The Parables of Our Saviour

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1886. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... XII. THE INTRUSTED TALENTS. (Matt. xxv. 14-30.) The parable of the talents, which forms our subject for this evening, has in it so much in common with that of the pounds, which is given in the nineteenth chapter of Luke's Gospel, that the two are apt, by the merely superficial reader, to be considered as identical. But when we examine the circumstances in connection with which each was spoken, and the lessons which each was designed to teach, we find that they are quite distinct. That was uttered by the Lord as he was drawing nigh to Jerusalem, and before his triumphal entry into the Holy City: this, on the Mount of Olives, three days after his public procession to the Temple. That was addressed to the promiscuous multitude: this was meant more particularly for the twelve. In that, the same sum of one pound is given to each servant: in this, one receives five talents, another two, and another one. That illustrates different degrees of improvement of the same opportunity, with corresponding gradations of reward: this sets before us equal proportionate improvement of different opportunities, with equal proportionate reward. That was designed to correct the error of those who were looking for the immediate coming of the kingdom of God: this was intended, in conjunction with the story of the ten virgins, to teach that the right attitude of the disciple of Jesus, toward his second coming, is one of combined readiness and activity; while in both the episode of the unprofitable servant is meant to warn us all of the suggestive fact, that talents unused are as really wasted as if they had been flagrantly abused. Thus distinct from the parable of the pounds, that of the talents is the needful complement to the story of the virgins. The Lord Jesus was as far as possible f...