And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
And cast ye - `cast ye out' х ekballete (G1544), but the true reading is ekbalete (G1544)].
The unprofitable servant, х achreion (G888)] - 'the useless servant,' that does his Master no service,
Into outer darkness - `the darkness which is outside.' On this expression see the note at Matthew 22:13.
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. See the note at Matthew 13:42.
Remarks:
(1) Christ's voice in this parable is not, as in the former one, 'Wait for your Lord'-`Love His appearing'-but, as in that of the Pounds (Luke 19:13), "Occupy until I come." Blessed is that servant whom His Lord, when He cometh, shall find-not watching, as in the former parable-but working.
(2) How interesting is the view here given of the relation in which every Christian stands to Christ. Not only are they all "servants of Jesus Christ," but all that distinguishes each of them from all the rest-in natural capacity and in acquirements, in providential position, influence, means, and opportunities-all are Christ's; rendered up to Him by them first, with their body and their spirit, which are His by purchase (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), and then given back by Him to them to be employed in His service. Hence, that diversity in the proportion of talents which this parable represents the Master as committing respectively to each of His servants. But, (3) Since it is neither the amount nor the nature of the work done which this parable represents as rewarded, but the fidelity shown in the doing of it, the possessor of two talents has an equal reward-proportionably to what was committed to him-with the possessor of five. And thus it is that the most exalted in intellectual gifts, or wealth, or opportunity-though consecrating all these in beautiful fidelity to Christ-may be found occupying no higher position in the kingdom above than the lowest in all these respects, who have shown equal fidelity to the common Master. And thus may we use the language of an apostle in a wider sense than that more immediately intended - "Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, but the rich in that he is made low; because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away" (James 1:9-10).
(4) To be "cast out" at the great day, it is not necessary that we prostitute our powers to a life of positive wickedness: it is enough that our Christianity be merely negative, that we do nothing for Christ, that we are found to have been unprofitable, or useless servants of the Lord Jesus. But, ah! is it indeed so? Then what numbers are there within the Christian pale whose doom this seals-their life perfectly unexceptionable, and their frame apparently devout, yet negative Christians, and nothing more! But is not the principle on which such shall be condemned most reasonable? If Jesus has a people upon earth whom He deigns to call His "mothers and sisters and brothers," and those who claim the Christian name know them not and treat them with cold indifference; if He has a cause upon earth which is dear to Him, requiring the services of all His people, and such persons ignore it, and never lend a helping-hand to it-how should they expect Him to recognize and reward them at the great day? But there is something more than righteous disavowal and rejection here. There is "indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish," in the treatment here awarded to the profitless servant. "Cast ye-thrust ye-fling ye out the useless servant into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
(5) The truth expressed in the taking of the talent from the unprofitable servant and giving it to him that had the ten talents-if we are to view it, as it would seem we should, with reference to the future state-is somewhat difficult to conceive. But as it is just as difficult to conceive of it in rotation even to the present state, perhaps nothing more is meant by it than this, that while the useless servants shall be judicially incapacitated from ever rendering that service to Christ which once they might have done, the faithful servants of the Lord Jesus shall richly "supply their lack of service."
The close connection between this sublime scene-special to Matthew-and the two preceding parables is too obvious to need pointing out.