The story of Jesustelling this parable really begins in Matthew 24 when he mentions the coming destruction of Jerusalem. 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. 29 For the one who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough. 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. In addition, anyone who wants to share the Bible with others can print unlimited copies and give them away free to others. The third slave is an entirely different matter. 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. 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. Retirement is that period in life when one no longer has the distraction of having to work for a livelihood. I saw something there that both amazed and troubled me. 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. Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular. Provide a pair of oven gloves. However, as planned, he becomes king of the distant land and returns home to see how his servants have done. The third servant was fearful and hid the one talent he was trusted with, returning just one talent to his master. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. You have been faithful in a few things. ~ Excerpt from Matthew Henry Commentary. 16 The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work270 and gained five more. And they were right because he praised them and invited them to join him as participants in his joy. I will put you in charge of many things. Third, they are invited to enter into the joy of your master. Just what does this mean, to enter into the masters joy? third servant hides what was entrusted to him. 27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received my money back with interest! There is only one who is good. In one of my early trips to India, I went to the zoo. in 1971. He gives each slave an amount of money, referred to as talents and possibly talents of gold, based upon that man's ability to steward and care for the money. 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. 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. You have been faithful with a few things. 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. A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined). Heaven involves work, but it is profitable work. 14 For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them. 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? Luke there are ten servants; in Matthew, there are only three. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. One must surely conclude that this parable is not just an interesting story, but a message of eternal significance. Start FREE. A parable is a type of story Jesus would tell so we would learn something from it. 26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 14 For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them. In this show, one boss brings several employees into a room, gives them each cash, and tells them to invest to grow his corporation. 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. I am not arguing against retirement in the economic sense. Neuter of a presumed derivative of the original form of tlao; a balance, i.e. We take a little money and put it in the plate, and by doing so we are laying up treasure in heaven. I dont deny that this is true, in part, but it is not the whole of it. Heaven is described in terms of work, not play, of activity, not passivity. Also the description of the last judgment. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Gospels: Matthew 25:16 Immediately he who received the five talents (Matt. ), [Rom. Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give. In order to understand the meaning and the application of the parable of the talents, we must take note of the crucial terms and their meanings. What, then, is the root of this third slaves problem? He has richly provided all that you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:1-4). In the parable, the gifts are given according to natural ability, but all who increase equally are rewarded equally. Enter into the joy of your master (Matthew 25:20-21). We should be careful to recognize that in this parable the mere possession of a talent is not evidence of salvation. And the longer the master was gone, the more interest was lost by the slaves inactivity. In the King James Version, it is rendered therefore 263 times and then 197 times. Indeed, it is used to explain what has been said before. From apodemos; to go abroad, i.e. 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. and Christians should not be molded by worldly standards (Romans 12:2). In short, Jesus is a master who uses methods we dont always understand, which might even seem unfair. I am suggesting that we have come to view retirement as that time in life when we can greatly reduce or terminate our giving, and when we can cease our service. The Parable of the Talents. 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. 14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. Let us listen carefully then, looking to Gods Spirit to enlighten our hearts and minds, and to empower our service, to the glory of God and our eternal good. 28So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. The difference is not that one group knew the hour, and the other didnt. They complain that He requires of them more than they are capable of, and punishes them for what they cannot help. 274 If my concordance program is correct, this term occurs 526 times in the New Testament. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Unforgiving / Unmerciful Servant? The master goes on his journey, which Luke notes has some opposition (Luke 19:14-15). In the New Testament, the term "talent" meant something very different than it does today. The Parable of the Talents 21 His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! 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. It is not meant that the improving of natural powers can entitle a man to Divine grace. I am now inclined to say that verse 13 fits best with verses 14-30. I believe that this parable focuses on four major themes: resources, work, time and profit. This slave actually thinks of his master as though he were a Pharaoh in character. Theparable of the talents is told in Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:11-27. Is the salvation of lost sinners not profit in the eternal sense? to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he went on his journey. God expects to see a profit. Parable Of The Sower Further Parables Parables Parable Of The Pharisee And Publican Parable Of The Hidden Treasure Parable Of The Net Parable Of The Unmerciful Servant Parable Of The Workers In The Vineyard Parable Of The Tenants Parable Of The Good Samaritan Parable Of The Lost Sheep/Lost Coin Parable Of The Prodigal Son Parable Of The Wedding Banquet Parable Of The Fig Tree Rich Man And Lazarus Parable Parable Of The Pharisee And The Tax Collector Parable Of The Ten Virgins Parable Of The Talents Parable Of The Sower Parable Of The Tares Parable Of The Marriage Feast Parable Of The Great Supper Parable Of The Vineyard Talents Jotham By A Parable Rebukes Them, And Foretells Their Ruin Nathan's Parable Of The Ewe Lamb Causes David To Be His Own Judge Prophet, Under The Parable Of A Prisoner, Under The Parable Of A Vineyard, God Excuses His Severe Judgment His Incomparableness Idols Are Not Comparable To God For Power By The Parable Of Bottles Filled With Wine He Foretells Their Drunkenness In Misery Under The Parable Of A Wretched Infant Is Shown The Natural State Of Jerusalem Under The Parable Of Two Eagles And A Vine Lamentation For The Princes Of Israel, By The Parable Of A Lion Whelping In A Pit For Jerusalem, Under The Parable Of A Wasted Vine Under The Parable Of A Boiling Pot Parable Of The Sower And The Seed Parable Of The Weeds Explanation Of The Parable Of The Weeds Parable Of The Hidden Treasure Which He Sets Forth By A Parable Of The King Who Took Account Of His Servants, Jesus, By The Parable Of The Laborers In The Vineyard, Shows That God Is Debtor Unto No Man Rebukes Them By The Parable Of The Two Sons, Parable Of The Marriage Of The King's Son Parable Of The Ten Virgins, Of The Talents Parable Of The Sower, Parable Of The Seed Growing Secretly Jesus Tells The Parable Of The Tenants Illustrates The Matter By The Parable Of Patches. English Standard Version (ESV). It is indeed unfortunate that the term talent means something very different today from what our Lord meant when He told this parable. The fact the master owns the money he gave the servants, and he gets the results of their investments, highlights who is in control. 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. He made his way up to the bars, and then proceeded to harass this awesome beast. 