In this weeks’ parable, number 45, found in Matthew 25:14 – 30, and in the final account of the judgment (parable 46 Matthew 25:31-46), Jesus gave his disciples some practical direction about how-to live-in readiness for his return.
This parable of the talents (or bags of gold in some translations) illustrates the tragedy of wasted opportunity. The man who goes on the journey represents Christ, and the servants represent professing believers given different levels of responsibility. Faithfulness is what he demands of them, but this parable suggests that all who are faithful will be fruitful to some degree. The fruitless person is unmasked as a hypocrite and utterly destroyed.
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
This parable begins immediately with the word “again”. This is another parable teaching something about the kingdom of heaven. A man (representing Jesus) was about to set out on a journey (representing the time before Jesus’ return). While he was gone, he needed to be sure that his property was well cared for, so he called his servants and entrusted his possessions to them before leaving.
Every Christian is entrusted with some responsibility for the kingdom. Some will take this seriously and invest their lives wisely, and others will squander this responsibility. The part of the kingdom entrusted to each of us is precious to the Lord. He is hurt by the mishandling of a lifetime of opportunity; but he rejoices over a lifetime well spent. He has placed in our hands what is his own. This is a sobering thought, to be stewards of kingdom resources.
One unique element in this parable is the different property entrusted to each servant, five talents to one, two talents to the second, and one talent to the third, each according to his ability. The Lord knows us, and he knows the full potential of each person for serving the kingdom. He designed that potential into each of us when he created us. No one is entrusted with more than he can handle, but neither is he entrusted with less than he can handle.
The person entrusted with little will be required to do all he can with the little he has been given. All of us are to live up to our full potential, by God’s strength, with his wisdom, for his kingdom. This stewardship is comprehensive. It includes time, talents, spiritual gifts, energies, personality, experiences, attitudes, and material resources.
At verse 16 the phrase “at once” implied prompt obedience on the part of the first servant (as well as the second servant in verse 17). These two servants did not miss a single opportunity to bring their master a return on his investment. They put his money to work, meaning they invested for a profit. Each doubled the amount entrusted to him during his master’s absence. There was no doubt that the first two servants worked hard for the master.
Investing resources (e.g., money, energy, abilities) has always been a risky business. Even the wisest investor risks losing increases if something happens at the wrong time (e.g., a famine, a war). Implied in the two faithful servants’ actions here was a certain amount of risk. But it was obedient risk. They were expected to do what was prudent, what would normally turn a profit, based on their wisdom drawn from life experience.
Believers also are required to obey Jesus in all things, even when risk is involved, even when we do not see the end results. This is not the same as foolish extravagance or taking risks to test the Lord, without the likelihood of a return on the investment. It does not mean taking chances without thinking ahead. But it implies a life lived on the edge of faith. Such a consistently obedient, faith-filled life pleases the Lord and accomplishes his kingdom purposes.
In contrast, the third servant, who had received one talent, played it safe by burying his talent and waiting for his master’s return. His life failed to realize any impact or gain for his master. He demonstrated an appalling lack of understanding of his master. He clearly did not know him very well. Too many so-called “believers” fail to believe the Lord enough to obey him, revealing a lack of faith through passive spirituality and failure to step out in “risky” obedience.
In verse 19 the phrase “after a long time” was Jesus’ acknowledgment that there would be quite a time gap before his final coming. It also implied significant opportunity for kingdom gain by those he has entrusted with kingdom resources. Now it was time to settle their accounts, and the servants brought the master’s property to him.
Jesus used the threefold pattern of story-telling, which was so common in that age. The first two repetitions established a pattern, and the third became a contrasting departure from this pattern. The first two servants brought the original quantity he had given them, plus a 100 percent profit. Between the two of them, they had turned seven talents (or bags of gold) into fourteen. The master gave the identical response to each of the first two servants. Even though the second servant had earned only two talents, in contrast to the five of the first, each had lived up to 100 percent of his potential.
The master’s well done was the greatest reward a loyal servant could have hoped for. He called each of them a good and faithful servant. The two adjectives together describe a person who is reliable because of his loyalty and good character, as evidenced by the investment of his ability. In addition to verbal praise, the master rewarded each of the first two servants with even greater responsibility. They had been faithful with a few things, so he would entrust them with even more (many things). And finally, he invited them both to share your master’s happiness.
