The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 25 Part 4 Parable Of The Talents: Servants Judged For Faithfulness

In this chapter, Jesus gave three parables to illustrate the kingdom of heaven.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins teaches us that we are to live in a state of expectancy and habitual readiness to receive our Lord.

It is designed to stir us up to do well for our soul, in accord with Christ's instructions. 

We are studying the second parable which is divided into three sections.

The Parable of the Talents teaches us that we are to work diligently for our Lord, just as we would give our best effort to run a business well.

It is designed to teach us to expend ourselves for the glory of God and the good of others.

Matthew 25:14-15  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. 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.

The first part introduced a wealthy man who is a picture of Jesus Christ.

The wealthy man is preparing for a long trip and he has given his financial assets (talents) to each one of his own servants.

As soon as he distributed management of his estate and finances, he departed for his long trip.

He gave a total of eight talents to his own three trusted servants, according to their ability to properly invest them.

This pictures Jesus giving His Church all the necessary people and spiritual gifts to facilitate ministry and evangelization.

Christ gave His apostles all that they needed to carry out the Great Commission and church leadership.

Today, Christ still calls men to serve as pastors, evangelists and teachers.

He still gives believers all spiritual blessings and necessary gifts for ministry within His body, the church.

He sends His Spirit to live in the heart of each believer to help us bear fruit for His kingdom.

Christ is pictured by the wealthy man taking a long trip without giving the time of his return.

This corresponds with Jesus ascension to heaven and sitting at His Father's right hand until the day of the rapture and resurrection of life.

Since the date of the wealthy man's return to his home is unknown, this connects with Jesus telling us that no man knows the day of the hour of His return.

The second section of the Parable of the Talents focuses on the responses of the servants to their masters commands.

Their master trusted these three servants and delivered his estate and wealth into their hands.

He appointed them to work and gave them something to work with, namely the talents.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 

In like manner, Jesus has given us everything we need and purchased us at the cost of His life. 

A Christians has been bought with the price of Jesus' blood and we now belong to Christ.

Our lives are to be lived in accord with Jesus' commands and all that we think, say or do, should be done to glorify God.

We truly have nothing that is our own, for all material things and foods that we enjoy, are made from that which God created in the beginning.

The only thing that a believer actually owns, is a sin nature.

1 Corinthians 12:7  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

Jesus sent the Spirit of God to live in each believer's heart at the moment of salvation. 

He imparts gifts to each Christian but we must learn to use them for God's glory.

Therefore, all that we receive from Christ is to be used for advancing His kingdom and to bring glory to God.

1 Peter 4:10  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 

Spiritual gifts imparted to each Christian by the Holy Spirit, are meant to be used by us for the work Christ has given us to do.

Just as God teaches us to be good stewards of our time, our physical and financial resources and our energy, so it is in spiritual matters.

We have one or perhaps, more gifts from the Holy Spirit and we must use them to minister to the church as the Spirit guides us.

Ephesians 4:7-8  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 

Paul tells us that every single Christian is given grace measured out by the boundless gift from Christ.

This is why scripture tells us that when Jesus returned to His Father, He gave gifts to be used within His church.

They are to be used to help Christians learn and become complete in Christ, and for the work of ministry and to build up the faith and strength of Christ's church.

The work of ministry would include missionary work, witnessing to family and friends, and evangelizing the lost.

Therefore, let us note that all Christians have at least one gift since one talent was the least amount the wealthy man distributed.

Second, note that not all receive the same gifts and that it is God who gives us one or more gifts according to His good purposes for us.

In the second section of Jesus' parable, we learn how well the three servants served their master.

Matthew tells us about the most productive servants first.

Matthew 25:16-17  Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17  And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 

The wealthy man knew that the ability of the first servant was good, and He entrusted him with five talents to invest.

His trust in his servant was rewarded as he sprang into action to invest his master's talents.

He gained five additional talents, which is a 100% return for his master.

Likewise his second servant also got to work quickly and gained two additional talents for his master, another 100% return on his investment.

Both of these servants teach us important lessons about kingdom living and serving our Lord Jesus Christ.

First, they were faithful men who obeyed their master's instructions.

Romans 1:17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Sinners are justified by God when they exercise repentant faith in Jesus Christ.

At the point of our conversion to Christ we are to live by faith.

We stand by faith (2 Corinthians 1:24), we walk by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7) and we are made children of God by faith (Galatians 3:26).

Remember, Jesus is the wealthy man in this parable and He set these two servants before us as examples of genuine faith in Christ.

