The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-07-22
INTERNATIONAL
LESSON
By E. o. SELLERS, Director Of Evening
Department, The Moody Bible lhSutute.
Chicago.)
LESSON FOR JULY 2s
THE POUNDS AND THE TALENTS

LESSON rExr-Luke 1s:1l-27. Ct. Matt
25:14-3o.
GOLDEN TExT-"Well# done, good nnd
faithful seYvant; thou hast been faithiul
many things; enter into the JOY Of thy
lord" Matt. 2:21 R v.
We are told plainly why Jesus spoke
the first parable ". III. We must be-
wars Of. confusing these two parallels
though they are one In their essential
teachings.
The parable of the pounds was ut
tered before the triumphal entry OF
Jesus into Jerusalem while that OF
the talents was spoken subsequently.
This association does not mean iden.
tity for each has q separate lesson.
Both have to do with an absent lord
whose return was imminent a
Jews looked for a temporal visible
Kingdom and many were associattng
the earthly life Of our Lord with that
expected manifestation. Hence this
parable as recorded by Luke.
issue is Fidelity.
l.. "Gcedpy TIL Come w. f1-f4.
Both Of these parallels have to do with
the return Of an absent lord who will
then establish his kingdom. In view
of this return and contamination, his
servants are to give their undivided
attention to their immediate RESPONSE
bilities. They are to trade, to do busi-
ness with that that has been in-3
trusted to them. They are to actively
discharge their duty. Ere the visible
kingdom is established. Jesus told
these Jews, there must be q period OF
preparation, Jesus, himself, Is the
"nobleman" whose ascension into
heaven where he Is to receive a king
dom fuIflls the departure into Q far
country He will return to set mp
that kingdom, Acts 1911, with q
authority" Matt. 1918 3. Y, Eph. 4;
1923; / Pet. 1929. He may return at
any time. In neither parable is there
a full description of the kingdom as u
Is to be established, for both hare TO
do with the servants. The issue -
that Of fidelity In each case.
The citizens" ". 14) include his
proper subjects the jews, John Ill;
Acts 4:27-28, and In this connection
we recall their CRY, Away with him.
cruelty" Luke 1858; John 1875. These
citizens" also include all Of his FRO
fessed followers but not necessarily
regenerated men, Matt. 7:22-33. The
king gives to each servant ". 13)
pound (about $1,000. His deposit rs
equal In each case. In the parable OF
the talents there Is a difference In the
amounts bestowed. This last empha-
sizes the fact that each is to be held
responsible according to the measure
Of his own personal ability. Putting
these two together W see that all the
servants Of the king are responsible
for the one pound which Is q symbol.
Of the common fact Of the kingdom
power. At the same time the servant,
is also responsible for that common
power according to the measure IN
which It is entrusted to him, in which.
he is able to deal with 1t. The small
amount Of one pound indicates our re-
sponsibility for the smallest gifts.
Parable Of Pounds.
IL. HWhen He Mas Returned" w.
1880. The parable Of the pounds was
spoken to. those who thought he must
at once establish he kingdom of God.
That Of the talents was given In an
swer to the disciples inquiry as to
when certain things which he had fore
told would take place. Upon his re
turn all these servants will be sum-
moned before him, Matt 25:18, Rom.
14:10-12, II Cor. $40. AS Jesus stood
there, he, likewise of that as of>all
other ages, say ahead Of him Jeru.
salem with its %scourging, suffering
and death. He also saw beyond that
his resurrection and departure to re-
ceive a kingdom ". 12), a period
therefore in this world during which
his servants shall be responsible for
the care Of his interests, a time dur
ing which they shall occupy, do bust
ness with what he has entrusted them
of the kingdom authority and power.
All of this will eliminate In his re-
turn when he will deal with those to
whom this responsibility has been
given, and then establish finally his
kingdom. In the parable Jesus deals
with each servant separately, and en-
phasizes the fact Of stewardship. The
pound belonged to the king. For his
faithfulness the first servant received,
v. II, (a) the kings COMMUNICATION :
and lb) authority over ten cities.
Later, ". 24) he also received another
pound. The second did not give quite
so good a report and his reward
lacked the appreciation Of the king,
though he is placed ove five cities"
His reward was in proportion to his
faithfulness.
The third report was bad. 1t re-
veals neglect, ~laziness, and a wrong
conception regarding the king. He
sought to excuse his sloth by blaming
another. The excuses of the sinner
always condemn himself, not God, and
augment the sinners guilt. The
wicked servant lost what he would
not use. If we will not use We must
lose. Doubtless this servant considered
himself unfortunate, though he was