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.. For all the saints. 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. He has granted the time and the resources for men to make a profit for the kingdom of heaven, until He returns. The true believer is represented by the seed that grows, that endures, and that bears fruit. Dont bury what God has entrusted to you; go to work with it, for the glory of God, and for your eternal rewards. God made me for a purpose, for China, Liddell says, But he also made me fast, and when I run, I feel his pleasure. A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined). Let us go a three-day journey into the desert so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, so that he does not strike us with plague or the sword. 4 Then the king of Egypt said to them, Moses and Aaron, why do you cause the people to refrain from their work? Sharon Jaynes, Make the Most of Your Talents [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. an ounce) was nearly equivalent to 400 of our money. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Fig Tree? Time has been a significant factor in our Lords teaching concerning His coming and the end of the age, beginning in chapter 24. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. It would appear that only the fourth soil represents the true believer. 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. Lets begin with the end result profit. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. 4 The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 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. Sometimes it is merely a connective, a virtual conjunction. Dont blame it on God. His entertainment was to torment one of the tigers. You have gone back to needing milk, not solid food. 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. ), [Rom. Our Lords rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees is often couched in stewardship terms. 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. Do not reduce it, for they are slackers. They complain that He requires of them more than they are capable of, and punishes them for what they cannot help. Includes discussion questions and verse by verse commentary for small groups. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Gospels: Matthew 25:16 Immediately he who received the five talents (Matt. Luke 19:13,14 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come, Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singular, Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. William Hendriksen, The Gospel of Matthew (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1973), p. 881. 273 William Hendriksen, in his commentary on Matthew, finds enthusiasm and joy in the accounting the first two servants gave to their master. What, then, is the root of this third slaves problem? 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. In Acts 1:9-11, their understanding is greatly enhanced: 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. You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 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). Heaven can hardly be described in terms of retirement. The Parable of the Talents Meaning and Significance for Today But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lords money. A popular job website lists theaverage monthly wage for Americans in 2021 as $5,555 per month. When the third servant appears, hes done nothing with the money. 12:6; 1 Cor. First, the master stayed away for a long time (Matthew 25:19). He wanted to know how much they had earned by trading. Let them go and collect straw for themselves. Matthew 25:15. Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular. third servant claims that he was afraid of his master. (2) Many of the commentaries acknowledge the abruptness of verse 14 as the first verse of a new paragraph. 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. To be away from home, go into another country, be away, be abroad. 18 But the one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his masters money in it. 19Now (H)after a long time the master of those servants came and (I)settled accounts with them. 14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. Did this third slave think that there would be no reward for his faithful service because his master was a hard man? Both minas and talents were units of currency in the ancient Roman world. Jaye Martin, How to Know Your Life Purpose Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. It was his hope that in doing something spectacular he might receive a gift or donation. 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. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. 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. - Unto one he gave five talents. 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. Thus, evangelism is one form of spiritual profit. In my opinion, nothing in our text compels us to think (or even imply) that this might be the case. 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? 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). By faith, have you entered into His labor, His saving work on your behalf on the cross of Calvary? (17) Because thou hast been faithful in a very little.--More literally, because thou didst become faithful. You have been faithful with a few things. The Parable of the Talents - Matthew 25 - KJV - eBible It is a simple story that our Lord tells here. Neither group knew when the groom was coming. Specifically, I am speaking of Matthew 25:13: Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour (Matthew 25:13). 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? The master scolded him saying that he should have invested the money and received interest. 18 A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit (Matthew 7:17-18). 19After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 30And (T)cast (U)the worthless servant into the outer darkness. English Standard Version (ESV). The Moody Church, Using Your God-Given Talents NKJV, Ancient-Modern Bible, Comfort Print: One faith. 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. In my opinion, thats living dangerously. 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!. 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. Jesus tells the Parable of the Talents (or the Talents' parable) to his disciples. Knowing that Jesus was describing servants being given huge amounts of cash to invest helps us to understand just how generous the master was being, the opportunity each servant was given. This parable is paired with the parable of the 10 virgins, who made the mistake of not having enough oil when the bridegroom arrives. Luke 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. I fear that for all too many Christians (not all!) The story of Jesustelling this parable really begins in Matthew 24 when he mentions the coming destruction of Jerusalem. 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. 