The point is clear. When the king returns, he will require an accounting from all of us. Those who have consistently invested their lives obediently and wisely, according to heaven’s priorities will have a return to offer the king. This return may include personal growth and maturity, souls brought into the kingdom, spiritual infants who have been raised to maturity, needs compassionately ministered to, wounds healed, conflicts reconciled, truth lovingly told. The investment we will have made for this return will be all we have been entrusted with in this life: our time, wealth, opportunities, relationships, natural talents and spiritual gifts, a mind and a conscience, as well as God’s Word, God’s Spirit, and God’s church.
The well done awaiting such a servant is the music of eternity, full reward for the person who has been truly loyal to the master. But much more awaits the good and faithful servant of the Messiah. The faithful servant will have even more privilege and responsibility as well as a share in the master’s happiness. By living their lives fully vested in kingdom interests and growth, they had gained an entrance into the kingdom.
Then in verse 24, the third servant came to answer to the master for the opportunity he had received. Presenting the master’s one talent to him, no more, no less, the servant explained that he kept the talent safe out of fear; fear of the master’s hardness, expecting return where he had made no investment. The servant feared the master’s wrath if he should lose the master’s talent, so he buried it safely to return what was his. He toiled to “keep his nose clean,” so to speak. This servant did not know the heart of his king. He did not contribute to the kingdom’s advancement.
The first two servants acted out of loving loyalty, but the third acted out of selfish fear. The first two were motivated by the hope of pleasing the master; the third by fear of displeasing him. The two motives sound the same, but the end result is quite different. A certain “fear of the Lord” is critical to holy, faithful living. But this is not paralyzing fear. Healthy fear is accompanied by a knowledge of the love of God, while paralyzing fear knows nothing of God’s love. This man wasted his investment and failed to advance the kingdom.
Beginning in verse 26, the master’s response to the third servant revealed that the servant’s motive was actually evil, disloyal, and unloving. You wicked, lazy servant stands in dramatic contrast to “good and faithful servant”, implying that the servant’s laziness was not because of a lack of ability or opportunity. The servant’s “safe” behavior and apparent desire not to displease the master were smokescreens for his self-serving and disobedient heart. In reality, he refused to take any risks or do any work. He did not spend himself in the kingdom’s interest. He was selfish, lazy, and arrogant.
The master used this servant’s own words against him. He explained that his demanding character should have challenged the servant all the more to invest the talent. This was obviously the master’s will, to gain some return. Even a small return from interest would show some degree of loyal obedience.
The master commanded that the third servant’s small amount of responsibility be taken from him and given to the first servant, who had shown great responsibility. Our God is a God of high standards, demanding much from his servants. But he never demands more than we can produce because we are empowered by his love, wisdom, and power.
This servant’s limited knowledge of his master, he knew only the man’s stern side but not his love, was his excuse to handle his master’s wealth irresponsibly. Many believers today know only a God of rules and wrath, so they float passively and attempt to excuse their sins of omission. God has given them ample opportunity to learn of his love, but their own undisciplined hearts make them blindly foolish, and they squander their lifetimes. They call themselves Christians, but they are biding their time, trying to “stay out of trouble,” awaiting glory in heaven. Perhaps Jesus sensed this behind the disciples’ question (Matthew 24:3).
In our lifestyle of comfort in Western culture, we are too easily lulled to sleep. We fail to live the life of obedient, faith-filled “risk,” and so we fail to bear kingdom fruit, displeasing our Master. Such action will come back to haunt us at the judgment seat of Christ.
In the last two verses, before proclaiming the evil servant’s recompense, Jesus put into the master’s mouth the central point of the parable. Everyone who has implies faithfulness with what has been entrusted to them. This will be rewarded with even greater trust, privileged responsibility and reward, from God. Such faithful servants will have an abundance. Every need and desire will be met, and more.
But whoever does not have implies self-centered unfaithfulness with what was entrusted. This will be recompensed with the removal of all that has been entrusted to him, since he had proven untrustworthy. It is clear that this servant will not share in the rewards of the king. He had squandered his lifetime of opportunity.