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. How can you take something away from a person who has nothing? (1) Verse 13 does not really seem to fit with verses 1-12, or to contribute to their message. 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. Parable of the Talents Let me see if I can defend my allegation. And part of the reward the faithful slave is entering into is the joy of his Master in bringing salvation to men. 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. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lords money. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Unjust Steward (Luke 16:1-13)? Read: MATTHEW 25:14-30. in 1971. We need to pursue the element of work a bit further. First, they receive their masters commendation, Well done, good and faithful slave (verses 21, 23). 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. Proud member The slaves excuse was that his master was a harsh man, and this caused him to be afraid of his master, thus doing nothing with the money entrusted to him. We find this same principle stated in connection with the parable of the soils (Matthew 13:12; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18). 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! Our Lords emphasis here is not on putting the money to work, but on the servant going to work with his masters money. Before he goes, the master brings his servants together (three in the Matthew version, 10 in the Luke version). 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. However, all creation was made very good (Genesis 1:31), and we must do all things to Gods glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). 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.. (17) Because thou hast been faithful in a very little.--More literally, because thou didst become faithful. There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. 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. Retirement is thought of more in terms of the golf course than finishing our course in the Pauline sense (2 Timothy 4:7). Heaven is not to be thought of as me laying beside the pool, sipping a tall, cool one, as one of my fellow elders commented this past week. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Vineyard? Unwrap the Gift. I will put you in charge of many things. 14 For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them. Does verse 13 belong with verses 1-12, or with verses 14-30? 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now (Romans 8:18-22). 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. Talents. 33 But a married man is concerned about the things of the world, how to please his wife, 34 and he is divided. Remember, this is a parable, and all ofJesus parables are about a bit more than they seem. Pertaining to self, i.e. I saw something there that both amazed and troubled me. third servant claims that he was afraid of his master. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. The story in Matthew 25:14-30 unfolds as such: A man goes away on a trip. The third slave is lazy, and thus useless, as opposed to being hard-working, and therefore useful. The first two servants quickly272 set to work with their masters money. Let me explain my reasons for reaching this conclusion, in spite of the fact that it differs with the generally accepted divisions (verses 1-13, verses 14-30, verses 31-46). 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!. These folks were a more honest (hopefully) version of money changer than those who did business in the temple precincts. Enter into the joy of your master (Matthew 25:20-21). Faith Talk Ministries, Faithful to the End If Adams sin brought about painful labor for mankind, the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ (the last Adam 1 Corinthians 15:45) brought rest: 28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. We naturally want to believe we can use our gifts as we please. This is probably a sermon in itself perhaps even a book. Our Lords teaching in the parable of the talents is that God expects profit that is the product of our labors. 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. I will put you in charge of many things. Tounderstand this parable, we need to look at the parable in the context of Jesus surrounding teachings and the Bibles other teachings about giftings. A talent was worth even more: NIV footnotes for the Matthew passage state that one talent was 20 years wages. That is why they are crying, Let us go sacrifice to our God. 9 Let the work be harder for the men so they will keep at it and pay no attention to lying words! (Exodus 5:1-9). Retirement is like the second stage of a rocket booster. 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! Its also preceded by a story about a servant not using his position well while the master is away. [15]And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every . What is the meaning of the Parable of the Sower? And what should I say? Thus, evangelism is one form of spiritual profit. For example, this story is about talents which was a super large amount of money in Bible times. 15To one he gave five (D)talents,[b] to another two, to another one, (E)to each according to his ability. Verse Concepts. If so, then what is the fruitful labor God has given to you? Father, deliver me from this hour? 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. The talent of silver (taking silver as worth a little over 5s. More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! The Parable of the Talents. 19 After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them. The third servant was fearful and hid the one talent he was trusted with, returning just one talent to his master. 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. These gifts have been seen to include personal abilities ("talents" in the everyday sense), as well as personal wealth. 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 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. 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. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector? The one-talent slave is clearly not saved; he is condemned to hell. 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). The element of time. I am now inclined to say that verse 13 fits best with verses 14-30. When God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden, He gave them work to do. 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). average monthly wage for Americans in 2021. Jesus tells the story of a rich man who has three slaves. It is the word Moses uses in Genesis 42:7,280 to describe Josephs disguise of harshness before his brothers. 274 If my concordance program is correct, this term occurs 526 times in the New Testament. 