The difference is not that one group knew the hour, and the other didnt. Wells The Invisible Man where a foolish theologian suggests a strangers problem is he only has one talent. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Gospels: Matthew 25:15 To one he gave five talents (Matt. Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you will have authority over ten cities (Luke 19:16-17). Burying the talent in the ground is an illustration of using one's God-given gifts for earthly pursuits. Used by permission. 280 Old Testament references here are to the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. How can you take something away from a person who has nothing? 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). After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. (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. 5 From that point on work was different; there was a certain futility to work: 18 For I consider that our present sufferings cannot even be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us. The one-talent slave is clearly not saved; he is condemned to hell. In the Book of Revelation, heaven is described as a return to paradise lost: 1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of lifewater as clear as crystalpouring out from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 flowing down the middle of the citys main street. For you were bought at a price. 12:6; 1 Cor. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Rich Fool? and Christians should not be molded by worldly standards (Romans 12:2). Let them go and collect straw for themselves. Then he went away. So, in modern terms, the ten servants each got $16,665. If this is the case, and we are to be at work until He comes, then why do we think that reaching a certain age entitles us to cease our labors for Him? 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. which was given to the third (unfaithful) servant is taken away and given to the faithful servant who gained the most for his master. (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of. The fact the master owns the money he gave the servants, and he gets the results of their investments, highlights who is in control. Heaven involves work, but it is profitable work. All three stories are about being given something which must be used well, and the consequences of neglecting or abusing it. The apocalyptic context is underscored in Lukes version, where people try to keep the master from becoming king and are killed for their rebellion. The story in Matthew 25:14-30 unfolds as such: A man goes away on a trip. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. Remember, this is a parable, and all ofJesus parables are about a bit more than they seem. Includes discussion questions and verse by verse commentary for small groups. So you knew that I harvest where I didnt sow and gather where I didnt scatter? What is the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares? They seemed to delight in serving their master, and they were eager to get to work quickly to produce a profit for him. man allocates his resources to servants, expecting them to make a profit in his absence. 16 Then he that had received the five . It is a great responsibility with great reward as described in the Parable of the Talents. Salem Media Group. How is it that the one who does not have has something taken from him? [14]For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 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. I was talking about this text with a friend, and he said, God expects the principle, plus interest. I think thats right. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. In the natural world, talents differ. Jesus came into a world that was the devils domain (1 John 5:19) and claimed it for himself, despite opposition from demons and sinful people who disliked him calling out their flaws. 14 For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them. It would appear that only the fourth soil represents the true believer. Parable Of The Sower Further Parables Parables Parable Of The Pharisee And Publican Parable Of The Hidden Treasure Parable Of The Net Parable Of The Unmerciful Servant Parable Of The Workers In The Vineyard Parable Of The Tenants Parable Of The Good Samaritan Parable Of The Lost Sheep/Lost Coin Parable Of The Prodigal Son Parable Of The Wedding Banquet Parable Of The Fig Tree Rich Man And Lazarus Parable Parable Of The Pharisee And The Tax Collector Parable Of The Ten Virgins Parable Of The Talents Parable Of The Sower Parable Of The Tares Parable Of The Marriage Feast Parable Of The Great Supper Parable Of The Vineyard Talents Jotham By A Parable Rebukes Them, And Foretells Their Ruin Nathan's Parable Of The Ewe Lamb Causes David To Be His Own Judge Prophet, Under The Parable Of A Prisoner, Under The Parable Of A Vineyard, God Excuses His Severe Judgment His Incomparableness Idols Are Not Comparable To God For Power By The Parable Of Bottles Filled With Wine He Foretells Their Drunkenness In Misery Under The Parable Of A Wretched Infant Is Shown The Natural State Of Jerusalem Under The Parable Of Two Eagles And A Vine Lamentation For The Princes Of Israel, By The Parable Of A Lion Whelping In A Pit For Jerusalem, Under The Parable Of A Wasted Vine Under The Parable Of A Boiling Pot Parable Of The Sower And The Seed Parable Of The Weeds Explanation Of The Parable Of The Weeds Parable Of The Hidden Treasure Which He Sets Forth By A Parable Of The King Who Took Account Of His Servants, Jesus, By The Parable Of The Laborers In The Vineyard, Shows That God Is Debtor Unto No Man Rebukes Them By The Parable Of The Two Sons, Parable Of The Marriage Of The King's Son Parable Of The Ten Virgins, Of The Talents Parable Of The Sower, Parable Of The Seed Growing Secretly Jesus Tells The Parable Of The Tenants Illustrates The Matter By The Parable Of Patches. A footnote in the NIV translation says that a mina was about three months wages. 3:21; 21:7], Matt. This is probably a sermon in itself perhaps even a book. 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 naturally want to believe we can use our gifts as we please. Matthew 25:14-30. The similarities between the parable in Matthew 25 and this parable in Lukes Gospel are easily seen: While the parable in Luke is similar to our parable in Matthew 25, there are some significant differences: The temptation is for us to carry details from the parable in Lukes Gospel over to Matthews account, but we should be careful about this, recognizing that these parables, while similar, were told on different occasions and contain significant differences. 29 For the one who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough. In other words, the third slave looks upon his master as wicked, harsh, and impossible. It is available on the Internet at: www.netbible.org. Let me call your attention to the most important elements of the parable, as I now understand it. 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. 13 For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. 13:12; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18; [John 15:2], NKJV, Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, 2nd Edition, Comfort Print: Growing in Knowledge and Understanding of God Through His Word, NKJV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version, NKJV, Spirit-Filled Life Bible, Third Edition, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Kingdom Equipping Through the Power of the Word. [15]And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every . master tells his unfaithful servant that he should have put the money in the bank. However, the talents (or minas in Lukes version) represent more than just the monetary resources God gives us. Sometimes the term is not translated at all. 