Too often we think of our Lords words in Matthew 6 in terms of the offering plate. 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. 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. The second slave presents his master with four talents. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Sheep and Goats? The master told them to care for his money and the first two servants used the talents to trade and gain profit. Both of these faithful slaves are rewarded well for their faithful service. 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. Dennis Rainey. God expects to see a profit. Enter into the joy of your master. 24He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, Master, I knew you to be (N)a hard man, reaping (O)where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Im not saying that one should never cease their employment nor end their career. Revelation makes it clear that in the last days, Jesus will subvert his opponents, punish them and be named king over the world. 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. Retirement is like the second stage of a rocket booster. So, in modern terms, the ten servants each got $16,665. See, I have gained two more.' 23 His master replied, 'Well . 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. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. The Parable of the Talents (Lk 19:11-27) 14 "For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; 15 to one he gave five talents,f to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Unwrap the Gift. He has granted the time and the resources for men to make a profit for the kingdom of heaven, until He returns. 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. What the Bible says about Stewardship of Talents - Bible Tools 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 (Matthew 25:24, emphasis mine). Most of us find it hard to un-crack, especially given the third servant gets punished for doing nothing. We need to pursue the element of work a bit further. Jesus tells the Parable of the Talents (or the Talents' parable) to his disciples. Is the salvation of lost sinners not profit in the eternal sense? The Moody Church, Using Your God-Given Talents 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. Let them go and collect straw for themselves. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Fig Tree? It is indeed unfortunate that the term talent means something very different today from what our Lord meant when He told this parable. It has taken a while for the thrust of this parable to come into focus for me. The question for us to consider is this: Just how do we measure spiritual profit? You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. 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. 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. 18But he who had received the one talent went and (G)dug in the ground and hid his master's money. The only difference seems to be in their abilities, and thus in the talents that were entrusted to them. 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: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and, Take therefore the talent from him, and give. Matthew 25:14-30 NKJV - The Parable of the Talents - "For the - Bible What is the meaning of the Parable of the Talents? A talent of gold, for example, would be worth a whole lot more than a talent of bronze. Neuter of a presumed derivative of the original form of tlao; a balance, i.e. 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. Parable of the Talents children's story - dltk-kids.com And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Speed and thrust increase. Theres afamous scene in the movie Chariots of Fire where future Olympian Eric Liddell feels a tension between his chance to be an Olympic runner and his calling to be a missionary in China. You have been faithful with a few things. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Two Sons? The talents were distributed on the basis of ability, not as the bestowing of ability. Enter into the joy of your master. 22 The one with the two talents also came and said, Sir, you entrusted two talents to me. Then he gives the one talent to the first servant, for to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away (Luke 19:26). It is as though he had said, I knew you were unreasonable, and that there was no way to please you, and so I decided not even to try.. Yes, there are official positions for certain church tasks (preaching, evangelizing, teaching, etc.) In the parable of the talent, there are two clear references to time. Talents. 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. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. (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). Third, they are invited to enter into the joy of your master. Just what does this mean, to enter into the masters joy? Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you will have authority over ten cities (Luke 19:16-17). When the third servants excuses are set aside, it becomes evident that this man is lazy he didnt do any work. It is from the use of the word "talents" in this parable that we moderns have derived its common meaning of natural gifts and endowments. 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). In Acts 1:9-11, their understanding is greatly enhanced: 2 Samuel 7:1-3 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies; , 1 Chronicles 13:1-3 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader, 1 Chronicles 22:1-26:32 Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel. 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. Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you will have authority over ten cities. 18 Then the second one came and said, Sir, your mina has made five minas. 19 So the king said to him, And you are to be over five cities. 20 Then another slave came and said, Sir, here is your mina that I put away for safekeeping in a piece of cloth. In this show, one boss brings several employees into a room, gives them each cash, and tells them to invest to grow his corporation. How can you take something away from a person who has nothing? 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.. The first two servants quickly272 set to work with their masters money. The slothful servant is sentenced to be deprived of his talent. 20 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. of A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give. How is it that the one who does not have has something taken from him? 