May 1930
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
259
| International JHesson Commentary j | £ e s s o n O u tlin e a n d E x p o s itio n b la c k b o a r d O u tlin e s g o ld e n RBext Illu s tra tio n s G h ild r e n ’s ^ D iv is io n ® » 3 - 8 . éladerquist June 1, 1930 Contrast Between Faithfulness and Slothfulness L esson : Matt. 25 :14-46. ( Lesson T ex t: Matt. 25:14-30.) Golden T ex t: “His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matt. 25:21). * * * L esson in O u tlin e I. Servants and their S ervice (14-18). S's The man—Jegus Christ. 2. The “far country”—heaven (cf. John 14.T-3). 3. The servants—all disciples. 4. The talents-—“all gifts and en dowments.” II. The Day o f Reckoning (19-30). 1. The time—at Christ’s coming. 2. The participants—all “servants.” 3. The ground of judgment—use of talents. 4. The reward of good servants ( 21 ). . a. Receive Master’s “Well done.” b. Receive larger sphere of service. c. Enter into joy of the Lord. 5. The wicked servant (24-30). a. His profession—“I knew thee” (24). b. His false views of the Master (2 4 ); c. His indolence (25). d. His d o o m—“outer darkness” (30). * * * A pproach to t h e L esson V fA T T H EW stresses the n e e d of watchful preparation for the coming of Christ by a series of illustrations—the days of Noah and their message (24:37- 42) ; the thief coming suddenly (2 4 :43, 4 4 ); the stewards (24:44-51) ; the wise and the foolish virgins (25:1-13). In the parable of the virgins he describes the Church in her attitude of waiting for the returning Lord. In the parable of the talents it is the Church at work which is presented. A similar parable, that of the pounds, is given by Luke alone (19:11- 27). It was spoken at Jericho five or six days earlier than the time of the present lesson. It is very evident that our Lord was at tempting to impress upon His disciples that He was going back to the Father, and that He was committing to them the proclamation of the Gospel during His absence.1 They were held responsible for proper lise of their “talents” and would be compelled to render an account of their stewardship when He returned. * * * T he H eart of th e L esson I. The Servants and their S ervice (14- 18). V. 14. Going into another country. Jesus had several times during the months preceding His death announced that He must go to Jerusalem to suffer and be the Kingdom was to immediately appear (Luke 19:11). Sufficient time was given to the servants to double their capital. The time of the return of their lord was left uncertain as an incentive to earnest ness and watchfulness. They were not to be idly waiting (cf. Acts 1 :11; 2 Thess. 3:10-12). M aketh a reckoning. All be lievers will one day have to render ac count unto the Lord concerning their ser vice (cf. Rom. 14:12; 2 Cor. 5:10). Vs. 20-21. Brought other five talents. With satisfaction the servant displays that which he has gained. Good and fa ith fu l. The servant’s faithfulness and devo tion—two prime virtues—w e r e com mended. These things, and n^t his suc cess, were lauded. S et thee ojver. Faith fulness in a small task brought promo tion to a larger one. The jo y o f thy lord. This has been variously interpreted. It can refer to the joy that comes to him whose conscience is clear and who has the satisfaction that he has done his full duty. But it also points forward to the coming day when Christ shall return for His own. Vs. 22-23. Gained other two talents. The same reward was given to this servant as to the one who gained five talents. They had different capacities for service and so we may assume that they represent dif ferent capacities for enjoyment in the presence of the Lord, but for each the cup -of joy is full. Vs. 24-25. Came and said. He came with empty words, not with gains. I knew thee. This man’s fault was not dishonesty, for he had not stolen his master’s talent; nor was it profligacy, for he had not squandered the money. His first and serious wrong doing was his harboring wrong opinions of his master. He did not know his lord. H ard man. That is, grasping, greedy, one who would appropriate all that the labor and diligence of the servants produced, giving them all work and no pay. F eared. He feared the loss of his talent if he traded with it. H id it in the earth (cf. 13:14). Some one has remarked that the earth was “the primitive bank of secur ity.” Thine own. These words imply that he thought his master had no right to look for any more. Vs. 26-27. W icked and slothfu l servant. The word “wicked” means grudging, mean-spirited (cf. 6:23). It is the oppo site of the word “good” which describes the other servants, and is a fitting reply to this servant’s accusation that he had a “hard” master. This man was devoted to his own, not to his master’s interests. Thou knewest. This might be made a question: “I f thou knewest that I reap where I sow not,” etc. Put my money to the bankers. That is, if his master was as hard as represented, and if he dared not trade with the money, he should at least have put it out at interest. Israel had been forbidden to take interest from each other (E x . 22:25; Lev. 25:35-37) but could take it from Gentiles (Deut. killed and the third day arise from the d e a d (16:21; 17: 22; 20:18; 26:2). D elivered unto them his goods. It was n o t an uncommon practice for slaves to be given goods or money of their masters with which to trade, on an agreed basis of division of profits. Jesus, too, has bondservants. Having purchased them by His blood, He has the right to control their service. Their “talents” ate His “goods,” entrusted to them for a season. His servants are all disciples. V. 15. F ive talents. A talent of gold would be about $1,200, but it would have at that time many times as great a pur chasing power as such an amount would have today. Perhaps $75,000 would be the equivalent in present values. The word “talent” has 'come to mean mental powers. In the parable it may stand for “all gifts and endowments, natural or spiritual, original or acquired” (Eph. 4: 8-12; 1 Pet. 4:10 ; 2 Cor. 5:19 ; 1 Thess. 2 :4 ). H is several ability. That is, his capacity for the profitable use of the talents (cf. Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:11; Eph. 4:11). V. 16. Straightway. This servant was diligent and faithful. He lost no time in beginning his appointed task. Traded. Literally, “worked.” It suggests the prac tical lesson that there is no profit without real work, mental or physical. Made other five talents. Another reading is “gained other talents.” There is no es sential difference. We speak of “making money.” V. 17. In like manner . The one who had received only two talents had not as great capacity as the other. But he had equal diligence and faithfulness, and like the first servant, he doubled his lord’s money. V. 18. H id his lord’s money. It was not unusual in those days for treasure to be hidden in the earth for safekeeping. This servant was not dishonest but he was in dolent. He hid the money for safety. The master asked that he trade with it for gain. II. The Day o f Reckoning. V. 19. A fter a time. Expressly stated by our Lord to correct the impression that
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