Messiah in Yom HaBikkurim Chapter 57 Part I – Chuck, Maria and David May

Parable #38. “Ten servants given minas:”

Today is Day #38
The Thirty-eighth Mashal of Messiah
Part I
A five-fold context
The Time of the Appearance of the Kingdom of Adonai
The Distant Country the Messiah was going to was Heaven
The Prophet Daniel and the mina (mene, maneh)
We learn specifically what the figure of ten minas is by a careful reading of Daniel 1:20
Ten fingers or two hands full of wisdom and understanding
The Wisdom and Understanding of the Divine Redemption
The organized religious and political rebellion against the Messiah
When the Messiah returns as King
The first and second servants are united as one Man
The measure of the stature that belongs to the fullness of Messiah
“I am Adonai who sanctifies you!”
There are Ten Forgiveness sayings of Messiah in the Four Jewish Gospels
A three-fold stewardship of the Grace of Adonai
The corporate witness to the one who is full of Chesed & Emet
Participation in the glorious future Administration of the Holy Spirit
Keeping the Divine Redemption out of public circulation
Trampling underfoot the Divine Redemption & insulting the Spirit of Chesed
Bringing down the judgment of Adonai upon one’s own head
Part II
The Law of Non-mention
The Messiah is Adonai cloaked in human form
Seventy years had passed…
First, go forward in time to the Seven Successor Assemblies
Messiah has come, the times of the Gentiles are past, the Golden Age of Israel has begun
Salvation is from the Jews
Second, go back in time to the Three Founder Assemblies
The Seven Malakim
From 3 to 7 to 3 again
Three Elders (Two Faithful and One Unfaithful)
Faithful Elder #1
The Beloved Talmid
Faithful Elder #2
Unfaithful Elder #1
The 3 Assemblies and 3 Cities
An entirely Jewish-led affair
From 3 Servants to 2 Servants
The Seven Servants and their Seven Cities
First Servant and the His City #1
Second Servant and His City #2
Third Servant and His City #3
Fourth Servant and His City #4
Fifth Servant and His City #5
Sixth Servant and His City #6
Seventh Servant and His City #7
The Rest of the Story: Faithful & Unfaithful Sons

Today is Day #38:

1. Today is “Day #38” in the forty-nine day Countdown to Shavuot.

2. Today is Thirty-eight days in the Omer.

Today is Thirty-eight days, which are five weeks and three days in the Omer.

היום שמונה ושלושים יום, שהם חמישה שבועות ושלושה ימים בעומר. פ

Haiyom shmonah ushloshim yom, shehaym chamishah shavuot ushloshah yamim ba’omer.

“You shall count for yourselves — from the day after the Shabbat, from the day when you bring the Omer of the waving — seven Shabbats, they shall be complete. Until the day after the seventh sabbath you shall count, fifty days.” (Leviticus). “You shall count for yourselves seven weeks, from when the sickle is first put to the standing crop shall you begin counting seven weeks. Then you will observe the Festival of Shavu’ot for Adonai Eloheinu.” (Deuteronomy).

“Blessed are You, Adonai Eloheinu, King of the universe, Who sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us to count the Omer.”

ברוך אתה, אדוני אלוהינו, מלך העולם, אשר קדשנו במצוותיו וציוונו על ספירת העומר.פ

Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, melech ha’olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sefirat ha’omer.

The Thirty-eighth Mashal of Messiah:

{Classical & Mishnaic Hebrew}

וַיֹּאמֶר אִישׁ אֶחָד מִן־הָאַצִּילִים הָלַךְ אֶל־אֶרֶץ רְחוֹקָה לָקַחַת־לוֹ מַמְלָכָה וְלָשׁוּב׃ וַיִּקְרָא אֶל־עֲשָׂרָה מֵעֲבָדָיו וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם עֲשָׂרָה מָנִים וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם סַחֲרוּ בָהֶם עַד בֹּאִי׃ וּבְנֵי עִירוֹ שֹׂנְאִים אוֹתוֹ וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ מַלְאָכִים אַחֲרָיו לֵאמֹר מָאַסְנוּ אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ מִמְּלֹךְ עָלֵינוּ׃

{Modern Hebrew}

לפיכך אמר: איש אציל אחד הלך אל ארץ רחוקה לקבל סמכות למלוכה ולשוב לארצו. קדם לכן קרא לעשרת עבדיו, נתן להם עשרה מנים ואמר להם, סחרו עד בואי. אולם בני ארצו שנאו אותו ושלחו משלחת אחריו, לומר: איננו רוצים שזה ימלך עלינו. פ

He (the Messiah) said:

[Lukas 19:12] A certain man of nobility went to a distant land to take a kingdom for himself and then return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten manim (ten minas). He said to them, “Engage in commerce with them until I come.” The inhabitants of his town hated him and sent messengers after him to say, “We have rejected that man from ruling over us.”

The First Servant

וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי קַחְתּוֹ אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה וַיָּשֹׁב וַיְצַו לִקְרֹא אֶת־הָעֲבָדִים הָהֵם אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָהֶם אֶת־הַכֶּסֶף לְמַעַן יֵדַע מָה־הִרְוִיחַ כָּל־אֶחָד בְּמִסְחָרוֹ׃ וַיָּבֹא הָרִאשׁוֹן וַיֹּאמַר אֲדֹנִי מָנֶה שֶׁלְּךָ הֵבִיא עֲשֶׂרֶת מָנִים׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו הֱטִיבוֹתָ לַעֲשׂוֹת הָעֶבֶד הַטּוֹב תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר הָיִיתָ נֶאֱמָן בִּמְעַט מִזְעָר הֱיֵה שַׁלִּיט עַל־עֶשֶׂר עָרִים׃

אחרי שקבל את המלוכה חזר וצוה לקרא אליו את העבדים אשר נתן להם את הכסף, כדי לדעת מה הרויח כל אחד במסחרו. נגש הראשון ואמר, אדוני, המנה שלך הכניס עשרה מנים. השיב ואמר לו, יפה, עבד טוב! הואיל והיית נאמן במעט מזער, היה שליט על עשר ערים. פ

[Lukas 19:15] After he took the kingdom (after receiving the monarchy), he returned. He gave a command to call those servants to whom he gave the money, so that he could know what each one earned through his commerce. The first came and said, “My Master, your maneh (mina) brought ten manim (minas).” He said to him, “You have done well, good servant (עבד טוב-ebed tov). Since you have been faithful with just a little, be a ruler over ten cities!”

