The Parable of the Talents - Matthew 25: 14-30

14 ?“For ?it will be like a man ?going on a journey, who called his servants? and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five ?talents, to another two, to another one, ?to each according to his ability. Then he ?went away.

16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and ?dug in the ground and hid his master's money.

19 Now ?after a long time the master of those servants came and ?settled accounts with them. 20 And 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.' 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and ?faithful servant. ?You have been faithful over a little; ?I will set you over much. Enter into ?the joy of your master.'

22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be ?a hard man, reaping ?where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here ?you have what is yours.' 26 But his master answered him, ‘You ?wicked and ?slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 ?For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And ?cast ?the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place ?there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

The parable of the talents

•  That our divine redeemer is constituted the head and Lord of the Christian economy.

•  That in this exalted capacity he bestows a variety of talents upon the children of men. Time is a talent. Intellectual power is a talent. Moral capacity is a talent. Religious opportunity is a talent. Relative influence is a talent.

•  That he who has imparted these talents righteously demands their improvement.

•  The period will arrive when he will come to demand an account. While the investigation will be inclusive, it will embrace each individual. It will be impartial. The result will be joyful and solemn. ( G. Smith. )

Two things are to be said:

•  1.  The more rigorous God is supposed to be, the more surely He will punish unfaithfulness.

•  2.  It is not true that God is thus austere. The love of God must constrain us.

•  3.  The sentence pronounced on the unprofitable servant. Here is a clear end of probation. ( W. M. Taylor, D. D. )

The talents

What was committed to them.

•  It was a responsible trust.
•  It was not alike in the case of all. It differed not in nature, but in amount.
•  It was regulated by a certain principle—“To every man according to his several ability.”

What was done by them.

•  The faithful.
•  The slothful.
•  A spirit of dissatisfaction;
•  or this servant may have felt that it was in vain for him to exert himself, on the ground that his means were so limited.
•  Again, this servant may have been one of those timid, over-cautious persons, who, lest they should do wrong, do nothing. We should “add to our faith, fortitude.”

The account required of them.

•  It was delayed for a considerable period.
•  Highly gratifying in the case of those who were first summoned.
•  An emphatic expression of approval.
•  Promotion to a state of high dignity and honour.
•  The enjoyment of transporting bliss. The case of the other servant.
•  Unsatisfactory in its nature, and most serious in its results.
•  A foolish plea.
•  A withering rebuke.
•  A peremptory command.
•  A fearful doom. ( Expository Outlines. )

The faithful servant and his reward

The parable of the ten virgins shows us our duty to ourselves; the parable to the servants our duty to others, etc. The one parable cries “Watch!” The other cries “ Work!”

Look at the faithful servant. There are several things respecting him illustrating our own position.

1. He was a “servant;” one who is dependent upon, and responsible to another. Whatever our position, this is the character of every one of us. Men often speak as if God had no claim upon sinners. The man who hid his talent was as much a servant as he who by diligent trading made his five talents into ten. We are all servants, whether we own our Master or not, etc. Ascertain the character you bear.

2. He was entrusted with some of his master's property. So are we.

3. The talents bestowed upon the servants varied in their number. So it is with us.

4. They are given to us to be used according to the will of the proprietor—we may invest them, or waste them, or hide them.

5. They are entrusted to us for a limited period; the extent of that period is unknown.

II. Let us look at the conduct of the servant. He was not elated with pride because he had more than others, nor was he depressed with envy because he had less. He realized his responsibility, and at once set to work, etc. He was” good “and “faithful,” referring to his character and conduct. While faithful to his master, he was good to his brethren, and the manifestation of his goodness is seen in the revelation that follows, “Faith without works is dead,” etc.

III. Look at the faithful, servant's reward. Gives his account with joy.

1. Has his master's approval.
2. He is raised to a higher position.
3. He was admitted to his master's presence—a honour beyond our comprehension. Apply the subject. ( Charles Garrett. )

The entrusted talents

This parable, a needful complement to the story of the virgins; outward exertion must be combined with inward character. We must work as well as wait.

