Charles Spurgeon Commentary Luke 19:22-23

"He saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I am an austere man, taking up that which I laid not down, and reaping that which I did not sow; then wherefore gavest thou not my money into the bank, and I at my coming should have required it with interest?" — Luke 19:22-23 (ASV)

And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?

"You might have done that, at any rate, even if you were afraid to trade with it, as I commanded you." God often deals with men on their own ground, and condemns them out of their own mouth. They say that God is very severe in threatening them with "the wrath to come." Well, if you so believe, and so speak, there is all the more reason why you should fear to disobey him, and so incur his just displeasure. If, in spite of such terrible threats, you still defy him, it only brings out more clearly the greatness of your guilt.

Taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow: why then did you not give my money into the bank, so that at my coming I might have collected it with usury?

"With proper interest." God does not concern Himself with clearing His character with ungodly men. You and I are very particular and punctilious in defending ourselves against false accusations, but God's character needs no clearing. It is so transparent that, if ungodly men choose to tarnish it, He argues with them on their own terms and does not stop to answer their slanders.

When I have heard people say that God is unjust or too severe, all I have felt inclined to say in reply was just this: "Whatever He may be, He is the God who will judge you at the last; and if you think this way about Him, so much the more should you yield yourself to Him and submit to His infinite majesty, for He is King of kings and Lord of lords." It is a bad day when we attempt to be the judge of our Judge and pretend to be the god of God. He is infinitely glorious, so let us bow before Him.