Ten servants - Nothing in particular is denoted by the number "ten." It is a circumstance intended to keep up the narrative. In general, by these servants our Saviour denotes his disciples, and intends to teach us that talents are given us to be improved, for which we must give an account at his return.

Ten pounds - The word translated "pound" here denotes the Hebrew "minah," which was equal to about 15 dollars, or 3 British pounds. The pounds here denote the talents which God has given to his servants on earth to improve, and for which they must give all account in the day of judgment.

Occupy till I come - The word "occupy" here means not merely to "possess," as it often does in our language, but to "improve," to employ "in business," for the purpose of increasing it or of making "profit" on it. The direction was to use this money so as to gain "more" against his return. So Jesus commands his disciples to "improve" their talents; to make the most of them; to increase their capability of doing good, and to do it "until" he comes to call us hence, by death, to meet him. See 1 Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 4:7.

Ten servants - All those who professed to receive his doctrine. Ten was a kind of sacred number among the Hebrews, as well as seven. See Luke 14:31; Luke 15:8; Matthew 15:1.

Ten pounds - Ten minas. The Septuagint use the original word μναα for the Hebrew מנה maneh, from which it is evidently derived; and it appears from Ezekiel 45:12, to have been equal to sixty shekels in money. Now suppose we allow the shekel, with Dean Prideaux, to be 3s., then the mina or maneh was equal to 9 English money. The impropriety of rendering the original word pound, will easily be seen by the most superficial reader. We should therefore retain the original word for the same reason so often before assigned. Suidas says, "The talent was sixty minas, the mina one hundred drachms, the drachm six oboli, the obolus six chalci, the chalcus seven mites or lepta."

By the ten minas given to each, we may understand the Gospel of the kingdom given to every person who professes to believe in Christ, and which he is to improve to the salvation of his soul. The same word is given to all, that all may believe and be saved.

And he called his ten servants,.... By whom are meant, not all mankind; for though these are all his servants of right, yet not in fact; nor the elect of God, who are called by grace; for though these are the servants of Christ, and are peculiarly his, yet all that received the pound were not such, for one of them was a wicked man; but the ministers of the Gospel, who are eminently, and in a special manner, the servants of the most high God: but as for the number "ten", this cannot regard the apostles, for they were twelve; and though they are sometimes called the eleven, after the apostasy and death of Judas, yet not the ten; and besides, there was another chose in his room; but this number being a large and perfect one, a round number, it is sometimes made use of as a certain number, for an uncertain one; see Matthew 25:1. The call of these by their Lord, is not to be understood of the call of them by his grace, but of a call of them to the office and work of the ministry:

and delivered them ten pounds; every one a pound: the "Maneh", or pound of the Hebrews, if of gold, which contained an hundred drachmas, was of the value of our money, "seventy five pounds"; if of silver, the old "Maneh", or pound, which contained sixty shekels, Ezekiel 45:12 amounted to "seven pounds ten shillings"; but the "Maneh", or pound, mentioned in the Misna (k), and which was in use in our Lord's time, contained an hundred pence, and was of the value of our money, "three pounds two shillings and six pence": and by these pounds are designed, not special grace; for they intend not any thing wrought in these servants, but something delivered to them, and what might be taken away again, which cannot be said of special grace; and besides, it is certain, that one of these servants that had the pound, was destitute of that: but gifts are meant, and these not merely natural, or the gifts of providence, as health, riches, wisdom, &c. nor only the outward means of grace, as the word and ordinances, but ministerial gifts, which are the greatest in the church, and are therefore signified by pounds; and are what may be improved or neglected, and be lost or taken away; and for which those that have them, are accountable: but though each of these servants are represented, as having every man a pound delivered to him, this must not be understood, as if the gifts of ministers were equal and alike, any more than the inequality of their rewards proves degrees in glory; for which sometimes this parable is produced:

and said unto him, occupy; negotiate, or trade, that is, with the pounds; make use of the ministerial gifts, exercise them, lay them out, and trade with them: the ministry is a trade and merchandise, to be carried on, not in the name of the ministers of Christ, nor on their own stock, nor for themselves, but for Christ, and for the good of souls; which shows, that they must not be slothful, but laborious and diligent:

till I:come: which suggests the certainty of Christ's coming, the continuance of the Gospel ministry to that time; and that there is no rest nor ease for Christ's ministers, but a continued series of labour and service, until then; when, for their encouragement, they shall receive their reward.

