"Occupy Till I Come": What Does It Really Mean?



"Occupy Till I Come".

Words drawn from the verse of a scripture largely misunderstood and so often quoted to justify the unbridled & misleading ambition of dominionism, which has pervaded present day christendom.

What did Jesus actually mean when he said these words?👇🏽

Luke 19:13

And he called his ten servants, and gave to them ten minas, and said to them, occupy till I come.

The common english version uses the word "occupy". 

The word "occupy" in the text is "pragmateuomai" in the greek and it means to carry on the business/trade, to busy oneself with it.

It is thus trade or do business till I come.

Contextually, what was the business?

Nothing but the business of saving the lost 👇🏽

In the preceding verses(vs 2-10) of Luke 19, the Lord had met the tax collector Zacchaeus who sought to see him. Though reputed as a sinful man, Jesus followed him to his house. Zacchaeus overwhelmed with the presence of Jesus in his house, expresses repentance vowing to return anything he has taken or gained by false accusation. Jesus then said to him, "To-day salvation is come to this house....for the Son of man has come to seek and to save that which is lost."

The parable of the ten minas then follows as supplemental to the words the Lord had just spoken; and in correction of the thought that the Kingdom of God was going to be manifested immediately. 👇🏽

"But as they were listening to these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem and they thought that the kingdom of God was about to be immediately manifested. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return."  (vs. 11-12)

The Kingdom was not going to manifest immediately as they thought for the Lord in this parable presents himself as a nobleman going into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom and to return to take possession of it. 

The manifestation of the kingdom in literal rule, dominion & taking up of the nations as his inheritance/possession, would only be when he returns and not before he returns and that's when he will reward his servants according to the labour of each and give them authority over the nations accordingly 👇🏽

And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

And the first came up, saying, My Lord, thy mina has produced ten minas. And he said to him, Well done , thou good bondman; because thou hast been faithful in that which is least, be thou in authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, My Lord, thy mina has made five minas. And he said also to this one, And thou, be over five cities." Vs 15-19.

Occupy till I come thus cannot imply rule, dominate, conquer & take over territories till I come, as such an interpretation is clearly contrary to what the parable teaches. The time before the king returns is for the servants, a time of probation, and not rule/reign; a time to see how each will fare in the business of saving the lost which he committed to their trust, empowering them with gifts(talents) to profit withal.

It is time for the servants to prove their faithfulness to the King & his business/cause; and such faithfulness would be recognized and rewarded when the Kingdom would be set up. 

The minas or talents undoubtedly speaks of spiritual gifts, which scripture says in 1st Corinthians 12:7-11 is given to all in the body to profit withal.

In the words of the apostle to Timothy, the gifts are not to be neglected or allowed to lie fallow, but cultivated and utilized to make profit 👇🏽

Be not negligent of the gift that is in thee, which has been given to thee through prophecy, with laying of hands of the elderhood. Occupy thyself with these things; be wholly in them, that thy profit may be manifest to all. 1st Timothy 4:14-15.

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