One may take note that again this week the Old Testament readings from day to day are the same in the Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Lutheran traditions.

Isaiah 19:19-25

19 On that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the center of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border. 20 It will be a sign and a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt; when they cry to the LORD because of oppressors, he will send them a savior, and will defend and deliver them. 21 The LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians; and the Egyptians will know the LORD on that day, and will worship with sacrifice and burnt offering, and they will make vows to the LORD and perform them. 22 The LORD will strike Egypt, striking and healing; they will return to the LORD, and he will listen to their supplications and heal them.

23 On that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.

24 On that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, 25 whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my heritage.” (Isaiah 19:19-25, NRSV)

On November 25, 2007 (Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost, references for the Sunday closest to November 23, Year One), comments were repeated with editing and supplement from November 25, 2005 (the Sunday closest to November 23, Year One); the comments are repeated again here with editing and supplement:

Isaiah includes a series of oracles against foreign nations in chapters 13-23, though the focus is on Judah in chapter 22. Chapter 19 is “an oracle concerning Egypt” (Isa. 19:1), which describes her defeat by various conquerors in poetic lines (vv. 1-15), followed by promises in prose that include today’s reading (vv. 19-25). By Joseph Blenkinsopp’s analysis, the poetry (vv. 1-15) is followed by “five addenda, all much later, with the possible exception of the first” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Isa. 19:16-25). These five “addenda” are identified as the five paragraphs (as divided by the NRSV). In the first, the prophet, speaking for the LORD, says, “On that day the Egyptians will be like women, and tremble with fear before the hand that the LORD of hosts raises against them. And the land of Judah will become a terror to the Egyptians; everyone to whom it is mentioned will fear because of the plan that the LORD of hosts is planning against them” (vv. 16-17). According to Blenkinsopp, “Egypt will fear the God of Judah whose hand is raised to strike (cf. 11:15)” (ibid., on vv. 16-17). The second addendum says, “On that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the LORD of hosts. One of these will be called the City of the Sun.” (v. 18). “Language of Canaan,” says J. J. M. Roberts, means “Canaanite, of which Hebrew is a dialect” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Isa. 19:18). Blenkinsopp says this refers to “the Judean diaspora in Egypt . . . Five cities in which Judeans were settled are mentioned in Jer. 2:16; 43:7; 44:1.” He adds that “the City of the Sun [is] Heliopolis (Jer. 43:13),” and that “the Jewish high priest Onias IV built a temple in 170 BCE at Leontopolis (Tell el-Yahudyeh) in the Egyptian province of Heliopolis” (op. cit., on v. 18).

Today’s reading begins with Blenkinsopp’s third “addendum.” “On that day,” says the prophet, “there will be an altar to the LORD in the center of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border. It will be a sign and a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt; when they cry to the LORD because of oppressors, he will send them a savior, and will defend and deliver them” (vv. 19-20). As in the case of the Israelites repeatedly (e.g., in the Book of Judges, the LORD will respond to their prayer and deliver them. Blenkinsopp explains: “The LORD will be worshiped in Egypt. A pillar to the LORD at its border may refer to the Jewish military colony established at Elephantine in Upper Egypt before the Persian conquest (525 BCE)” (ibid., on vv. 19-22). Roberts sees the reference as to Egyptians themselves, not merely the Jewish colony. “The Egyptians,” he says, “will come to know and worship the Lord even as Israel does” (op. cit., on vv. 19-22). This “addendum” continues. “ The LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians; and the Egyptians will know the LORD on that day, and will worship with sacrifice and burnt offering, and they will make vows to the LORD and perform them. The LORD will strike Egypt, striking and healing; they will return to the LORD, and he will listen to their supplications and heal them” (vv. 21-22). According to Victor R. Gold and William L. Holladay, “Egyptian proselytes will be treated as Israel, with punishment and mercy (striking and healing)” (NOAB, 2^nd ed., on Isa. 19:19-22).

