Lord, behold here is thy pound, &c.— We have in these verses a proverbial description of an unjust rigorous character. The slothful servant, by applying it to his lord, aggravated his crime not a little: he imprudently told him, that, knowing his severe and griping disposition, he thought it prudent not to risk his money in trade, for fear he should have lost it: that he had hid it in a napkin, in order to deliver it to him at his return; and that this was the true reason why he had not increased his talent, as others had done theirs. Thus slothful ministers of religion, and pretended servants of Christ, will be ever ready to throw the blame of their unfaithfulness on God himself. See on Matthew 25:24. "This negligentand slothful servant," says Quesnelle, "ought to make all pastors and clergymen tremble; who imagine that they lead an innocent life, if they do but avoid the grosser sins, andonly lead an easy and quiet life, in idleness and indolence: in a priest it is a great evil, not to do any good: not to use the gifts of God, is to abuse them: he loses them, who does not make them serviceable to the church. Rest is a crime in one who is called to a laborious life; and we cannot live to ourselves alone, when we belong to the church of Christ."
Related Commentaries of Luke 19:20
Luke 19:20-21
20 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:
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.