The Meaning of Luke 19:12 Explained

Luke 19:12

KJV: He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.

YLT: He said therefore, 'A certain man of birth went on to a far country, to take to himself a kingdom, and to return,

Darby: He said therefore, A certain high-born man went to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and return.

ASV: He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He said  therefore,  A certain  nobleman  went  into  a far  country  to receive  for himself  a kingdom,  and  to return. 

What does Luke 19:12 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The nobleman represents Jesus. The distant country to which he went stands for heaven, and the place to which he would return is the earth. Jesus went to heaven to receive the kingdom from His Father. The correctness of these identifications becomes clearer as the parable unfolds.
A situation similar to the one Jesus described had happened not long before Jesus gave this parable, and He may have had it in mind. Herod Archelaus, one of Herod the Great"s sons, had visited Rome after his father"s death in4 B.C. to receive Caesar"s confirmation to reign over a section of Palestine bestowed on him in his father"s will. Other Herods-Herod the Great, Antipas, Philippians , and Agrippa I-also had to go through this procedure, but the case of Archelaus most closely parallels this parable.
Jesus was announcing a postponement of the kingdom (cf. Acts 1:6-7). Some time would elapse between His ascension and His return. This scenario suggests that the messianic kingdom will not begin until Jesus returns to the earth to rule. Some amillennial interpreters take this reference to the kingdom allegorically. [1]

Context Summary

Luke 19:11-27 - Doing Business For God
In many respects this parable differs from that of the ten talents. In that, the servants are entrusted with different amounts; in this, the same amount is allotted to each. Obviously, the former deals with our powers and opportunities for service, which greatly differ; whereas the latter deals with those ordinary gifts which are common to all, and especially with the gift of salvation. All have the opportunity of using and enjoying the same bestowment of life which is in Jesus Christ for those who believe, Judges 1:3.
Some make the greatest possible use of "our common salvation." They increase its blessings by much prayer and faith and experience. They speak of it to others and spread the knowledge of the heights and depths of God's love. The more they do this, the more it grows on them. Others pass through life without realizing or enjoying Christ's gift of eternal life. They hope that they may be saved; but they have no deep experimental knowledge of His love. These are they who misuse their pound! What a contrast between such and Paul or Luther or Wesley! [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 19

1  Of Zacchaeus a tax collector
11  The ten minas
28  Jesus rides into Jerusalem with triumph;
41  weeps over it;
45  drives the buyers and sellers out of the temple;
47  Teaching daily in it The rulers seek to destroy him, but fear the people

Greek Commentary for Luke 19:12

To take to himself a kingdom [λαβειν εαυτωι βασιλειαν]
Second aorist active infinitive of λαμβανω — lambanō with the dative reflexive εαυτωι — heautōi where the middle voice could have been used. Apparently this parable has the historical basis of Archelaus who actually went from Jerusalem to Rome on this very errand to get a kingdom in Palestine and to come back to it. This happened while Jesus was a boy in Nazareth and it was a matter of common knowledge. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 19:12

Acts 17:11 More noble than those [ευγενεστεροι των]
Comparative form of ευγενης — eugenēs old and common adjective, but in N.T. only here and Luke 19:12; 1 Corinthians 1:26. Followed by ablative case των — tōn as often after the comparative. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 19:12 mean?

He said therefore A man certain of noble birth proceeded to a country distant to receive for himself a kingdom and to return
εἶπεν οὖν Ἄνθρωπός τις εὐγενὴς ἐπορεύθη εἰς χώραν μακρὰν λαβεῖν ἑαυτῷ βασιλείαν καὶ ὑποστρέψαι

εἶπεν  He  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Ἄνθρωπός  A  man 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
τις  certain 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
εὐγενὴς  of  noble  birth 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: εὐγενής  
Sense: well born, of noble race.
ἐπορεύθη  proceeded 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: πορεύομαι  
Sense: to lead over, carry over, transfer.
χώραν  a  country 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: χώρα  
Sense: the space lying between two places or limits.
μακρὰν  distant 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: μακράν  
Sense: far, a great way.
λαβεῖν  to  receive 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: λαμβάνω  
Sense: to take.
ἑαυτῷ  for  himself 
Parse: Reflexive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἑαυτοῦ  
Sense: himself, herself, itself, themselves.
βασιλείαν  a  kingdom 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: βασιλεία  
Sense: royal power, kingship, dominion, rule.
ὑποστρέψαι  to  return 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ὑποστρέφω  
Sense: to turn back.