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and 5 The one who conquers will be dressed like them in white clothing, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, but will declare his name before my Father and before his angels. Start FREE. Other, another (of more than two), different. For this story about a master and his servants, understanding the culture of Jesus' original audience is necessary to comprehend His message. Heaven is described in terms of work, not play, of activity, not passivity. There is a great reward waiting for those who steward well with what the Lord has given them. 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. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 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. if they get a '6' then they can pop the gloves on and try and unwrap the gift. We find this same principle stated in connection with the parable of the soils (Matthew 13:12; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18). get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! He demanded that they make something out of nothing, so to speak. 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. "Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant" Bible Meaning - Christianity.com 46 Blessed is that slave whom the master finds at work when he comes. A primary word; 'else, ' i.e. 16 The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work270 and gained five more. [15]And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every . A parable is a type of story Jesus would tell so we would learn something from it. He provides the money and the ability, but we are expected to work hard with what He has given us, for the profit of the kingdom. The element of money. Enter into the joy of your master. 24 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, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Its also preceded by a story about a servant not using his position well while the master is away. Jesus uses the Parable of the Talents to help us understand our calling as Christians and our responsibility to use what God has given us to bring Him glory and honor! It is not the money that goes to work, as such, but the worker. 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. God is both, and his plans will not necessarily make sense to our limited perspectives. So, whatever we are doing (provided its not a sinful activity), we serve God well by doing it well. Inductive Bible study of Jesus' parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30. I am not arguing against retirement in the economic sense. Enter into, He 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.. Pertaining to self, i.e. What is it that you want Him to find you doing when He returns? The first servant has made the biggest return (10 minas from one mina, or 10 talents from five talents). What is your ministry, your unique contribution to the kingdom of God? Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) Sunday School Lessons and 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. 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. 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. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! His doom is, to be cast into outer darkness. The joy of the master must, in some way, equate to enjoying the bliss of heaven, with our Lord. 12 Therefore he said, A nobleman went to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 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.. 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. 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). He is not harsh, nor does He require that we do the impossible (make a profit where He has not provided the means). third servant seeks to excuse himself by accusing his master of being harsh. See, I have gained two more.' 23 His master replied, 'Well . 1 "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Matthew 25:14-30 ESV - The Parable of the Talents - "For it - Bible Gateway He swallowed up death (1 Corinthians 15: 54) in a victory that involved him getting killed. The apocalyptic context is underscored in Lukes version, where people try to keep the master from becoming king and are killed for their rebellion. 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. Why, then, did the third slave do nothing? Indeed, it is used to explain what has been said before. 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. 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. 16He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. Heavens work will be joyful labor. Matthew 25:14-30 NRSV - "For it is as if a man, | Biblia Thus, time seems to be a more important factor in verses 14-31 than in 1-13. 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. first two servants are faithful; they are praised by their master and are given greater authority. 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. Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. 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. 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. In the parable of the talent, there are two clear references to time. They justified their rejection of Jesus by claiming that He was the problem. ), [Rom. 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. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Vineyard? But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17). A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give. It is not meant that the improving of natural powers can entitle a man to Divine grace. I believe this may be the case in our text. And what should I say? He let taxpayers and prostitutes into the kingdom of heaven first (Matthew 21:31). You have been faithful in a few things. The Parable of the Minas or Pounds (see Luke 19:11-15) also makes this clear. 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. Used by permission. Too often we think of our Lords words in Matthew 6 in terms of the offering plate. Then he went away. 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. Its been referenced in many placeseven odd places like H.G. 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. All three stories are about being given something which must be used well, and the consequences of neglecting or abusing it. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. 8 But you must require of them the same quota of bricks that they were making before. Players take turns to roll a dice. One man may design a church building, a cathedral. We should be careful to recognize that in this parable the mere possession of a talent is not evidence of salvation. Neuter of a presumed derivative of the original form of tlao; a balance, i.e. As a businessman takes pleasure in making a profit, so our Lord takes pleasure in the profit gained by His faithful servants in His absence. See 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. 13 Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, to be holy both in body and spirit. (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of. He does not go to work with his masters money, over a lengthy period of time, and thus make a profit. 277 There are those who would suggest that this slave buried the talent in hopes that the master might never return.
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