(Matthew 25:14-30).....14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, whocalled his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 “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.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 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.’ 23 His lord said to him,‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 24 “Then 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. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ 26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 ‘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. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Immediately following the parable of “The Wise And Foolish Virgins,” we find Jesus telling the parable of “The Talents.” While both parables relate to the kingdom of heaven, and especially in anticipation of the Lord’s return, the first stresses the need to be “prepared,” the latter, the need to be “productive.” The first emphasizes “watching” for the Lord, the latter “working” for the Lord. In both parables we learn what should characterize those who eagerly WAIT for the coming of the Lord.
Jesus told many of His parables as a way to explain what the kingdom of God is like. The parable of the talents is another one of those. The characters in this parable represent various types of people in the kingdom
There are three observations I would like to make about the way Jesus sets up the parable.
First – before he left he entrusted his assets to three of his servants – they were each given “talents” – gr. “alanta” – which means “weights.” A talent or weight was a monetary weight of approximately 60-90 pounds depending on the type of metal – it could be a talent of – copper – gold – or silver – the most common talent was silver. The value of a talent was equivalent to 6,000 days’ wages for a day laborer, roughly twenty years’ work, so the man given five talents was given an enormous sum, even so, the “one talent” man still had an enormous amount.
I think the reason Jesus used talents (such large sums as talents). Because he was not to talk about money, but to refer to the gifts He gives us. We should consider ourselves wealthy when we contemplate His grace toward us (Romans 10:11-12)
Second – we need to see how the Master gives different amounts to each servant – “to each according to his own ability”Now who are these three servants in the parable? – They represent you and me ,gyouand every other person who serves the Master – whether they be a “good and faithful servant” or a “wicked and lazy servant. As servants of the Lord – we own nothing – we are managers of what is God’s property (1 Corinthians 4:1). Our knowledge of the “mysteries” or “secret things” – is still the knowledge of the mysteries of God.Our spouses – our children – our grand-children – our houses – our land – our resources – our spiritual gifts – our ministries – our time – our talents—they are all His property – that has been entrusted into our care until He returns to receive them backIf we would only realize that we are not the king – but He is the King – and all that we have belongs to Him – and that we must give account for what we have done with what is His – then we might be more careful in how we handle what is HisGod has entrusted great responsibility to us – we must not ignore the fact that not all of us have equal responsibility – (25:15) – “ ‘And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability….’ ”
The master in this parable knew that his servants did not have equal ability – likewise – God knows our strengths and He knows our weaknesses – He never demands from a man abilities which he doesn’t have – but He does demand that a man should use his abilities which he does have
“Third” – as is obvious both from Jesus’ introduction to the parable in – (25:14) – and from the surrounding context – the statement that the master “went on a journey”Jesus tells us in this parable – that the kingdom of heaven is like a man who traveled to a far country. Who is this rich master who went away to a far country? The Lord!! It looks as though it would be Jesus and likely representing Jesus’ departure from this earth. When Jesus told this parable – He was well aware that within weeks He too would go on a long journey.
So the period in which the servants are to be working with the talents represents the period in which we await Christ’s return – when Jesus also knew that He – like the rich man – would return to receive back