Matthew 25:24

ὁ εἰληφώς. A variety from ὁ λαβών, Matthew 25:16.

εἶπεν κ.τ.λ. This slave anticipates his lord’s condemnation; ‘qui s’excuse s’accuse.’

σκληρός. ἄνθρωπον μὲν σκληρὸν λὲγουσι τὸν μονότροπον καὶ δυσπειθῆ καὶ πρὸς ἅπαν�. Galen, quoted by Wetstein.

συνάγων ὅθεν οὐ διεσκόρπισας. i.e. ‘gathering into the garner from another’s threshing-floor where thou hast not winnowed’ (Meyer); so, ‘exacting interest where thou hast invested no money.’ The accusation was false, but the Lord takes his slave at his word, ‘thou oughtest therefore,’ for that very reason.

συνάγειν is used of the Israelites gathering straw in Egypt; αὐτοὶ πορευέσθωσαν καὶ συναγαγέτωσαν ἑαυτοῖς ἄχυρα, Exodus 5:7; σκορπίζων is used of the sower: ὁ σκορπίζων τὸν σῖτον σπορεύς ἐστιν (Eustathius, quoted by Wetstein). This verb and its compounds are Ionic, and do not belong to the Attic dialect. Lob. Phryn., p. 218.