The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 473

for the edifloation of others, l:lr the interests bleBBedness. And it is noted the.t the joy ia of God's Ohuroh; snoh work will show that not said to enter into us. That indoed, he is worthy of hie Lord's trust and faithful though a bleBBing unspenkable, would be e.n in his stewardship. inferior boon, e.s Augustine so.ye; but we Ver. 21.-Well done <•~ thou gooa ea enter into the joy, when it is not measured faithtul servant. He is praised, not for euc- by our capacity for receiving it, but absorbs C688, but for being "good," i.e. kind and us, envelops us, becomes our atmosphere, merciful and honest in exeroieing the trust our life. Commentators quote Leighton'& for others' benefit; od " faithful," true to beautiful remark, "It is but little that we his me.eter'e interests, not idle or inactive, oan receive here, some drops of joy the.t but keeping one objeot always before him, enter into us; but there we shall enter into stee.dily aiming at fidelity. Some regard joy, e.s vessels put into a see. of happiness." the words e.s a commendation of the servant's Ver. 22.-Tile.t had reoeived [the] two works and faith, but this is not the primary talents. This man, who hlMi received e. meaning aooording to the oontext. Over a less sum, had been as faithful as the first, few things. The sum entrnsted to him was and comes with equal confidence and joy- oonsidere.ble in itself, but little compared fulneBB to render his e.ccount, bece.use he with the riches of his lord, and little in com- he.d been true and diligent in furthering pa.rison of the rewe.rd bestowed upon him. hia lord's interests to the best of his means The Greek here ia h-l /,~,,.., the accusative and facnlties. Re had, it seems, less capacity, Cllll8 denoting "extending over," or "as but had used it to the full regards." I will make thee ruler (<T< rc"-ra• Ver. 23.-Enter thou; eto. Both these <rNJtrao, I unll set thee, eh. :uiv. 45) over servants he.d doubled their capital, e.nd the DWIY things; ,,..1 ,roM.w11, the genitive im- lord commends e.nd rewards them both in plying fixed authority over. From being a the so.me terms. The point is that each slave he is raised to the position of master. had done his best according to his e.bility. He is treated according to the principle in Their different talents, greater or leBB, he.d Luke xvi 10, "He that is faithfnl in that been profitably employed, and so far the which is least is ta.ithfnl e.lso in much." The two were equal. Fidelity in e. smaller spiritual import of this rewe.rd is hard to sphere of labour may be of greater impor- understand, if it is wished to BSBign to it a tance than in a larger area: e.nd seemingly definite meaning. It seems to intimate that insignifioant duties well performed may be in the other world Christ's most honoured of incalculable spiritual advantage to one's antl faithful followers will have some special self e.ud to others. Differences in te.lents work to do for him in guiding and ruling make no distinctions in rewards, if the the Ohurch (see on eh. :rix. 28; and comp. utmost is made of them. " If there be first Luke xiL 17, etc.). Enter thou into the joy a willing mind, it is accepted according to of thy lord. Here is seen a marked contrast that a me.n hath, e.nd not aocording to that between the h.a.rd life of the slave and the he he.th not " (2 Cor. viii. 12). happiness of the master. Literalists find Ver. 24.-He whioh had reoeived the one here only a suggestion that the lord invites talent. The rest of the parable is concerned the servant to attend the feast by which his with the ce.se of this unprofitable servant. return home was celeLrated. Oerte.inly, the Usually, those who have most privileges word translated "joy " (xa.pcl) may possibly neglect or misuse them or some of them: be rendered "feast," as the LXX. translate here the man apparently least favoured is miaht,eh in Esth. iL 17, e.nd e. slave's eleve..- ta.ken as the type of the useless e.nd wicked tion t.o his muter's te.ble would imply or disciple, because his task was easiest, his involve hia manWllll!Bion. On the earthly responsibility less, his neglect most inex- Iida of the transaction, this od his extended cusable. He has heard the words of his two e.nd more dignified office would be snflicient fellow-servants, e.nd the gree.treward which reward for his fidelity. The spiritual signi- their fe.ithfnl service has received; he oomes fication of the sentence has been variously with no joy an<l confidence to render his interpreted. Some find in it only an ex p!Jlne..- account; he feels fully how unsatisfactory tion of the former pa.rt of the a ward., " I will it is, and begins at once to defend his con- make thee rnler over me.ny things," convey- duct by proclaiming his view of his lord's ing no further e.ocessi.on of beatitude. But character, I knew thee that thou art an 11Urely this is &Jl inadeque.te conception of hard ( <T1CM1pos) man. He chooses to conceive the guerdon. There are plainly two pe.rts of his lord as harsh, stem, churlish in to thia. One is e.dve.ncement to more im- ne.ture, one without lave, who taxes men port.ant position; the second is participation above their powers, and makes no e.llowe.noe in the fuln0118 of joy which the Lord's pre- for imperfect service, however honest. He sence ensures (Ps. xvi 11; :ui. 6), which, dares to ce.ll this impudent fiction know- poilB8IIMMl entirely br himself, he communi- ledge. Thu men rege.rd God, not as he ,"te• t.o hill faithful Thia oomprisel all ii, but acoordiDg to thei? own perverted ea. nv, 1-46,] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 479