The Second Servant

וַיָּבֹא הַשֵּׁנִי וַיֹּאמַר אֲדֹנִי מָנֶה שֶׁלְּךָ עָשָׂה חֲמֵשֶׁת מָנִים׃ וַיֹּאמֶר גַּם־לָזֶה אַף־אַתָּה הֱיֵה עַל־חָמֵשׁ עָרִים׃

בא השני ואמר, אדוני, המנה שלך עשה חמשה מנים.” השיב ואמר גם לזה, ואתה היה על חמש ערים. פ

[Lukas 19:18] The second one came and said, “My Master, your maneh has been made five manim.” He also said to this one, “Even you—be over five cities!”

The Third Servant

וַיָּבֹא הָאַחֵר וַיֹּאמַר הֵא־לְךָ מָנֶה שֶׁלָּךְ אֲשֶׁר־הָיָה אֶצְלִי צָרוּר בְּסוּדָר׃ מִיִּרְאָתִי אֹתְךָ כִּי אִישׁ קָשֶׁה אָתָּה לֹקֵחַ אֶת־אֲשֶׁר לֹא הִנַּחְתָּ וְקֹצֵר אֶת־אֲשֶׁר לֹא זָרָעְתָּ׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו עַל־פִּיךָ אֶשְׁפָּטְךָ הָעֶבֶד הָרָע אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ כִּי־אֲנִי אִישׁ קָשֶׁה לֹקֵח אֶת־אֲשֶׁר לֹא הִנַּחְתִּי וְקוֹצֵר אֶת־אֲשֶׁר לֹא זָרַעְתִּי׃ וְלָמָה לֹא־נָתַתָּ אֶת־כַּסְפִּי לַשֻּׁלְחָנִי וַאֲנִי בְּבוֹאִי הָיִיתִי תּוֹבֵעַ אוֹתוֹ בְּמַרְבִּית׃

ואחר בא ואמר, אדוני, הנה המנה שלך שהיה צרור אצלי במטפחת, שכן פחדתי ממך מפני שאיש קשה אתה: לוקח את אשר לא הנחת וקוצר את אשר לא זרעת. השיב ואמר לו, על-פי דברך אשפט אותך, עבד רשע! אתה ידעת כי איש קשה אני, לוקח את אשר לא הנחתי וקוצר את אשר לא זרעתי. מדוע לא הפקדת את כספי אצל השלחני, ואני בבואי הייתי תובע אותו עם הרבית? פ

[Lukas 19:20] The other came and said, “Master, here is your maneh that was with me, wrapped up in a scarf due to my fear of you; for you are a difficult man taking what you did not put down and reaping what you did not sow.” He said to him, “I will judge you according to your mouth, wicked servant! (עבד רשע) You know that I am a difficult man taking what I did not place and reaping what I did not sow! Why did you not give my money to the money changer (shulcani-שֻּׁלְחָנִי), so that when I came I could claim it with an increase?”

The remaining Seven Servants

וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־הָעֹמְדִים שָׁם שְׂאוּ מִמֶּנּוּ אֶת־הַמָּנֶה וּתְנוּ אֶל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַמָּנִים׃ וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו אֲדֹנֵינוּ יֶשׁ־לוֹ עֲשֶׂרֶת מָנִים׃

ולעומדים לידו אמר, קחו ממנו את המנה ותנו לזה אשר לו עשרה מנים.” השיבו לו, אדוננו, יש לו עשרה מנים! פ

[Lukas 19:24] He said to those standing there [the seven remaining servants of the group of ten, who had yet to report to their master], “Take the maneh from him and give it to the one who had ten manim!” They replied, “Our Master, he has ten manim!”

The Nimshal

הֵן אֲנִי אֹמֵר לָכֶם כִּי כָל־אִישׁ שֶׁיֶּשׁ־לוֹ יִנָּתֵן לוֹ וַאֲשֶׁר אֵין לוֹ יֻקַּח מִמֶּנּוּ גַּם אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ׃ אֲבָל אֶת־אֹיְבַי הָהֵם אֲשֶׁר מְאָסוּנִי מִמְּלֹךְ עֲלֵיהֶם הָבִיאוּ אֹתָם הֵנָּה וְהִרְגוּ אֹתָם לְפָנָי׃

אומר אני לכם, כל מי שיש לו ינתן לו; ומי שאין לו, גם מה שיש לו ילקח ממנו. אבל את אויבי אלה, אשר אינם רוצים כי אמלך עליהם, הביאו אותם הנה והרגו אותם לפני. פ

[Lukas 19:26] “See, I say to you that everyone who has, it will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. But bring here those enemies of mine who rejected me from ruling over them, and kill them in front of me.”

Part I:

The Mashal of the Ten Servants Given Minas follows immediately after the Messiah’s positive encounter with a tax collector named Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus’ name (זַכַּי-Tzakkai from tzakak זָכַךְ-to purify) means the “Cleansed and Pure One;” something that by God’s mercy and grace—we all need to become.

In 1st century (CE) Israel a Jewish tax collector was a traitor to his own people; a collaborator with the occupying forces of Rome.

In Roman occupied Israel tax collectors were the ones who extracted financial resources for Rome from their fellow Jewish (Yehudi) countrymen. These men were greatly disliked for good reason. They took more money than the Roman tax required. As a reward for their collecting taxes for the Roman Empire the Jewish tax collectors were authorized to add on top of the taxes whatever additional charges they pleased. This is how the tax collectors acquired great wealth for themselves. This is why the tax collectors were so despised and hated by their fellow Yehudim.

Due to Messiah’s positive influence on the tax collector Zacchaeus he voluntarily gave up half of his possessions to the destitute, and returned “fourfold” of all of the monies he had defrauded during his entire time serving as a tax collector (in reference to the term fourfold, cf. 2 Samuel 12:6).

A five-fold context:

The context of Purpose:

First, the context of purpose: the stewardship narrative of the man who became Rich in Adonai, the ‘Cleansed and Pure One’ (Tzakkai), sets up the the purpose of today’s mashal. Today’s mashal is about the personal and corporate accountability of Israel’s people and nation to Adonai our Father and our God. It is about our stewardship of the gift of life and the precious resources that the Holy One has entrusted into our care; especially our stewardship of Abba Avinu’s gift of Divine Redemption (ה’ הגאולה של-the Redemption of Adonai).

The context of Place:

Second, the context of place: it is also important for us to remember that this mashal on stewardship and accountability is being taught by the Messiah while he is in the process of leaving Jericho and heading to the Temple in Jerusalem (המקדש בירושלים).

The context of Origin:

Third, the context of origin: symbolically this means that the Messiah is involved in a sojourn of prophetic role-play. Like father Abraham the Messiah begins his travel narrative in an ancient center of moon worship (at Jericho).