Gene M. Tucker sees a series of five oracles in this section (cf. the reference to Blenkinsopp’s five “addenda,” above), the third of which (vv. 19-22)

Carries the conversion of Egyptians to faith in Yahweh a step further, envisioning an ‘altar to the LORD’ in the center of the land and signs of allegiance to the Lord at its boundaries. [There were, in fact, altars to the Lord in Egypt, at Elephantine and later at Leontopolis, but their existence did not mean that the Egyptians had turned to the Yahwistic faith.] (The New Interpreter’s Bible, vol. VI, p. 181, on Isa. 19:19-22)

The prophet sees future cooperation between Egypt, Assyria and Israel. “On that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians” (v. 23). Roberts explains: “Assyria will join Egypt in this worship” (op. cit. on v. 23). Blenkinsopp compares 35:8; 40:3, and says, “There will be communication between the main centers of the Diaspora” (op. cit., on v. 23). Israel will be elevated to the status of Egypt and Assyria, thanks to the blessing of the LORD: “On that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my heritage” (vv. 24-25). According to Gold and Holladay, “Israel will become the mediator and blessing for the nations (Gen. 12:3)” (op. cit., on vv. 23, 24-25).

So the passage closes with what Tucker calls, “a vision of world peace and order in which Israel is ranked with the two great political powers, Egypt and Assyria, all of which are a ‘blessing in the midst of the earth’ and all of whom are blessed by the Lord. They are thus seen to be in covenant with one another and with the Lord” (op. cit., on vv. 23-25). For Blenkinsopp, this is “a remarkably open and universalistic statement” which he dates “perhaps in the Hellenistic period” (op. cit., on vv. 24-25). Rather late, I would say. Couldn’t one hope for world peace when those empires were at the height of their powers and attacking and defending themselves from time to time? Unfortunately, there is still conflict in what was ancient Assyria, and both Israel and Egypt have known dreadful conflict in our times. But the Coptic church arose later in Egypt. And we believe that the Living God will bring peace in the end, in spite of the arbitrary stubbornness and willfulness of perpetrators of violence and of many nationalistic leaders in our time.

Romans 15:5-13

5 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, 6 so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

                        “Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles,

                                    and sing praises to your name”;

10 and again he says,

                        “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people”;

                                    11 and again,

                        “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,

                                    and let all the peoples praise him”;

12 and again Isaiah says,

                        “The root of Jesse shall come,

                                    the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;

                                    in him the Gentiles shall hope.”

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:5-13, NRSV)

On August 9, 2009 (the Sunday closest to August 9, Year One). comments on Romans 15:1-13 were based on earlier comments, May 16, 2009 (Saturday in the week of the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year One), when comments were repeated from November 28, 2008 (Friday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 23, Year Two), when the reading was Romans 15:7-13, and comments were repeated with some editing and supplement from July 24, 2008 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to July 20, Year Two), when the reading was Romans 15:1-13, and comments were repeated with editing and supplement from August 12, 2007 (the Sunday closest to August 10, Year One), when comments were repeated with minor editing and supplement from July 27, 2006 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to July 20, Year Two). Although in some cases the reading was shorter (vv. 7-13), as today, comments were based on the fuller context, and so they are to some extent today:

Paul has been addressing issues which separate the Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians in the church at Rome. At the beginning of the book he presents a thesis—his abiding conviction—that the gospel “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek [i.e. Gentile]” (Rom. 1:16). Recently it has been suggested that the more comprehensive theme of Romans is the universal significance of the gospel “implied by reference to elements of Jewish history and to Paul’s call to preach to gentiles [1:2-5], [which] is then in fact made thematic beginning with vv. 14-16” (Paul J. Achtemeier, Joel B. Green, and Marianne Meye Thompson, Introducing the New Testament; Its Literature and Theology, 2001, p. 307). Chapter 14 calls for toleration of “the weak,” who “eat only vegetables” (14:2), not because the Jewish Christians were vegetarian on general principles, but because, as a minority in a Gentile world, they could not be sure that the meat was kosher. The principle of tolerance and mutual respect which he advocates in Romans 14 is similar to his instructions in 1 Corinthians 8 and 10, but the issue of meat offered to idols there differs from the issue in Romans. There is no need in Romans for such an admonition as is found in 1 Corinthians 10:21, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons.” But there is reference to observance of Jewish holy days (Rom. 14:5). “Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God” (v. 6). But the principle of not judging others in such matters transcends the issues Paul may have had in mind.

