'Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath
gained ten pounds.... And the second came, saying,
Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.'
--LUKE xix.16, 18.
The Evangelist, contrary to his usual practice, tells us what was
the occasion of this parable. It was spoken at Jericho, on our
Lord's last journey to Jerusalem, Bethany was but a day's march
distant; Calvary but a week ahead. An unusual tension of spirit
marked our Lord's demeanour, and was noticed by the disciples with
awe. It infected them, and the excitable crowd, which was more than
usually excitable because on its way to the passover festival. The
air was electric, and everybody felt that something was impending.
They 'thought that the kingdom of God should _immediately_
appear.' So Christ spoke this parable to damp down that expectation
which might easily flash up into the flame of rebellion. He tells
them His real programme. He was to go a long way off to receive
the kingdom. That was a familiar experience amongst the nations
tributary to Rome, and more than one of the Herodian family had
passed through it. In the meantime there was to be a period of
expectancy. It was to be a long time, for he had to go to a 'far
country,' and it was to be extended enough for the servants to turn
their money over many times during His absence. When He did return
it was not to do what they expected. They thought that the kingdom
meant Jewish lordship over subject nations. He teaches them that it
meant the destruction of the rebellious citizens, and a rigid
scrutiny of the servants' faithfulness.
Now, the words of my two texts bring out in connection with this
outline of the future some large lessons which I desire to draw.