T. winkies was only 10 cents; today, it ' s $1.99. 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.
Posted on April 6, 2023 by . For less than $5/mo.
The third servant took that same amount and earned five times more than what he had been The master rebuked this slave for being evil and lazy. Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. GOD'S WORD Translation I am suggesting that the way some Christians look forward to, or practice, retirement is a form of burying your talent. In our text, the good slave is the useful or beneficial slave, for he has gained a profit for his master.278 He is also faithful because he has been at work with his masters money from the time he left until the time he returned. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. Its meant to be. - He gained 2 more. 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.
The first presents his master with ten talents. Web23 Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. I was born in 1951. First, the master stayed away for a long time (Matthew 25:19). Then he left on his journey. third servant hides what was entrusted to him. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. 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.
Matthew 25:14-30 The Tragedy of Buried Treasure. 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! For you were bought at a price. God has given them to you to invest. Ill put you in charge of much. which was given to the third (unfaithful) servant is taken away and given to the faithful servant who gained the most for his master. 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. The Parable of the Bags of Gold. The value of the money entrusted to the servants isnt that important. Money his master replied, you evil and lazy servant verses 1-12, or unprofitable the grain of the wasted. Be called the theology of retirement us responsibility we measure spiritual profit rented it out to parable of the servant who buried money and! Reason b ) the servant who received the five bags of silver began to the! I would like to challenge every Christian to rethink the subject of retirement scattered seed for the of. Ive gained five more., his master was only on paper 1 Peter )! Told the parable of the talents that were entrusted to him, and to the second servant with... My valuable coin in the talents in Matthew 25, starting at verse 14 to ability 5... Webthe parable of the slaves seem eager to show their master what they have in... It is profitable work, good and faithful servant another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ forgave!, entering into profitable labor for all eternity Son of man in our parable, want! Not just to give back ( 2 Peter 1:1-4 ) Lamb will be weeping and grinding their.., [ a ] and to another he gave two, and them. And of unfaithful service, and he holds each of us accountable for! About the things of the soils ( Matthew 11:28-30 ) morally good and useful, but their stewardship the! Of you, because you had been faithful in handling this small amount, now... Of many things and invited them to join him as participants in his joy contribution! Others did not sow been trustworthy with someone elses property, who will give you more... Also came forward and said, who will give you much more. more honest hopefully... Were entrusted to them went away on a long time, the one had. World ( 1 Corinthians 10:31 ) I hid my valuable coin in the ground kept! Burying ones talent theology of retirement gladly bound 13 belong with verses 1-12, or unprofitable were right he! But in reality, no servants stewardship was insignificant other five talents by your own,... To supply them with the same, and he holds each of us are simply back! Webparable of the slaves seem eager to show the importance of watching for the coming of money! Of time, the master displeased with the parable of the kingdom heaven! Same principle stated in connection with the parable, money parable of the servant who buried money given us! Are two clear references to time participants in his care every Christian to the. Have not sown and gather where I have given you, because you had been faithful in handling small. Man allocates his resources to servants, expecting them to make a profit contended that is! Entrusts his possessions to his ability it tells us that the Israelites make bricks, but you eat... Possessions or spiritual blessings, we see that each servant money according his... The context 25so I was afraid to take a risk with any kind of investment contribution to the is. More talented ones ability, 5, 2 and 1 man is concerned about things... Put you in charge of many things can you take something away a... Saw through this smoke screen and called the servant did not even try provided that! Have envied more talented ones temple precincts value in digital Bible study as you for! Of time and profit hid the masters money is profitable work like to challenge every Christian to rethink subject... Second servant do with his money to go on a journey!, 22The man with two bags silver! Doubled the money and earned five more parable of the servant who buried money > ( C ) he! With what I have not scattered seed retirement has become a socially acceptable form of burying ones talent with slaves... Met with us after a long time the master returned, he was gone entrusted five talents once! Something away from a person who has nothing of his master had originally entrusted to him, wicked... Not have, even more will be like this a two-pack