Early in the present chapter, the strong are told “to put up with the failings of the weak, and not please ourselves” (Rom. 15:1). On the contrary, “Each of us must please our neighbor for the good purpose of building up the neighbor” (v. 2). In this way, we are to follow the example of Christ, who “did not please himself; but, as it is written, ‘The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me’ ” (v. 3, citing Ps. 69:9b). John S. Kselman calls the Psalm cited here “a prayer for deliverance from enemies” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Ps. 69). According to Neil Elliott, the line from the Psalm cited here “is read in terms of Christ’s humbling himself (Phil. 2:5-8; 2 Cor. 8:9)” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Rom. 15:3). Paul explains his use of the Hebrew Bible in Christian teaching. “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope” (v. 4). Elliott compares two other Pauline texts to show how Paul applies the Hebrew Bible to his own situation (and ours) (ibid., on Rom. 15:4):

Now the words, ‘it was reckoned to him [citing Gen. 15:6]’ were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death four our trespasses and was raised for our justification. (Rom. 4:23-25, NRSV)

and

Or does he [Moses] not speak entirely for our sake? It was indeed written for our sake, for whoever plows should plow in hope and whoever threshes should thresh in hope of a share in the crop. (1 Cor. 9:10, NRSV, following the citation of Deut. 25:4 in 1 Cor. 9:9)

As today’s reading proper begins, Paul’s prayer for harmony, “May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus” (Rom. 15:5), has in mind not merely peaceful coexistence, but two groups coming together, “so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 6). This clearly refers to harmony of Jews and Gentiles coming together in Christian worship. Paul has instructed these groups not to judge one another, and now exhorts them to “welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (v. 7). In support of this instruction, Paul reminds the Roman Christians of the salvation that is available to all. “For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy” (vv. 8, 9a). This point is repeated, cf. 11:30, and is supported again with a series of quotations from the Hebrew Bible: “and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. as it is written”:

“Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles,

And sing praises to your name” (cited from Ps. 18:49; cf. 2 Sam. 22:50);

and again he says,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people” (cited from Deut. 32:43);

and again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,

And let all the peoples praise him” (cited from Ps. 117:1);

and again Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse shall come,

the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;

in him the Gentiles shall hope” (cited from Isa. 11:10). (Rom. 15:9-12 NRSV)

The last of these quotations follows the Septuagint, “And there shall be . . . the root of Jesse, / And he that ariseth to rule over the Gentiles; / On him shall the Gentiles hope” (Isa. 11:10, trans., Robert G. Bratcher, Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament, rev. ed., 1961, p. 44, “in the language and style of the ERV,” p. viii). The Hebrew text is translated as “And it shall come to pass . . . that the root of Jesse, which standeth for an ensign of the peoples, unto him shall the nations seek; and his resting place shall be glorious” (ERV as used by Bratcher, loc. cit., with underlining to show the difference between the OT text and the NT translation). So Paul reminds the readers again that “the promised salvation is also for the Gentiles, as Paul emphasizes with [these] quotations” (John Knox and John Reumann, NOAB, 2^nd ed., 1994, on Rom. 15:8-12). The word “Gentiles” ( e[qnh, ethnē) which occurs repeatedly in these quotations (Rom. 15:9 twice, 10, 11, 12 twice) can also mean “nations,” as for example, in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations (pavnta ta; e[qnh, panta ta ethnē).”