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). Specifically, I am speaking of Matthew 25:13: Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour (Matthew 25:13). What is the meaning of the Parable of the Unforgiving / Unmerciful Servant? Rick Warren, Be Faithful in Small Things The Bible makes it clear there is no sacred versus secular work in the way we often think. In the parable, the gifts are given according to natural ability, but all who increase equally are rewarded equally. In Matthew, this is especially clear in 12:40; 24:27, 37. 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. 29(K)For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. He swallowed up death (1 Corinthians 15: 54) in a victory that involved him getting killed. 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. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. 26But his lord answered and said to him, You (J)wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. The talent was the largest measurement of money in those days. 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. 25And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. The day of account comes at last. 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and Jesus was also the stone rejected by builders, yet he became the capstone (Matthew 21:42). 12:7, 11, 29; Eph. The talent of silver (taking silver as worth a little over 5s. 4 But you have a few individuals in Sardis who have not stained their clothes, and they will walk with me dressed in white, because they are worthy. You have gone back to needing milk, not solid food. Sharon Jaynes, Make the Most of Your Talents 46 Bible Verses about Talents. Their trading of the talents signifies the faithful use that one should make of gifts and opportunities of service to God. 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. They justified their rejection of Jesus by claiming that He was the problem. The difference is that one group brought oil for their lamps, and the others did not. (2) Many of the commentaries acknowledge the abruptness of verse 14 as the first verse of a new paragraph. Kathy Sweeny, Choices Determine Destinies 27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received my money back with interest! This is the reason I was critical of the translation of verse 16 (see footnote 1 above). 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 New Testament, the term "talent" meant something very different than it does today. 28So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. The bankers in verse 27 represent other faithful people to whom the man could have turned to help him use his talents wisely. 11 If then you havent been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches? 4:10]. Verse 15. 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 is pleased with both servants and gives them new responsibilities: You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. 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 master rebuked this slave for being evil and lazy. 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). Verse Concepts. New King James Version (NKJV). Yet is this not what our Lord is teaching us in this parable? Jesus made it clear that His return would not be immediate, but after much trouble and the passing of a considerable period of time. The disciples ask for details about the last days, and Jesus talks about how harsh they will be, warning them to look out for false teachers and so forth. 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. What Does the Parable of the Talents Mean? - Biblical Archaeology Society Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) Sunday School Lessons and Hank Hanegraaff, Economy of God I am now inclined to say that verse 13 fits best with verses 14-30. What is the meaning of the parable of the friend in need (persistent neighbor)? Before he goes, the master brings his servants together (three in the Matthew version, 10 in the Luke version). Most importantly, bringing glory to God is profitable. They complain that He requires of them more than they are capable of, and punishes them for what they cannot help. 27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. Those who know not the day of their visitation shall have the things that belong to their peace hid from their eyes. Matthew 25:14-30 ESV - The Parable of the Talents - "For it - Bible Gateway Why, then, did the third slave do nothing? He has richly provided all that you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:1-4). to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Anyone anywhere in the world with an Internet connection will be able to use and print out the NET Bible without cost for personal study. To them belong the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. Weeping and gnashing of teeth in outer darkness must, on the other hand, involve spending eternity without God, and without joy. 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. These verses are the opening to what is known as the parable of the talents. For all the saints. 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. 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. His doom is, to be cast into outer darkness. I believe this may be the case in our text. What is it that you want Him to find you doing when He returns? 4:11], [Matt. Dont blame it on God. It was not the masters problem; it was the slaves problem. 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. In the King James Version, it is rendered therefore 263 times and then 197 times. All rights reserved. I contend that verse 14 does not begin the new paragraph, but that verse 13 does. 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. 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). Matthew 25:23 - The Parable of the Talents - Bible Hub 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. gained. ~ Excerpt from Matthew Henry Commentary. 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). 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)? The Parable of the Talents. Our Lords emphasis here is not on putting the money to work, but on the servant going to work with his masters money. Works are the result of faith, not a substitute for faith. 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 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. And so he simply hid the money, and now he returned it, without any gain. From apodemos; to go abroad, i.e. After being gone a long time, the master returns to settle up with his slaves (verse 19). 