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. What is your ministry, your unique contribution to the kingdom of God? God entrusted Israel, and especially its leaders, with the truth, and they did not use it properly. and Christians should not be molded by worldly standards (Romans 12:2). It is indeed unfortunate that the term talent means something very different today from what our Lord meant when He told this parable. 20So 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. 21His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you were (E)faithful over a few things, (F)I will make you ruler over many things. Jesus made it clear that His return would not be immediate, but after much trouble and the passing of a considerable period of time. I am reminded of this passage in the Book of Hebrews: 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us, 2 keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Most of us find it hard to un-crack, especially given the third servant gets punished for doing nothing. 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! In a similar way, in the parable of the soils (Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23) the mere germination of the seed does not seem to represent salvation. At this point we would probably do well to look at work from a broader perspective; we should consider work from the beginning of time to eternity future. The element of money. Enter into the joy of your master (Matthew 25:20-21). Second, the faithful servants immediately went to work to increase their master's money ( Matthew 25:16-17 ). Let us then consider the primary message in this text. 25And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. 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). 16Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. As a businessman takes pleasure in making a profit, so our Lord takes pleasure in the profit gained by His faithful servants in His absence. Whatever they may pretend, the fact is, they dislike the character and work of the Lord. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. Provide a pair of oven gloves. Jesus' stories had more than one meaning. Enter into, He also who had received two talents came and said, Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.. This parable is not primarily about faith, nor is it about being willing to take a risk (this was merely the wicked slaves excuse). We need to pursue the element of work a bit further. The whole parable is found in Matthew 25:14-30. 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? 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. This slave actually thinks of his master as though he were a Pharaoh in character. To the first he entrusted five talents, to the second two talents, and to the third one talent. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Pertaining to self, i.e. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry (Matthew 11:28-30). 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. 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. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once . 5 Is this not cause for rejoicing (see Acts 11:19-24)? NKJV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture, NKJV, Abide Bible, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version. 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). Its leaves are for the healing of the nations. 274 If my concordance program is correct, this term occurs 526 times in the New Testament. 22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. This is the reason I was critical of the translation of verse 16 (see footnote 1 above). This servant offered a feeble excuse for his conduct. We find this same principle stated in connection with the parable of the soils (Matthew 13:12; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18). Then he went away. You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. It was completed by more than twenty biblical scholars who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. 12 For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of Gods utterances. I have often been puzzled over these words, repeated several times in the New Testament: For the one who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough. However, Jesus claimed kingship in a way that confused many people, and the way his kingdom operates often offends our sense of propriety. In the Luke version, he gives out 10 minas to 10 servants (Luke 19:16-20 makes it clear that each servant gets one mina). The master rebuked this slave for being evil and lazy. 17 In the same way, the one who had two gained two more. He does not require us to make bricks without providing both the clay and the straw. This rest is not the end of all labor, however: Thus we must make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by following the same pattern of disobedience (Hebrews 4:11). 8 But you must require of them the same quota of bricks that they were making before. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. 3 Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up (Hebrews 12:1-3, emphasis mine). However, as planned, he becomes king of the distant land and returns home to see how his servants have done. It is not meant that the improving of natural powers can entitle a man to Divine grace. The first question one would ask is, How much profit did it make? We are so used to thinking in non-profit terms that we are almost shocked to hear such a question raised. 277 There are those who would suggest that this slave buried the talent in hopes that the master might never return. Matthew 25:29 (NIV) ANSWERS. From dunamai; force; specially, miraculous power. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. This is like one of those reality TV shows where people compete for money to invest in a project, only with a different agenda. 3:21; 21:7], Matt. Look, But his lord answered and said to him, You. 12 Therefore he said, A nobleman went to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. See, I have gained five more. 21 His master answered, Well done, good and faithful slave! The lazy, wicked slave in our parable is that person who refuses to go to work with the resources God has provided, to produce profit for the kingdom of heaven. It has taken a while for the thrust of this parable to come into focus for me. Renny and Marina McLean, The Lord Teaches Us to Profit Luke 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. 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. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. The third servant was fearful and hid the one talent he was trusted with, returning just one talent to his master. There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. The slothful servant is sentenced to be deprived of his talent. And if our labors are joyful, we will delight in the thought of further labor. Matthew 18:24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. Matthew 25:14-30 : The Parable of the Talents. For example, if work is toil, a part of the curse, then is retirement just an excuse to try and escape from the consequences of sin God has decreed? Parables of Jesus by James Montgomery Boice. Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. 