Bible Commentaries

The press; the great crowd of people.

That interest in Jesus Christ which leads men to wish to know more of him, and to put themselves in the way of obtaining this knowledge, may be, and often is, the means of their salvation. He is more ready than men suppose to meet them, and bestow upon them the blessings of his grace.

False accusation; charging a man, and taking from him more than he owed.

Fourfold; four times as much. Exodus 22:1; Numbers 5:6-7. True repentance, wherever it exists, will dispose those who exercise it to "do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God." If they have wronged others, it will lead them to make full restitution, and as they have opportunity, to do good to such as they have injured, and to all.

He also is a son of Abraham; by outward descent, and has also the faith of Abraham.

That which was lost; Matthew 18:11.

The kingdon of God should immediately appear; they thought that when Christ should enter Jerusalem he would proclaim himself king, deliver them from the Romans, and raise them to great earthly renown. To correct this idea, and give them right views of his kingdom, Christ spoke the following parable, which has some striking points of agreement with that recorded in Matthew 25:14-30, but also differs from it in some essential particulars. There, different sums are intrusted to the servants, "to every man according to his several ability," and the same fidelity and success receive the same reward; the idea being, that God considers not the amount intrusted to his servants, but the use they make of it. Here, the point is, that God will bestow upon his servants rewards proportioned to their diligence in his service, and for this reason the difference in the amount of gifts is not made account of, but all receive the one pound.

A certain nobleman; this represented Jesus Christ. By his going to a far country is represented his ascending into heaven, which he must do before he would establish his kingdom on earth.

Ten pounds; the gifts and opportunities of doing good with which he intrusts men.

Occupy; use in a right manner.

His citizens; the Jews. John 1:11.

A napkin; a towel or cloth.

An austere man; hard in his dealings, harsh, and cruel.

Reapest that thou didst not sow; unreasonable, requiring too much, and taking what did not belong to him.

Out of thine own mouth; from thine own statement. Thou knewest that I should require a strict account of the use of what I gave; why didst thou not prepare to return to me what is justly my due?

The bank; a place of safe-keeping and profitable use.

Usury; lawful interest, as the term then implied. Matthew 25:27.

They said unto him; the servants that stood by, verse Luke 19:24.

He hath ten pounds; they are amazed that their lord should give the slothful servant’s pound to the man who has already the most money in his hands.

For I say unto you; the nobleman, without pausing in his discourse, goes on to state the principle upon which he proceeds in the distribution of his property to his servants.

Every one which hath; he who, by proper diligence, has already increased the amount committed to him. Compare Matthew 25:29. Those who in this world are disposed to use the blessings which God bestows to his glory, will hereafter receive more and greater blessings; while those who are not, will be deprived of what they now have, and be left destitute and wretched.

Slay them before me; an emblem of the ruin which would come on his persevering opposers.

Christ rides into Jerusalem. Matthew 21:1-16.

The stones would immediately cry out; a proverbial expression, denoting the strong reasons there were for praising him, and the necessity that such priase should be offered to him. The character and works of Christ furnish the most abundant and powerful reasons for blessing and praising him; and neither he nor his friends are disposed to prevent any from doing this. It gives them joy, and they desire that all should join in it.

Wept over it; in view of its guilt, and the miseries which were coming upon it.

Thine enemies; the Romans.

Compass thee round; this they did by digging a trench around Jerusalem. See Josephus, Jewish Wars, book 6.

Thy children; the inhabitants of the city.

One stone upon another; Titus, their conqueror, caused the very ground to be ploughed up, in fulfilment of this declaration.

The time of thy visitation; the time when mercy was offered, and they were entreated to accept it and be saved.

Traffickers cast out. Matthew 21:12-13.

He taught daily in the temple; for a number of days before his crucifixion.