The parable of the pounds in Luke 19, while similar in some respects to that of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30), seems nevertheless to be a distinct utterance. The Lord was approaching Jerusalem for the last time, and the hopes of His disciples ran high. Their thought was that now would be established the glorious kingdom of which prophets and psalmists had spoken for ages. The moral necessity of the cross had not yet become clear to them. They did not yet understand that man's sin required the Savior to accept the cross at His first coming, and to wait for the kingdom until His second coming. So the parable of the pounds was given in which the Lord likens Himself to a nobleman going away to a far country to receive for Himself a kingdom, and to return, entrusting His servants with responsibilities in the meantime. (Luke 19:11-27).
In the interpretation, the servants are those who profess and call themselves Christians; the citizens, who sent the insulting message, "We will not have this man to reign over us," are the Jewish people. At the return of the Lord Jesus, two things will take place: the judgment of His adversaries, and the reward of His servants. In the parable of the talents, the trusts varied according to ability; in the parable of the pounds, each man received alike. Divine sovereignty is the point in the one, human responsibility in the other.
The first man called was able to say, "Lord, Thy pound hath gained ten pounds." Diligence had marked his conduct in relation to his master's trust. His master commended him warmly as a good servant, saying, "Have thou authority over ten cities." What a Lord is ours! Such a recompense for fidelity in so small a matter. His pound was equivalent to $12 American currency, yet for diligence with this petty sum he was assigned rule over ten cities in the millennial kingdom. No Lord is so easily pleased as the Christ of God, and none rewards devoted service to His name so amply. He whom we serve notices both the quantity and the quality of what is done for Him (Luke 19:15, 1 Cor. 3:13). Thus Rom. 16:12 tells us of Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labored in the Lord, and of the beloved Persis, who labored "much" in the Lord. In like manner Nehemiah 3 tells us of many who helped in the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, but distinguishes some as working "earnestly." The "much" and the "earnestly" should be pondered by all who would be well-pleasing to the absent Christ.
There is, however, a dark side to this parable. One man returned his pound to the Lord wrapped up in a napkin. In order to excuse his utter indifference to the claims of his absent Master, he slandered His character by saying, "I feared Thee, because Thou art an austere man: Thou takest up that Thou layest not down, and reapest that Thou didst not sow." This wicked servant represents Christendom's nominal professors, who never dream of using their powers and possessions for Him whose name they bear. All such will find themselves rejected in the great day, their judgment being richly deserved if only for their miserable perversion of the character of Him who is infinitely gracious and good. Has He not shed His blood for the perishing, thereby making salvation available to all, apart from works or price? And what does He ask from any but the simple fervent service that naturally flows from appreciation of His love and grace?
W. Fereday