James Nisbet Commentary - Mark 13:34 - 13:34

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James Nisbet Commentary - Mark 13:34 - 13:34


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THE ABSENTEE HOUSEHOLDER

‘It is as when a man, sojourning in another country, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, to each one his work, commanded also the porter to watch.’

Mar_13:34 (R.V.).

The parable makes it quite plain that our Lord is now in the position of an absentee householder. He is ‘sojourning in another country.’ So He said in His high priestly prayer: ‘I am no more in the world, and these are in the world.’ But the Church is still His house. Nor has He forgotten us. He has gone to take possession of heaven in our name. ‘The Forerunner is for us entered within the veil.’ There He remembers us continually. Yet we are left without any visible Director or Head. His Church is a well-appointed household with a large staff of servants; but the personal oversight of the Master has long been lacking. He is with us indeed—by His Word, by His Sacraments, by His Spirit; but He is not with us in visible bodily presence. He is sojourning in another country, cut off from us so far as all ordinary communications of sight and hearing are concerned.

I. Because of the long absence of the Master there is often much slackness among the servants. The Master’s interests are not studied as carefully as they should be, and the work appointed is neglected or only perfunctorily performed. Sometimes, indeed, the servants are puffed up with pride, they get lax through indulgence and neglect, they waste the Master’s goods, misrepresent His teaching, and enter into discreditable alliances with His enemies. In such cases there is no Master’s flashing eye or commanding voice to rebuke and restrain, and if in their carelessness they neglect secret prayer and Bible study they soon cease to hear the still small voice of the Comforter, they forget their high calling, and their hearts wax gross and hard.

II. Slackness is seen in three directions:—

(a) The slack servant begins to doubt the sufficiency of His authority. He relies more upon human philosophy and intellectual strength, or upon ecclesiastical and political influence, than upon the still small voice of the Spirit.

(b) These slackers are shirkers. They are so wrapped up in their personal comfort and enjoyment, so anxious about their own safety and reputation, so intent upon laying up treasure on earth and keeping on good terms with the world, that they shirk the work the Master gave them.

(c) And they fail in yet another matter. ‘He commanded the porter to watch.’ He meant His servants to remember how He had promised to return. Every remembrance of Him, especially that at the appointed Communion Feast, was to be a looking forward as well as a looking back. They were to be on the watch, lest, coming suddenly, He should find them sleeping.

III. Remedy for slackness.—‘Who then is that faithful and wise servant whom his Master when He cometh shall find so doing?’

(a) Faithfulness. The faithful servant—he who is pure in his aims, sincere of heart, diligent in duty, impartial in judgment, constant and persevering in application—is always ready to welcome the returning Master.

(b) We must be wise as well, not with worldly prudence, but with Spirit-taught foresight and discretion. Realising our limited knowledge, we must have the good sense to seek the guidance of Him Who knoweth all things.

Rev. F. S. Webster.

Illustration

‘Here is a West-End house, the owner of which is travelling or at his country residence. He is not expected back for some time, and the house, left to the care of a small staff of servants, presents a somewhat melancholy appearance. But a telegram announces an alteration of plans and, with the prospect of the master’s immediate return, everything is changed. Fires are lit and windows thrown open, additional help is secured, and charwomen and window-cleaners are hard at work, that the master may find his house clean, well ventilated, and in perfect order. Which of these two pictures represents the condition of the Church of Christ to-day?’



WORK AND ITS PRIVILEGES

‘To every man his work.’

Mar_13:34

Work is the heritage, the duty, the responsibility of all faithful servants of the Lord Jesus. Life is not a mere holiday with them.

I. The universality of the obligation.—‘To every man his work.’ There is a niche in the Lord’s house for each one, and in that niche just the sort of work we are most fitted to do. And it is to each man his work, his own particular work. It is a great thing to find out what the Lord wants us to do, and then to do it without wishing to change places with others.

II. What is this work? It is very nigh you, at your very doors.

(a) It is the work of your worldly callings.

(b) It is the work to be done in your own hearts, which can only be accomplished by the aid of the Holy Spirit.

(c) It is the work of influencing for holiness those around you.

When the end comes may we be able to say, ‘I have finished the work Thou gavest me to do.’

Rev. Canon Twells.

Illustration

‘Let me give you twelve reasons why you should work.

Work—for you were made for work, and you nullify your being if you do not work.

Work—for your Saviour wishes it; and it is His dying legacy.

Work—for there is no safeguard of the soul like work.

Work—for nothing draws out graces, and makes them grow, like work.

Work—for there is no comfort in sorrow like doing some work for God.

Work—for all the world reads that book, and there is no evidence of the truth of God, and no honour to religion, like “good works.”

