Trust in Jesus, for it is His work that will save you. 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. A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined). In the parable of the talent, there are two clear references to time. Matthew 25:14-30 NKJV - The Parable of the Talents - "For the - Bible And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his . But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lords money. 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. This servant came to his master with only the talent his master had originally entrusted to him. 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). Our Lords teaching in the parable of the talents is that God expects profit that is the product of our labors. 12:11; Eph. New King James Version (NKJV). 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. 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). 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. And so I will conclude by asking you this, my friend: Do you know and love the Master, Jesus Christ? Just as a businessman expects to make a profit, and rejoices when his employees increase his wealth, so God expects a profit and rejoices in it. John Driver points out in his book Parable Church that at 2018s average household incomes, one talent would be about $1.2 million. All three stories are about being given something which must be used well, and the consequences of neglecting or abusing it. See 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Fig Tree? Inductive Bible study of Jesus' parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30. 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. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24)? It appears in Matthew 25:14-30, and another version of the parable can be found in Luke 19:11-27. No, but for this very reason I have come to this hour. In short, the talents represent what God has given usour monetary resources, our callings to positions within the church (Ephesians 4:11-16), our natural giftings. The only difference seems to be in their abilities, and thus in the talents that were entrusted to them. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Rich Fool? 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. Since a talent was actually a measurement of weight, it did not have a constant value. Literal Standard Version And he who received the five talents, having gone, worked with them, and made five other talents; Majority Standard Bible The servant who had received the five talents went at once and put them to work and made five more. A primary word; 'else, ' i.e. Then he went on his journey. A talent of gold, for example, would be worth a whole lot more than a talent of bronze. 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. 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. 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 second servant has made (five minas from one mina, or four talents from two talents). It was his hope that in doing something spectacular he might receive a gift or donation. Unwrap the Gift. Each one of us needs to ask the question, Just what is it that I am doing that is kingdom work? Just what is it that I am doing for Christ and His kingdom that is profitable? And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one. You have gone back to needing milk, not solid food. These things are good and beneficial for all people (Titus 3:4-8). Kathy Sweeny, Choices Determine Destinies 27 But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and slaughter them in front of me!. This way the slave would not have to attend to the money on a day-by-day basis. 30And cast the unprofitable servant (L)into the outer darkness. third servant seeks to excuse himself by accusing his master of being harsh. 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. Multiply Your Talents If we grew up in cultures where the individual is primary, we also tend to think we can live as we please. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, to be holy both in body and spirit. It is a usual way of expressing the miseries of the damned in hell. Why, then, did the third slave do nothing? Pressing this matter just a little further, if the church were to be considered a business and every member were to be viewed as an employee, how many of us should reasonably expect to keep our jobs? See, you have what is yours. 26 But his master answered, Evil and lazy slave! Before he goes, the master brings his servants together (three in the Matthew version, 10 in the Luke version). What is the meaning of the Parable of the Sheep and Goats? Heaven can hardly be described in terms of retirement. Mat Mt). I will put you in charge of many things. One must surely conclude that this parable is not just an interesting story, but a message of eternal significance. From dunamai; force; specially, miraculous power. Their trading of the talents signifies the faithful use that one should make of gifts and opportunities of service to God. He gives each of them some money. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. Im not saying that one should never cease their employment nor end their career. 19 For the creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God. READ the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30. In the New Testament, the term "talent" meant something very different than it does today. (17) Because thou hast been faithful in a very little.--More literally, because thou didst become faithful. See, I have gained two more.' 23 His master replied, 'Well . 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. 4:10]. Traditionally, the parable of the talents has been seen as an exhortation to Jesus' disciples to use their God-given gifts in the service of God, and to take risks for the sake of the Kingdom of God. 12:7, 11, 29; Eph. 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. 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. Remember, this is a parable, and all ofJesus parables are about a bit more than they seem. 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. 13 Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour. It may be that you are not like the first two slaves, but like the third. Parable Of The Talents, Matthew 25:14-30 KJV - KING JAMES BIBLE ONLINE 3:21; 21:7], Matt. 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. English Standard Version (ESV). In the Luke version, he gives out 10 minas to 10 servants (Luke 19:16-20 makes it clear that each servant gets one mina). 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. Retirement is thought of more in terms of the golf course than finishing our course in the Pauline sense (2 Timothy 4:7). 