The context of Destination:

Fourth, the context of destination: then ‘Or Yisra’el (the Light of Israel) and Or Ha’Olam (the Light of the World) proceeds on to his final destination that ends at the Temple in Jerusalem; at the center of the worship of Adonai, the Majesty on High (HaGedullah Bamaron).

Therefore, these contextual meta-narrratives (sub-narratives within the larger main narrative) are a subtle reminder to those of us who are Jews that our father Abraham was at the first a moon worshiper. These reminders that we were called from out of the world are the Messiah’s way of reminding us: we (Israel) should be humble and not proud. For we Jews are all physical descendants of father Abraham and he at the first was a pagan moon worshiper. We should exercise a humble attitude toward the gentiles for they like our father Abraham will one day be called out of the darkness (Jericho) of the world (Jericho)) and into the light of Avinu HaMe’orot, our Father of lights (Jerusalem).

So, when the Messiah returns to Israel all the nations and peoples of the world shall be called out of the rule of man—the worship of man the image; symbolized as moon, mirror reflection of the light that originates from the sun (the source of light). The shall we all worship the one true God, who is the Creator of us all; God who is the Source and Sustainer of everything in existence.

The context of Time:

Five, the context of time: soon it will be time for the Righteous One (our Tzaddik) to go up to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover. There in Jerusalem, almost two millennia ago the mortal ministry of our Messiah came to an end so that his more glorious ministry of unending (eternal immortal) goodness, righteousness, and truth might begin. Our righteous Father of Light glorified the Messiah in his death, resurrection, and ascendancy into heaven.

The Father (HaAv) will glorify His Messiah again at his triumphant return to earth from heaven when he will bring the rule of the Kingdom of Adonai to reign here on earth. On the Messiah’s last Passover visit in Jerusalem he voluntarily sacrificed his life as the Korban Pesach of Israel. He sacrificed his righteous, holy life as an atonement for our sins and as a ransom for our souls.

The Time of the Appearance of the Kingdom of Adonai:

It was at this point in time, at the time of the spiritual transformation of the wealthy and powerful tax-collector Zacchaeus that the disciples of Messiah suddenly came to the belief that the kingdom of Adonai Eloheinu and the restoration of Israel would appear immediately. This certainty of belief of the Jewish disciples of Messiah included the expectation that immediately all of our people (AmIsrael) would be liberated from the violent oppression of the gentiles; specifically, the rule of the Roman Empire.

In short, Messiah’s followers expected at this point in time that Israel would immediately be restored to the fulfillment of all of the promises that Adonai Avinu (our Father) had made to our founding fathers and the prophets of Israel. The Jewish disciples believed the time had come that Israel would recognize and accept the Messiah Yeshua as their deliverer and king and that immediately thereafter all of the Gentile nations would forcefully be brought into subjugation to his rule (cf. Psalm 2).

The Jewish followers of the Messiah believed that immediately the kingdom of Adonai would come to reign over all the earth.

The Messiah would be the King of both the Jews and the Gentiles and Twelve of his disciples would reign with him (over *Israel) on Twelve thrones at his side. In their enthusiasm the Jewish talmidin of the Messiah completely ignored the Master’s previous teaching regarding his imminent death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven; and his future return to earth to establish the kingdom of Adonai and restore Israel to all of His promises.

One additional Jewish disciple – to the Twelve – will rule at Messiah’s side as his co-regent.

After his resurrection the Messiah made it clear to his followers that instead of the immediate restoration of Israel, the immediate establishment of the Kingdom of Adonai on earth, there would be a very long period of time that would elapse:

Clarification #1. This extended period of time would last from the time the Messiah would ascend into heaven (go to the far country) to the time that he would return to establish the kingdom of Adonai (his God and our God) here on earth.

Clarification #2. This extended period of time was to be included in the period of time that was referred to as the era of the Kingdom of heaven; which commenced at the beginning of Messiah’s earthly ministry almost two millennia ago. Therefore, the Messiah referred to his departure from earth back to heaven (his ascension up to heaven) when He opened up this his thirty-ninth mashal with the words:

“A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return.”

The Nobleman is the Messiah. He is the Prince of Life (Sar haChaim). The Messiah Yeshua is the rightful physical heir to the throne of his ancestor King David. There use to be records kept in the Temple that verified this. The existence of the proof of the lineage of the Messiah was kept by the priests. The priests knew full well of the Messiah’s royal Davidic ancestry and of his sovereign right to rule all Israel. The Prushim sages (the Tannaim) knew this too. This is why the enemies of the Messiah never challenged his claim that He was the Son of David.

The Distant Country the Messiah was going to was Heaven:

After the Messiah voluntarily made himself a sacrifice for the atonement of Israel and a redemption for the salvation of the souls of our people, he resurrected from the dead and ascended into heaven where he (the heavenly Messiah) now sits at the right hand of the Father (cf. Psalms 2 & 110; and Book of Enoch chapters 45, 46, 48, 49, 61).

It is from this most exalted place, sitting at the right hand of our Father in heaven (Avinu Shebashamayim) that our Master is now acting as our melitz (מליץ-advocate) before the Father (מליץ לפני האב) who speaks to Him on our behalf. This Messiah will continue to do until the day arrives that Adonai Avinu (ה’ אבינו) has appointed for Ha-Mashiach to triumphantly return from heaven to Israel.

In the day of Messiah’s return He will not return as the mortal Suffering Messiah ben Yosef. He will return as the glorified-heavenly Conquering Messiah ben David. Then will the kingdom of Adonai our God be forcibly established here on earth. Then will all of the promises to our fathers be fulfilled (i.e. the full restoration of Israel).

“And he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas and said to them, ‘Do business with this until I come back.’”

