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PART II: THE PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM
CHAPTER 14
THE TALENTS
Introduction
The Parable of the Talents was addressed to the Twelve
Apostles, but it also applies to all Christians. It is
similar to the Parable of the Ten Minas (Pounds), and is
found only in Matthew 25:14-30. It is sometimes called the
Parable of the Three Servants. (Earle, BEACON BIBLE
COMMENTARY, MATTHEW, pp. 226 ff.).
The Story
"Again, it will be like a man going
on a journey, who called his servants and
entrusted his property to them. To one
he gave five talents of money, to another
two talents, and to another one talent,
each according to his ability. Then he
went on his journey. The man who had
received the five talents went at once
and put his money to work and gained five
more. So also, the one with the two
talents gained two more. But the man who
had received the one talent went off, dug
a hole in the ground and hid his master's
money.
"After a long time the master of
those servants returned and settled
accounts with them. The man who had
received the five talents brought the
other five. `Master,' he said, `you
entrusted me with five talents. See, I
have gained five more.'
"His master replied, `Well done, good
and faithful servant! You have been
faithful with a few things; I will put
you in charge of many things. Come and
share your master's happiness!'
"The man with the two talents also
came. `Master,' he said, `you entrusted
me with two talents; see, I have gained
two more.'
"His master replied, `Well done,
good and faithful servant! You have been
faithful with a few things; I will put
you in charge of many things. Come and
share your master's happiness!'
"Then the man who had received the
one talent came. `Master,' he said, `I
knew that you are a hard man, harvesting
where you have not sown and gathering
where you have not scattered seed, So I
was afraid and went out and hid your
talent in the ground. See, here is what
belongs to you.'
"His master replied, `You wicked,
lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest
where I have not sown and gather where I
have not scattered seed? Well then, you
should have put my money on deposit with
the bankers, so that when I returned I
would have received it back with
interest.
"`Take the talent from him and give
it to the one who has the ten talents.
For everyone who has will be given more,
and he will have an abundance. Whoever
does not have, even what he has will be
taken from him. And throw that worthless
servant outside, into the darkness, where
there will be weeping and gnashing of
teeth.' (Matthew 25:14-30, New
International Version).
Jesus again told a story about a man who entrusted money
to his three servants (Greek, DOULOS, "slaves") before he
went on a journey. He gave one five talents, one two talents
and one one talent, each according to his ability. A talent
was not a coin, but a weight of money sometimes measured in
coins or bars of gold or bullion. (TASKER, TYNDALE NEW
TESTAMENT COMMENTARIES, MATTHEW, pp. 234 ff.).
The man left home and immediately the servant with
five talents put his master's money to work and gained five
more talents. Likewise, the servant with two talents gained
two more. However, the servant with one talent dug a hole and
buried his talent.
After a long period of time, the master returned home
and began to settle accounts with his servants. The servant
who gained the five talents was commended by his master and
given more responsibility. The servant who gained two
talents was treated the same.
The man who received one talent and had not gained any
for his master tried to excuse himself by blaming his master:
"You are a hard man and I was afraid to fail, so I hid your
talent--here it is." (Paraphrased).
His master reprimanded him, "Then, you should have
deposited my money in a secure bank to earn interest. Take
his talent and give it to my faithful servant with the ten
talents. Put him out of my house!" (Paraphrased).
The Interpretation
Jesus told this parable to "the innermost circle of his
most trusted disciples." (Trench, NOTES ON THE PARABLES OF
OUR LORD, p. 91). However, this parable is to all believers,
as well as to the Twelve Apostles.
The symbols and the realities to which they refer are:
1. The master Jesus
2. The servants Christians
3. The journey Period of time between the First
and Second Coming of Christ
4. The Talents Gifts that Jesus gives Christians
While Jesus is away, he has entrusted the Gospel to us.
He has also given us different gifts and he expects us to
exercise our gifts in proclaiming the Gospel to needy humans.
In the parable, Jesus uses the words, "good and
faithful" in describing the two faithful servants. Earle
comments:
All can have these qualities regardless
wheher poor or rich, uneducated or brilliantly
intellectual. God requires this in everyone: GOOD
in character, FAITHFUL in service. (Earle, BEACON
BIBLE COMMENTARY, pp. 226 ff.).
Concerning the one-talent servant, Jesus calls him
"wicked and lazy." The one-talent servant projects his own
internal state on his master and calls him "a hard man."
(People who have a particular moral failure tend to see that
particular moral failure in others). He rationalized his
failure. Earle quotes the French proverb,
QUI S'EXCUSE S'ACCUSE.
(HE WHO EXCUSES HIMSELF ACCUSES HIMSELF).
(Earle, BEACON BIBLE COMMENTARY, pp. 226 ff.).
There is also a natural principle that parallels the
lesson of the one-talent servant:
USE IT OR LOSE IT!
Our muscles will atrophy if we do not use them. If we fail
to use any mental or motor skill over a period of time, then
it will become harder and harder to use that skill. The more
we use our brains, the less chance we have of getting
Alzheimer's's Disease at midlife or later years.
Barclay sees four lessons in this parable:
1. God gives people different gifts.
2. The reward of work well done is still more work
to do [and more responsibility!].
3. The person who is punished is the person who
will not try.
4. More shall be given to the one who has and to
the one who has little, even that shall be
taken away. (Barclay, DAILY BIBLE STUDY SERIES,
MATTHEW, p. 356).
Central Truth
GOD REQUIRES US TO BE FAITHFUL IN SERVICE
AND GOOD IN CHARACTER.
Conclusion
Life is short. It is of utmost importance to ask God to
examine our hearts. He alone can see us objectively--as we
really are. If we are not using our gifts for his glory,
then let us ask him to help us begin immediately to use those
gifts for his glory and to help people.
END