Luke xix. 12, IS. A certain nobleman went into afar country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
MANKIND are prone to amuse themselves with prospects of earthly grandeur, and to neglect the most important ends and purposes of life. The Jews were expecting their Messiah to erect a temporal kingdom; the Disciples themselves also were led away by this fond conceit. At our Lord's last ascent to Jerusalem, this expectation prevailed amongst all orders and ranks of mena. To rectify their notions and turn their attention to their proper concerns, he delivered to them this parable b. Christ is the person here intended by the nobleman ; he has committed to every man something which is to be improved for him ; and he is shortly coming at the day of judgment to reckon with us. These points are so clear that we need insist on them only in a way of application — I. Has not Christ given us something to improve for him ?
[We are ready enough to fix a high value on what we possess, when we think it will reflect honour on ourselves: but we are apt to think lightly of it, when we are reminded of the responsibility connected with it. Few indeed have great talents or extensive influence ; but every person has at least a poundc committed to him. Have we not, in the first place, been endued with reason ? This surely is capable of great improvement. Have we not also enjoyed many sabbaths and ordinances ? These might have been turned to a good account for God. Have we not also had access to the Holy Scriptures?
a ver. 11.
b The parable states, that a nobleman, having been invested with royal dignity, reckoned with his servants to whom he had committed money, and punished the citizens who had refused submission to his authority. These being perfectly distinct, we shall treat them sepa- rately, and confine our attention at present to the former.
c The value of the mina is not ascertained : some think it was equal to about three guineas ; others, that it was rather more than five.