Here we see the symbolic number of ten being used once more. We are already familiar with the legislative, judicial, and ecclesiastical (prayer, worship) use of the quorum of ten men. This insight being a result of our previous discussions regarding the legal quorum of a “minyan.“

The prophet Daniel and the mina (mene, maneh):

What is new to us here is Messiah’s use of the term “ten minas.” In the Tanakh the value of a silver mina (Hebrew, maneh-מָנֶה) is set at sixty shekels (Ezekiel 45:12). The value of a gold mina is set at one hundred shekels (1, 2). We learn what a mina is by a careful reading of the prophet Daniel:

וּדְנָה כְתָבָא דִּי רְשִׁים מְנֵא מְנֵא תְּקֵל וּפַרְסִֽין׃ דְּנָה פְּשַֽׁר־מִלְּתָא מְנֵא מְנָֽה־אֱלָהָא מַלְכוּתָךְ וְהַשְׁלְמַֽהּ׃ תְּקֵל תְּקִילְתָּה בְמֹֽאזַנְיָא וְהִשְׁתְּכַחַתְּ חַסִּֽיר׃ פְּרֵס פְּרִיסַת מַלְכוּתָךְ וִיהִיבַת לְמָדַי וּפָרָֽס׃

ודנה כתבא די רשים מנא מנא תקל ופרסין׃ דנה פשר־מלתא מנא מנה־אלהא מלכותך והשלמה׃ תקל תקילתה במאזניא והשתכחת חסיר׃ פרס פריסת מלכותך ויהיבת למדי ופרס׃

“Now this is the inscription that was written out: ‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.’ This is the interpretation of the message: ‘MENE’—God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. ‘TEKEL’—you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. ‘PERES’—your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”

The words mene (Aramaic), maneh (Hebrew), and mina (Greek) all correspond to the meaning of the Hebrew root word “manah.” Manah means to count, reckon, number, assign, tell, appoint, prepare and “ordain.” This use of the word in the Tanakh helps us establish the scriptural basis of the Messiah’s use of the word in his mashal.

We learn specifically what the figure of ten minas is by a careful reading of Daniel 1:20:

וְכֹל דְּבַר חָכְמַת בִּינָה אֲשֶׁר־בִּקֵּשׁ מֵהֶם הַמֶּלֶךְ וַֽיִּמְצָאֵם עֶשֶׂר יָדֹות עַל כָּל־הַֽחַרְטֻמִּים הָֽאַשָּׁפִים אֲשֶׁר בְּכָל־מַלְכוּתֹֽו׃

וכל דבר חכמת בינה אשר־בקש מהם המלך וימצאם עשר ידות על כל־החרטמים האשפים אשר בכל־מלכותו׃

“As for every word (d’var) of wisdom (chokmah) and understanding (biynah) about which the king consulted (baqash) them, he found (matsa’) them ten (‘eser) times (yadot, literally hands; i.e ten fingers) better (‘al) than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his kingdom (malkut).

Ten fingers or two hands full of wisdom and understanding:

We see depicted here what is the highest degree of wisdom and understanding.

The highest degree of wisdom and understanding is depicted as literally two hands (yadot) full or “ten fingers” full of wisdom (chokmah) and understanding (biynah). This word picture used by Daniel of the words ten (‘eser) and hands (i.e. ten fingers) is very helpful because it gives us the visual picture of ten times being equivalent to the highest measure of good stewardship by a servant in the kingdom of Adonai.

This means the highest measure of good stewardship by a servant in the kingdom of Adonai is visualized by the prophet Daniel to be one who possesses two handfuls or “ten fingers” of wisdom and understanding. When we add this scriptural witness to the other four applicable passages (1, 2, 3, 4) we realize that the mashal of the ‘Ten Servants given 10 minas’ is not primarily a lesson about material stewardship; rather this mashal is a prophetic directive from the Messiah to future generations of his servants—especially to those of us who are Jews—that we are to faithfully be serving him here on earth until the day that He returns from the “far country” (Heaven).

Therefore, until the time of the Mashiach’s return from heaven to modern Israel we are to grow-up in his teaching so that by the time of his return we will have attained to the full measure and stature of Adonai our Father and our God’s wisdom (chokmah) and understanding (biynah). What is in view here is the supernatural wisdom and understanding of Adonai Avinu that has in its *entirety been entrusted to the Messiah; who is the “mature” and “complete” Man of God (הָאָדָם הַשָּׁלֵם).

*All things that Adonai our Father and our God has is entrusted to M’shicho (His Messiah).

The Wisdom and Understanding of the Divine Redemption:

Next we must ask, “What is the specific witness of wisdom and understanding that is to be (invested) put into physical and spiritual economic circulation here?” This leads us back to our search for what is the practical and spiritual meaning of the mina. A silver mina is worth considerably more than the Greek silver drachma and the Roman silver denarius.

The spiritual meaning of the little silver drachma and denarius coins was discussed previously in the meshalim of the “Lost Coin” and the “Vineyard Workers Early & Late.” In the present case of ten minas we do not know whether the minas were silver or gold, therefore, we believe it is best that we consider that the Master desires that we consider the values and meanings of both the silver mina and the gold mina.

Therefore to begin this introductory part of our study we must ask the question: “What is the meaning of the silver mina?”

Silver is the metal of Redemption.

Since we have previously been led to convert all of the silver coinage of the Gentiles into the value of Jewish shekels it seems only right to do the same here (cf. Mashal of the Lost Coin).

Point #1. If the minas were silver minas then each man received the equivalent of *sixty shekels; and since there were ten men, the total amount entrusted by the nobleman (the Messiah) was six hundred shekels.

Point #2. It is most important here that we understand that the metal of silver speaks of the sacrifice of life (symbolized in the shedding of blood) and that in turn this sacrificed life is a symbol of the Divine Redemption.

Point #3. In terms of the annual temple tax (discussed previously as the redemption of the soul temple tax), the symbolic Torah amount required for the redemption of each of our souls was one half-shekel. This exchange of the one mina into half-shekels results in an amount sufficient to redeem the souls of 120 Jewish persons.

Point #4. The total exchange of the ten mina into half-shekels, therefore, translates into an amount sufficient to redeem the souls of 1200 Jewish persons.

To continue this introductory part of our study we must now ask the question: “What is the meaning of the gold mina?”

Gold is the metal of Divinity.

Therefore, when the minas are converted to gold (instead of silver) then each man received the equivalent of 100 shekels; and since there were ten men, the total amount entrusted by the nobleman (the Messiah) was 1,000 shekels.

First, as discussed numerous times before, the number one hundred (100) is symbolic of the land and people of Israel; who have been redeemed by Adonai (our Father) and who therefore, belong to Adonai (the LORD).

Both the land and people of Israel belong to Adonai Avinu.

He is our Great Shepherd. No one can make a claim on the land of Israel because Adonai Eloheinu has permanently assigned His people of Israel to live in His land of Israel. We are His special people (His special flock; among all humankind). He is our Father who dwells in heaven. We are His children.

Second, it is most important here for us to remember the fact that gold is the metal of Divinity. When a sacred article is made out of pure gold it speaks of the Divine Presence. In the Temple wood represents man, bronze (copper) judgment, silver redemption, and gold represents Divinity.

Gold and silver together are a a symbol of the Divine Redemption.

The original text of the mashal of the Ten Servants given mina deliberately does not specify whether the minas are of silver or gold, therefore, we will accept both. When we accept both meanings and put the two meanings together we get the answer to our previous question: “What is the specific witness of wisdom and understanding that is to be (invested) put into public circulation here?” The answer is: each mina represents an amount equal to the Divine [Gold] Redemption [silver] of one hundred twenty (120) Yehudim.

