Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular. Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! Is this not cause for rejoicing (see Acts 11:19-24)? 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). The master rebukes the third servant for not even putting the money in the bank, where he could have gotten interest on it. In the parable, the gifts are given according to natural ability, but all who increase equally are rewarded equally. What the Bible says about Stewardship of Talents - Bible Tools 273 William Hendriksen, in his commentary on Matthew, finds enthusiasm and joy in the accounting the first two servants gave to their master. 17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. I will put you in charge of many things. Renny and Marina McLean, The Lord Teaches Us to Profit 30And (T)cast (U)the worthless servant into the outer darkness. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. Look, there you have what is yours.. All rights reserved. I saw something there that both amazed and troubled me. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Rich Fool? 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). A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined). 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). Let me call your attention to the most important elements of the parable, as I now understand it. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! He made his way up to the bars, and then proceeded to harass this awesome beast. He let taxpayers and prostitutes into the kingdom of heaven first (Matthew 21:31). Therefore glorify God with your body (1 Corinthians 6:20). Also the description of the last judgment. 277 There are those who would suggest that this slave buried the talent in hopes that the master might never return. 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 third servant is lazy, because he does not go to work with the money. It is a usual way of expressing the miseries of the damned in hell. 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. 15To one he gave five (D)talents,[b] to another two, to another one, (E)to each according to his ability. Both of these faithful slaves are rewarded well for their faithful service. Parable of the Talents - Deborah H. Bateman The Parable of the Talents 21 His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! What is your ministry, your unique contribution to the kingdom of God? 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. third servant seeks to excuse himself by accusing his master of being harsh. 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. 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)? The one who has been faithful on earth with a little thing like money will be given greater work to do in heaven. 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. "Parable of the Talents" Bible Craft Demonstration Use these hands-on learning activities when teaching from Matthew 25:14-30, where Jesus told the Parable of the Talents. Their trading of the talents signifies the faithful use that one should make of gifts and opportunities of service to God. In other words, the third slave looks upon his master as wicked, harsh, and impossible. But the master did provide the means for his slave to make a profit. 14 For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them. Bible Verses about Parable of the Talents - Church of the Great God What, then, is the root of this third slaves problem? Play a game of pass the parcel where children must try to rip off each layer when the music stops. The talent of silver (taking silver as worth a little over 5s. Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) Sunday School Lessons and One man may design a church building, a cathedral. He said to him, Why do you ask me about what is good? After being gone a long time, the master returns to settle up with his slaves (verse 19). 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. Lets begin with the end result profit. He gives each of them some money. It is the end of the curse, and thus the end of futile labor. Dont blame it on God. 29 For the one who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. In our parable, money is given to us to use, to work with, not just to give back. 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? Works that produce a profit for the kingdom282 are the basis for our rewards. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Talents? This is his excuse for doing nothing. He distributes his wealth among three servants, apportioned to them on the basis of their abilities. Sharon Jaynes, Make the Most of Your 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. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. average monthly wage for Americans in 2021. This parable is not primarily about faith, nor is it about being willing to take a risk (this was merely the wicked slaves excuse). You have gone back to needing milk, not solid food. Faith Talk Ministries, Faithful to the End Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. ~ Excerpt from Matthew Henry Commentary. Matthew 25 | NIV Bible | YouVersion The one who gets the biggest return on investment gets the big promotion. Two of the slaves seem eager to show their master what they have accomplished in his absence. 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. It is indeed unfortunate that the term talent means something very different today from what our Lord meant when He told this parable. 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. Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. His doom is, to be cast into outer darkness. Both minas and talents were units of currency in the ancient Roman world. 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. 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? See, I have gained two more.' 23 His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! (17) Because thou hast been faithful in a very little.--More literally, because thou didst become faithful. 33 But a married man is concerned about the things of the world, how to please his wife, 34 and he is divided. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Two Sons? They seemed to delight in serving their master, and they were eager to get to work quickly to produce a profit for him. When God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden, He gave them work to do. Jesus made it clear that His return would not be immediate, but after much trouble and the passing of a considerable period of time. To give that up would be to hold him in contempt., This quote highlights that in the end, all talents are given by God to glorify him. And,. Second, because they have proven themselves to be faithful with the few things entrusted to them, they are now given even greater responsibilities by their master. In that place (V)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.. So you knew, did you, that I was a severe man, withdrawing what I didnt deposit and reaping what I didnt sow? 20 But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 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. Playlist: Go to the Parable of the Talents (topic) playlist . Bible Verses about Parable of the Talents. 