The Parable of the Talents

Articles

Derek Long
10/14/18 - Understanding The Bible

The Parable of the Talents
By Derek Long
Jesus uses a parable regarding a man entrusting to his
servants talents to help us understand some important truths regarding the kingdom of heaven. In Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus says, “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 down, 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 my own back with interest. Therefore 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.” We can learn several important truths from this parable spoken by our Lord.
God knows what we are capable of just as this lord knew how much each servant as able to handle (Matthew 25:15). God does not place upon us expectations which are greater than we are able to meet. If God tells us to do something, we know it is within our ability. God does not expect of us service which we are incapable of giving. In addition, not everyone has the same abilities but God does not hold that against a person. Someone may have more ability in one area (e.g. teaching, singing, etc.) than someone else. God expects us to use our abilities but does not require us to be as able as the next person might be.
God has entrusted us with opportunities, abilities, and time as the lord entrusted these talents to his servants. We are
expected to use the things God has given us in service to him as the servants were expected to use the talents entrusted to them in service to their master. God is not pleased when we fail to use the opportunities He has given to us.
God is not pleased with our excuses just as the lord is not pleased with the excuses made by the one talent man (Matthew 25:24-30). People sometimes view God the same way the one talent man viewed his lord. There are people who think of God as a harsh, unrealistic master. As a result, some people fail to try to serve Him as they should. There are people who are afraid and as a result of their fear of failure never do anything in service to God. There are people who think God will be pleased with them doing nothing but God is not pleased with such people. God does not accept our excuses like the lord does not accept the excuses of the one talent man. The lord calls his servant “wicked and lazy.” What will God say of us if we fail to use the opportunities He has given us to serve Him?
God will punish the person who fails to act in His service. There is a place of punishment where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” for those who fail to actively serve their God. The lord of these servants went away for a long time and it appears did not give them a warning about when he would return. When he returned, he expected to find his servants had been busy serving him. Jesus has left us and will return without any special signs He is about to come. When He comes, He will expect us to be serving Him? Will we be found pleasing like the five and two talent servants or will we incur our Lord’s wrath like the one talent servant?