20 The one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, Sir, you entrusted me with five talents. After centuries of Israelites seeing themselves as Gods only favored people, he opened things up for Gentiles to become co-heirs (Ephesians 3:6). He then gives several messages and illustrations: - The wise and faithful servant (Matthew 24:45-51), - The parable of the 10 virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 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. (2) Many of the commentaries acknowledge the abruptness of verse 14 as the first verse of a new paragraph. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Retirement is like the second stage of a rocket booster. 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. Our Lords emphasis here is not on putting the money to work, but on the servant going to work with his masters money. He took his talent from him, gave it to the one who earned ten, and cast this fellow into outer darkness, where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. Start FREE. Look, But his lord answered and said to him, You. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Vineyard? For you were bought at a price. 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! And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Matthew 25:14. Working hard for the profit of the kingdom and the King is entering into the joy of our Master. The second slave presents his master with four talents. Both of these faithful slaves are rewarded well for their faithful service. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 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. Our Lords teaching in the parable of the talents is that God expects profit that is the product of our labors. They justified their rejection of Jesus by claiming that He was the problem. When the third servants excuses are set aside, it becomes evident that this man is lazy he didnt do any work. Eventually, he tells his sister he will go to the Olympics and then to the mission field, because both honor God. 28 Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten. Yet is this not what our Lord is teaching us in this parable? 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. What distinguished him from the first two slaves? An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, to be holy both in body and spirit. Enter into (I)the joy of your lord., 24Then 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. As we conclude, we should focus on what this parable is really about. 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). We naturally want to believe we can use our gifts as we please. Such labor is, to a large degree, entering into the joy of our Master. And so he simply hid the money, and now he returned it, without any gain. 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)? 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. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with or without credit. master tells his unfaithful servant that he should have put the money in the bank. 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. Dont blame it on God. 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. The Parable of the Talents 22 The servant who had received the two talents also came and said, 'Master, you entrusted me with two talents. 27So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 17And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. This rest is not the end of all labor, however: Thus we must make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by following the same pattern of disobedience (Hebrews 4:11). Do not reduce it, for they are slackers. wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. If we were to make an equation of this parable, it would probably go like this: Resources (talents) + Labor (work) + Time = Profit. They returned to their master with double the talents! 12:6; 1 Cor. Works that produce a profit for the kingdom282 are the basis for our rewards. Since help was available to him in the Church, the man had no excuse. And part of the reward the faithful slave is entering into is the joy of his Master in bringing salvation to men. of In fact, if this were to take place today, that money would likely be worth less, due to inflation. In the parable of the talent, there are two clear references to time. In the end though, it doesnt matter whether we think Jesus is a hard or odd master, because we are neither all-knowing nor all-powerful. 30And (T)cast (U)the worthless servant into the outer darkness. He said to him, Why do you ask me about what is good? 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. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his . So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Rick Warren, Be Faithful in Small Things 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. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. man goes to another country, stays a long time, and then returns. Let them go and collect straw for themselves. 13 Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour. You have been faithful in a few things. 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. I am suggesting that the way some Christians look forward to, or practice, retirement is a form of burying your talent. After all of Jesus' teaching, the disciples, although still limited in their knowledge and understanding, knew for sure that Jesus was to restore His Kingdom to Israel ( Acts 1:6 ). A footnote in the NIV translation says that a mina was about three months wages. Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. Also the description of the last judgment. Enter into (M)the joy of your master. 22And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more. 23His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant. The story in Matthew 25:14-30 unfolds as such: A man goes away on a trip. The Chapel believes the material presented herein to be true to the teaching of Scripture, and desires to further, not restrict, its potential use as an aid in the study of Gods Word. See, I have gained two more.' 23 His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! 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! So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Its also preceded by a story about a servant not using his position well while the master is away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he . Let me call your attention to the most important elements of the parable, as I now understand it. What Does It Mean That There Is No One Holy Like God? 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. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, [1] each according to his ability. 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!. It appears in Matthew 25:14-30, and another version of the parable can be found in Luke 19:11-27. 13 For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. It is the continuation of fruitful, profitable labor. 29(S)For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. Wrap a gift a number of times to create a few layers. See 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24)? It is the word Moses uses in Genesis 42:7,280 to describe Josephs disguise of harshness before his brothers. 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. Dennis Rainey. 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. Dont bury what God has entrusted to you; go to work with it, for the glory of God, and for your eternal rewards. 18But he who had received the one talent went and (G)dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 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. The Bible makes it clear there is no sacred versus secular work in the way we often think. Verse Concepts. The day of account comes at last. 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. It is a simple story that our Lord tells here. Luke 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. Then he went away. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. 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. As if a superlative of hekas; each or every. 3 And there will no longer be any curse, and the throne of God and the Lamb will be in the city. The Moody Church, Using Your God-Given Talents 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. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. 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. Re-read the passage, preferably in a different translation to get a clearer perspective on what the passage is communicating. There is also a message to all mankind.
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