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. 15 To one he gave five talents,[ b] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Amen (Romans 9:1-5). The Parable of the Talents 21 His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! Our receiving from Christ is in order to our working for him. Before he goes, the master brings his servants together (three in the Matthew version, 10 in the Luke version). 4:10]. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 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. 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. 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. And to 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. 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. 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). It is a simple story that our Lord tells here. Is the salvation of lost sinners not profit in the eternal sense? These rebels are slaughtered. Such labor is, to a large degree, entering into the joy of our Master. 15To one he gave five (D)talents,[b] to another two, to another one, (E)to each according to his ability. 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. First, the master stayed away for a long time (Matthew 25:19). In the end though, it doesnt matter whether we think Jesus is a hard or odd master, because we are neither all-knowing nor all-powerful. What is your ministry, your unique contribution to the kingdom of God? He entrusted him with money, money suited to his abilities. Unwrap the Gift. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector? What is the meaning of the Parable of the Talents? The Parable of the Talents should encourage us and challenge us to take what God has given us and invest in the kingdom of God. Playlist: Go to the Parable of the Talents (topic) playlist . There is no end to our labors for our God. Bible Verses about Parable of the Talents. Jesus tells the Parable of the Talents (or the Talents' parable) to his disciples. The Bible makes it clear that we dont really own our gifts. No, but for this very reason I have come to this hour. The first presents his master with ten talents. 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. Return to your labor! 5 Pharaoh was thinking, The people of the land are now many, and you are giving them rest from their labor. 6 That same day Pharaoh commanded the slave masters and foremen who were over the people: 7 You must no longer give straw to the people for making bricks as before. All rights reserved. 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. Indeed, it is used to explain what has been said before. 269 Copyright 2005 by Community Bible Chapel, 418 E. Main Street, Richardson, TX 75081. 282 I am trying to be careful here, because some works are not profitable for the kingdom, and these will not be rewarded, but will be destroyed. Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. 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. First of all, let us be clear that we are not talking about salvation by works. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Sheep and Goats? He is not harsh, nor does He require that we do the impossible (make a profit where He has not provided the means). In the Matthew version, he gives one servant 10 talents (or bags of gold), another five talents, and the third one talent. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. 3 Therefore, remember what you received and heard, and obey it, and repent. 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. 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! 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. You have been faithful in a few things. 20 "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.' 21 His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you werefaithful over a few things,I will make you ruler over many things. 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. 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. Since help was available to him in the Church, the man had no excuse. It was his hope that in doing something spectacular he might receive a gift or donation. 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)? get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he . 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. It is clear that our Lord Jesus intended for us to be found at work when He returns: 45 Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their food at the proper time? Its also interesting that when the third servant returns his money, he accuses the master of being a hard man who reaps where he did not sow (Matthew 25:24). 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. What can we learn from the parable of the persistent widow and unjust judge? What is the meaning of the Parable of the Unforgiving / Unmerciful Servant? See, I have gained two more.' 23 His master replied, 'Well . The Bible makes it clear there is no sacred versus secular work in the way we often think. It may be that you are not like the first two slaves, but like the third. 46 Bible Verses about Talents. Talents. Luke 19:13,14 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come, Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singular, Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. 17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. He doubled the money his master entrusted to him. 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. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. You have been faithful in a few things. What, then, is the root of this third slaves problem? The first servant has made the biggest return (10 minas from one mina, or 10 talents from five talents). The talent of silver (taking silver as worth a little over 5s. 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. - Unto one he gave five talents. 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. We must all be reckoned with as to what good we have got to our own souls, and have done to others, by the advantages we have enjoyed. He made his way up to the bars, and then proceeded to harass this awesome beast. 27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received my money back with interest! 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursedcut off from Christfor the sake of my people, my fellow countrymen, 4 who are Israelites. The NEW ENGLISH TRANSLATION, also known as THE NET BIBLE, is a completely new translation of the Bible, not a revision or an update of a previous English version. Our Lords rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees is often couched in stewardship terms. Mat Mt). I will put you in charge of many things. The slothful servant is sentenced to be deprived of his talent. 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. Today a talent might be worth a million dollars! They complain that He requires of them more than they are capable of, and punishes them for what they cannot help. It is a time when one should have the wisdom of age, financial freedom, and flexibility. The first steward is given 5 talents, the second is given two talents and the third is given one. (5) In the similar parable in Luke 19 (while told at a different time and with numerous variations), it begins with a time indication: While the people were listening to these things, Jesus proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately (Luke 19:11). Thus, time seems to be a more important factor in verses 14-31 than in 1-13. 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. The original text is quite clear here it is the first servant (and we assume the second, as well) who immediately sets to work with his masters money. He gives each of them some money. Some were saying, He is a good man, but others, He deceives the common people (John 7:12).