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. What is the meaning of the parable of the friend in need (persistent neighbor)? The Parable of the Minas or Pounds (see Luke 19:11-15) also makes this clear. In the Matthew version, he gives one servant 10 talents (or bags of gold), another five talents, and the third one talent. The element of money. 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. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, [1] each according to his ability. He does not go to work with his masters money, over a lengthy period of time, and thus make a profit. I think we could all agree that the salvation of lost souls is a profit for the kingdom. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Wedding Feast? However, the talents (or minas in Lukes version) represent more than just the monetary resources God gives us. 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. A parable is a type of story Jesus would tell so we would learn something from it. That is why they are crying, Let us go sacrifice to our God. 9 Let the work be harder for the men so they will keep at it and pay no attention to lying words! (Exodus 5:1-9). They justified their rejection of Jesus by claiming that He was the problem. If we loved our Master, we would view our labors for Him as joy. There is only one who is good. 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. The third slave is an entirely different matter. Dennis Rainey. The Parable of the Talents. wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. Our Lords emphasis here is not on putting the money to work, but on the servant going to work with his masters money. 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. 2 Wake up then, and strengthen what remains that was about to die, because I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. 18But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lords money. These verses are the opening to what is known as the parable of the talents. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. man goes to another country, stays a long time, and then returns. 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. 13 Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour. The element of work. As I was teaching the parable of the virgins, I could not see how verse 13 served as any kind of conclusion to the first 12 verses. Burying the talent in the ground is an illustration of using one's God-given gifts for earthly pursuits. Heaven involves work, but it is profitable work. 28So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. Whether you read the Matthew version or the Luke version, each servant is getting a substantial chunk of cash to invest as they will. Wells The Invisible Man where a foolish theologian suggests a strangers problem is he only has one talent. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Retirement is that period in life when one no longer has the distraction of having to work for a livelihood. The third servant has no profit, no gain, to give his master, so his talent is taken away and given to the one who went to work with his masters money and made great gains for him. William Hendriksen, The Gospel of Matthew (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1973), p. 881. These rebels are slaughtered. 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. Those who know not the day of their visitation shall have the things that belong to their peace hid from their eyes. This may be applied to the blessings of this life; but rather to the means of grace. In this show, one boss brings several employees into a room, gives them each cash, and tells them to invest to grow his corporation. My confident hope is that I will in no way be ashamed but that with complete boldness, even now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether I live or die (Philippians 1:20). Revelation makes it clear that in the last days, Jesus will subvert his opponents, punish them and be named king over the world. To them belong the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. Then he went away. I wonder how many of us are simply giving back money that we have not put to use. 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. 1 "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 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. Then 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. 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. Crucially, Jesus says that both the parable of the 10 virgins and the parable of the talents are about what the kingdom of heaven will be like in the last days (Matthew 25:1,14). in Luke is there another group, in addition to the masters servants those who dont want this man to become their king, and who send a message asking him not to return. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector? 8 But you must require of them the same quota of bricks that they were making before. Matthew 25:14-30 NKJV - The Parable of the Talents - "For the - Bible What distinguished him from the first two slaves? And part of the reward the faithful slave is entering into is the joy of his Master in bringing salvation to men. READ the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30. 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. 3 And there will no longer be any curse, and the throne of God and the Lamb will be in the city. I believe this may be the case in our text. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Only the soil that produces a crop is good soil. The one who does not have but yet does have (because what he has is taken away) is the one who has his masters money, but has made no profit from it. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. Come and share your masters happiness! (Matthew 25:21). 14 "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[ a] and entrusted to them his property. If we were to make an equation of this parable, it would probably go like this: Resources (talents) + Labor (work) + Time = Profit. 12 And if you havent been trustworthy with someone elses property, who will give you your own? (Luke 16:10-12). Eventually, he tells his sister he will go to the Olympics and then to the mission field, because both honor God. 11 If then you havent been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches?