11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. 12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. 14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. 15 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. 16 Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. 17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. 18 And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. 19 And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. 20 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: 21 For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. 22 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: 23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? 24 And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. 25 (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) 26 For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. 27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. (Luke 19:11-27 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
For a better understanding of this parable, we must,
1. Consider the occasion of it.
2. The design and scope of it.
3. The lessons of instruction which our Saviour intended us by it.
As to the former; the occasion of our Saviour’s uttering this parable seems to be this, He was now going up to Jerusalem to die; some of the company were of the opinion that he would immediately enter upon his kingdom, and act as a temporal prince, delivering them from the Romans, and destroying his and their enemies: he lets them understand the quite contrary, that he must die and rise again, and ascend into heaven, and then return again and receive the kingdom; and that he was now taking his last journey to Jerusalem, in order to that end.
The design and scope of the parable, together with the interpretation of it, is this, the nobleman here mentioned is our Saviour himself, who in his state of great humiliation was but like a nobleman: his going into a far country, signifies his return from earth to heaven: his coming back again, signifies his coming to judgment: his calling his servants, and delivering them their talents, intimates to us the various gifts which he bestows upon the sons of men, all which are to be employed in his service, and improved to his glory: his calling his servants to an account, plainly signifies, that when Christ comes to judgment, he will have an account of every individual person, how they used the gifts, and improved the talents, intrusted with them; and that they may expect to be impartially rewarded according to their works; for God will appear a righteous God, and will condemn sinners out of their own mouths, and a most certain and final ruin will be their portion, while those that were faithful in his service shall be crowned with his reward.
Now from the whole we may learn these lessons of instruction:
1. That our Lord’s state of humiliation and great abasement on earth being passed and over, a glorious state of exaltation he is now arrived at in heaven. God has exalted him with great triumph to his kingdom in heaven.
2. That, clothed with infinite majesty and power, and attended with an innumerable host of glorious angels and saints, this exalted Saviour will come to judge angels and men.
3. That in the meantime Christ variously dispenses to his servants particular talents, to be employed and improved for his own glory and his church’s good.
4. That there will most certainly be a reckoning day, or a time when our Lord will take an account of men’s improving those gifts and graces, which were given them as so many talents to be improved by them.
5. That there will be degrees of happiness and misery in the other world, according to men’s degrees of faithfulness or negligence in this.
6. That it is abominably false and impious to charge God, as being rigid and severe with men, and requiring impossibilities at their hands: For out of their own mouths will God condemn them.
Lastly, that the condition of God’s faithful servants will be unspeakably happy, and that of the unprofitable servant intolerably miserable both in this world and in the next: the righteous shall enter into the joy of their Lord, and be confirmed therein, with an utter impossibility of losing that happiness. The wicked, who would not submit to Christ’s authority, shall not be able to resist his power. They that would not suffer Christ to reign over them, shall at the last day be brought forth and slain before him. Those mine enemies that would not that I, and etc.
BURKITT | Lu 19:1-2 | Lu 19:3-4 | Lu 19:5-6 | Lu 19:7 | Lu 19:8 | Lu 19:9 | Lu 19:10 | Lu 19:11-27 | Lu 19:28-40 | Lu 19:41 | Lu 19:42 | Lu 19:43-44 | Lu 19:45-48 |