18But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lords money. The Parable of the Talents 22 The servant who had received the two talents also came and said, 'Master, you entrusted me with two talents. Is this not the way that our Lords adversaries looked at Him? I realize that I am going to pull some whiskers by what I am about to say, but I think that I am being true to our text, and to the Bible as a whole. 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). Burying the talent in the ground is an illustration of using one's God-given gifts for earthly pursuits. See 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. 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. He does no work for a lengthy period of time and thus is useless. Those who think it impossible to please God, and in vain to serve him, will do nothing to purpose in religion. The day of account comes at last. 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)? Too often we think of our Lords words in Matthew 6 in terms of the offering plate. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 78 in the Studies in the Gospel of Matthew series prepared by Robert L. Deffinbaugh on April 24, 2005. Therefore, the master represents Christ, while the three servants represent those who serve him. Father, deliver me from this hour? The Parable of the Talents 21 His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. How is it that the one who does not have has something taken from him? READ the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30. 28 Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17). Noelle Kirchner, The Generosity Of God 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. Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you will have authority over ten cities (Luke 19:16-17). (3) In my opinion, the main reason for assuming that verse 13 belongs with verses 1-12 is that the term (Greek, ou=n) is most often inferential, with the meaning therefore or then.274 It is not always an indication of a logical conclusion, however. He contended that this is why he was afraid to take a risk with any kind of investment. He provides the money and the ability, but we are expected to work hard with what He has given us, for the profit of the kingdom. The master rebukes the third servant for not even putting the money in the bank, where he could have gotten interest on it. 20And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more. 21His master said to him, Well done, good and (J)faithful servant. third servant does not make a profit for his master. The only difference seems to be in their abilities, and thus in the talents that were entrusted to them. Parable of the Talents The masters return presumably refers to the last days when Jesus will return, and at the final judgment unrepentant sinners will perish and those served God will be rewarded according to their actions (Revelation 20:11-15) (1 Corinthians 3:12-15). 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? It was not the masters problem; it was the slaves problem. Nicholas P. Constasobserves that early Greek church fathers described this event as Jesus tricking the devil, using his humanity as a lure to catch his adversary. We find our true joy and place in life when we serve God with our gifts. Dr. Ron Jones, Using Your Talents for the Glory of God My study of this text has caused me to conclude that the paragraph breaks related to our text are confusing at best, and wrong at worst. Enter into the joy of your master. 24 Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Granted, the interest one gets from a savings account is not the kind of increase one might get from investing in the stock market, but it would at least be a small 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. Jaye Martin, How to Know Your Life Purpose The Moody Church, Using Your God-Given Talents (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of. Never, other than in our text (according to most versions), is it employed to begin a new paragraph. Enter into (I)the joy of your lord., 24Then he who had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. This slave does absolutely nothing with the talent that has been entrusted to him, nothing but bury it, that is.277 We need to distinguish between his excuses and the masters assessment, both of which are conveyed in our text. I believe that this parable focuses on four major themes: resources, work, time and profit. 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. 46 Bible Verses about Talents. I think we could all agree that the salvation of lost souls is a profit for the kingdom. 13 And he summoned ten of his slaves, gave them ten minas, and said to them, Do business with these until I come back. 14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, We do not want this man to be king over us! 15 When he returned after receiving the kingdom, he summoned these slaves to whom he had given the money. How does not knowing the day or the hour affect either the five wise virgins or the five foolish virgins? English Standard Version The Parable of the Talents 14 "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[ a] and entrusted to them his property. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Ten Virgins? 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. Jesus was also the stone rejected by builders, yet he became the capstone (Matthew 21:42). This is probably a sermon in itself perhaps even a book. 19 After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them. The master told them to care for his money and the first two servants used the talents to trade and gain profit. His servants will worship him, 4 and they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads (Revelation 22:1-4). What is the meaning of the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard? While interest could not be charged of fellow-Israelites, it could be charged of foreigners (see Deuteronomy 23:19-20). After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. In Acts 1:9-11, their understanding is greatly enhanced: New King James Version (NKJV). Have you trusted in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, and in His death at Calvary for your sins, rather than in your works (Romans 3:21-26)? All rights reserved. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now (Romans 8:18-22). 20 The one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, Sir, you entrusted me with five talents. It is a great responsibility with great reward as described in the 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. 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. Since Jesus was the son of God and therefore had a right to the kingship he claimed, we cant accuse him of stealing what he didnt deserve. 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. But a married woman is concerned about the things of the world, how to please her husband. From the parable of the talents we seem to be informed that unbelievers are entrusted with certain things, and that they will also give account for their stewardship. Matthew 25:15. Beyond this, His return would come at a time when it was not expected (Matthew 24:44). The words are in their substance like those in St. Matthew, but their absolute identity with those in the lesson drawn from the parable of the Unjust Steward (see Note on Luke 16:10) is every way suggestive.This parable is connected with that as its natural sequel and development. The Parable of the Bags of Gold(A) 14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey,(B)who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a]each according to his ability. Start FREE. When God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden, He gave them work to do. The Parable of the Talents, Matthew 25:14-30, impresses on them the weight of that responsibility and the serious consequences of neglecting to understand and apply His instructions. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Third, they are invited to enter into the joy of your master. Just what does this mean, to enter into the masters joy? Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he . The third slave is an entirely different matter. Enter into the joy of your master!' 24 Finally, the servant who had . They complain that He requires of them more than they are capable of, and punishes them for what they cannot help. 5 The one who conquers will be dressed like them in white clothing, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, but will declare his name before my Father and before his angels. Then he went on his journey. 21 For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. I am suggesting that we have come to view retirement as that time in life when we can greatly reduce or terminate our giving, and when we can cease our service. Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. What can we learn from the parable of the persistent widow and unjust judge? What is the meaning of the Parable of the Ten Minas? in 1971. The talent of silver (taking silver as worth a little over 5s. Its been referenced in many placeseven odd places like H.G. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, 5 he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. From apodemos; to go abroad, i.e. The first steward is given 5 talents, the second is given two talents and the third is given one. Retirement is that period in life when one no longer has the distraction of having to work for a livelihood. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. man goes to another country, stays a long time, and then returns. (Now the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were in the middle of the orchard.) Enter into the joy of your master!' 22 The servant who had received the two talents also came and said, 'Master, you entrusted me with two talents. It is the continuation of fruitful, profitable labor. And so I will conclude by asking you this, my friend: Do you know and love the Master, Jesus Christ? The Bible makes it clear there is no sacred versus secular work in the way we often think. It is a simple story that our Lord tells here. He let taxpayers and prostitutes into the kingdom of heaven first (Matthew 21:31). One must surely conclude that this parable is not just an interesting story, but a message of eternal significance. 4:10]. Its also preceded by a story about a servant not using his position well while the master is away. 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 am suggesting that the way some Christians look forward to, or practice, retirement is a form of burying your talent. Our Lords rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees is often couched in stewardship terms. What is the meaning of the Parables of the Lost Sheep and Lost Coin? Matthew 25:14-30. 20 But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Playlist: Go to the Parable of the Talents (topic) playlist . The second servant has made (five minas from one mina, or four talents from two talents). Trust in Jesus, for it is His work that will save you. Salt is good, but if salt loses its flavor, how can its flavor be restored? (Luke 14:34). 19Now (H)after a long time the master of those servants came and (I)settled accounts with them. third servant claims that he was afraid of his master. The one-talent slave is clearly not saved; he is condemned to hell. 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. Sharon Jaynes, Make the Most of Your Talents Works are the result of faith, not a substitute for faith. 24:47; 25:34, 46; Luke 12:44; 22:29, 30; Rev. 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. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. God expects to see a profit. See, I have gained two more.' 23 His master replied, 'Well . ESV Text Edition: 2016. 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. In my opinion, nothing in our text compels us to think (or even imply) that this might be the case. Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. 9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow from the soil, every tree that was pleasing to look at and good for food. 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Faithful saints are given even greater responsibilities, and even more work. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. The true believer is represented by the seed that grows, that endures, and that bears fruit. The joy that was before our Lord would seem to include the salvation of lost sinners (Luke 15:4-10). ), for my conscience assures me in the Holy Spirit 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 28 Father, glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven, I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again (John 12:27-28). What is the meaning of the Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24)? If he were afraid to take any risk, then why did he not at least put the talent in the hands of the bankers, who would conservatively invest it for him, and gain at least some interest? 35 I am saying this for your benefit, not to place a limitation on you, but so that without distraction you may give notable and constant service to the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:32-35). 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. Im not saying that one should never cease their employment nor end their career. Theparable of the talents is told in Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:11-27. [c] (K)You have been faithful over a little; (L)I will set you over much. 14 "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[ a] and entrusted to them his property. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 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. I believe that there are other texts of Scripture which indicate that God has entrusted (by common grace, in some cases) certain assets to all men, and that all men are accountable to God for how they use (or do not use) these resources which God has entrusted to them. 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.. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. 15 The Lord God took the man and placed him in the orchard in Eden to care for and maintain it (Genesis 2:8-9, 15). The Topic of Teenagers Open Heavens for Saturday 4th March 2023 Is "Parable of The Talents I". Is this not fruit? The translation project originally started as an attempt to provide an electronic version of a modern translation for electronic distribution over the Internet and on CD (compact disk). 271. The difference is not that one group knew the hour, and the other didnt. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Sheep and Goats? I wonder how many of us are simply giving back money that we have not put to use. We should carefully note the outcome of faithful service, and of unfaithful service, in this parable. (17) Because thou hast been faithful in a very little.--More literally, because thou didst become faithful.