In a certain sense, Paul’s general exhortation of the Romans ends here with the words, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (v. 13), for what follows reflects on what he has written (v. 15), and presents a summary of his previous missionary work (vv. 16-21), his personal plans (vv. 22-33) and final greetings (ch. 16).

Luke 19:11-27

The Parable of the Ten Pounds (Mt 25.14-30)

11 As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12 So he said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to get royal power for himself and then return. 13 He summoned ten of his slaves, and gave them ten pounds, and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’ 14 But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’ 15 When he returned, having received royal power, he ordered these slaves, to whom he had given the money, to be summoned so that he might find out what they had gained by trading. 16 The first came forward and said, ‘Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds.’ 17 He said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.’ 18 Then the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your pound has made five pounds.’ 19 He said to him, ‘And you, rule over five cities.’ 20 Then the other came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your pound. I wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 He said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! You knew, did you, that I was a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then did you not put my money into the bank? Then when I returned, I could have collected it with interest.’ 24 He said to the bystanders, ‘Take the pound from him and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’ 25 (And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten pounds!’) 26 ‘I tell you, to all those who have, more will be given; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27 But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence.’” (Luke 19:11-27, NRSV)

On June 10, 2009 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 8, Year One), comments were repeated from November 25, 2007 (the Sunday closest to November 23, Year One), when comments were repeated from November 30, 2006 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 25, Year Two), when comments were repeated from June 8, 2005 (Wednesday of the week of the Sunday closest to June 8, Year One), on November 20, 2005 (the Sunday closest to November 23, Year One); the comments are repeated again here with editing and supplement. For recent comments on Matthew’s version of this parable, see the Archive for July 19, 2009 (Sunday in the week of the Sunday closest to July 20, Year Two).

In Luke, this parable follows the story of Zacchaeus (Lk. 19:1-10), which is found only in Luke. Matthew’s version of this parable comes later, as one of a series of parables that conclude Jesus’ eschatological speech, “The time of the Coming [of the Son of Man]: the Parable of the Fig Tree” (Mt.. 24:32-36; Mk. 13:28-32; Lk. 21:29-33), the Parable of the Flood and Exhortation to Watchfulness” (Mt. 24:37-44; Lk. 17:26-36; 12:39-40), “the Parable of the Good Servant and the Wicked Servant” (Mt.. 24:45-51; Lk. 12:41-46), “the Parable of the Ten Virgins” (Mt. 25:1-13; Mk. 13:33-37; Lk. 12:35-38), “the Parable of the Talents/Pounds” (Mt. 25:14-30; Mk. 13:34; Lk. 19:11-27). For parallel texts of this parable, see the separate file, The Parable of the Talents/Pounds.

Following the statements that conclude the story of Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost” (Lk. 19:9b, 10), Luke tells us that “as they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately” (v. 11). Whether Jesus is still at the home of Zacchaeus or not, he is still with his followers in Jericho, and will soon resume his journey to Jerusalem (cf. v. 28). Luke continues, “So he [i.e., Jesus] said, ‘A nobleman went to a distant country to get royal power for himself and then return” (v. 12). This “nobleman,” in Luke’s version, is “a man going on a journey” in Matthew’s version (Mt. 25:14; cf. Mk. 13:34). “For,” says Jesus, “it is as if a man, going on a journey summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them” (Mt. 25:14; cf. Mk. 13:34). Luke also tells us that the nobleman “summoned ten of his slaves, and gave them ten pounds (devka mna:V, deka mnās), and said to them ‘Do business with these until I come back’ ” (Lk. 19:13). “The mina, rendered here by pound, was about three months wages for a laborer” (NRSV text note a). At that rate, the “ten pounds” given to each slave would be thirty months (3 x 10) wages, or two and one half years’ wages. This is a significant amount, it would seem, but compared with Matthew’s Parable of the Talents (Mt. 25:14-30), Luke’s Parable of the Ten Pounds might seem to deal in “chump change.” The man who received “five talents” (Mt. 25:15) received the equivalent of a laborer’s wages for seventy-five years (NRSV, text note f on Mt. 25:14). Perhaps the intended audience was a consideration. Luke’s Gospel often makes a special place for marginalized people. Another difference is the setting of the parables; the Parable of the Talents, near the conclusion of Matthew’s version of the eschatological speech (Mt. chaps. 24, 25).

Luke’s description of the nobleman’s journey to “a distant country to get royal power” leads many to see his version of the parable as based on a historical event. Luke tells us that “the citizens of his [i.e., the nobleman’s] country hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us’ ” (v. 14). The parable adds that he came back “having received royal power” (v. 15) over the protests of the citizens. In the end this king orders the protesters to be slaughtered “in my presence” (v. 27). William Barclay explains as follows:

[The parable] tells about a king who went away to receive a kingdom and whose subjects did their best to stop him receiving it. When Herod the Great died in 4 B.C. he left his kingdom divided between Herod Antipas, Herod Philip and Archelaus. That division had to be ratified by the Romans, who were the overlords of Palestine, before it became effective. Archelaus, to whom Judaea had been left, went to Rome to persuade Augustus to allow him to enter into his inheritance, whereupon the Jews sent an embassy of fifty men to Rome to inform Augustus that they did not wish to have him as king. In point of fact, Augustus confirmed him in his inheritance, though without the actual title of king. (William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke, Daily Study Bible, rev. ed., 1975, pp. 236-237)

For Jesus’ telling of the parable, of course, whether, as Luke suggests, there is a connection with Archelaus and his trip to Rome to get “royal power” (cf. vv. 12, 15) is a side issue. Matthew, after reporting that the man was “going on a journey” (Mt. 25:14a), and describing the distribution to (apparently) three slaves, “to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability” (v. 15a), simply says “he [i.e., the man] went away” (v. 15b). The purpose of his journey is not reported by Matthew. In both accounts, the focus is upon the money entrusted to the slaves and their disposition of it.

In Luke, the slaves’ disposition of the money is not described until the scene in which they give account to the nobleman (Lk. 19:15-21), but Matthew’s account describes both the slaves’ action while the master was away (Mt. 25:16-18) and their report to the master (Mt. 25:20, 22, 24-25). “When he [i.e., the nobleman] returned, having received royal power,” says Jesus in Luke, “he ordered these slaves, to whom he had given the money, to be summoned so that he might find out what they had gained by trading” (Lk. 19:15). In Matthew’s version, we are simply told, “After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them” (Mt. 25:19). In Luke’s account, “the first [slave] came forward and said, ‘Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds’ ” (Lk. 19:16). In Matthew’s account, “the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents’ ” (Mt. 25:20). In Luke’s account, the percentage gain is amazing. One pound, three month’s wages, is increased by ten pounds, thirty months wages (a 1000% increase). While in Matthew’s account the percentage gain is less impressive, at the rate of a talent equal to fifteen years’ wages (see above), the first slave turned five talents (75 years’ wages) into ten (150 years’ wages), both staggering amounts. J. Andrew Overman says, “The servants have the financial ability to manage the master’s wealth” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Mt. 25:15).

