The Red Cloud chief., 1914-07-23
INTERNATIONAL.
LESSON
By r. o. SELLERS, Director OF Evening
Department. The Moody Bible Institute.
Chicago.)
LESSON FOR JULY 26
THE POUNDS AND THE TALENTS.
LESSON TExT-Luke billet. CT. Matt.
S5;ft-30.

LESSON TExT-Luke 19:l1-2. CT. Matt.
s5:it-3o.
GOLDEN TExT-"wcll done. good and
faithful servant; thou hast been faithful
over a few things. l will set thee over
many things: enter into the Joy OF thy
lord" Matt. 2S:2i r. v.
We are told plainly why Jesus spoke
the first parable ". 11). We must be.
ware 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 a separate lesson.
Both have to do with an absent lord
whose return was imminent. The
Jews looked for a temporal visible
Kingdom and many were associating
the earthly life of our Lord with that
expected manifestation. Hence this
parable 10 recorded by Luke.
Issue 10 Fidelity.
!. "oecupy TIL I Come" w. 1f.1%.
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.
A-,.&nd o. <horn uy,av ~ - octlvo1V
discharge their duty. Ere the visible
kingdom Is established. Jesus told
these Jews, there must be a period OF
preparation. Jesus. himself. il tho
'nobleman" whose ascension into
heaven where he is to receive a king
dom fulfls the departure into . far
country" He will return to set up
that kingdom. Acts 1911, with "all
authority" Matt. 2S:1S r.. ", Eph. 1:
1923; I Pet. 1922. He may return at
any time. In neither parable is there
q full description Of the kingdom as It
is to DO established, for both have to
do with the servants. The Issue II
thAt OF fidelity In each case.
Tho citizens" ". 14) include his
proper subjects the Jews. John 1:11;
Acts 4:27.28. and In this connection
we recall their cry. away with him.
cruelty" Luke 1898; John 1915. These
Citizens" also include all of his pro.
fessed followers but not necessarily
regenerated men, Matt. 7:22-33. The
king gives to each servant ". 13) .
pound (about $4,000. His deposit 10
equal in each case. In the parable OF
the talents there is q, difference In the
amounts bestowed. This last empha.
sizes the fact that each IL to be held
responsible according to the measure
OF his own personal ability. Putting
these two together we see that all the
servants Of the king are responsible
for the n 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 II is entrusted to him, in which
he is able to deal with II. The small
amount Of one pound indicates nj re-
sponsibility for the smallest gifts.
Parable Of Pounds.
~. "When Hs Wac Returned" w.
1880. The parable Of the pounds wal
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. 25:1S, Rom.
14:10-12. II Cor. $50. As Jesus stood
there. he. likewise Of that a. Of all
other ages. saw ahead of him Jeru.
salem with its scourging, suffering
and death. He also saw beyond that
his resurrection and departure to re-
ceive q kingdom ". 12), q period
therefore In this world during which
his servants shall be responsible for
the care of his interests, q time dur
ing which they shall occupy. do busi-
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 commentator
and 10 authority over ten citiesI
Later. ". 24) he also received another
pound. The second did not give quite
80 good a report, and his reward
lacked the appreciation Of the king.
though he is placed over Ave cities"
His reward was In proportion to his
taithfulness.
The third report was bad. It re.
veals neglect. laziness. and q wrong
conception regarding the king. He
sought to excuse his sloth by blaming
another. The xcuse of the sinner
always condemn himself. not God, and