20 But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) Sunday School Lessons and To offer, give; I put, place. Jaye Martin, How to Know Your Life Purpose A small gain could have been obtained without great risk or effort on the part of the slave, but he chose to do nothing at all. 30 And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:13-30). Noelle Kirchner, The Generosity Of God The master rebuked this slave for being evil and lazy. Pharaoh was a harsh master. He demanded that the Israelites make bricks, but he refused to supply them with the necessary materials. And so he simply hid the money, and now he returned it, without any gain. First, the master stayed away for a long time (Matthew 25:19). retirement has become a socially acceptable form of burying ones talent. How is it that the one who does not have has something taken from him? 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! Two of the slaves seem eager to show their master what they have accomplished in his absence. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 269 Copyright 2005 by Community Bible Chapel, 418 E. Main Street, Richardson, TX 75081. The master told them to care for his money and the first two servants used the talents to trade and gain profit. 16Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29)? The Parable of the Bags of Gold(A) 14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey,(B)who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a]each according to his ability. The Parable of the Talents. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Dragnet? This slave actually thinks of his master as though he were a Pharaoh in character. 27So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular. 30And (T)cast (U)the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In this show, one boss brings several employees into a room, gives them each cash, and tells them to invest to grow his corporation. The third servant did not invest his masters money at all; he dug a hole in the ground and buried his masters money. 14 "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[ a] and entrusted to them his property. He contended that this is why he was afraid to take a risk with any kind of investment. I am not arguing against retirement in the economic sense. 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. What is the meaning of the Parables of the Lost Sheep and Lost Coin? 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. We find our true joy and place in life when we serve God with our gifts. The Moody Church, Using Your God-Given Talents 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. The difference is not that one group knew the hour, and the other didnt. 14(A)For (B)it will be like a man (C)going on a journey, who called his servants[a] and entrusted to them his property. 25And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Play a game of pass the parcel where children must try to rip off each layer when the music stops. God entrusted Israel, and especially its leaders, with the truth, and they did not use it properly. In other words, the third slave looks upon his master as wicked, harsh, and impossible. Matthew 25:14-30 : The Parable of the Talents. There is no end to our labors for our God. He demanded that they make something out of nothing, so to speak. 270 I hate to have to disagree with the NET Bible translation here, but it seems to me that this translation does not adequately emphasize the force of our Lords carefully chosen words, especially in context. This servant offered a feeble excuse for his conduct. After being gone a long time, the master returns to settle up with his slaves (verse 19). 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. 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. To the first he entrusted five talents, to the second two talents, and to the third one talent. Eventually, he tells his sister he will go to the Olympics and then to the mission field, because both honor God. The talents Jesus Christ spoke of in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant ( Matthew 18:21-35) and the Parable of the Talents ( Matthew 25:14-30) referred to the largest unit of currency at the time. Tounderstand this parable, we need to look at the parable in the context of Jesus surrounding teachings and the Bibles other teachings about giftings. He does no work for a lengthy period of time and thus is useless. His servants will worship him, 4 and they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads (Revelation 22:1-4). The Parable of the Talents - Matthew 25 - KJV - eBible Thus, evangelism is one form of spiritual profit. Our receiving from Christ is in order to our working for him. And part of the reward the faithful slave is entering into is the joy of his Master in bringing salvation to men. Luke 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. 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). I believe this may be the case in our text. In Acts 1:9-11, their understanding is greatly enhanced: 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. English Standard Version The Parable of the Talents 14 "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[ a] and entrusted to them his property. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. 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. 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. It is a great responsibility with great reward as described in the Parable of the Talents. Enter into (G)the joy of your lord. 22He also who had received two talents came and said, Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them. 23His lord said to him, (H)Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Visit a foreign land. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Two Sons? For less than $5/mo. I believe that we see this in Romans 9, where Paul speaks of the things God has entrusted Israel: 1 I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying! What, then, is the root of this third slaves problem? Start FREE. a certain weight or 'talent'. 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., I will make you ruler over many things. Matthew 25:29 (NIV) ANSWERS. 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. He made his way up to the bars, and then proceeded to harass this awesome beast. 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. He said to him, Why do you ask me about what is good? This may be applied to the blessings of this life; but rather to the means of grace. 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. Jesus tells the story of a rich man who has three slaves. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. The Parable of the Talents The Chara Project And what should I say? The first two servants quickly272 set to work with their masters money. Wells The Invisible Man where a foolish theologian suggests a strangers problem is he only has one talent.