Luke 19:21

21 For I dreaded thee, for thou art an austere man; thou takest away that that thou settedest not, and thou reapest that that thou hast not sown.

Luke 19:21 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 19:21

For I feared thee
Not with a right fear, with a fear of his goodness, who had bestowed such an excellent gift on him; for this would have taught him to have departed from evil, and have put him on doing his master's will, and making use of his gift to his glory: his fear was not of the right kind, and was ill grounded, as appears by what follows:

because thou art an austere man;
cruel and uncompassionate to his servants, and hard to be pleased; than which nothing is more false, since it is evident, that Christ is compassionate both to the bodies and souls of men; is a merciful high priest, and is one that has compassion on the ignorant, and them that are out of the way, and cannot but be touched with the feeling of his people's infirmities; and is mild and gentle in his whole deportment, and in all his administrations:

thou takest up that thou layest not down, and reapest that thou
didst not sow;
suggesting, that he was covetous of that which did not belong to him, and withheld what was due to his servants, and rigorously exacted service that could not be performed; a most iniquitous charge, since none so liberal as he, giving gifts, grace and glory, freely; imposing no grievous commands on men; his yoke being easy, and his burden light; never sending a man to a warfare at his own charge; but always giving grace and strength proportionable to the service he calls to, and rewarding his servants in a most bountiful manner, infinitely beyond their deserts.

Luke 19:21 In-Context

19 And to this he said, And be thou on five cities. [And he said to this, And be thou upon five cities.]

20 And the third came, and said, Lord, lo! thy bezant, that I had, put up in a sudarium. [+And the third came, saying, Lord, lo! thy bezant, which I had, kept in a sudarium, or sweating cloth.]

21 For I dreaded thee, for thou art an austere man; thou takest away that that thou settedest not, and thou reapest that that thou hast not sown.

22 He saith to him, Wicked servant, of thy mouth I deem thee. Knewest thou, that I am an austere man, taking away that thing that I setted not, and reaping that thing that I sowed not [+taking away that thing that I set not, and reaping that thing that I have not sown]?

23 and why hast thou not given my money to the board, and I coming should have asked it with usuries? [and why hast thou not given my money to the board, that and I coming should have received it soothly with usuries?]