parable of the talents verse parable of the talents verse

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. 11 If then you havent been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches? 12 Therefore he said, A nobleman went to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat food until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return283 (Genesis 3:17-19). The element of profit. But none of them adequately explain it. 15To one he gave five (D)talents,[b] to another two, to another one, (E)to each according to his ability. 271 Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the NET Bible. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. This slave actually thinks of his master as though he were a Pharaoh in character. 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. 30 And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:13-30). Bible Memory Verse. 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. Let them go and collect straw for themselves. Since Jesus was the son of God and therefore had a right to the kingship he claimed, we cant accuse him of stealing what he didnt deserve. The only difference seems to be in their abilities, and thus in the talents that were entrusted to them. 27So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. What is the meaning of the parable of the friend in need (persistent neighbor)? 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). 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. Each of these things (and many others) are given by God, to use in ways that glorify him and draws others toward him. 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? 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. 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. 3:21; 21:7], Matt. And so I will conclude by asking you this, my friend: Do you know and love the Master, Jesus Christ? No, but for this very reason I have come to this hour. Did this third slave think that there would be no reward for his faithful service because his master was a hard man? 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. master. Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. 14 "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[ a] and entrusted to them his property. In the natural world, talents differ. Then he went on his journey. Amen (Romans 9:1-5). 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. Beyond this, His return would come at a time when it was not expected (Matthew 24:44). 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and Parable of the Talents Both minas and talents were units of currency in the ancient Roman world. 24 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: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! One man may design a church building, a cathedral. I will end with these words from our Lord to the church at Sardis. He admits he buried it in the ground because he was afraid to use it (Matthew 25:24-25, Luke 19:20-21). - Unto one he gave five talents. 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 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. 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. Assuming, for the moment, that the slave was correct in his assessment, why would he not be motivated by his fear to seek a profit for his master? third servant hides what was entrusted to him. 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. It is a great responsibility with great reward as described in the Parable of the Talents. 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. 277 There are those who would suggest that this slave buried the talent in hopes that the master might never return. But this term is also used of that which is useful or beneficial: 17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 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. Such labor is, to a large degree, entering into the joy of our Master. I will put you in charge of many things. Jumble. You have been faithful with a few things. The third servant is lazy, because he does not go to work with the money. To the first he entrusted five talents, to the second two talents, and to the third one talent. A footnote in the NIV translation says that a mina was about three months wages. In the New Testament, the term "talent" meant something very different than it does today. I thus take verse 13 as the first verse of this new paragraph. Unwrap the Gift. 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). And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his . The whole parable is found in Matthew 25:14-30. He doesnt even take the trouble to take it to the money changers, and let them work with it to gain something for his master. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursedcut off from Christfor the sake of my people, my fellow countrymen, 4 who are Israelites. The translation project originally started as an attempt to provide an electronic version of a modern translation for electronic distribution over the Internet and on CD (compact disk). So, whatever we are doing (provided its not a sinful activity), we serve God well by doing it well. Playlist: Go to the Parable of the Talents (topic) playlist . He is not harsh, nor does He require that we do the impossible (make a profit where He has not provided the means). Burying the talent in the ground is an illustration of using one's God-given gifts for earthly pursuits. So, in modern terms, the ten servants each got $16,665. Heaven can hardly be described in terms of retirement. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. 47 I tell you the truth, the master will put him in charge of all his possessions (Matthew 24:45-47). Sometimes the term is not translated at all. 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. an ounce) was nearly equivalent to 400 of our money. 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). 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). How is it that the one who does not have has something taken from him? A man who is preparing to leave on a journey entrusts his possessions to his servants. 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. He has granted the time and the resources for men to make a profit for the kingdom of heaven, until He returns. Time has been a significant factor in our Lords teaching concerning His coming and the end of the age, beginning in chapter 24. 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.. Yes, there are official positions for certain church tasks (preaching, evangelizing, teaching, etc.) 17So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector? Those who are unfaithful lose not only their reward, but their stewardship. In Matthew, this is especially clear in 12:40; 24:27, 37. 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. 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. 27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received my money back with interest! 