One mina represents the Divine Redemption of the souls of one hundred and twenty (120) Yehudim.

This is the start-up amount of redemption the Messiah has individually and collectively entrusted to all Ten of his Jewish servants to invest and grow while He is in the Far Country (i.e. in Heaven). Certainly not by coincidence we read in the historical accounts of the first Jewish (messianic) believers that immediately after the Messiah ascended into heaven (on the fortieth day of their counting the omer) one hundred and twenty (120) of his Jewish followers gathered together to pray that they might receive the gift of the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of Holiness on Shavuot. Therefore, in fulfillment of the promises of Adonai to our founding fathers and our prophets (of Israel) and in answer to our prayers:

A full measure of wisdom and understanding was also given to the one hundred and twenty (120) Yehudim.

This occurred just Ten days after the Messiah’s ascension into heaven on the 40^th day of Counting the Omer. It was during this time of the Ten days (the number Ten is a symbol of our sanctification) that a remnant of one hundred and twenty (120) Yehudim had gathered together in Jerusalem to determine which one of them should replace the betrayer Judas Iscariot (Yehudah ben Shim’on Ish Keriot). In addition, and most important, along with replacing Judas as one of the Twelve Shlichim (sent ones, special emissaries) these Yehudim were assembling together to pray for the Divine Presence (the promised Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of the Holy One) to descend from heaven to Jerusalem on the morning of Shavuot to rest upon and Indwell the minds, hearts, souls and bodies of the one hundred and twenty (120) Yehudim. Therefore, we read from the Brit HaChadashah that on the fortieth day [of Counting the Omer] the Messiah was lifted up alive into heaven:

אחרי שאמר את הדברים האלה נשא מעליהם בעודם מסתכלים, וענן נטל אותו מנגד עיניהם. עודם מביטים השמימה בעליתו, והנה שני אנשים לבושי לבן נצבו לידם ואמרו: אנשי הגליל, למה אתם עומדים ומסתכלים אל השמים? ישוע זה אשר נשא מעליכם השמימה – בוא יבוא באותו אפן שראיתם אותו עולה לשמים.” אחרי כן שבו לירושלים מהר הזיתים, הקרוב לירושלים כדרך תחום שבת. באו כיפא ויוחנן ויעקב, אנדרי ופיליפוס ותאמא, בר-תלמי ומתי ויעקב בן-חלפי, שמעון הקנאי ויהודה בן-יעקב, ועלו אל העליה – המקום שנהגו לשהות בו. כל אלה התמידו בלב אחד בתפלה, הם והנשים ומרים אם ישוע ואחיו. פ

באותם ימים קם כיפא בין האחים – מספר האנשים שנקהלו יחד היה כמאה ועשרים – ואמר: אנשים אחים, צריך היה שיתקים הכתוב אשר רוח הקדש דברה מקדם בפי דוד על יהודה, זה שנהיה המוביל של תופסי ישוע. הוא נמנה אתנו וקבל חלק בשרות הזה. והנה קנה לו שדה בשכר הרשע ובנפלו נבקעה בטנו וכל מעיו נשפכו החוצה–הדבר הזה נודע לכל יושבי ירושלים ולפיכך נקרא אותו שדה בלשונם ‘חקל דמא, שפרושו שדה הדם–שהרי כתוב בספר תהלים, תהי-טירתו נשמה ואל-יהי בה יושב, וגם פקדתו יקח אחר. על כן צריך שאחד מן האנשים אשר נלוו אלינו בכל העת אשר האדון ישוע בא ויצא בתוכנו, החל מטבילת יוחנן עד יום הנשאו מאתנו, יהיה עד אתנו על תחיתו. פ

הם העמידו שנים, את יוסף הנקרא בר-שבא והמכנה גם יוסטוס, ואת מתתיה. התפללו ואמרו: אתה אדני היודע כל הלבבות, הראה נא מי הוא האחד מן השנים שבחרת בו לקחת את מקום השרות הזה והשליחות אשר סטה ממנה יהודה בלכתו אל מקומו שלו. נתנו להם גורלות; הגורל נפל על מתתיה והוא נספח אל אחד-עשר השליחים. פ

“And after he [the Messiah] had said these things, he was lifted up [ascended alive into heaven, as did Enoch and Elijah before him] while they were looking on, and a cloud [the Shekinah] received him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while he was going [into the far country of Heaven], behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Yeshua (Salvation of Adonai), who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come (he will return to earth) in just the same way as you have watched him go into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Keifa (Peter) and Yochanan and Jacob and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, Jacob the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of Jacob. These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Yeshua, and with his brothers.

At this time Keifa (Shim’on ben Yochanan) stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty (120) men was there together), and said, “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Yeshua. For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry.” (Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakel Dama (חֲקַל דְּמָא), that is, Field of Blood.) “For it is written in the book of Psalms (תְּהִלִּים):

“Let his homestead be made desolate, and let no one dwell in it. Let another man take his office.”

Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Master Yeshua went in and out among us—beginning with the immersion (mikveh) of Yochanan until the day that he was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

So they put forward two men, Yosef called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias. And they prayed and said: “You, Adonai, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen to occupy his ministry of a shaliach (sent one) from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the Eleven Shlichim.”

So with this background in mind (of the judgment of the unfaithful servant: Yehudah ben Shim’on Ish Keriot), what can we now say about the messianic judgments of the Ten Servants given mina. Specifically, in this mashal how many judgments are disclosed and how many judgments are yet to be disclosed?

Three of Messiah’s Ten judgments are disclosed; while seven of his Ten judgments are yet to be disclosed.

Therefore, in the mashal of the Ten Servants given mina three out of the ten reports are immediately revealed by the Messiah. This leaves us with seven reports that are yet to be revealed (cf. comments in next paragraph). In the three reports that are revealed we discover:

Servant #1: Turned one mina into ten minas;
Servant #2: Turned one mina into five minas; and
Servant #3: Did not increase the value of the master’s mina at all.

In regard to the seven reports that the Messiah has yet to reveal: the remaining reports on the Seven Servants are revealed later by the resurrected, heavenly Messiah in the prophetic book of Hitgallut (הִתְגַּלּוּת), the book of the Unveiling of the Testimony of the heavenly Messiah (also called in its translation into English, “Revelation”). So in Part II of this study we will make certain that in addition to our searching out the spiritual meanings of the numbers involved in the three servants and the three minas we also will diligently inquire into the mystery of the yet undisclosed matter of what happened to the remaining “seven servants” and “seven minas.”