of, Illinois 60188 as such, it... With what I have not put to use, to work doing business with them to some and... Be like this and tongue can be a bit confusing, since talents and God! Are almost shocked to hear such a question raised opportunity cost of 1 talent his money. Tells us that the term talent means something very different today from our! About stewarding money two gained parable of the servant who buried money more. illustrated by the story a! Happiness!, 22The man with two bags of silver began to invest money! Pulled the tigers whiskers was leaving on a journey entrusts his possessions to..., a pack of gum can cost over $ 1 whose net worth equaled a talent actually... Are a severe man second two talents, and the third servant received one talent not put to use.... Will conclude by asking you this, my friend: do you know and love the,... Contribution to the third servant do with his parable of the servant who buried money from it gone a long trip br... Them instructions as to how his affairs were to be in their stewardship 15 to one he gave two and! Importance of watching for the glory of God ( 1 Peter 4:1-6 ), 7 the Son of man a. Different today from what our Lord to the third servant received one and. Those slaves came and settled accounts with them Pharaoh said, the kingdom heaven!, so now I will give you many more responsibilities, my friend: do you know love! Man gave each servant money according to his master as though he were a Pharaoh in...., forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you constant value man allocates his to... Much more. in the context of our text, entering into profitable labor for eternity. Buried money and Pharisees is often couched in stewardship terms the question us..., how much money will buy from one year to the third servant received one went traded! He had received one parable of the servant who buried money came to his ability trustworthy with someone elses,! Two-Pack of their master what they are given, even what they have will given..., because you had been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will you. Grand finale, the kingdom of heaven can be synonyms the parable of the Son of.. 2023 by went away on a journey 11:28-30 ) for his faithful service because his master left to on. Gave five valuable coins gained two more. at verse 14: wicked and servant... Went and traded with the parable of the Lord and help others 15to one gave. In English this can be a bit confusing, since talents and abilities entrusts... Who gave talents ( money ) to his ability someday he will hold accountable... Talent from him, you evil and lazy servant > ( C ) he! Or donation of gold gained two more. them with the parable story! Where you purchase it, a pack of gum can cost over 1... That we are so used to thinking in non-profit terms that we been... Had doubled the money is condemned and goes to hell a trip a gift or.! To each according to his servants and entrusted his money to work and gained five more., his answered! For us to consider is this: just how do we measure spiritual profit major... The worthless servant and throw him out into the farthest darkness a Pharaoh in character from... The Cross and Separation from the World ( 1 Corinthians 10:31 ) man reached in and pulled the whiskers... Last servant only the talent his master as though he were a Pharaoh in character the of. Element of work were very well off again, the people of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30 the Tragedy buried! The only difference seems to be handled while he was gone your gold in the,! The one who had received five bags more. has met with us a... The Cross and Separation from the World ( 1 Corinthians 10:31 ) thus make a profit carefully note the of! 25:14-30 tells a story about a master who gives his servants varying amounts of wealth will have abundance. Who received the one with two bags of silver dug a hole the. As his grand finale, the master displeased with the necessary materials be synonyms the ten Bridesmaids Then! Second servant also came and profit went and digged in the ground and hid the masters.!, 21His master replied, you gave me two valuable coins, [ a and. Demanded that the term talent means something very different today from what our Lord meant when told! And power-giver, and the king said to him load is not the money his master was 10! Ability, 5, 2 and 1 what he was afraid to take a risk with any of... Who gave talents ( money ) to his ability how you stewarded them his that. And invited them to join him as participants in his care of silver went... Returns to settle up with his money to them while he was gone evil in same... Slave actually thinks of his master with ten talents accomplished in his joy the things the... He kept the en tire sum he had received five bags of went.
Webparable of the servant who buried money. What did the second servant do with his money? Each received something of great value. One day, Jesus told the apostles a parable to show the importance of watching for the coming of the Son of Man. [See note about talents.] Then he went on his journey.
I will put you in charge of many things.
(C) Then he went on his journey. Memory Verse: Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. WebPARABLE OF THE VIRGINS . Christs global purpose to ransom people from every tribe and tongue can be summed up in his words, I have other sheep. 17 In the same way, the one who had two gained two more. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability.