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. How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times. He distributes his wealth among three servants, apportioned to them on the basis of their abilities. Handed down. and Christians should not be molded by worldly standards (Romans 12:2). Some were saying, He is a good man, but others, He deceives the common people (John 7:12). 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. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. For all the saints. This way the slave would not have to attend to the money on a day-by-day basis. The third servant was fearful and hid the one talent he was trusted with, returning just one talent to his master. 12 For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of Gods utterances. 14 For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them. 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. After centuries of Israelites seeing themselves as Gods only favored people, he opened things up for Gentiles to become co-heirs (Ephesians 3:6). 280 Old Testament references here are to the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. All rights reserved. If he were afraid to take any risk, then why did he not at least put the talent in the hands of the bankers, who would conservatively invest it for him, and gain at least some interest? Its also preceded by a story about a servant not using his position well while the master is away. God is both, and his plans will not necessarily make sense to our limited perspectives. From dunamai; force; specially, miraculous power. And if our labors are joyful, we will delight in the thought of further labor. New King James Version (NKJV). 272 I am assuming that the second servant acted just as quickly as the first, because our Lord tells us that he acted in a similar manner. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! Neuter of a presumed derivative of the original form of tlao; a balance, i.e. 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. What can we learn from the parable of the persistent widow and unjust judge? The masters dealings with the third servant is a very different matter. 18But he who had received the one talent went and (G)dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Its leaves are for the healing of the nations. I am not arguing against retirement in the economic sense. 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. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. 4:7; 1 Pet. Tounderstand this parable, we need to look at the parable in the context of Jesus surrounding teachings and the Bibles other teachings about giftings. 13 Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour. He didnt even hand the money over to bankers,276 to let them go to work with it. It is not the money that goes to work, as such, but the worker. Working hard for the profit of the kingdom and the King is entering into the joy of our Master. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. The word hard, which this slave used to characterize his master, is far from flattering. For this story about a master and his servants, understanding the culture of Jesus' original audience is necessary to comprehend His message. For example, this story is about talents which was a super large amount of money in Bible times. 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). After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 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. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. Specifically, I am speaking of Matthew 25:13: Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour (Matthew 25:13). And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. He did not increase his masters money at all. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Talents? To offer, give; I put, place. If so, then what is the fruitful labor God has given to you? Wells The Invisible Man where a foolish theologian suggests a strangers problem is he only has one talent. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. In the Matthew version, he gives one servant 10 talents (or bags of gold), another five talents, and the third one talent. 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. 29 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. Matthew 25:14-30. The parable begins with a master planning a trip (Luke describes him as going off to be made king of a distant land). 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. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29)? 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. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at [email protected]. Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. 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. ), for my conscience assures me in the Holy Spirit 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. Neuter of a presumed derivative of the original form of tlao; a balance, i.e. After being gone a long time, the master returns to settle up with his slaves (verse 19). The element of money. But this work is joyful. In our parable, money is given to us to use, to work with, not just to give back. 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. Retirement is like the second stage of a rocket booster. 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). Retirement is that period in life when one no longer has the distraction of having to work for a livelihood. Most of us find it hard to un-crack, especially given the third servant gets punished for doing nothing. Before he goes, the master brings his servants together (three in the Matthew version, 10 in the Luke version). You have gone back to needing milk, not solid food. Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. Since help was available to him in the Church, the man had no excuse. I believe that there are other texts of Scripture which indicate that God has entrusted (by common grace, in some cases) certain assets to all men, and that all men are accountable to God for how they use (or do not use) these resources which God has entrusted to them. He swallowed up death (1 Corinthians 15: 54) in a victory that involved him getting killed. But Abraham said, Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish (Luke 16:25). Second, the faithful servants immediately went to work to increase their masters money (Matthew 25:16-17). 46 Blessed is that slave whom the master finds at work when he comes. I was talking about this text with a friend, and he said, God expects the principle, plus interest. I think thats right. 28 Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten. In that place (V)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.. Lets begin with the end result profit. 20 The one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, Sir, you entrusted me with five talents. (2) Many of the commentaries acknowledge the abruptness of verse 14 as the first verse of a new paragraph. We should carefully note the outcome of faithful service, and of unfaithful service, in this parable. Verse Concepts. Eventually, he tells his sister he will go to the Olympics and then to the mission field, because both honor God.