Charles Spurgeon Commentary Luke 19:21

"for I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that which thou layedst not down, and reapest that which thou didst not sow." — Luke 19:21 (ASV)

For I feared you, because you are an austere man: you take up that you did not lay down, and reap that you did not sow.

This was impudence indeed; but his master took him on his own ground, and showed that, even if his statement had been true, he ought to have been the more diligent in obeying his lord's command.

For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.

So there is a slavish kind of fear, a dread, a horror of God, which will even keep people out of his service. It should not legitimately do so, but undoubtedly, there are some persons who, out of an evil timidity, are afraid to attempt anything for God or humankind, and therefore their life is useless. Their talent corrodes and rusts in the napkin in which they have wrapped it.