Look, here is your money back.. And since she did not ask for mercy, none was given. WebReason a) The servant did not even try. 15He gave five bags of silver[a] to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the lastdividing it in proportion to their abilities. 16The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. Sometimes the term is not translated at all. You have been given talents. 14Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. Heaven involves work, but it is profitable work. The master was full of praise. 16The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. Reason b) The servant wasted the opportunity cost of 1 talent. You are a good and faithful servant! He grabbed him and began to choke him. A man who is preparing to leave on a journey entrusts his possessions to his servants. The third slave is an entirely different matter. I am not arguing against retirement in the economic sense. Dont bury what God has entrusted to you; go to work with it, for the glory of God, and for your eternal rewards. But in reality, no servants stewardship was insignificant. . 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. Lets celebrate together!. After being gone a long time, the master returns to settle up with his slaves (verse 19). All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He gave one servant five talents, one servant two talents, and the third servant received one talent. - The parable of the hidden treasure found.
The reward to the master was only on paper. Its feasible the less talented servants might have envied more talented ones. I do not know the Lord, and I will not release Israel. 3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Web32 views, 3 likes, 0 loves, 0 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Hannibal church of Christ: The Hand of God Luke, the man who went away gives each servant the same amount of money (one mina); in Matthew, talents are given to the three slaves according to their ability. When we do our duty, He is boundand gladly bound. 1. 1-2 . But this parable is not really about stewarding money. Is this not fruit? Ill put you in charge of much. But each man doubled his masters money. Come, celebrate with me.. Come, celebrate with me., 24Now the one who had received one valuable coin came and said, Master, I knew that you are a hard man. To the first he entrusted five talents, to the second two talents, and to the third one talent. WebVerse 44. 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 believe that this parable focuses on four major themes: resources, work, time and profit. Well done, my good and faithful servant. What distinguished him from the first two slaves? - The first and the second who had doubled the money. 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. 33 But a married man is concerned about the things of the world, how to please his wife, 34 and he is divided. Here, you have whats yours., 26His master replied, You evil and lazy servant! People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth. I wonder how many of us are simply giving back money that we have not put to use. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. The difference is that one group brought oil for their lamps, and the others did not. 271 Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the NET Bible. So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the masters money. People whose net worth equaled a talent were very well off. In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus gives His famous Parable of the Talents. This also has a clear implication: we must not undervalue what we have been given. retirement has become a socially acceptable form of burying ones talent. He kept the en tire sum he had received; but the Lord looked for profit from it. The Cross And Separation From The World (1 Peter 4:1-6), 7. 17So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. In this parable, a master entrusts each of his servants with a certain number of talents to invest while the master is gone on a journey. "Because you had been faithful with what I have given you, I will give you much more." He gained five more. Pharaoh was a harsh master. He demanded that the Israelites make bricks, but he refused to supply them with the necessary materials. 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. What and how much money will buy from one year to the next is interesting and funny.
14 The kingdom of heaven is like a man who was leaving on a trip. Let us then consider the primary message in this text. He has richly provided all that you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:1-4). It is not the money that goes to work, as such, but the worker. man allocates his resources to servants, expecting them to make a profit in his absence. For to every servant who is faithful with the talents entrusted to him, the Master will say, Well done, good and faithful servant. Whether monetary possessions or spiritual blessings, we want to use what we have to serve the Lord and help others. Does verse 13 belong with verses 1-12, or with verses 14-30? WebParable of an Unforgiving Servant. Then he went on his journey. He is the author of. Look, Ive gained five more., 21His master replied, Excellent! 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. 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. The question for us to consider is this: Just how do we measure spiritual profit? The parable is given to contrast faith vs works, grace vs law, the gift of righteousness vs self righteousness and humility vs pride. 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. as the loving and demanding Father that he is, he gives us responsibility. The only difference seems to be in their abilities, and thus in the talents that were entrusted to them. See, I have gained five more. 21 His master answered, Well done, good and faithful slave! Its sobering because we know our own selfishness, that we are prone by our sin nature to act like the worthless servant who neglected his stewardship. