25. The Parable of the Pounds (Luke 19)
The parables of Christ are beautifully polished
jewels, which present an infinite variety of sparkling views. Many lessons both
broad and subtle may be suggested from their reverent contemplation. For our
purposes one lesson stands out in the parable of the pounds.
Brother John Carter has incisively noted
(Parables of the Messiah, p. 258) that, in contrast to the talents of a
similar parable (Matt. 25:14-30), the pounds were distributed evenly to a large
company — indicative of the gift of the gospel itself, bestowed equally
upon all who hear. Each recipient was instructed by the nobleman to occupy
himself by making gain of his gift. What concerns us especially is the
subsequent attitude and actions of the unfaithful servant, of whom we read in
Luke 19:20,21:
“And another came, saying, ‘Lord,
behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I
feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst
not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.’
”
This servant no doubt had the cleanest pound
of all, but it had not grown! He had not been totally indifferent to his
lord’s gift, but his fear of failure had compelled him carefully to
“protect” his pound. So he had wrapped it in a cloth and laid it up
in some safe place, perhaps checking it from time to time, maybe even bringing
it out, like some housewives do with fine silver, to polish and admire it.
Our attitude toward the Gospel truth that we have
received can be similar to the attitude of this man. If we are fearful that we
may “lose the Truth” and conscious only of “keeping the Truth
pure”, then we are in danger of forgetting what we are told to DO
with it! The gospel is not a frail greenhouse flower that must have just the
right temperature and humidity, and just the correct amount of light and water
in order to survive. The gospel is very hardy; it is meant like the pound to be
carried into the “market” of life, to the highways and byways, and
to make gain for its user. We need have no fear for the Truth itself — it
springs from God and is impervious to corruption. We must only be careful that
we put it to the use for which it is intended.
This same point is subtly made in other parables
of Christ — for example, the parables of the sower and the wheat and tares
(see Chapter 4 of this book). Is it enough that we as husbandmen of the
Lord’s “field” be concerned with the uprooting of
“weeds” or “tares”? Is it enough that we keep the field
“pure”? There must be at least as much effort — and more, much
more — directed toward the positive endeavor of sowing the seed.
The farmer expects some imperfection in his field, and he puts up with it,
knowing that his paramount interest must be in the production of grain. The
harvest is soon enough for the last weeds or tares to be separated from the good
grain.
It is so simple when we see it this way. But how
many frustrated “sowers” have consumed their lives in the Truth in
worry and agitation about the “purity” of the “field”,
so to speak, and never gotten around to their real duty? Let us strive for a
proper balance in our service in the Truth, lest our intolerable and unbalanced
attitude condemn us outright before our Judge (Luke 19:22).