The organized religious and political rebellion against the Messiah:

But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, “We do not want this man to reign over us.”

Here is a depiction of the Tzedukim (Sadducees, priests), the Prushim (Pharisees, the fathers of the modern orthodox rabbinical movement) and the Herodians (political loyalists to the Herodian royal family). These three Jewish sects hated the Messiah. Why did they hate him? Because their deeds were evil:

Reason #1. The priests hated the Messiah for publicly accusing them of turning the Temple, a House of Prayer, into a corrupt business run by a den (literally a “cave”) of thieves and robbers. The priestly religious faction saw the Messiah as a threat to their monopolistic control over all of the lucrative business activities that were associated with the Jerusalem Temple operations. From their genealogical records the priests knew that Rabbi Yeshua was a direct descendant of the Prophet-King David and that He was the heir to David’s throne. The priests did not want their biggest critic to ascend to the throne. They did not care for the Herodian family but they did have a stable working relationship with them and through them with Rome.

Reason #2. The Prushim, the forerunners to our modern orthodox rabbinical movement, hated the Messiah because he was publicly criticizing and ridiculing their Oral Law (detailed legal system). The business of the Separated Ones (Prushim) was to grow their legalistic rabbinic system larger and larger until it corporately controlled every facet of Jewish life. The Messiah openly declared He would replace the Prushim’s much beloved system with what the he called “Living Torah,” the heavenly Father’s “Gift of the Spirit of Truth” (1, 2, 3). Therefore, to the great shock, horror, and dismay of the Prushim the Messiah was promising he would replace most of the rabbis beloved teaching with his own teaching and his own new “Halakha, Law of the Spirit.”

Reason #3. The Herodians were more a political faction than a religious movement. They were loyal supporters of the Herod family dynasty. This support of the Herod dynasty compromised Jewish independence in the minds of the Prushim making it difficult for the Herodians and Prushim to unite and agree on anything. But one thing did unite them—opposing the Messiah. Many scholars believe that the Herodians looked to Herod as a political messiah, a political savior of sorts who would put the Jewish land and people in favor with the Roman Empire and bring material blessings to them.

The Messiah was hated by the Herodians because He was a threat to the rule of the Herodian family dynasty.

The Messiah had been performing miracles which caused a considerable number of the Jewish people to believe in him for salvation and this threatened the power and position not just of the rabbis and priests but of the secular (political) leaders (the Herodians) as well. Wicked Herod Antipas gave his approval to the Roman government killing our Messiah. So, in this way all three competing factions of the Prushim, Tzedukim, and the Herodians ended up joining forces together to achieve their common goal of killing the Messiah of Israel.

When the Messiah returns as King:

“When he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these servants, to whom he had given the money (mina), be called to him so that he might know what business they had done.”

The Messiah is prophesying that he will not only die, resurrect, and ascend into heaven as the Suffering Messiah ben Yosef but he will one day triumphantly return to (modern) Israel as the Conquering Messiah ben David. We expect the triumphant return of Messiah to earth will occur soon.

This year – all year long – we are celebrating (modern) Israel’s 70th birthday!

We expect the Messiah to return in the lifetime of my wife and I. We were both born in 1948, in the year the nation of Israel was reborn. We believe that we are that generation that Messiah prophesied would not pass away before He returns to Israel again a second time.

Therefore, we believe that at least one person of Jewish descent—who was alive at the time of the year of the rebirth of Israel in 1948 (Jewish calendar year 5708)—will be alive when the Messiah our King returns to earth to restore Israel to the fulfillment of all of the promises Adonai made to our fathers and our prophets.

We belive the Messiah is propheticially declaring to us (Israel) in the Twenty-first century through this mashal that He spoke into existence so long ago that he has already received his kingship from the Heavenly Father; and at the exact time appointed by Avinu Shebashamayim He will soon return to earth to forcibly establish the Kingdom of Adonai on earth (the full restoration of Israel). At the time of the Messiah’s return all Ten of the Jewish servants will be individually judged according to the success or failure of their stewardship of the Divine Redemption. We shall all be judged according to the two hands full (or ten fingers) of wisdom (chokmah) and understanding (biynah) that Adonai Avinu through our Messiah entrusted to us as His first-born people and nation (of Israel).

A Ten-fold return represents Israel possessing: a full measure of wisdom and understanding.

“The first [Yehudi] appeared, saying, ‘Master, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.’”

This “first” servant we believe is a symbol of Messianic Judaism (one united faith of Israel). We give this servant a personal name later in the chapter). Collectively we messianic Yehudim are the Jewish remnant of Israel who from the first century to today are growing in the faith and knowledge of Adonai sufficient to fulfill our future destiny. What is that destiny? Our destiny is that when Messiah returns and sets up Adonai our God’s glorious messianic kingdom here on earth we will (together) in that day of the restored Israel (and Commonwealth of Israel) actually have attained to the full measure and stature of wisdom and understanding (faith) that the Messiah originally assigned to us when he left the earth and was ascended into heaven (Iyaar 24, 3790).

The first and second servants are united as the body of one man:

“The second [Yehudi] came, saying, ‘Your mina, Master, has made five minas.’ And he said to him also, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’” The “second” servant like the first servant is a symbol of Messianic Judaism. Both are one body of professing believers. However, this second generation of messianic followers did not attain to the full measure of the First Servant. In other words we believe that both the first and second servants are a double witness to the same spiritual entity, the body (corporate assembly) of Messiah.

The measure of the stature that belongs to the fullness of Messiah:

If all ten of the servants and assemblies one day attain to the full measure and stature that belongs to the fullness of the Messiah that the first servant attained to, the total redemption of the one united assembly would be 10 X 10 mina. This leads us to return to our original question: “What is the specific witness of wisdom and understanding of redemption that is to be attained to when there is a full measure of Ten minas applied to all of the assemblies?” The answer is each mina represents an amount equal to the Divine Redemption of one hundred and twenty (120) Yehudim; therefore, the fullest measure possible of the Ten mina (manim) applied to all Ten servants is a symbolic amount equal to:

The Divine Redemption of Twelve Thousand (12,000) Yehudim.

In the Hebrew Scriptures the number Ten speaks of Sanctification (a double portion of chesed and chanan of Adonai). So what is prophetically in view here is a ‘full measure’ of the sanctifiying work of the Spirit of Holiness (שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂר אֶלֶף).

“I am Adonai who sanctifies you!”

