17 In the same way, the one who had two gained two more. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. man goes to another country, stays a long time, and then returns. Father, deliver me from this hour? Third, they are invited to enter into the joy of your master. Just what does this mean, to enter into the masters joy? 281 Remember that one manifestation of the harshness or hardness of Nabal was that he refused to reward David for his faithful service to him (1 Samuel 25:2-13). To them belong the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. 15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 4:10]. The first servant has made the biggest return (10 minas from one mina, or 10 talents from five talents). In that place (V)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.. 28So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. The apocalyptic context is underscored in Lukes version, where people try to keep the master from becoming king and are killed for their rebellion. 33 But a married man is concerned about the things of the world, how to please his wife, 34 and he is divided. In the Matthew version, he gives one servant 10 talents (or bags of gold), another five talents, and the third one talent. Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular, Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular. It has taken a while for the thrust of this parable to come into focus for me. In this show, one boss brings several employees into a room, gives them each cash, and tells them to invest to grow his corporation. Salem Media Group. It was not the masters problem; it was the slaves problem. Different. This gift is for us to share with others through our words and actions. As Dorothy Sayers put it in her essay Why Work? if we follow God properly, all the work will be Christian work, whether it is Church embroidery or sewage-farming.. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, [1] each according to his ability. Let us go a three-day journey into the desert so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, so that he does not strike us with plague or the sword. 4 Then the king of Egypt said to them, Moses and Aaron, why do you cause the people to refrain from their work? First, the master stayed away for a long time (Matthew 25:19). The fact the master owns the money he gave the servants, and he gets the results of their investments, highlights who is in control. These things are good and beneficial for all people (Titus 3:4-8). I fear that for all too many Christians (not all!) I wonder how many have given serious thought to what might be called the theology of retirement. I would like to challenge every Christian to rethink the subject of retirement. So you knew, did you, that I was a severe man, withdrawing what I didnt deposit and reaping what I didnt sow? 27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one. All three stories are about being given something which must be used well, and the consequences of neglecting or abusing it. Lets begin with the end result profit. The second and third soils represent those who initially show some interest in the gospel, but then reject it when the meaning of the gospel becomes clear. 29 For the one who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough. We would probably do well to compare this text with a couple of passages in the Gospel of Luke: 16 So the first one came before him and said, Sir, your mina has made ten minas more. 17 And the king said to him, Well done, good slave! What is the meaning of the Parable of the Prodigal Son? Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. (Now the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were in the middle of the orchard.) Retirement is that period in life when one no longer has the distraction of having to work for a livelihood. Other, another (of more than two), different. Unfaithful service led to condemnation, the removal of ones stewardship, and an eternity of weeping and gnashing of teeth in outer darkness, away from the presence of our Lord. I was talking about this text with a friend, and he said, God expects the principle, plus interest. I think thats right. 272 I am assuming that the second servant acted just as quickly as the first, because our Lord tells us that he acted in a similar manner. He doesnt even take the trouble to take it to the money changers, and let them work with it to gain something for his master. Matthew 25:14. Its leaves are for the healing of the nations. Knowing that Jesus was describing servants being given huge amounts of cash to invest helps us to understand just how generous the master was being, the opportunity each servant was given. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Talents? For example, this story is about talents which was a super large amount of money in Bible times. A talent of gold, for example, would be worth a whole lot more than a talent of bronze. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. 10 The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. It is as though he had said, I knew you were unreasonable, and that there was no way to please you, and so I decided not even to try.. There is a great reward waiting for those who steward well with what the Lord has given them. We should carefully note the outcome of faithful service, and of unfaithful service, in this parable. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, to be holy both in body and spirit. I saw something there that both amazed and troubled me. Parable of the Talents. What is the meaning of the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price? I think we could all agree that the salvation of lost souls is a profit for the kingdom. The joy of the master must, in some way, equate to enjoying the bliss of heaven, with our Lord. Read the full Bible passage of this story below and find related articles, videos, and audio sermons to help your understanding of this biblical lesson. The slaves excuse was that his master was a harsh man, and this caused him to be afraid of his master, thus doing nothing with the money entrusted to him. I am not arguing against retirement in the economic sense. Well talk about this a bit later, but for the moment, I am inclined to understand this expression in contrast to another in our text, And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:30). A poor man (a sort of enterprising beggar, perhaps) was busy entertaining the visitors to the zoo. Speed and thrust increase. 