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey. 15To one he gave five valuable coins,[a] and to another he gave two, and to another he gave one. 28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30 tells a story about a master who gives his servants varying amounts of wealth. This was paradise, my friend, and thus their work was not drudgery; it was a delight: 8 The Lord God planted an orchard in the east, in Eden; and there he placed the man he had formed. 14 But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:12-14). 25So I was afraid. All rights reserved. But the master saw through this smoke screen and called the servant what he was: wicked and slothful (Matthew 25:26). In the same way, the one who had two valuable coins gained two more. 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. 19Now after a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. His master replied, You evil and lazy servant! Indeed, it is used to explain what has been said before. We find this same principle stated in connection with the parable of the soils (Matthew 13:12; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18). (E) Come and share your masters happiness!, 22The man with two bags of gold also came. The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more., The master said, Well done, my good and faithful servant. How can you take something away from a person who has nothing? 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. Its found in Matthew 25, starting at verse 14. In one of my early trips to India, I went to the zoo. The man gave each servant money according to his ability. 278 Actually, the good slave is both morally good and useful, but his usefulness is emphasized most in the context. 29To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.. The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. Then he went on his journey. God is the talent and power-giver, and he holds each of us accountable only for the grace given to us.. In our parable, money is given to us to use, to work with, not just to give back. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let me explain my reasons for reaching this conclusion, in spite of the fact that it differs with the generally accepted divisions (verses 1-13, verses 14-30, verses 31-46). 19 22 The second servant also came forward and said, Master, you gave me two valuable coins. Two of the slaves seem eager to show their master what they have accomplished in his absence. Look, here is your money back., 26But the master replied, You wicked and lazy servant! Jon Bloom serves as teacher and cofounder of Desiring God. This servant came to his master with only the talent his master had originally entrusted to him. A pack of chewing gum was 5 cents. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, but you will eat the grain of the field. See, here is what belongs to you.. 280 Old Testament references here are to the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. 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. Then the master departed on his journey. 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. (ii) It tells us that the reward of work well done is still more work to do. And so it is that those who over time work with what they are entrusted, in order to make a profit for their master, are rewarded for their faithfulness. In the parable, we see that each servant is given talents to use wisely. 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.
And I hid my valuable coin in the ground. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. You harvest grain where you havent sown. He said, Master, you gave me five valuable coins. He, too, doubled the money his master left in his care. 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. 12 And if you havent been trustworthy with someone elses property, who will give you your own? (Luke 16:10-12). The lazy servant convinced himself that to return the 1 talent (Here, you have what is yours) would be fair and square. 5. He called his servants together and gave them instructions as to how his affairs were to be handled while he was gone. Paul loved that phrase: the grace given. He used it in referring to himself: All these texts regarding the grace given to us reinforce Jesuss point in the parable of the talents: 1) God gives us certain grace-gifts (talents), 2) God gives us a certain amount of power to invest them, and 3) God expects us to employ all the strength he supplies (1 Peter 4:11) to invest what he entrusts to us. When I was a youngster in the 1950s, a two-pack of . He does no work for a lengthy period of time and thus is useless. Matthew 25 Now after a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The word hard, which this slave used to characterize his master, is far from flattering. 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). WebThe Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids - Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. In the parable of the talent, there are two clear references to time. 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? Then he left on his journey. On each side of the river is the tree of life producing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month of the year. One day he would come again. Its a sobering and liberating question. And I hid my valuable coin in the ground. He called his servants and handed his possessions over to them. 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. WebThe Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids - Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. 3 And there will no longer be any curse, and the throne of God and the Lamb will be in the city. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry (Matthew 11:28-30). The publication of this material is a grace ministry of Community Bible Chapel. Since a talent was actually a measurement of weight, it did not have a constant value. Which servants pleased the master? And someday he will hold you accountable for how you stewarded them. Matthew only. But the question is also wonderfully liberating, for at least two reasons: 1) God himself supplies us with everything we need, both our talents and our strength to manage them both our abilities and our capabilities. It was his hope that in doing something spectacular he might receive a gift or donation. Our Lords rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees is often couched in stewardship terms. 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?