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. The day of account comes at last. 21 For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, to be holy both in body and spirit. What is it that you want Him to find you doing when He returns? 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? First of all, let us be clear that we are not talking about salvation by works. The second slave presents his master with four talents. Start FREE. This is a sobering question. It is not the money that goes to work, as such, but the worker. What can we learn from the parable of the persistent widow and unjust judge? I will end with these words from our Lord to the church at Sardis. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Prodigal Son? Let us not envy sinners, or covet any of their perishing possessions. To the first he entrusted five talents, to the second two talents, and to the third one talent. God expects a profit, and He holds us accountable for what we have done with what He has entrusted to us. 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. Christians will spend all eternity at work, and this work will include ruling with our Lord and praising Him. The, the definite article. 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. There is also a message to all mankind. 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. This servant came to his master with only the talent his master had originally entrusted to him. Theparable of the talents is told in Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:11-27. His doom is, to be cast into outer darkness. Beyond this, His return would come at a time when it was not expected (Matthew 24:44). Mat Mt). He let taxpayers and prostitutes into the kingdom of heaven first (Matthew 21:31). Indeed, they accused Him of being a wicked sinner, more worthy of death than Barabbas. to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 46 Blessed is that slave whom the master finds at work when he comes. each according to his ability. While interest could not be charged of fellow-Israelites, it could be charged of foreigners (see Deuteronomy 23:19-20). 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). 24:47; 25:34, 46; Luke 12:44; 22:29, 30; Rev. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. God is both, and his plans will not necessarily make sense to our limited perspectives. 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. Since help was available to him in the Church, the man had no excuse. I am suggesting that the way some Christians look forward to, or practice, retirement is a form of burying your talent. John Driver points out in his book Parable Church that at 2018s average household incomes, one talent would be about $1.2 million. When the third servants excuses are set aside, it becomes evident that this man is lazy he didnt do any work. Neuter of a presumed derivative of the original form of tlao; a balance, i.e. 20And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more. 21His master said to him, Well done, good and (J)faithful servant. How different was the outlook of the first two slaves. A popular job website lists theaverage monthly wage for Americans in 2021 as $5,555 per month. 14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. Our Lords rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees is often couched in stewardship terms. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 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. See, I have gained five more. 21 His master answered, Well done, good and faithful slave! Entering into the joy of our Master is, in the context of our text, entering into profitable labor for all eternity. One. And so it is that those who over time work with what they are entrusted, in order to make a profit for their master, are rewarded for their faithfulness. 12:6; 1 Cor. But the master did provide the means for his slave to make a profit. Lets call this aspect of profit exaltation. 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 appears in Matthew 25:14-30, and another version of the parable can be found in Luke 19:11-27. The Bible makes it clear there is no sacred versus secular work in the way we often think. This story is called the Parable of the Talents. 29(K)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. 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. However, as planned, he becomes king of the distant land and returns home to see how his servants have done. If this is the case, and we are to be at work until He comes, then why do we think that reaching a certain age entitles us to cease our labors for Him? See 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. 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 begins with a master planning a trip (Luke describes him as going off to be made king of a distant land). The term employed in Matthew 25:16 emphasizes work. The first servant has made the biggest return (10 minas from one mina, or 10 talents from five talents). As if a superlative of hekas; each or every. 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. 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. In Acts 1:9-11, their understanding is greatly enhanced: 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 Two Sons? Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Gospels: Matthew 25:16 Immediately he who received the five talents (Matt. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry (Matthew 11:28-30). In the Book of Revelation, heaven is described as a return to paradise lost: 1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of lifewater as clear as crystalpouring out from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 flowing down the middle of the citys main street. 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. The whole parable is found in Matthew 25:14-30. 25And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Faithful saints are given even greater responsibilities, and even more work. 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. (2) Many of the commentaries acknowledge the abruptness of verse 14 as the first verse of a new paragraph. 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. So you knew that I harvest where I didnt sow and gather where I didnt scatter? 16 Then he that had received the five . Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Gospels: Matthew 25:15 To one he gave five talents (Matt. They justified their rejection of Jesus by claiming that He was the problem. In the natural world, talents differ. 16Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Matthew 25:14-30. 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. Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you will have authority over ten cities (Luke 19:16-17). Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with or without credit. 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
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