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 that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made. 14(B)For the kingdom of heaven is (C)like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. In other words, the third slave looks upon his master as wicked, harsh, and impossible. 21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou 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. God is both, and his plans will not necessarily make sense to our limited perspectives. 13 For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. He wanted to know how much they had earned by trading. I believe that this parable focuses on four major themes: resources, work, time and profit. 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. 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. Beyond this, His return would come at a time when it was not expected (Matthew 24:44). Then he went away. Faith Talk Ministries, Faithful to the End What Does It Really Mean That Your Body Is a Temple? 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. 16He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 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! As we conclude, we should focus on what this parable is really about. Do not reduce it, for they are slackers. Does verse 13 belong with verses 1-12, or with verses 14-30? 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. Thus, time seems to be a more important factor in verses 14-31 than in 1-13. See, you have what is yours. 26 But his master answered, Evil and lazy slave! 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. This slave actually thinks of his master as though he were a Pharaoh in character. Look, there you have what is yours.. The element of time. This servant came to his master with only the talent his master had originally entrusted to him. A poor man (a sort of enterprising beggar, perhaps) was busy entertaining the visitors to the zoo. Theparable of the talents is told in Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:11-27. A parable is a type of story Jesus would tell so we would learn something from it. 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. Players take turns to roll a dice. If we grew up in cultures where the individual is primary, we also tend to think we can live as we please. The, the definite article. Parable of the talents or minas - Wikipedia I believe it is his view of his master, and thus the work his master has assigned. Both minas and talents were units of currency in the ancient Roman world. Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. You have been faithful in a few things. Please consider their relationship to our text, and to money, time, labor, and profit: 1 To the angel of the church in Sardis write the following: This is the solemn pronouncement of the one who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your deeds, that you have a reputation that you are alive, but in reality you are dead. 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. It was completed by more than twenty biblical scholars who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Matthew 25:14-30 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. The third slave is an entirely different matter. First of all, let us be clear that we are not talking about salvation by works. Retirement is that period in life when one no longer has the distraction of having to work for a livelihood. 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. 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. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Sower? 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. Used by permission. Is this not the way that our Lords adversaries looked at Him? See 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. 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). I will put you in charge of many things. The Parable of the Talents. In the Matthew version, he gives one servant 10 talents (or bags of gold), another five talents, and the third one talent. You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? What is the meaning of the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard? It is a usual way of expressing the miseries of the damned in hell. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! Before he leaves, he entrusts money to his slaves. We naturally want to believe we can use our gifts as we please. I will end with these words from our Lord to the church at Sardis. The third servant did not invest his masters money at all; he dug a hole in the ground and buried his masters money. 13 Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. The masters dealings with the third servant is a very different matter. This is a sobering question. As if a superlative of hekas; each or every. 33 Bible Verses about Parable Of Talents Matthew 25:14-30 ESV / 15 helpful votes Not Helpful "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To work, trade, perform, do, practice, commit, acquire by labor. 47 I tell you the truth, the master will put him in charge of all his possessions (Matthew 24:45-47). Salt is good, but if salt loses its flavor, how can its flavor be restored? (Luke 14:34). Is this not cause for rejoicing (see Acts 11:19-24)? Let us then consider the primary message in this text. 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. The Parable of The Talents Bible Study - Matthew 25:14-30 - Study and Obey The Parable of the Talents - Bible Verse Story and Meaning 276 Needless to say, bankers and banking were not the same in those days. You have been faithful in a few things. 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. 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. 21 For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. Matthew 25:14-30 NRSV - "For it is as if a man, | Biblia We are fearfully and wonderfully made by God (Psalm 139:13-14), according to plans he laid out before we were born (Jeremiah 1:5), to glorify him forever. Before he goes, the master brings his servants together (three in the Matthew version, 10 in the Luke version). 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? 269 Copyright 2005 by Community Bible Chapel, 418 E. Main Street, Richardson, TX 75081. Jesus tells the story of a rich man who has three slaves. One. 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.