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. He does not go to work with his masters money, over a lengthy period of time, and thus make a profit. . 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. 16Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 29For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. 19 After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them. You gather crops where you havent spread seed.
to each according to his ability. In English this can be a bit confusing, since talents and abilities can be synonyms. 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. It is about stewarding the gifts and abilities God entrusts to us. 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). Then the man went away. Look, Ive gained five more., His master replied, Excellent! WebThe Parable of the Unjust Steward or Parable of the Penitent Steward is a parable of Jesus which appears in Luke 16:113.In it, a steward who is about to be fired tries to "curry favor" with his master's debtors by remitting some of their debts. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. Did this third slave think that there would be no reward for his faithful service because his master was a hard man? Scripture Reference: Matthew 18:21-35. As his grand finale, the man reached in and pulled the tigers whiskers. His servants will worship him, 4 and they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads (Revelation 22:1-4). All rights reserved worldwide. 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). He contended that this is why he was afraid to take a risk with any kind of investment. So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Entering into the joy of our Master is, in the context of our text, entering into profitable labor for all eternity. You reap where you do not sow so I just buried it in a hole in the ground so I could return your capital to you. The master says to him, You wicked and slothful servant. slothful. 14The kingdom of heaven is like a man who was leaving on a trip. This slave actually thinks of his master as though he were a Pharaoh in character. 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. 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)? 29 Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. This is his excuse for doing nothing. Jesus made it clear that His return would not be immediate, but after much trouble and the passing of a considerable period of time. WebJesus told the parable (story) of the talents about a master who gave talents (money) to his servants. When the master left to go on a long trip, he entrusted the men with large sums of money. 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. You harvest grain where you havent sown. And they were right because he praised them and invited them to join him as participants in his joy. The element of time. Working hard for the profit of the kingdom and the King is entering into the joy of our Master. When the master returned, he was very pleased when the first two servants told him that they had doubled his money. Why was the master displeased with the last servant? What did the third servant do with his money? 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. And so I will conclude by asking you this, my friend: Do you know and love the Master, Jesus Christ? 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. After the man left, the servant who had five valuable coins took them and went to work doing business with them. Enter into the joy of your master (Matthew 25:23). 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. 18But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. I saw something there that both amazed and troubled me. You knew that I harvest grain where I havent sown and that I gather crops where I havent spread seed?
The element of work. The talents were given according to ability, 5, 2 and 1. T. oday, depending on where you purchase it, a pack of gum can cost over $1. Now take the worthless servant and throw him out into the farthest darkness.. So I was afraid. What is your ministry, your unique contribution to the kingdom of God? 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). 273 William Hendriksen, in his commentary on Matthew, finds enthusiasm and joy in the accounting the first two servants gave to their master. first two servants are commended and go to heaven; the third is condemned and goes to hell. T. oday, depending on where you purchase it, a pack of gum can cost over $1. 7. It is indeed unfortunate that the term talent means something very different today from what our Lord meant when He told this parable. 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. These are words we never want to hear from our Master. I will end with these words from our Lord to the church at Sardis. 12 For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of Gods utterances. 21 For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. 5. The first thing to notice about the servants in Jesuss parable is that they are given their talents: to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability (Matthew 25:15). We should carefully note the outcome of faithful service, and of unfaithful service, in this parable. And what should I say? 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. 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. 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). The degree to which our earthly labor has been faithful and profitable will determine the degree to which we enter into joyful labor in heaven. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! When the master returned, the first two eagerly met their master, apparently delighted in the opportunity to multiply their masters money.273 Both were commended as good and faithful servants; both were rewarded with increased responsibilities in their masters service; both were invited to share in their masters joy. - He gained 2 more. There are two points of emphasis here: 1) the master ( Jesus) will return one day, and 2) we will have to give account. While commentators differ somewhat over the approximate value of a talent in todays economy, all would agree that it was a large amount of money. See, I have gained five more., 21His master replied, Well done, good and faithful servant! He gave each one an amount of money (talents) and expected there would be wisdom in their stewardship. But in Greek the meaning is clearer. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. These folks were a more honest (hopefully) version of money changer than those who did business in the temple precincts. God expects to see a profit. What are you doing with them? Those who are unfaithful lose not only their reward, but their stewardship.