The Meaning of Luke 19:15 Explained

Luke 19:15

KJV: 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.

YLT: 'And it came to pass, on his coming back, having taken the kingdom, that he commanded these servants to be called to him, to whom he gave the money, that he might know what any one had done in business.

Darby: And it came to pass on his arrival back again, having received the kingdom, that he desired these bondmen to whom he gave the money to be called to him, in order that he might know what every one had gained by trading.

ASV: And it came to pass, when he was come back again, having received the kingdom, that he commanded these servants, unto whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Luke 19:15 Mean?

Study Notes

money
silver; also Luke 19:23 .

Verse Meaning

Jesus was speaking of His second coming here. He will return having received authority to reign on earth from His Father (cf. Daniel 7:13-14). After His return and before He begins to reign, He will call His servants to give an accounting of their stewardship. Later New Testament revelation indicates that Christians, believers who have lived between Pentecost and the Rapture, will have to give their accounting at the judgment seat of Christ following the Rapture ( 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10). Other believers, mainly those who have lived in Old Testament times and the Tribulation, will give their accounting at the judgment in view here that precedes the Millennium. The basis of the judgment is not their saved or lost condition but the profitability of their lives for the Master"s benefit.

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 19:15

When he was come back again [εν τωι επανελτειν αυτον]
“On the coming back again as to him.” Luke‘s favourite idiom of the articular infinitive after εν — en and with the accusative of general reference. [source]
Had given [δεδωκει]
Past perfect active indicative without augment of διδωμι — didōmi he might know Second aorist active subjunctive of γινοσκω — ginoskō The optative would be γνοιη — gnoiē f0). [source]
Had gained by trading [διεπραγματεύσατο]
Only here in New Testament. See on Luke 19:13. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 19:15 mean?

And it came to pass on the returning of him having received the kingdom that he directed to be called to him the servants these to whom he had given the money in order that he might know each what had gained by trading
Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἐπανελθεῖν αὐτὸν λαβόντα τὴν βασιλείαν καὶ εἶπεν φωνηθῆναι αὐτῷ τοὺς δούλους τούτους οἷς δεδώκει τὸ ἀργύριον ἵνα γνοῖ 〈τίς〉 τί διεπραγματεύσαντο

ἐγένετο  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
ἐπανελθεῖν  returning 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ἐπανέρχομαι  
Sense: to return, come back again.
αὐτὸν  of  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
λαβόντα  having  received 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: λαμβάνω  
Sense: to take.
βασιλείαν  kingdom 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: βασιλεία  
Sense: royal power, kingship, dominion, rule.
καὶ  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
εἶπεν  he  directed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
φωνηθῆναι  to  be  called 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Passive
Root: φωνέω 
Sense: to sound, emit a sound, to speak.
αὐτῷ  to  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
δούλους  servants 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: δοῦλοσ1 
Sense: a slave, bondman, man of servile condition.
τούτους  these 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
οἷς  to  whom 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
δεδώκει  he  had  given 
Parse: Verb, Pluperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
ἀργύριον  money 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ἀργύριον  
Sense: silver.
ἵνα  in  order  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
γνοῖ  he  might  know 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γινώσκω  
Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel.
〈τίς〉  each 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: τίς  
Sense: who, which, what.
διεπραγματεύσαντο  had  gained  by  trading 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Plural
Root: διαπραγματεύομαι  
Sense: thoroughly, earnestly to undertake a business.