Luke there are ten servants; in Matthew, there are only three. 25And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Kathy Sweeny, Choices Determine Destinies The Parable of the Talents Meaning and Significance for Today 13:12; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18; [John 15:2], NKJV, Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, 2nd Edition, Comfort Print: Growing in Knowledge and Understanding of God Through His Word, NKJV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version, NKJV, Spirit-Filled Life Bible, Third Edition, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Kingdom Equipping Through the Power of the Word. Playlist: Go to the Parable of the Talents (topic) playlist . Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! I contend that verse 14 does not begin the new paragraph, but that verse 13 does. See, I have gained two more. 23 His master answered, Well done, good and faithful slave! Each (of more than two), every one. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 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. Have you trusted in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, and in His death at Calvary for your sins, rather than in your works (Romans 3:21-26)? They complain that He requires of them more than they are capable of, and punishes them for what they cannot help. "Parable of the Talents" Bible Craft Demonstration Use these hands-on learning activities when teaching from Matthew 25:14-30, where Jesus told the Parable of the Talents. The third servant did not invest his masters money at all; he dug a hole in the ground and buried his masters money. first two servants are faithful; they are praised by their master and are given greater authority. 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. 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. 4:11], [Matt. to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Jumble. Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. A talent was worth even more: NIV footnotes for the Matthew passage state that one talent was 20 years wages. Visit a foreign land. Theparable of the talents is told in Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:11-27. I will put you in charge of many things. 33 But a married man is concerned about the things of the world, how to please his wife, 34 and he is divided. No, but for this very reason I have come to this hour. It is used in 1 Samuel 25:3 to describe Nabal, Abigails husband, who is a stubborn fool.281 Isaiah (48:4) uses this term to describe Israels abstinence. You have been faithful in a few things. 14 But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:12-14). What is the meaning of the Parable of the Rich Fool? Rick Warren, Be Faithful in Small Things Let us listen carefully then, looking to Gods Spirit to enlighten our hearts and minds, and to empower our service, to the glory of God and our eternal good. But the master did provide the means for his slave to make a profit. (17) Because thou hast been faithful in a very little.--More literally, because thou didst become faithful. It was not until after the fall of man that mans labor became toil: 17 But to Adam he said, Because you obeyed your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, You must not eat from it, cursed is the ground thanks to you; in painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry (Matthew 11:28-30). 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. What the Bible says about Parable of the Minas or Pounds Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. 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. In the New Testament, the term "talent" meant something very different than it does today. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. 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! What is the meaning of the Parable of the Wedding Feast? What is the meaning of the Parable of the Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29)? What Does the Parable of the Talents Mean? - Biblical Archaeology Society Matthew 25:23 - The Parable of the Talents - Bible Hub master. Let us then consider the primary message in this text. The master is pleased with both servants and gives them new responsibilities: You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. In Acts 1:9-11, their understanding is greatly enhanced: You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. We need to pursue the element of work a bit further. In the parable of the talent, there are two clear references to time. (3) In my opinion, the main reason for assuming that verse 13 belongs with verses 1-12 is that the term (Greek, ou=n) is most often inferential, with the meaning therefore or then.274 It is not always an indication of a logical conclusion, however. 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. Neither group knew when the groom was coming. 4 The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. You withdraw what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow. 22 The king said to him, I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! The second and third soils represent those who initially show some interest in the gospel, but then reject it when the meaning of the gospel becomes clear. man allocates his resources to servants, expecting them to make a profit in his absence. 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. Remember, this is a parable, and all ofJesus parables are about a bit more than they seem. My study of this text has caused me to conclude that the paragraph breaks related to our text are confusing at best, and wrong at worst. The master told them to care for his money and the first two servants used the talents to trade and gain profit. Renny and Marina McLean, The Lord Teaches Us to Profit Sometimes the term is not translated at all. Lets begin with the end result profit. Used by permission. Revelation makes it clear that in the last days, Jesus will subvert his opponents, punish them and be named king over the world. The master rebukes the third servant for not even putting the money in the bank, where he could have gotten interest on it. The Parable of the Talents. The day of account comes at last. 24:47; 25:34, 46; Luke 12:44; 22:29, 30; Rev. While interest could not be charged of fellow-Israelites, it could be charged of foreigners (see Deuteronomy 23:19-20). For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. 