The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1914-07-23
LESSON FOR JULY 26
THE POUNDS AND THE TALENT

LESSON TExT-Luke 1s:11-27 CT Matt
25:14-3o
GOLDEN TExT-"well done. good And
faithful servant; thou hast been faithful
over few things, I will set thee over
many things; enter into the JOY Of thy
lord" Matt. 1921 R. "
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-
t1ty 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 we're associating
the earthly life Of our Lord with that
expected manifestation. Hence this
parable as recorded by Luke.
issue Is Fidelity.
!. "Occupy Till Come" w. 11-14.
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
trusted to them. They are to actively
DISCHARGE fhojr d1,fv tho visible
kingdom is established, Jesus told
these Jews, there must be a period of
preparation Jesus, himself, is the
! ''nobleman" whose ascension into
heaven where he is to receive king
dom fulfls the departure into a far
country" He will return to set up
that kingdom, Acts 1911, with "all
authority" Matt. 28:1S R. ", Eph. 1:
1928; l Pet. 1922. He may return at
any time. In neither parable is there
a full description of the kingdom as 1t
Is to be established, for both have to
do with the servants. The issue is
that of fidelity in each case.
The "citizens' (v. 14) include his
proper subjects the Jews, John I'LL;
Acts 4:27-28, and in this connection
we recall their cry, Away with him,
cruelty" Luke 1888: John 10: Is. These
Citizens" also inclcde all of his pro-
fessed followers but not necessarily
regenerated men, Matt. 1928. The
king gives to each servant ". 13) a
pound {about $4,000. His deposit is
equal in each case. In the parable Of
the talents there Is difference in the
re hnCtGwad This of pYnnh a.
sizes the fact that each is 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 one pound which is g. 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 it. The small
amount of one pound indicates our re-
sponsibility for the smallest gifts.
Parable Of Pounds.
II. "When He Was Returned" w.
1880. The parable of the pounds was
6POhOn W IlOS0 VIII IuOuSAI uc Luuot
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, saw 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
his servants shall be responsible fol
the care of his interests, 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 tc
whom this responsibility has beer
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 CD authority over ten cities
Later, w. 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 over five cities.
His reward was in proportion to hii
faithfulness.
The third report was bad. It re
veals neglect, laziness, and a wrong
conception regarding the king. HI
sought to excuse his sloth by blaming
another. The excuses of the slime
always condemn himself not God, ant
augment the sinners guilt. Thu
| wicked servant" lost what he wou1t
not use. If we will not use we mus
lose Doubtless this servant considered
himself unfortunate, though he wa
/ iudged "out of his own mouth" Re
yertirg again to those citizens wht
hated him and would not have tn
king to reign over Them" Jesu
| closes his parable ". I'D by a mos
| terrific Indictment. God bears lonl
| with his enemies and is kind but h