For unto whomsoever much is given
The law of accountability
-These words are rendered as a reason why those servants that know their master’s will are beaten with more stripes than those that knew it not, because they did not improve their advantages.
And Christ pleadeth the equity of it from the custom of men, expressed in their common proverbs or sentences, that go from hand to hand among the people. A beneficiary that hath received much from his benefactor is obliged to a greater gratitude. A factor that hath his master’s estate in his hands must make a return according to the degree of the trust. These things being evident by the light of nature, and granted among all men, our Lord accommodateth them to His purpose, which is to show God’s proceedings with men are according to the degree of their advantages--“For unto whomsoever,” etc. In the words observe four things:
1. A double conveyance of benefits to us. Whatever a man receiveth, it is either given as a gift or committed as a talent. For, first, He saith, “To whomsoever much is given”; and presently, “To whomsoever men have committed much.”
2. These things are not given to all in the same measure; there is a difference in the distribution; some have “ much,” others have “little.”
3. Whether men have received much or little, it is all in reference to an account; this is signified in the words, “required,” “asked.”
4. Answerable to their mercies shall their account be; much for much, and little for little. To whom anything is given, of him something shall be required and asked; but to whom “much is given” and “committed,” of him shall they “ask the more”; not more than is committed, but more than is required and asked of another; as where the soil is better and more tilled, we look for the better crop, and we expect that he should come sooner that rideth on horseback than he that goeth on foot. (T. Manton, D. D.)
Privilege the measure of responsibility
The husbandman, the more he improves his ground the greater crop he looks for; the more completely the soldier is armed, the better service is required of him; the scholar that is well instructed must show great fruits of his proficiency. Thus the earthly part of man drinks in the sweet showers of grace that fall upon it. The blessed Spirit of God puts upon us that panoply, the whole armour of God. And the same Spirit teacheth us all things, leads us into all truth, and brings all things to our remembrance which Christ hath spoken for our good. Shall we then, being thus cultivated, thus armed, thus instructed, not bring forth fruits in some measure answerable to so great indulgence? Shall such blessings of God be received in vain? (T. Stapleton.)
Gifts entail responsibility
The husbandman looks for more fruit from some of his fruit-trees than from others; those upon which he bestows most time, cost, and labour, from these he expects most fruit; and is displeased if his expectation be not answered accordingly. This shadows out unto us that God expects greater returns of duty from some persons than from some others, and neglect thereof provokes God against them. In the ceremonial law God required more sacrifices from the rich than from the poor: such as had great store of oxen, sheep, and other things to be offered in sacrifice, should not have been accepted had they offered “a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons,” which yet were accepted from the poorer sort of persons. So also under the gospel, “to whom much is given, of them doth He require the more.” God had done great things for Eli and David, and expected (accordingly) greater returns of duty and obedience all their lives after; but they failing in some great particulars, God is sore displeased with them, and reckons up the great benefits and particular engagements they had received, and tells them He expected other returns from them. So also Hezekiah received much, and God looked for answerable returns; but he rendered not according to the benefits received, and God was displeased with him upon that account. God planted a vineyard, and bestowed much care and pains about it, and looked for an answerable return of good fruits, but because it brought forth wild grapes instead of good and pleasant grapes, He laid it waste. Some have received more, and lie under greater engagements from God than others, therefore God looks to receive more. This shows us the great danger such persons lie under who have received much from God, and return but little; having received many talents, and not making an answerable return by improving of them to the honour of God and advantage of His people; nay, who perhaps use all against God and His people. God gives to some many gifts of nature and common graces, much knowledge, learning, wisdom, great riches, honours, offices, places, much time, liberty, great and choice means of grace, special providences and dispensations, and many other talents which others have not: of these God requires more than of those who have fewer and less of these things, and the not making suitable returns provokes God against them. If God spared not His choice servants, Eli, David, Hezekiah, &c., if judgment begin at the house of God, how shall the ungodly and sinner escape? Let every one of us consider what we have received, that so we may make unto God some answerable returns: God looked for more (and received more) from him that had the five talents, than from him that had received but two. No one (not the lowest, or meanest) is freed from making returns of duty to God: though God requires much from those who have received much, yet the mean person, who has but a little, must return of that little. “Let him work with his hands, that he may have something to give to him that needeth”; and it will be “accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.” So, also, of the use and improvements of all other talents, gifts, graces, liberty, power, and the rest. (Austen.)
Duty measured by ability
In Xenophon’s “Memorabilia” it is recorded of Socrates that, “when he offered small sacrifices from his small means, he thought that he was not at all inferior in merit to those who offered numerous and great sacrifices from ample and abundant means; for he said that it would not become the gods to delight in large rather than in small sacrifices; since, if such were the case, the offerings of the bad would oftentimes be more acceptable to them than those of the good; nor would life be of any account in the eyes of men, if oblations from the bad were better received by the gods than oblations from the good; but he thought that the gods had most pleasure in the offerings of the most pious. He used also to quote with approbation the verse, ‘ Perform sacrifices to the gods according to your ability,’ and used to say that it was a good exhortation to men with regard to friends, and guests, and all other relations of life, to perform according to their ability.” (Biblical Things Not Generally Known.)
Responsibility according to knowledge
Richard Knill was one day talking to some military officers in Madras, when one of them asked: “What do you missionaries mean? Do you think that poor black fellow will be damned? I hope not,” replied Knill, “but if he is, I think his punishment will be very light compared with yours if you neglect God.” The words so struck home that the officer lifted up his hands and said: “I believe it; I have long thought so.”