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. It is also found in Jude 1:15 to describe the harsh words the unbelieving have said against God. We should carefully note the outcome of faithful service, and of unfaithful service, in this parable. Jesus tells the story of a rich man who has three slaves. Thus, we can safely conclude that edification or spiritual growth is also profitable for the kingdom of heaven. This slave actually thinks of his master as though he were a Pharaoh in character. The Parable of the Talents, Matthew 25:14-30, impresses on them the weight of that responsibility and the serious consequences of neglecting to understand and apply His instructions. Matthew 25:14-30 : The Parable of the Talents. The difference is that one group brought oil for their lamps, and the others did not. third servant does not make a profit for his master. Parable of the Talents 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! (2) Many of the commentaries acknowledge the abruptness of verse 14 as the first verse of a new paragraph. He gives each of them some money. 46 Bible Verses about Talents. It is not the money that goes to work, as such, but the worker. ESV Holy Bible for Kids, Softcover Economy Edition, ESV Large-Print Value Thinline Bible--soft leather-look, navy with mosaic cross design, ESV Student Study Bible, Trutone, Green with Mosaic Cross Design, ESV Large Print Personal Size Bible--soft leather-look, chestnut, Fire Bible ESV Version, Soft Leather-look, Slate/Charcoal. 280 Old Testament references here are to the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. 19After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. The third servant is lazy, because he does not go to work with the money. 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. They justified their rejection of Jesus by claiming that He was the problem. God expects to see a profit. Neuter of a presumed derivative of the original form of tlao; a balance, i.e. average monthly wage for Americans in 2021. What is the meaning of the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price? To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. 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. 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. Dont bury what God has entrusted to you; go to work with it, for the glory of God, and for your eternal rewards. This is only speculation. 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). The joy of the master must, in some way, equate to enjoying the bliss of heaven, with our Lord. 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. We are fearfully and wonderfully made by God (Psalm 139:13-14), according to plans he laid out before we were born (Jeremiah 1:5), to glorify him forever. The lazy, wicked slave in our parable is that person who refuses to go to work with the resources God has provided, to produce profit for the kingdom of heaven. 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. 27 Now my soul is greatly distressed. He made his way up to the bars, and then proceeded to harass this awesome beast. He wanted to know how much they had earned by trading. 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. Multiply Your Talents 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). So you knew, did you, that I was a severe man, withdrawing what I didnt deposit and reaping what I didnt sow? 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. Since a talent was actually a measurement of weight, it did not have a constant value. He gives each slave an amount of money, referred to as talents and possibly talents of gold, based upon that man's ability to steward and care for the money. 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. However, the talents (or minas in Lukes version) represent more than just the monetary resources God gives us. 14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 2 Wake up then, and strengthen what remains that was about to die, because I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Most importantly, bringing glory to God is profitable. Then he (F)went away. 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. Matthew 25:14-30 "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. 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. The one who has been faithful on earth with a little thing like money will be given greater work to do in heaven. I saw something there that both amazed and troubled me. and Christians should not be molded by worldly standards (Romans 12:2). He does not go to work with his masters money, over a lengthy period of time, and thus make a profit. The master rebuked this slave for being evil and lazy. Second, the faithful servants immediately went to work to increase their masters money (Matthew 25:16-17). 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. 23 Why then didnt you put my money in the bank, so that when I returned I could have collected it with interest? 24 And he said to his attendants, Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has ten. 25 But they said to him, Sir, he has ten minas already! 26 I tell you that everyone who has will be given more, but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. One. He does no work for a lengthy period of time and thus is useless. The Bible makes it clear that we dont really own our gifts. 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. 