Evening star., 1923-02-24
THE PARABLE OF THE
POUNDS.-Luke, 19.11-4S.
Golden textile that is faith .
full in a very little is faithful
also in much.-Luke, 1910.
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.

Christ's determination to attend the
passover marked a crisis in His life
that the cursory reader Of the gospel
probably would not recognize. His
approach to Jerusalem aroused pop
ularity that filled the masses and tho
apostles with hopes that His king
dom would soon be established. They
expected that He would assert His
messiahship. seat Himself upon the
throne Of David and commence the
illustrious reign, which would be the
literal fulfllment OF all the Old Tes-
lament messianic prophecies concern
ing the kingdom.
Although the Master knew that His
obedience to dutys call meant His
death upon the cross, which He had
tried to impress upon His disciples
as rapidly approaching, He was tried
by their desire for positions of power
In the kingdom which they thought
was Immediately to appear. The
sought places of preferment for her
two sons. She requested that her
sons might sit, one on the Lords
right hand and the other upon His
left when He established His king
dom. Although He had warned them
emily had no idea Of the cross. He
spoke the parable of our lesson for
the purpose of correcting their false
views. Trench says: 1t was uttered
then to repress impatience, to teach
the need of patient waiting for
Christ, and. as we further find. an
active working for Him, as servants
to their Lord" He sought to prepare
them for His death and summon them
to a life of service until He returned.
Il hi
tory Of Jericho the background for
the parable of the pounds. Archie
laus, the son of Hero the Great, had
a palace in the city OF Zacchaeus, and
blind Bartimaeus at the time of his
fathers death. Although Herod had
Archelaus to journey to the imperial
capital to obtain from the emperor
the kingdom. The Jews hated the
Herod family. and they protested to
Augustus against his appointing
Archelaus as their king. with the re-
suit that he named him as an eth
march and not as king. Ten years
later the authorities at Rome recalled
him and took from him all power with
which they had invested him. Our
Lord used this historical incident.
without pressing details. to teach His
followers the message of democracy
and stewardship.
Jesus placed personal respon-
sibility upon every disciple In this
parable of democracy. While it con-
tains a brief photographed sketch
Of the Christ. who is the nobleman
OF the parable. there is a recognition
Of those aspects Of human life that
are indisputably equal. The stag
gering inequalities of mans ability.
which is recognized in the parable OF
the talents that contains much in
common with this parable, does not
vacate the great principle of equal
ity. which underlies this parable and
makes 1t a broad charter of democ-
racy.
All were trusted alike. Each of
the servants was given the same
amount to be used in trading with
until the Lords return. Servant
suggests His claim to our lives and
labor. The late Prof. William New
ton Clarke speaks of Gods claim to
our service and our obligation to do
His will. over free spiritual beings,
to whom He has given existence,
tain authority. but not an authority
that is complete and unquestionable
apart from His character. A bad
creator ought to be disobeyed. With
God right makes might, not the re-
over intelligent beings only by being
worthy OF it. But the living God is
good being, perfect in holiness and
love. and as the good Creator He has
rull rlSht or control over all that
exists. All beings. each according
to it's nature. are to be controlled by
Him. Each free spirit ought to do
His will, because His will is good,
and seek to be like Him, because He
is perfect. His right is as perfect as
Himself" We owe to Jesus the
fundamental doctrines OF American
liberty that are taught in His trust
ing all His servants alike.
We have all received from Him the
gifts of time. health and the privilege
of serving Him in this age among the
people OF this world. He has given
to all equal rights before the laws
Of God and man, equal opportunities
OF choice between good and evil and
a righteous judgment of just gov
eminent, with the expectation that
All Will do their duty in promoting
His kingdom by helping to spread
the gospel
Every Christian demonstrates hi,
love for the Lord, Jesus, by doing
the Masters will and work. He has
saved US individually SO that we
could respond to His call for sery-
ice. We commence our Chrfstion
life by surrendering our willis TO
His He has called every follower
into His service 30 that he can de-
velop His spiritual power through
personal effort. Paul told the earIv
disciples to work out your own sal.
vation," indicating. as Jesus did in
this parable, that all are to be