Work—for “your Father worketh hitherto,” and Christ works.

Work—for none go into the vineyard but labourers.

Work—for “He rendereth to every man”—here and for ever—“according to His work;” and as your works are on this earth, so will be your place in the ranges of the blessed.

Work—for it is the happiest thing in this world.

Work—for the day is quickly passing when we can work, and “the shadows of evening are already stretching out,” to foretell “the night, when no man can work.”

Work—for it will be more joy and love to have something to lay at His dear feet when He comes.

I would wish that every one of us would lay down one simple rule: I will ask myself, every night, What have I done to-day for usefulness?’

(SECOND OUTLINE)

THE CALL TO WORK

When we remember that the coming of the Lord shall be the time when our work shall be tested, when we shall receive praise or blame, it should come home to us very strongly that here is a true call—the call to work.

I. The nature of the work.—We shall best understand what it is if we remember the words of the Lord during those wonderful forty days He spent on earth in His resurrection body. ‘Ye shall be witnesses unto Me.’ This is the work for all of us. The great command to spread His Kingdom is binding on every one of us, and those who cannot go forth can work here at home. It is a work to be done in the world—in our own country, in our own diocese, in our own parish, in our own homes. It is a work which must be done by each one in his or her own walk of life—the work of witnessing for Christ.

II. Three great gifts.—We have here three great gifts which the Lord gives to us, and He expects us when He comes back to render an account of what we have done with them. What are they?

(a) The Lord gives us work to do. He gave ‘to every man his work.’ It is a very great thing to be trusted.

(b) He gives His servants ‘authority.’ There is a great deal of meaning there. The word is translated here ‘authority,’ and it is very often translated ‘power.’ It is not only that we have the ‘authority’ of heaven behind us to act as soldiers and servants of the great Captain, but also that His ‘power’ is given to us. The Lord never calls upon us to fulfil any duty or task without enabling us by the ‘power’ of His Holy Spirit to do it.

(c) He gives material to work with.—He ‘delivered unto them his goods’ (Mat_25:14). Not the same amount to each one, but to ‘each one according to his several ability.’ The material is our talents—that means ourselves, our powers, our faculties. The Lord has given them, and He expects us to use them for Him.

Rev. W. T. Hollins.

Illustration

‘An important rehearsal for a great oratorio was in progress, Sir Michael Costa conducting. The chorus filled the building, and the thunder of the organ, the rolling of the drums, the clear ringing tones of the cornets, the clash of the cymbals, and the beautiful notes of the stringed instruments combined to make splendid harmony. “Stop!” All waited in wondering silence for Sir Michael’s reason for his sudden command. “Where is the piccolo?” he asked. In all the grand peals of music Sir Michael Costa missed that tiny note, and the whole was to him imperfect. The incident has a great lesson for us. In the mighty chorus of the service and adoration of God’s people, the Lord Jesus will miss us if we are silent and idle.

(THIRD OUTLINE)

THE LAW OF THE HOUSE

‘To every man his work’—this is the law of the house. No idling can be suffered in Christ’s household. It is a rule without an exception—‘To every man.’

I. The work we have to do.—This command, so universal in its range, is nevertheless particular and individual in its application. ‘To every man his work.’ We are not all called to do the same work.

(a) There is work to be done in the foreign field.

(b) There is work to be done at home.

(c) There is work to be done in our own hearts.

II. Why is work necessary?

(a) Work is necessary for health. ‘Work is life.’

(b) Because idleness leads to every other evil.

(c) Because of man’s natural tendency to sloth and self-indulgence.

(d) Because the Lord Himself is a worker.

III. The spirit in which the work should be done.—If we would serve Christ aright, we must take heed to our spirit. Our work should be done—

(a) Promptly. ‘Go work to-day,’ said the father to his son in the parable, ‘in my vineyard.’

(b) Filially. ‘Son, go work to-day in my vineyard.’ Beware of inverting the Divine order. If we would be servants, we must first be sons.

(c) Prayerfully. Let none think that Christ’s work can be accomplished by human energy. Those who do so are doomed to disappointment.

Rev. E. W. Moore.

Illustration

‘The distinguished foreigner who was asked if he had noticed any one characteristic equally marked in all the nations he had visited, was not far wrong when he answered, “I think that all men love lazy.” We live in a day when there are “gods many and lords many,” but certainly the god of ease is among the most popular of modern deities. There is not one of us probably that has not been tempted to worship at his shrine. The forms of sloth are various, the slothful spirit itself remains the same. Physical, mental, spiritual sloth—all must be reckoned with if we are to be faithful to our trust.’