Although Luke’s version mentions ten slaves (Lk. 19:13), we read reports of only three to the nobleman, which matches the three in Matthew’s account. The reports of the second slave in each account are proportionally less, but still amazing. Luke tells us, “Then the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your pound has made five pounds” (a 500% gain, Lk. 19:18). In Matthew, “the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents’ ” (a 100 per cent gain, but based on a lesser amount than the five talents of the first slave, Mt. 25:22). In Luke’s version the Lord commends the first two slaves and rewards them, putting them in charge of ten or five cities (Lk. 19:17, 19. In Matthew’s version the rewards are less specific, but the commendation is more elaborate. “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things [few? 75 years wages! or 30 years wages!], I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master” (v. 21, cf. v. 23). In both versions, the third slave, who failed to use the money entrusted to him for gain, is disgraced. “Then the other came,” says Luke, “saying, ‘Lord, here is your pound. I wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow’ ” (Lk. 19:20-21; cf. Mt. 25:24-25). In both versions, the master first condemns the slave, quoting his words back to him, and chides him for not investing the money (Lk. 19:22-23; Mt. 25:26-27). In both versions, the third slave’s money is taken and given to the first slave (Lk. 19:24; Mt. 25:28). In Luke, we are told parenthetically, that listeners questioned the fairness of giving the third slave’s money to the first slave. “And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten pounds!’ ” (Lk. 19:25). The Lord’s saying in response is similar in both versions. “I tell you, to all those who have, more will be given; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away” (Lk. 19:26; cf. Mt. 15:29). But the final result is different. In Matthew, Jesus says, “As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt. 25:30), understandable, perhaps in the context of the judgment of the nations (Mt. 25:31-46). But Luke’s version returns, in a sense to the connection with Archelaus’s journey to, and return from, Rome. “But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them–bring them here and slaughter them in my presence’ ” (Lk. 19:27).

Of Luke’s version of the parable, Barclay says that “Anyone in Judaea, on hearing the parable, would immediately remember the historical circumstances on which it was based” (ibid.). Scholars differ on whether the Parables of the Talents and the Pounds are two versions of one parable told by Jesus, or different parables from different occasions (cf. I. Howard Marshall, Commentary on Luke, NIGTC, 701). They also differ on the significance. A Jülicher “claimed that the original form of the parable was meant simply to teach a moral lesson about using the gifts which God has given to man” (cited by Marshall, 702). Barclay follows a line similar to that: “The parable of the king and his servants illustrates certain great facts of the Christian life,” he says, and lists (1) “the king’s trust” (2) “the king’s test” (3) “the king’s reward” (op. cit., p. 237). Barclay adds that “the parable concludes with one of the inexorable laws of life. To him who has, more will be given; from him who has not, what he has will be taken away” (op. cit., p. 238). Eric Franklin, however, has trouble with such an interpretation:

That the nobleman-become-king stands for Jesus [or for God, presumably] is made more unlikely by the third servant’s wholly unflattering description of him (v. 21) as rapacious and a fraudster, an assessment that the king does not deny (v. 22). If his reply were to be taken as an accommodation to the servant’s assessment of him, that in itself would seem to confirm the judgement. It is more likely, however, that he is described as acknowledging the truth of the servant’s description. The king is not a pleasant character.

The parable therefore is unlikely to be an allegory, but is rather, in the words of Evans (1990), ‘another of the risqué parables . . . in which the central figure is a reprehensible character’. In pointing to the demands made by the manner of the Kingdom’s appearing in Jesus, Luke has used this device, not only in the parable of the dishonest steward (16:1-9), but also, and with a close parallel, in that of the importunate widow (18:1-8), where one is encouraged to pray for its coming, and the friend at midnight (11:5-8) where one is told to ask to live out of its power. (The Oxford Bible Commentary, pp. 951-952, on Lk. 19:11-27 )

Franklin says that the third servant is “not to be admired as someone who refuses to play by the lord’s corrupt rules,” a view that he attributes to Herzog (1994).

His lord required of him a commitment and a willingness to venture all which he was not able to meet. Fear and self-protection held him back. For him there might be some excuse. There is none, says the parable, for those who have willingly committed themselves to discipleship in the service of him who is not to be feared but loved and whose treasures do not consist of unrighteous mammon but of the life of the Kingdom itself. Disciples must risk all for the Kingdom and not let its gifts come to nothing either by acquiescing in the present or by despairing of its future ([Lk.] 17:22-18:8). (ibid., p. 952)

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net