by five parts "? We may compare with this the circumstance, that Plato, in his book on Laws, has not permitted any citizen to possess an income more than five times that of the poorest. See Arist. Polit. ii. 5. A. Rttimer, the Flemish preacher, was of opinion that the Reformed Church had five talents, the Lutheran two, the Roman one. What has the Greek ? What have other churches, ancient and modern ? What has posterity ? — d-Jmpiv, ability) sc. for trafficking. No one is required to do more than he is able ; therefore he is rightfully compelled to render an account. — svdeu;, immediately, straightway) See the two following chap ters.
18. 'Acrsxpu-4/g, hid) sc. in the earth; see ver. 25.
19. Mira & yjwov -TTOS.W, but after a long time) So that there had been time enough to double the capital entrusted. The quick ness of the Lord's Advent is not absolute.
20. UpofftXSuv, coming up to Him) sc. with confidence. The bad servant did so with diffidence ; ver. 24. — 6 ra KMTS rdXavra, ~'.a(3uv, he that had received the Jive talents) The righteous receive sentence before the wicked : cf. ver. 34. — ids, See !) The freedom of speech of a good servant. — l<i? avroT;, on them) The servant does not attribute the gain to himself, but to his Lord's goods.
21. Eu, well-done) A formula of praising. This praise is men tioned in 1 Cor. iv. 5. — dyads, good) opposed to Kovqpi, bad, in ver. 26. — -r/org, faithful) opposed to bxvripf, slothful, in ver. 26. Faith drives away sloth. — oA/ya, few) If five talents are few, how great will be the amount of the ToAAa, many ! — Karaffrr^ca, / icill appoint) Thou art fit for more, thou art trusty (frugi), opposed to d^ptibv, unprofitable, in ver. 30. — £/'ff£>j£, enter thou ! ) opposed to sx/SaXsrg, cast ye forth, in ver. 30. — ^apav,joy) sc. the banquet, the feast : * light, laughter, applause. Cf. ver. 30.
24. "Eyvuv as, x.r.X., / kneio thee, etc.) He does not know the Lord who thinks Him hard. God is LOVE.2 Righteousness appears unrighteousness to the ungodly. The justice of (3rod
1 In the original the passage stands thus : —
" Convivium, festin : lusum, risum, plausum ;" where the introduction of the French word FESTIN strikes one as strange. — (I. B.)
2 And indeed it is not without appearance of good for one to dwell rather much in thought upon the Divine severity ; but such thoughts are not void of all danger. — V. g.