A NOBLEMAN WENT INTO A FAR COUNTRY

This parable was spoken by our Lord in Jericho. It seems to have been told to dispel the wrong notion that the kingdom of God was about to appear immediately. This may have been a thought in the minds of His disciples since He was near to Jerusalem, His capital city, where they hoped He would announce His kingdom.

To speak this parable in Jericho was not a coincidence. Its inhabitants were familiar with such a story. Archelaus, the son of Herod the Great, having built a magnificent palace in Jericho went to Rome, after the death of his father, seeking a regal title of king instead of tetrarch They would also remember how they sent a message to the Emperor not to grant him his wish. But to their disappointment, Archelaus came back as ethnarch to rule over them.

In the parable the nobleman speaks of the Lord Jesus who went to heaven to receive for Himself a kingdom. His citizens, who would not have Him reign over them, are obviously the Jewish nation who rejected Him. Before Pilate they would deny Him, asking for Him to be crucified and saying, ‘We have no king but Caesar’, John 19. 15. His servants are those who profess to be His followers, who are given equal opportunities, one pound each, and are charged by Him to go forth and work for Him in His absence. After a long period of absence, and having received His kingdom, the King will come back to deal with both the ser­vants and the citizens.

The servant who traded well, using his opportunity wisely, Eph. 5. 15, 16, gained ten pounds. He was therefore rewarded with his Master’s approbation and also with having authority over ten cities. The one who traded well, but perhaps less dili­gently, received authority over five cities. Both of these servants show a humble spirit in reporting how it was the pound, not their efforts, that gained. The third servant had not traded at all and he goes on to excuse his idleness by distrusting the character of the Master. He ends up receiving no reward and losing his pound which is given to the one who had the ten pounds. Fur­ther, he is condemned as being a wicked servant. The citizens, the king’s enemies, receive their due punishment.