•    We have here an explanation of the diversity which exists between individuals in the matter of opportunity of service in the cause of the redeemer. We observe the fact that there is such a diversity. These talents do not denote the original endowments which men bring into the world with them, or the possessions into which they come by birth. These are gifts of God; but the reference here is rather to those opportunitie s which have been given to men in consequence of their abilities and environment. In His bestowment of spiritual opportunities Christ has regard to the natural abilities and providential surroundings of each man; and as in the sovereignity of God there is a diversity in the latter, so in the gracious administration of Christ, there is like diversity in the former. No man has more opportunities of service than he can avail himself of to the full. I f Christ has given you one talent, it is because at present He sees you cannot handle mor e.

•  That new opportunities come to us with our improvement of those which we already have. By utilizing what we have, we get what we have not. The foundation of colossal fortunes have been laid in the taking advantage of little opportunities. The true method of increasing our sphere is to fill to overflowing that in which we are. So heaven shall give new opportunities of service to men who have made the most faithful use of earth. Faithful service widens opportunity.

•  The result of neglecting opportunity.

•  What is said concerning the man with one talent. It is not alleged that he wasted his master's goods; he simply neglected his opportunities. He was not notoriously wicked, but left undone what he had ability to do. Life is to be made productive. Many are content to do nothing because they cannot do some great thing. He who buried one talent would have buried five, his failure was in his character.

•  He cherished wrong views of God. All wrongness of conduct is based on a wrong view of God.

The master's approval of the faithful servant

His character.

1.  A good and faithful servant accepts his position as a servant, with all that is included in that position.
2.  He bears the work-burden of his servitude.
3.  He renders service with hearty goodwill.
4.  He is obedient to his master.
5.  He has his master's interest ever before him.
6.  He is profitable to his master.

II.  The conduct upon which this character is based. “ Thou hast been faithful over a few things .”

III.  The commendation and reward. “Well done.”

1.  This is real commendation, not doubtful.
2.  This is complete and full commendation.
3.  This is useful commendation.

It is not an encumbrance, like a robe of state or an official chain of gold, but it is as a strong girdle for the loins. “Enter thou into the joy of the Lord. ”

1.  The joy of the Lord on His return to His servants.
2.  The joy of the Lord in the goodness and fidelity of His servants.
3.  The joy of the Lord in commending and rewarding His servants.
4.  The whole personal joy of the Lord, so far as it can be shared by His servants.
5.  The joy set before Him when He endured the cross.
6.  The joy of finished work and completed suffering, of the joy provided in that kingdom which is joy.

The sin of unprofitableness

Unprofitableness implies a mind unlike that of God, and therefore unfit for communion with God.
• The mind of the unprofitable one is marked by indifference to the welfare of others.
• The goodness of Deity is not merely negative; it seeks to bless mankind.

II.  Unprofitableness will exclude the soul from heaven ; it is a frustration of the merciful designs of God. ( E. Gibbon, M. A. )

The unprofitable servant

The excuse set up by the unprofitable servant for his neglect.

It is general. “I know that thou art a hard man.” This is the language of the disobedient heart with reference to the merciful parent of the universe.

The service is framed to meet our moral happiness. The ways of wisdom axe ways of pleasantness. The excuse uses an audacious tone; God is unreasonable, and expects the impossible, and does not put forth the needful agencies.

  The sentence pronounced on him. 1.  Supposing there was truth in his accusation, why did he not adopt the course less injurious to his Master? 2.  Deprivation—“Take, therefore, the talent from him.” “Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness.” ( D. Moore, M. A. )

Faithfulness the main thing

This parable turns on moral quality rather than on ability. Its key-note is not five talents, nor two talents, nor one talent, but faithfulness to all three.

It is faithfulness, and not amount , which links the talent to the joy of the Lord, the “few things” to the “many.” T he amount of ability is not the first thing for us to consider; it is the faithful use of whatever ability we have. To use aright we must  be  right.

Vigorous use of talent is not necessarily right use , for unfaithfulness is vigorous also. ( Marvin R. Vincent, D. D. )