The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 452

step beyond the old familiar earthly scenes. A cloud receives the traveller out of sight the moment he takes his departnre. Yet we know that there are tremendou 8 posRibilitiee in the unaeen, and we know that the blessedness or woe of the fnture lir"l depends on the conduct of this life. He who is taken has gone "to his own place." 2. The one left. (1) To what is he left? To grief, desolation, and loneliness-but also tn God who never leaves, to Christ who is never taken from 118. (2) Why is he left? Perhaps for further work, perhaps for finer chastening, perhaps to give one more oppor- tunity for repentance. But let him consider that his time also mUBt come. Before long all are taken. The distinction is temporal, not final; it is a matter of the post- ponement of the dreaded end, not of its avoidance. III. THE UNCERTAINTY. Oar Lord evidently desires to lay stress on this. We do not know when the final judgment will be. We do not even know when our own last day will come. This, too, may be swift and sudden as the lightning-flash, unexpected as the thief in the night. We never know which will be taken and which left. How often the feeble invalid outlives the strong man who is smitten down by some accident or fatal disease in the midst of his busy life I Such thoughts should not induce a morbid melancholy, or a listless indifference to life. They warn us to be always ready for the summons that shall call us hence. Bnt then he is fit to die who is most truly equipped for the duties of life, and to him the sudden message will be no awful terror, but the trumpet of victory, or, better than that, the Father's voice calling his child home to himself.-W. F. A. Vere. 45-51.-The two servants. Our Lord here applies his teaching about the suddenness of the advent of the unforeseen judgment to the conduct of his servants. In view of the possibility of being called to account at any moment, what manner of men should we be? Jesus gives us contrasted pictures of two very different servants as they are found at his coming, and of their consequent fate. I. THE FAITHFUL .AND WISE SERVANT. 1. His character. No doubt his known fidelity and wisdom furnish the reasons for his appointment to an important office. (1) The first requisite is fidelity. Our business is not to please ourselves, but to serve our Master. (2) The second requisite is wisdom. This is more than acuteness of intel- lect. • It is a moral faculty, the right use of the intellect. 2. His trust. (1) A post of responsibility. God is the supreme Lord, yet he grants to the several provinces of his kingdom a considerable measure of" home-rule." He does not humiliate by driving us like cattle; he gives us scope for the exercise of our powers and the proof of our fidelity. (2) A post of useful service. The servant is to provide food for the house- hold. He is a steward of the provisions of the family. God trusts his servants to feed his family. If they are unfaithful, the children will starve. 3. Bis conduct. He simply does what is requiretl of him. His Master finds him "so doing." He is not expected to devise novelties of self-willed service. He cannot exceed his duty. But it is enough if he does it. Christ looks for simple obedience-service according to his will. 4. Bis reward. This is in the form of promotion. The faithful servant is to serve still, but in a higher position. God does not reward service by granting idleness or selfish indulgence in luxury, which would mean no reward to the true servant. As it is a great honour to be. permitted to serve, it cannot be a reward to be set aside from further service; the great reward is just the privilege of larger service. II. THE EVIL SERVANT, 1. His excuse. "My lord tarrieth." This is but a thought of his heart, yet it bears fatal fruit in his life. Evidently the miserable man is an "eye-servant." He has no sense of duty, no interest in his work. A lazy, dis- honourable slave, he will not work if he can escape. The very delay of his master, which is meant to enlarge his honourable trust, he seems to regard as a mark of indif- ference, ns though he would blame his lord for apparently neglecting the household. Here we see the hypocrisy of whioh the man is accused later. 2. Bia vile conduct. (1) Cruelty. He beats his fellow-servants. He abuses his position of trust. Instead of feeding the household, he flogs it. The very power that was given to him for good uses he turns to evil. The shepherd has become e. wolf. So has it been in the Church of Christ with men in high office. (2) Intemperance. Tho man is tyrannical and ili- tempered, because he is weak and seff-indulgent. No men are at heart so cold and cruel as those who live for their own pleasures, Selfishness aud sensuality lend 458 THE GOSPEL AOOORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [on. xxrv. 1--61,