Matthew 25:14-30The Parable of the Talents
“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 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. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.
After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 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.’ 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.’ 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.’ 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.’
“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. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
“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. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
‘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 cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Again, Jesus knows he is in the final days of his life here on earth and is trying to warn his disciples to be ready and to be faithful. It’s quite possible that Jesus and the disciples know a merchant who has done something of the sort. A talent of silver weighs about 75 pounds and would represent between 15-20 years’ wages for a common working man, or as much as one million dollars or more. This merchant is obviously very wealthy to be able to give out a total of 8 talents to his servants. Such a man must have many servants; however, he has chosen to specially bless these three men.
The master understands the relative abilities of these men and gives out his money accordingly. By the time the merchant returns, the first two servants have invested the money entrusted to them and have doubled it, proving they are both canny and faithful. But then there’s servant number three.
Evidently, for years, servant number three has gone around hating and resenting his master, doing the minimum to get by, and generally being a Debbie downer. If the other two servants can find a silver lining in every cloud, this guy can find a cloud for every silver lining. While others are seeing glasses as half-full, this guy is seeing glasses as half empty and about to fall off the table and break anyway. When the master gives servant number three one talent to invest, this man views this gift as a trap. What’s the master trying to do? Is the master trying to lure this man into making mistakes so he can dismiss him from his service? This man suspects his master has never really liked him anyway and is discriminating against him.
This servant doesn’t trust his master and believes the very worst of him, so he simply buries the talent. By not taking any risks, this servant believes he is protecting himself; after all, the master hates him and that’s why the master has only given him one talent while he has given the other two servants more. Listening to this description, the disciples probably wonder why a right-thinking merchant would trust such a man with any amount of money, let alone a whole talent.
Jesus continues the story. After a long trip to a far country lasting several years, the merchant returns and meets with his servants to settle accounts. The first two servants have been fabulously successful, doubling the sums given to them. Perhaps these two have worked together; at any rate, their master is thrilled. Both men receive the highest commendation possible: “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.’ “
Now it’s the turn of servant number three. While the other two men have dressed as nicely as possible to honor their master’s return, this man is wearing his ordinary street clothes and comes in dragging his feet and wringing his hands. “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. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’” This servant practically throws the money at his master’s feet because he is so disgusted.
Say what? If this merchant is such a terrible master, why has this man worked for him for all these years? And if this servant hasn’t felt competent to invest the money himself, why hasn’t he allowed someone else to do it? Giving the money out to a bank would have removed the burden from this man’s head. “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. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.”
This man has allowed himself to become bitter over nothing; his master undoubtedly has many other servants to whom he has not given any money to be invested. This servant has been given a unique opportunity but he has totally misread the situation and has wasted the chance of a lifetime. And now the master pronounces his judgment: “So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.’ 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 cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”
What is the lesson for us from this story? If we are following God, we are all His servants. God doesn’t make cookie-cutter people; each of us is unique. Each of us has received different abilities from God. God will not hold us responsible for someone else’s gifts; however, we are responsible for the abilities God has given us. We are also responsible for telling others about God and encouraging others as much as possible. In the kingdom of God there are no little people; God wants each of us to use the abilities He has given us. At the same time, we must remember that God is also the One who will give us the strength and the courage to use those abilities. While the merchant in the story gave out his money and then traveled, God is not an absentee Master but a present one. Remember that in Matthew 11:30 Jesus tells us that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. May God help us to use our gifts and talents as wisely as possible!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to use all the talents You have given us to bless those around us. Help us to be faithful stewards. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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