18 A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit (Matthew 7:17-18). The Moody Church, Using Your God-Given Talents "For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to . The one-talent slave is clearly not saved; he is condemned to hell. 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 first presents his master with ten talents. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. Then he went on his journey. 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. 20 The one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, Sir, you entrusted me with five talents. The talents were distributed on the basis of ability, not as the bestowing of ability. 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 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. This is a sobering question. Parable of the Talents Jumble | Sermons4Kids 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. Is this not the way that our Lords adversaries looked at Him? 17And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. The third slave is lazy, and thus useless, as opposed to being hard-working, and therefore useful. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. What distinguished him from the first two slaves? of Never, other than in our text (according to most versions), is it employed to begin a new paragraph. A primary word; 'else, ' i.e. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Sheep and Goats? Pertaining to self, i.e. In fact, if this were to take place today, that money would likely be worth less, due to inflation. 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 the King James Version, it is rendered therefore 263 times and then 197 times. He then gives several messages and illustrations: - The wise and faithful servant (Matthew 24:45-51), - The parable of the 10 virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). 2 Samuel 7:1-3 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies; , 1 Chronicles 13:1-3 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader, 1 Chronicles 22:1-26:32 Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel. Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. Thus, evangelism is one form of spiritual profit. 12 For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of Gods utterances. There is no end to our labors for our God. Most of us find it hard to un-crack, especially given the third servant gets punished for doing nothing. The publication of this material is a grace ministry of Community Bible Chapel. 28So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21). Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. Parables of Jesus by James Montgomery Boice. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! He is evil in the sense that he is useless, or unprofitable. Notice how this same word279 is used in Matthew 7: In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad [literally rotten] tree bears bad fruit (Matthew 7:17, emphasis mine). 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.. (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of. In the parable of the talent, there are two clear references to time. The masters dealings with the third servant is a very different matter. He doubled the money his master entrusted to him. The master goes on his journey, which Luke notes has some opposition (Luke 19:14-15). What is the meaning of the Parable of the Unjust Steward (Luke 16:1-13)? 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. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 78 in the Studies in the Gospel of Matthew series prepared by Robert L. Deffinbaugh on April 24, 2005. 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. The element of money. After all of Jesus' teaching, the disciples, although still limited in their knowledge and understanding, knew for sure that Jesus was to restore His Kingdom to Israel ( Acts 1:6 ). 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, 5 he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. These gifts have been seen to include personal abilities ("talents" in the everyday sense), as well as personal wealth. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from them, by human descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever! Retirement is thought of more in terms of the golf course than finishing our course in the Pauline sense (2 Timothy 4:7). Second, the faithful servants immediately went to work to increase their master's money ( Matthew 25:16-17 ). 11 If then you havent been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches? 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. Have you come to see that so far as your salvation is concerned, all of your works are like filthy rags in His sight (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:9-20)? 7 And so, since we have been justified by his grace, we become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life. 8 This saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on such truths, so that those who have placed their faith in God may be intent on engaging in good works. Dennis Rainey. ~ Excerpt from Matthew Henry Commentary. For you were bought at a price. Look, But his lord answered and said to him, You. 18But he who had received the one talent went and (G)dug in the ground and hid his master's money. From the parable of the talents we seem to be informed that unbelievers are entrusted with certain things, and that they will also give account for their stewardship. Whether you read the Matthew version or the Luke version, each servant is getting a substantial chunk of cash to invest as they will. Faith Talk Ministries, Faithful to the End Working hard for the profit of the kingdom and the King is entering into the joy of our Master. It was completed by more than twenty biblical scholars who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Only the soil that produces a crop is good soil. We often mix up the word talent in the currency sense with our modern English word talent meaning gifts, and its important to understand the money context of what Jesus was saying.