1325 → | 412 times |
| μου | mou | my | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| τὸ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀργύριον | argurion | money | G694 → | 20 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | to | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τράπεζαν, | trapezan | bank, | G5132 → | 15 times |
| κἀγὼ | kago | and I myself | G1473 →G2532 → | 839 times |
| ἐλθὼν | elthon | having come | G2064 → | 628 times |
| σὺν | sun | with | G4862 → | 128 times |
| τόκῳ | toko | interest | G5110 → | |
| ἂν | an | maybe | G302 → | 165 times |
| αὐτὸ | auto | it | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἔπραξα; | epraxa | collected | G4238 → | 39 times |
καὶThen
kaiG2532 →9120 times
διὰbecause of
diaG1223 →664 times
τίwhy
tiG5101 →563 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἔδωκάςdid you give
edokasG1325 →412 times
μουmy
mouG3165 →1936 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
ἀργύριονmoney
argurionG694 →20 times
ἐπὶto
epiG1909 →883 times
τράπεζαν,bank,
trapezanG5132 →15 times
κἀγὼand I myself
ἐλθὼνhaving come
elthonG2064 →628 times
σὺνwith
sunG4862 →128 times
τόκῳinterest
tokoG5110 →
ἂνmaybe
anG302 →165 times
αὐτὸit
autoG846 →5565 times
ἔπραξα;collected
epraxaG4238 →39 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies16
On this verse
On this chapter
About Luke

This page draws on 16 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, Luke; Ambrose of Milan, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 279.12; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 19; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Origen of Alexandria, HOMILY ON EXODUS 13.1; Origen of Alexandria, HOMILY ON GENESIS 8 and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Luke.