15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. The Gospels make it clear many times that Jesus was the king of the Jews, but came in a way they did not expect, preaching a message many didnt want to hear. Some say that it was the equivalent to 20 years wages for a common laborer.275 We must remember, then, that a talent is a measure of money; it is not a reference to abilities. Indeed, it is used to explain what has been said before. The, the definite article. The Parable of the Talents 21 His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! Christians will spend all eternity at work, and this work will include ruling with our Lord and praising Him. Only the soil that produces a crop is good soil. Look, But his lord answered and said to him, You. When our Lord talks about the kingdom of heaven in our text and elsewhere, He speaks of it in terms of work, not of relaxation or of play. Here, (P)you have what is yours. 26But his master answered him, You (Q)wicked and (R)slothful servant! Multiply Your Talents 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. Includes discussion questions and verse by verse commentary for small groups. Our Lords rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees is often couched in stewardship terms. We know that God expects us to grow over time, and that He is displeased when we fail to grow: 11 It was he who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of Goda mature person, attaining to the measure of Christs full stature (Ephesians 4:11-13). In the parable of the talent, there are two clear references to time. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. In my opinion, thats living dangerously. The publication of this material is a grace ministry of Community Bible Chapel. Parable of the Talents And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. This whole matter of profit expands the teaching of our Lord in Matthew 6: 19 Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. a certain weight or 'talent'. This story is called the Parable of the Talents. The talent was the largest measurement of money in those days. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. 5 In other words, Luke informs us that Jesus told this parable specifically to correct some misconceptions about the time of His return. Neither group knew when the groom was coming. It is indeed unfortunate that the term talent means something very different today from what our Lord meant when He told this parable. A talent was worth even more: NIV footnotes for the Matthew passage state that one talent was 20 years wages. 20 The one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, Sir, you entrusted me with five talents. 10 For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them (Ephesians 2:8-10). Thus, time seems to be a more important factor in verses 14-31 than in 1-13. parable in Luke is told when Jesus was near Jerusalem, before His triumphal entry; in Matthew, the parable is told when Jesus was in Jerusalem, a few days later. I am saying that our labors for the kingdom have no point of termination except for our Lords return, and even then fruitful labor will continue in heaven. These rebels are slaughtered. We are not saved by good works, but we are saved unto good works: 8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 it is not from works, so that no one can boast. (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of. Its also preceded by a story about a servant not using his position well while the master is away. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. We should first consider the masters assessment of all three slaves: The first two slaves were commended as being both good and faithful. The term good is sometimes employed in a moral sense. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden - Bible Story, The Ten Commandments - Bible Verses and Importance Today, Parable of the Prodigal Son - Bible Story, The Resurrection of Jesus - Bible Story and Prophecy. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come against you. He, too, doubled the money his master left in his care. For less than $5/mo. Remember, this is a parable, and all ofJesus parables are about a bit more than they seem. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lords money. While there would be sufficient evidence for His followers to discern the general season of His return, neither the day nor the hour would be known (Matthew 24:32-36, 42). Christ keeps no servants to be idle: they have received their all from him, and have nothing they can call their own but sin. The parable of the talents is told in Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:11-27. The master goes on his journey, which Luke notes has some opposition (Luke 19:14-15). If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him (Matthew 25:29; see also 13:12; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18; 19:26). He told his master that he was a harsh and cruel man, a man who was demanding, and who expected gain where he had not labored. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. However, as planned, he becomes king of the distant land and returns home to see how his servants have done. 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. One's own; by implication, private or separate. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. We take a little money and put it in the plate, and by doing so we are laying up treasure in heaven. I dont deny that this is true, in part, but it is not the whole of it. 24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. The master scolded him saying that he should have invested the money and received interest. The second servant has made (five minas from one mina, or four talents from two talents). Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. A talent, just so you know, was a measure of money. 2 Samuel 7:1-3 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies; , 1 Chronicles 13:1-3 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader, 1 Chronicles 22:1-26:32 Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel. 29(S)For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But the master did provide the means for his slave to make a profit. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. 3:21; 21:7], Matt. Dont bury what God has entrusted to you; go to work with it, for the glory of God, and for your eternal rewards. (2) Many of the commentaries acknowledge the abruptness of verse 14 as the first verse of a new paragraph. Assuming, for the moment, that the slave was correct in his assessment, why would he not be motivated by his fear to seek a profit for his master? I will put you in charge of many things. 18 But the one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his masters money in it. 18But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lords money. Those who are unfaithful lose not only their reward, but their stewardship. But this term is also used of that which is useful or beneficial: 17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. So you knew that I harvest where I didnt sow and gather where I didnt scatter? And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his . Each of these things (and many others) are given by God, to use in ways that glorify him and draws others toward him. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give. You have been faithful in a few things. Verse Concepts. Theparable of the talents is told in Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:11-27. So, whatever we are doing (provided its not a sinful activity), we serve God well by doing it well. He admits he buried it in the ground because he was afraid to use it (Matthew 25:24-25, Luke 19:20-21). Please consider their relationship to our text, and to money, time, labor, and profit: 1 To the angel of the church in Sardis write the following: This is the solemn pronouncement of the one who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your deeds, that you have a reputation that you are alive, but in reality you are dead. Pharaoh was a harsh master. He demanded that the Israelites make bricks, but he refused to supply them with the necessary materials. 3 Therefore, remember what you received and heard, and obey it, and repent. Each one of us needs to ask the question, Just what is it that I am doing that is kingdom work? Just what is it that I am doing for Christ and His kingdom that is profitable? It is the real Christian's liberty and privilege to be employed as his Redeemer's servant, in promoting his glory, and the good of his people: the love of Christ constrains him to live no longer to himself, but to Him, that died for him and rose again. and Christians should not be molded by worldly standards (Romans 12:2). This is his excuse for doing nothing. 12 For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of Gods utterances. The joy that was before our Lord would seem to include the salvation of lost sinners (Luke 15:4-10). We need to pursue the element of work a bit further. We should be careful to recognize that in this parable the mere possession of a talent is not evidence of salvation. 12:6; 1 Cor. Jesus was also the stone rejected by builders, yet he became the capstone (Matthew 21:42). What is the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares? 4 But you have a few individuals in Sardis who have not stained their clothes, and they will walk with me dressed in white, because they are worthy. He doubled the money his master entrusted to him. But none of them adequately explain it. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Fig Tree? 15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Works are fruits that are evidence of true faith (see James 2). Most of us find it hard to un-crack, especially given the third servant gets punished for doing nothing. 23 Why then didnt you put my money in the bank, so that when I returned I could have collected it with interest? 24 And he said to his attendants, Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has ten. 25 But they said to him, Sir, he has ten minas already! 26 I tell you that everyone who has will be given more, but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. It is not the money that goes to work, as such, but the worker. - Unto one he gave five talents. The bankers in verse 27 represent other faithful people to whom the man could have turned to help him use his talents wisely. You withdraw what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow. 22 The king said to him, I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! As I thought of this slaves attitude toward his master, I was reminded of this passage in the Book of Exodus: 1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, Release my people so that they may hold a pilgrim feast to me in the desert. 2 But Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord that I should obey him by releasing Israel? To offer, give; I put, place. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with or without credit. This is like one of those reality TV shows where people compete for money to invest in a project, only with a different agenda. The element of work. Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. He has richly provided all that you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:1-4). Salt is good, but if salt loses its flavor, how can its flavor be restored? (Luke 14:34). Have you come to see that so far as your salvation is concerned, all of your works are like filthy rags in His sight (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:9-20)? Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Gospels: Matthew 25:15 To one he gave five talents (Matt. The Christian should think about retirement in the same way he or she thinks of being single (if, indeed, you are): 32 And I want you to be free from concern. 27 But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and slaughter them in front of me!. The story of Jesustelling this parable really begins in Matthew 24 when he mentions the coming destruction of Jerusalem. 15And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, (D)to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. After being gone a long time, the master returns to settle up with his slaves (verse 19). Dr. Ron Jones, Using Your Talents for the Glory of God Theres afamous scene in the movie Chariots of Fire where future Olympian Eric Liddell feels a tension between his chance to be an Olympic runner and his calling to be a missionary in China. 4:7; 1 Pet. Since a talent was actually a measurement of weight, it did not have a constant value. It is the word Moses uses in Genesis 42:7,280 to describe Josephs disguise of harshness before his brothers. In the parable of the talent, there are two clear references to time. Did this third slave think that there would be no reward for his faithful service because his master was a hard man? Luke, we are told that the reason for the parable was to correct the misconception that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately; no such reason is stated in Matthew. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. In one of my early trips to India, I went to the zoo. Jaye Martin, How to Know Your Life Purpose Our labors for the Master should increase, not diminish, if we are kingdom minded. See, I have gained two more.' 23 His master replied, 'Well . We find our true joy and place in life when we serve God with our gifts. How different was the outlook of the first two slaves. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Leaven. It is a time when one should have the wisdom of age, financial freedom, and flexibility. This way the slave would not have to attend to the money on a day-by-day basis. 276 Needless to say, bankers and banking were not the same in those days. This servant came to his master with only the talent his master had originally entrusted to him. to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. It is from the use of the word "talents" in this parable that we moderns have derived its common meaning of natural gifts and endowments. of He is evil in the sense that he is useless, or unprofitable. Notice how this same word279 is used in Matthew 7: In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad [literally rotten] tree bears bad fruit (Matthew 7:17, emphasis mine). To work, trade, perform, do, practice, commit, acquire by labor. retirement has become a socially acceptable form of burying ones talent. He took his talent from him, gave it to the one who earned ten, and cast this fellow into outer darkness, where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. Read: MATTHEW 25:14-30. Since help was available to him in the Church, the man had no excuse. My thinking on retirement in this lesson started with the observation that heaven is not the end of work, but the multiplication and continuation of work: 20 The one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, Sir, you entrusted me with five talents. Enter into the joy of your master (Matthew 25:20-21). Faith Talk Ministries, Faithful to the End In order to understand the meaning and the application of the parable of the talents, we must take note of the crucial terms and their meanings. Some were saying, He is a good man, but others, He deceives the common people (John 7:12). It is not meant that the improving of natural powers can entitle a man to Divine grace. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. Renny and Marina McLean, The Lord Teaches Us to Profit What is the meaning of the Parable of the Wedding Feast? A popular job website lists theaverage monthly wage for Americans in 2021 as $5,555 per month. And the longer the master was gone, the more interest was lost by the slaves inactivity. Second, the faithful servants immediately went to work to increase their master's money ( Matthew 25:16-17 ). On each side of the river is the tree of life producing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month of the year. What can we learn from the parable of the persistent widow and unjust judge? 28 Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten. In my opinion, nothing in our text compels us to think (or even imply) that this might be the case. The parable begins with a master planning a trip (Luke describes him as going off to be made king of a distant land). Matthew 25:15. Jesus tells the Parable of the Talents (or the Talents' parable) to his disciples. Retirement is like the second stage of a rocket booster. READ the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30. Bible Memory Verse. When God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden, He gave them work to do. This is a sobering question. master. He then tells the servants to put this money to work (Luke 19:13), invest it to make more money for him, and he would see their results when hes back. The difference is that one group brought oil for their lamps, and the others did not. 18 A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit (Matthew 7:17-18). Heavens work will be joyful labor. Most importantly, bringing glory to God is profitable. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them., I will make you ruler over many things.

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