The Number Ten is a symbol of Adonai’s sanctification of us. The number ten symbolizes sanctification (holiness). The most sacred day of the year occurs on the tenth day of the same month as Rosh Hashanah (the seventh month of Tishri). The Ten Days of Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe) begin on Rosh Hashanah and are concluded on the tenth of Tishri. These days are a sojourn of the pursuit of a sanctified life of complete dedication to Adonai. Our sanctification begins with Teshuvah (Repentance for Sins). Then there is Viduy (Confession of Sins). In Jewish tradition confession begins with an immersion (baptism) of repentance, and then on the Day of the Atonement a special series of prayers of confession (the Viduy) are said ten times. This coincides with the tradition that the High Priest pronounced the name of HaShem ten times when he invoked Divine pardon on Yom HaKippurim.

Yom HaKippurim also recalls the Ten Commandments which serve as a testimony to the Messiah our Righteous One (our Tzaddik) and to the Permanent Indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit. For only the Messiah has continuously lived a perfect sanctified life (a life set apart to our Father in heaven). The Ten Commandments also bear witness to our sanctification because by the loving-kindness of Adonai on the day of our resurrection we will be transformed into the likeness of the Messiah—so that we too might be perfect (shelamim; friendly: a peace offering for friendship with Adonai) as our heavenly Father is perfect (Shalem; a perfect Friend: already well, whole, complete, intact).

דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִישׁ אֹֽו־אִשָּׁה כִּי יַעֲשׂוּ מִכָּל־חַטֹּאת הָֽאָדָם לִמְעֹל מַעַל בַּ ה’ וְאָֽשְׁמָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִֽוא׃ וְהִתְוַדּוּ אֶֽת־חַטָּאתָם אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ וְהֵשִׁיב אֶת־אֲשָׁמֹו בְּרֹאשֹׁו וַחֲמִישִׁתֹו יֹסֵף עָלָיו וְנָתַן לַאֲשֶׁר אָשַׁם לֹֽו׃

[Then Adonai (the LORD) spoke to Moses, saying:]

“Speak to the sons of Israel, ‘When a man or woman commits any of the sins of mankind, acting unfaithfully against Adonai, and that person is guilty, then they shall confess their sins (וְהִתְוַדּוּ אֶֽת־חַטָּאתָם) which they have committed, and he shall make restitution in full for his wrong and add to it one-fifth of it, and give it to him whom he has wronged.” Viduy (confession) is inseparable from Teshuvah (repentance). The Torah’s commandment to repent makes explicit mention of confession, not of repentance (Numbers 5:6-7). Confessing the words “I have sinned” is the performance of a great and meaningful act. The act of confession must be performed before repentance can be regarded as complete.

There are Ten Forgiveness sayings of Messiah in the Four Jewish Gospels:

Regarding the Messiah’s teaching on the Divine Redemption ( ה’הגאולה של) there are Ten Forgiveness Sayings of Messiah found in the Four Jewish Gospels (the Four Faces of Ezekiel) of the Brit HaChadashah. A summary of Messiah’s Ten Forgiveness Sayings are as follows:

These Ten Sayings of the Messiah on the subject of forgiveness are directly related to the Ten Days of Yamim Noraim and especially the Tenth Day of Yom Kippur.

אַךְ בֶּעָשֹׂור לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי הַזֶּה יֹום הַכִּפֻּרִים

On exactly the Tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement.

Regarding the Hebrew numbers ten (עשר) and seven (שבע)—whose sacred meanings we continue to explore in other chapters—it is very interesting to observe in the Torah that only one specific unit of time bears witness to the unique temporal-spiritual identity of these two numbers: The Day of Atonement! For it is written that on exactly (אַךְ) the tenth (עָשׂוֹר) day and the seventh (הַשְּׁבִיעִי) month of the Jewish calendar we shall observe Yom Kippurim (יום כיפורים).

A three-fold stewardship of the Grace of Adonai:

We are to invest and reinvest the Message of Divine Redemption everywhere we go!

The stewardship in view, therefore, is threefold: first that we are called to both be good stewards of the revelation of the D’var HaShem (the Word of Adonai); second, that we are to invest and reinvest the Message of Divine Redemption everywhere we go; and third, that we are called to be good stewards of the heavenly gift that we have received from our Father in Heaven (Avinu Shebashamayim); which is the Gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Truth (Ruach HaEmet), the Spirit of Revelation (Ruach he-Chazon), and the Spirit of Wisdom (Ruach Ha-Chokmah) enable us to effectively study the Word of Adonai so that we might one day (I pray soon) attain as a united body of messianic faith to the full measure and stature of wisdom and understanding that belongs to the Messiah who is the Head of our Assembly (Rosh Ha’edah) and the Head of all things (Rosh l’khol-ha’edah).

The corporate witness to the one who is full of Chesed & Emet:

Therefore, the total witness of the Ten Servants given manim is a corporate witness. The witness is about how all ten servants with their minas are corporately and cumulatively expected as a single assembly to attain to the full measure and stature of the Messiah. This means the mashal is definitely not an exercise in individual competition. This mashal represents a multiplying of the Grace of Adonai (chesed and chen; loving-kindness and gracious humility). The first and second servants together represent three hands full of grace (i.e. 15 steps of grace). This mashal of the Ten Servants given manim is a mission statement of the specific kind of multiplication of grace (five) and sanctification (ten) that the Mashiach wants us as a unified messianic assembly (body) to achieve together before he returns to establish his kingdom, the Kingdom of Adonai, here on earth.

Participation in the glorious future Administration of the Holy Spirit:

What about the reward of the 10 and 5 cities, the fifteen (15) cities in all? These two rewards are a reward to one entity, not two. Fifteen is an indication of the three-fold fullness (three hands full) of of the Spirit of Grace (רוּחַ הַחֶסֶד-Ruach HaChesed). There are three blessings that are prophetically related to our (Israel) one day dwelling together (nation and people) in a state of the fullness of the Spirit of Checed:

Blessing #1. In the Golden Age of the messianic kingdom in the restored Israel and Commonwealth of Israel the entire world will be brought under the international control of the Administration of the Holy Spirit.

Blessing #2. In this near future Golden Age of the messianic kingdom of Adonai the body of the resurrected saints of Israel and the body of the resurrected saints of the Gentile world (i.e. immortals) will be united together as one unified body. These immortal international servants of Adonai will brilliantly and miraculously care for the needs of all the (mortal) peoples who shall live on earth during the prophesied one thousand years reign of Messiah.

Blessing #3. These faithful international ambassadors and messengers of Adonai Avinu will be assigned to rule over “all of the cities of the earth” on behalf of Adonai and His chosen King, the Messiah ben David.

Keeping the Divine Redemption out of public circulation:

Another [Yehudi] came, saying, “Master, here is your mina, which I kept put away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are an exacting man; you take up what you did not lay down and reap what you did not sow.”