The first two servants Matthew mentions show us our spiritual duty to be ready and willing to do the work Christ gave us to do, and to do our work well.

Hebrews 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 

We can read through Hebrews 11 and find it chock full of men and women who had faith in God and believed that He would reward them by keeping His promises.

Faith produces motivation for loving and serving God.

Faith yields stamina in our Christian walk, such that we do not waver or falter from following Christ.

Faith leads to commitment to fulfill the Great Commission work Jesus gave us to do.

Faith engenders a diligent and consistent approach to all of life and this is reflected in the quality work of the first two servants. 

Now we encounter a servant whom Jesus condemned and his slothfulness is a warning to us to avoid being a spiritual sluggard.

Matthew 25:18  But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

The third servant did not go to market to invest his master's talents in order to multiply them.

Instead, he buried the solitary talent that was entrusted to his care. Take note that he dug a hole in the ground and buried his lord's money.

Proverbs 10:4  He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. 

Wise King Solomon had many Spirit guided things to say about lazy people.

This text highlights the difference between two faithful servants and one faithless servant.

The third servant represents those who are slack in using the gifts God gave them and how they grow spiritually bankrupt.

Many Christians are content to offer up excuses for not following hard after Christ and kingdom work.

Some think that their gift is too little or insignificant to be of good use.

Yet, a Christian who has a warm, loving heart may be used of God to impact many people.

Some think that that their position is too low to do any good with the gift God gave them.

Yet, the reality is that God will always give us what we need to complete the work He wants us to do.

Behind the scenes ministry is just as necessary for good church function as pulpit ministry for good spiritual function.

In the last section, the wealthy master returns to his home to have his servants give him an account of their activities related to the talents he gave them.

Matthew 25:19-21  After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20  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. 21  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 

The long span of time is connected to Christ's church awaiting His return at the rapture and resurrection of life (See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; John 5:24-29).

When Christ calls us home to heaven, all believers will give an account of how we lived and the choices we made from the point of our conversion to Him (See 1 Corinthians 3:9-15).

The first servant was also the most productive of the three.

He returned the five talents to his master, along with the five talents extra that he gained by his faithful work.

The master, who represents Christ, said "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

He promised to make him ruler over many things for his faithful service and invited him to enter into the joy of his lord.

Matthew 25:22-23  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. 23  His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 

In like manner, the master called the second servant to give him an account of his work.

He too gave back the two talents originally entrusted to his care, along with the two additional talents he gained.

This servant also received high commendation from his lord.

Matthew 25:24-25  Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25  And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 

Now we come to the slothful servant whose own words condemn him to judgment.

He called his master a "hard man" which literally means he thought his master was stern, harsh, rough or intolerable.

His bad attitude is that he thought his master took advantage of others, because he hired people to plow, plant and reap a harvest for him.

Instead, he should have seen that his master did good by providing gainful employment for many people.

His attitude toward his master is entirely different from the first two servants.

They were ready and willing to do the work and the third one was not.

They worked diligently to increase their master's wealth while the third servant wasted the value of the one talent entrusted to him.

He dug a hole and buried the talent in the ground, which suggests he loved the things of this world more than the things of God (See 1 John 2:15-17).

The third servant gave the excuse "There thou hast that is thine" which means "Although I did not increase your talent, neither did i decrease it."

Mat 25:26-27  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. 

The wealthy master who represents Christ, called the third servant a "wicked and slothful servant."

He knew how his master conducted his business but he did not act in accord with it.

The talent he was given should have been loaned out for interest so that his talent multiplied like the other two servants.

Matthew 25:28-30  Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29  For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30  And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

The master, who represents Christ at His judgment seat, commanded that the one talent be taken from the wicked, slothful servant and given to the faithful servant who had ten talents.

The picture is that believers who use the gifts God gives them as He intended them to be used, will receive a reward.

Those who profess faith, but hide their gifts, will have it taken from them and they will be cast into outer darkness.

As noted above, Paul wrote about the potential for Christians to receive or lose a reward based upon how well we loved and served God and others.

The foundation we build on is faith in Christ. 

Some will build gold, silver or precious stones and receive a reward.

Others will build service of wood hay or stubble which will go up in flames.

Our salvation is not the issue. 

Our service and obedience to Christ command's is the issue.

This parable will include Jews and Gentile proselytes at the day of the LORD judgment, when Christ comes to rule the nations with a rod of iron. 

Faithful Jews and Gentile proselytes will serve God and trust Him and will hear the words "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

May this be our goal as we grow in our faith.

Let us learn to serve our God with a joyful vigor and excellence.

Bob