Luke 19:15

Luk 19:15. Ἐπανελθεῖν, when He was returned) This has reference to the advent of Christ in glory.—βασιλείαν, the kingdom) the actual government.—φωνηθῆναι, to be called) by His angels.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 19:15 ff. After the return . ἐν τῷ ἐπανελθεῖν : ἐν with the aorist infinitive, usually with present, but frequently with aorist in Lk. = on his return, he takes action at once ( vide Burton, M. and T. , § 109). εἶπε φωνηθῆναι = commanded ( jussit , Vulgate) to be called; εἶπε with infinitive, instead of ἵνα with subjunctive, as in some places, e.g. , Mat 4:3 . τίς τί διεπρ . (T.R.) is two questions in one: who had gained anything and what τί διεπραγματεύσαντο (W.H [153] ), what they had gained.

[153] Westcott and Hort.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 15-19. The faithful Servants.

From Luk 19:15 onwards Jesus depicts what will happen at the Parousia. Every servant will share in the power of his master, now become king, in a degree proportioned to his activity during the time of his probation (the reign of grace). While the means of action had been the same, the results differ; the amount of power committed to each will therefore also differ in the same proportion. It is entirely otherwise in Matthew. The sums committed were different; the results are equal in so far as they are proportioned to the sums received; there is therefore here equality of faithfulness and equal testimony of satisfaction. Everything in Matthew’s representation turns on the personal relation of the servants to their master, whose fortune (Luk 19:14, his goods) they are commissioned to administer and increase, and who rejoices equally in the active fidelity of all; while in Luke the one point in question is to settle the position of the servants in the economy of glory which is opening, and consequently to determine the proportion of faithfulness displayed during the time of labour and probation which has just closed.

The ten, the five cities (Luk 19:17; Luk 19:19), represent moral beings in a lower state of development, but whom the glorified faithful are commissioned to raise to their divine destination.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(See on Mat 25:19-29.)

ten . . . five cities--different degrees of future gracious reward, proportioned to the measure of present fidelity.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 15. When he was returned] When he came to punish the disobedient Jews; and when he shall come to judge the world. See the parable of the talents, Mt 25:14, &c.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(15) It came to pass, that when he was returned.—See Note on Mat_25:19. The absence of the words “after a long time” is noticeable, and suggests the thought that our Lord may have added them in the later form of the parable as a further safeguard against the prevalent expectations of the immediate coming of the Kingdom, and, we may add, against the thought which sprang up afterwards in men’s minds, that there was no kingdom to be received, and that the King would never return. (Comp. 2Pe_3:4.)

Had gained by trading.—The Greek verb is a compound form of that translated “occupy” in Luk_19:13.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. having received the kingdom] Not however the coveted title of king, which was refused him.

had gained by trading] diepragmateusato, a compound form of the pragmateuesthai in Luk_19:13. The calling of the servants corresponds to the “Give an account of thy stewardship” of Luk_16:2.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then came the first,.... Who were set in the first place in the church, the apostles of Christ, and who had the greatest gifts, and laboured more abundantly, and were eminently useful; such an one was the Apostle Paul:

saying, Lord; acknowledging the sovereignty and dominion of Christ over them, owning they were accountable to him, and that he had a right to inquire, what use they had made of their gifts, and what advantages these had produced;

thy pound hath gained ten pounds; it had been increased tenfold; or it has turned to a tenfold account, in the conversion of sinners, in the edification of the saints, and in the advancement of the kingdom, and interest of Christ. This servant owns, that the gifts he had were Christ's; he calls them, "thy pound"; and therefore did not glory in them as his own attainments, or, as if he had received them not; and ascribes the great increase, not to himself, but to the pound itself; to the gifts of Christ, as they were his, and as used by his grace and strength, and as blessed, and owned by him, to these purposes.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

15 And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

Ver. 15. And when he was returned] He went at his ascension, and returns at the general resurrection. At what time he will first reckon with his servants, and then with his enemies. Judgment shall then also begin at God’s own house.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See the notes at Mat 25:19.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

15. When he was returned—The men for whose correction our Lord is uttering this parable were committing the same mistake which a few in every age since his First Coming are committing; namely, the supposition that the judgment and kingdom of glory are to come in their own day. It passed from this carnal crowd of Jews to the apostles and to the early Church. It has been repeating itself from age to age in the ancient Chiliasts, the millenarians of the middle ages, and the second adventists of the present day. It often, but not always, is the error of pious but eccentric spirits, in whom a carnal love of excitement somewhat blends with deep religious faith.