Here we see what the (one) Unfaithful Servant said and did. He hid the Word of Adonai, the Message of Divine Redemption, and the Gift of the Spirit of Grace (רוּחַ הַחֶסֶד) in a “linen cloth” (that he hid under the ground). The Messiah accurately predicted here in advance not only what kind of sacrificial death He would suffer but also He predicted the kind of insult He and the Spirit of Grace (Ruach Ha-Chesed) would endure after his death, resurrection, and ascension; that is:

The Unfaithful Servand buried the Divine Redemption (Mina) in the ground; thereby keeping it completely out of public circulation.

The Messiah foretold the future when his powerful redemptive message would be hidden away by the Unfaithful Servant in a religious white linen of man-made rules and traditions and buried under the religious ground of human vanity and self-pride.

The Messiah foretold the future when the Prushim and their rabbinic successors would completely keep Adonai’s redemptive message hidden from public awareness. The Messiah accurately foretold the future when the Prushim rabbinate and their orthodox successors would substitute (replace) the pure witness of the Spirit of Grace (רוּחַ הַחֶסֶד) with their own fabricated human traditions, rituals, and beliefs (false teaching). The Messiah prophesied that the Prushim and their successors would so thoroughly mix their own false teaching into the Scriptures that the entire (Divinely appointed) original (intended) meanings of the D’var HaShem would be lost for a very long time to our people.

In this manner of predicted deceit the truth of Adonai regarding our Divine Redemption has been completely hidden out of the public consciousness of our people for almost two millennia. This is why, until very recently, nearly all of our people have not seen the truth of the Divine light of the truth that has been hidden (buried; 1, 2, 3, 4) deep underneath the false teaching of the replacement oral law of our rabbis.

Nevertheless, we believe very soon the Messiah will return; then will all Israel clearly see the truth and believe!

Trampling underfoot the Divine Redemption & insulting the Spirit of Chesed:

The Unfaithful Servant does not believe in the chesed (steadfast fidelity and loving-kindness) of Adonai. He does not see the Messiah as our merciful helper and our benevolent Savior. The Unfaithful Servant accuses the Messiah of being a ruthless, selfish leader who is just like he is. He is a slanderer. He lies about God and others. He slanders the Spirit of the Holy One and the Messiah when he says:

“You are an exacting man; you take up what you do not lay down and reap what you do not sow.”

Therefore, the Unfaithful Servant slanders the Messiah and the Spirit of Messiah accusing both of being stingy and not generous; which is the scriptural equivalent of accusing someone of possessing an “evil eye.” For this reason this wicked servant is incapable of believing that the Holy One will ever pay for anyone’s redemption or grant anyone (for free) the gift of salvation. Quite to the contrary this wicked servant actually believes that Adonai and His Messiah are “takers” and not a givers. He strongly believes that when the Messiah returns to Israel He will be an “exacting man.” He will take up what He did not lay down and He will reap what He did not sow. The unworthy servant’s false belief in a “stingy,” “selfish” deity teaches us that Adonai and the Messiah are not really our Savior but they are our “brutal taskmasters.”

The Unfaithful Servant, therefore, is a slanderer and a blasphemer. His remarks are a personal insult against the Spirit of Grace. The Messiah will return from heaven to Israel (in the future) and say to this Unfaithful Servant, “By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? Then why did you not put my money in the bank, and having come, I would have collected it with interest?”

Bringing down the judgment of Adonai upon one’s own head:

The grievousness of the Unfaithful Servant is that he has both made the Divine Redemption of the D’var HaShem (Word of Adonai) of no effect by hiding it in his linen cloth (his false religious system) and thereafter burying it deep in the “ground” (where no one can find it). Furthermore, the Unfaithful Servant has personally insulted Adonai by accusing him of not being in the least bit interested in helping or saving the children of Israel. Instead, this Unfaithful Servant has the arrogance to claim that Adonai is not a giver of anything to anyone. Rather he maliciously claims that Adonai is only a taker all of the time. So the Unfaithful Servant publicly declares to the Messiah the King, “You take up what you do not lay down and reap what you do not sow.”

So what is the Messiah’s response to this public insult that Adonai Avinu is not a giver of anything to anyone?

Then He said to the bystanders (the remaining “seven” servants), “Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.” And they said to him, “Master, he has ten minas already.” I say to you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. But these enemies of Mine, who did not want Me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in *My Presence.”

*The Indwelling Presence of Adonai is speaking directly to us (Israel)—outside of space and time—in the 1st Person. The Voice of Adonai is His Holy Servant the Messiah. The prophets prophesied in the 3rd person, “Adonai says to you.” In great contrast Adonai Avinu says to us through His Son and our (sinless, righteous) brother the Messiah, “I say to you!” Therefore, it is written:

עוֹדוֹ מְדַבֵּר וְעָנָן בָּהִיר סָכַךְ עֲלֵיהֶם וְהִנֵּה קוֹל אוֹמֵר מִתּוֹךְ הֶעָנָן: “זֶה בְּנִי אֲהוּבִי אֲשֶׁר חָפַצְתִי בּוֹ; ג אֵלָיו תִּשְׁמָעוּן.” פ

As he spoke, and a Bright Cloud (עָנָן בָּהִיר-i.e. the Shekinah, the Divine Presence השכינה) overshadowed them and suddenly a Voice from the (Glory) Cloud said:

“This is My Beloved Son that I desire; hear (שְׁמָע-shema), understand, and obey (from root שָׁמַע) him!”

The Seven Servants and the Seven Cities:

Under the law of non-mention we must now ask again: “Who are the Seven Servants who remain unaccounted for in today’s mashal (parable) of the ‘Ten Servants given mina’? We have determined that these seven servants are expected to return the very same full measure of wisdom and redemption that the first servant provided. We have also determined that this exceptional servant was rewarded with an additional mina (and city) that brought his total up to eleven mina (and cities). We determined that ten is the number of sanctification. However, we must ask the question:

What is the meaning of the eleventh mina and the eleventh city?

The answer can be found in the story of Joseph (Yosef). Joseph is the suffering son who became the glorified son. Therefore, it is the eleventh tribe of Joseph (Yosef) that is a symbol of God’s double portion. Yosef’s name literally means “to add” (i.e. more, many sons of glory will be added to the Messiah ben Yosef). Therefore, the eleventh mina and the eleventh city speak of more than the Ten (sanctification). Eleven prophetically speaks of “glorification.” This reference to the yet future glorified First Servant is at the very least a reference to the First Generation of Messiah’s followers who served him well and whose sacrificial example we would all do well to follow.

Messiah in Yom HaBikkurim Chapter 57, Part II >>