(k) Peah, c. 8. sect. 5. & Maimon. & Bartenora in ib.

His ten servants (δέκα δούλους ἑαυτοῦ)

Rev., rightly, changes to ten servants of his, since the his is emphatic; lit., his own. Moreover, it would be absurd to suppose that this nobleman, of consequence enough to be raised to a royal dignity, had but ten servants. The number of slaves in a Roman household was enormous, sometimes reaching hundreds. Toward the end of the Republic, it was considered reprehensible not to have a slave for every sort of work.

Pounds (μνᾶς)

Minas. Between sixteen and eighteen dollars apiece. Meyer very aptly remarks: "The small sum astonishes us. Compare, on the other hand, the talents (Matthew 25). But in Matthew, the Lord transfers to his servant his whole property; here he has only devoted a definite sum of money to the purpose of putting his servants to the proof therewith; and the smallness of the amount corresponds to what is so carefully emphasized in our parable, viz., the relation of faithfulness in the least to its great recompense (Luke 19:17); which relation is less regarded in the parable in Matthew" ("Commentary on Luke").

Occupy (πραγματεύσασθε)

The word occupy has lost the sense which it conveyed to the makers of the A. V. - that of using or laying out what is possessed. An occupier formerly meant a trader. Occupy, in the sense of to use, occurs Judges 16:11 : "new ropes that never were occupied;" which Rev. changes to wherewith no work hath been done. Compare the Prayer-Book version of the Psalter, Psalm 107:23 : "occupy their business in great waters." So Latimer, "Sermons," "He that occupieth usury." Rev., trade ye. Wyc., merchandise ye. Tynd., buy and sell. See on traded, Matthew 25:16.

Till I come (ἕως ἔρχομαι)

It is strange that the Rev. follows this reading without comment, while the Revisers' text takes no notice whatever of the reading of four of the leading manuscripts, which is adopted by both Tischendorf and Westcott and Hort; ἐν ᾧ ἔρχομαι, "while I come," a condensed form of expression for while I go and return.

{5} And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

(5) There are three sorts of men in the Church: the one sort fall from Christ whom they do not see; the other, according to their God given position, bestow the gifts which they have received from God to his glory, with great pains and diligence; the third live idly and do no good. As for the first, the Lord when he comes will justly punish them in his time; the second he will bless according to the pains which they have taken; and as for the slothful and idle persons, he will punish them like the first.

19:13 Delivered them ten pounds. Each a pound. The Greek term is mina, a weight of silver equivalent to about sixteen dollars.

Occupy till I come. This was all given to be used. It was given to his servants. It represents whatever ability, whether of wealth or mind, that we have to serve Christ.

19:13 Trade till I come - To visit the nation, to destroy Jerusalem, to judge the world: or, in a more particular sense, to require thy soul of thee.

pounds: mina, here translated a pound, is twelve ounces and an half: which according to five shillings the ounce is three pounds two shillings and sixpence

Margin pounds

"mina," here translated "a pound," is 12 ounces and a half.

13. Occupy-"negotiate," "do business," with the resources entrusted.

19:11-27 This parable is like that of the talents, Mt 25. Those that are called to Christ, he furnishes with gifts needful for their business; and from those to whom he gives power, he expects service. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal, 1Co 12:7. And as every one has received the gift, so let him minister the same, 1Pe 4:10. The account required, resembles that in the parable of the talents; and the punishment of the avowed enemies of Christ, as well as of false professors, is shown. The principal difference is, that the pound given to each seems to point out the gift of the gospel, which is the same to all who hear it; but the talents, distributed more or less, seem to mean that God gives different capacities and advantages to men, by which this one gift of the gospel may be differently improved.