Had gained by trading—The nobleman had not given them weapons for fight. The Lord reserves justice and judgment for his own hands. What the nobleman gave to the servants was the current coin and the peaceful business of the realm. It is thus the duty of Christ’s servants not to advance his power by persecution, but to enrich his spiritual realm with its fitting toils and sacrifices.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

When he was returned - In his glory.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

money

silver; also Luk 19:23.

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The accounting:

v. 15. And it came to pass that, when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

v. 16. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.

v. 17. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant; because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

v. 18. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.

v. 19. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.

v. 20. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin;

v. 21. 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.

The prince pursued his intention in spite of all the hatred and enmity of his rebellious subjects; he did not change his plans in one particle; at the appointed time he returned to his country. His first official act upon his return was to summon the servants before him to whom he had entrusted the silver. This was the most important business: it had to be settled before anything else was undertaken. He wanted to know what business they had done and what success they had had, for the object had been to test their fidelity and capacity. The first servant came before him with a modest report. Successful he had been indeed, but he ascribed this to the mina of the lord: it had gained ten further pounds. That was a splendid increase, showing the hard and faithful work of the servant. The lord therefore praised the servant as good, noble, devoted, and rewarded him far beyond his hopes and deserts, giving him authority over ten cities. It was a gracious reward of faithfulness. A second servant had had similar success and reported on it with the same modesty. He was also praised highly and placed in charge of five cities. But with a third servant things did not look well from the start. With slinking gait he approached, with whining voice he attempted to excuse his failure. He brought back the one piece of money which the lord had entrusted to him, having had it wrapped up and carefully laid away in a napkin. As in the case of the average useless servant, his excuse contained an accusation against the master. He had been afraid on account of the austerity of the lord, literally, because he was such an exacting employer. Besides, he took things which he had not laid down, and harvested where he had not sowed. The servant had, from the start, despaired of pleasing the master, since he was afraid of an exorbitant demand for profit. This was a feeble and unjust accusation, merely calculated to cover over the servant’s laziness. It was his business to serve the master to the best of his ability.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. When he was come back again. When he returns to reward his servants; his final coming. Commanded these servants … to be called. To give an account. This is done at judgment. Death calls us to account also.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

15. λαβόντα τὴν βασιλείαν. Not however the coveted title of king, which was refused him.

γνοῖ. This seems to be the true reading both here and in Mar 5:43. It is for γνοίη. So we find γνοῖμεν for γνοίημεν in Plutarch.

τίς τί. Comp. Mar 15:34. This mixture of two questions is quite classical. See Soph. Aj. 454, &c.

διεπραγματεύσατο. A compound form of the verb in Luk 19:13. The calling of the servants corresponds to the “Give an account of thy stewardship” of Luk 16:2.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. διεπρ.] what business they had carried on: not, ‘what they had gained.’ Dion. Hal., iii. 72, has the word signifying ‘to arrange a matter,’ which however was not then executed. ‘The sons of Ancus having often arranged (διαπραγματευσαμένων) a plot to kill Tarquinius’.…

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. For καὶ ἀγένετο … καὶ εἶπεν. see note p. 45, and for ἐν τῶς ἐπανελθεῖν see on 3:21. The double compound occurs only here and 10:35 in N.T. comp. ἐπανάγειν (5:3, 4). Both verbs occur in LXX.

τοὺς δούλους τούτους οἷς. This implies that he had other slaves to whom nothing had been entrusted.

ἵνα γνοῖ. For this form comp. Mar 5:43 and 9:30. TR. with A etc. has γνῷ in all three places. The τίς after γνοῖ (A R, syrr. Arm. Goth. Vulg.) is not genuine: om. א B D L Boh. Aeth. d e.

τί διεπραγματεύσαντο. “What business they had done”: here only in bibl. Grk. In Dion. Hal. iii. 72, it means “attempt to execute.” He wants to know the result of their trafficking. But the word does not assume that they have “gained by trading” (AV. RV.); and hence negotiatus esset (Vulg.) is better than lucratus esset (f).

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Had gained by trading [διεπραγματευσατο] . Only here in New Testament. See on ver. 13.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.