Parable of the Talents

25:14-30 Parable of the Talents

This is somewhat embarrassing. In my first post, Jesus teaches on the end of the world I provided an outline of Matthew 24-25. But as I progressed, I noticed the timing wasn’t working out, it was going to take longer than planned. I went back to my outline and saw my mistake, I had forgotten to include the parable of the talents!! Oh well, at least I caught it before I was finished.

Which brings us to the parable of the talents. This is similar to the other stories he told, only a good bit longer and more detailed. I don’t mind telling you, this is a difficult passage. I’m thinking the best approach is to look at it as a whole and not get caught up in details. If there is a detail to notice it would be v 19, After a long time the lord of those servants cometh. I think the significance would be similar to v 5, Then, while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. Of this Chrysostom said, “He shows that the time intervening will not be short, leading His disciples away from the expectation that His kingdom was quite immediately to appear. For this indeed they hoped, therefore He is continually holding them back from this hope.”

Here’s a summary of this parable:

A man traveling into a far country divides his goods among his servants. When he comes back he receives an accounting from them of how they did with his goods and rewards them accordingly. So what does this mean? Because I kept getting caught up in the details and hung up on money I wanted to present the thoughts of two brothers widely separated in time: Chrysostom (AD 349-407), Archbishop of Constantinople and Chuck Smith (1927-2013), founder of Calvary Chapel.

Chrysostom, in his homilies on Matthew, said, “Let us hearken then to these words. As we have opportunity, let us labor to add to our talent. For if we be backward, and spend our time in sloth here, no one will pity us any more hereafter, though we should wail ten thousand times. He also that had the one talent restored that which was committed to his charge, and yet was condemned.

Knowing then these things, let us contribute alike wealth, and diligence, and protection, and all things for our neighbor's advantage. For the talents here are each person's ability, whether in the way of protection, or in money, or in teaching, or in whatever thing of the kind. Let no man say, I have but one talent, and can do nothing; for you can even by one approve yourself. For you are not poorer than that widow; you are not more uninstructed than Peter and John, who were both unlearned and ignorant men. For nothing is so pleasing to God, as to live for the common advantage.

For this end God gave us speech, and hands, and feet, and strength of body, and mind, and understanding, that we might use all these things for our neighbor's advantage. For not for hymns only and thanksgivings is our speech serviceable to us, but it is profitable also for instruction and admonition. And if indeed we used it to this end, we should be imitating our Master; but if for the opposite ends, the devil.

Such things then let us speak, that of themselves they may be evidently the words of Christ. For not only if I should say, Arise, and walk; or if I should say, Tabitha, arise, do I speak Christ's words, but much more if being reviled I bless, if being despitefully used I pray for him that does despite to me. Our tongue is a tongue imitating the tongue of Christ if we speak those things which He wills. But what are the things which He wills us to speak? Words full of gentleness and meekness, even as also He Himself used to speak. If you also speak in this way; if you speak for your neighbor's amendment, you will obtain a tongue like that tongue. When therefore your tongue is as Christ's tongue, and your mouth has become the mouth of the Father, and you are a temple of the Holy Spirit, then what kind of honor could be equal to this? For what is more lovely than a mouth that knows not how to insult, but is used to bless and give good words?”


Chuck Smith, in his teaching through Matthew said, “Here obviously the Lord is telling us that He is wanting us to be productive with His things. Whatever God has entrusted into our care or keeping, God expects us to use it and to be productive with it. Not to bury, or to hide, not to try to just to preserve, but the Lord wants us to increase that which He has entrusted into our keeping. Now it is interesting to me that the amount that he gave to each one was according to that person's abilities. But the person who had the two was rewarded just as that one who had the five, in that in their doubling of what was given to them, they were each commended of the Lord as good and faithful servants, and were given their place into the kingdom.

This parable would seem to indicate that our position in the kingdom of God, when Jesus comes to establish that kingdom upon the earth, will be relative to the faithfulness now to the things of God that God has entrusted into our care. If God has placed things in my keeping then I am responsible to be using those things to increase the kingdom of God. And if I am faithful now in those things that God has entrusted to me, then according to that faithfulness will be my position in the coming kingdom. In one of the gospels it says He said to him, "be thou ruler over ten cities, enter into the joy of thy lord"(Luke 10:17).

Now God has entrusted to each one of His servants something. And to each one that was entrusted by God with whatever it was, it was his responsibility to use it, to bring an increase unto the Lord. It should cause each of us to seriously examine our own lives, and seek first of all to understand what is it that God has entrusted to me of His kingdom, of His kingdom's goods. And then what am I doing with what God has entrusted to me? Am I a faithful servant, or am I slothful in spiritual things, in the things of the kingdom? Do I have a very slothful attitude, just seeking to hang onto the status quo, rather than really seeking to use those things of God to their best advantage?”


Though they say it differently I think they are essentially saying the same thing: As you wait for the return of Christ, faithfully use what God has given you to serve Him and minister to others.

And then there are these words to the faithful servants, 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. It would be wonderful to hear this on that Day!

On the other hand, there is the servant who lost his talent. "What then is this? He that has a gift of word and teaching to profit thereby, and uses it not, will lose the gift also; but he that gives diligence, will gain to himself the gift in more abundance; even as the other loses what he had received.” (Chrysostom)

Could it be Jesus is reinforcing what he said in the story of the two servants, Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. Amen. Let us strive to hear, Well done, good and faithful servant” in that Great Day!

Next: 25:31-46 The Son of man comes in glory


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.
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.
16  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.
18  But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
19  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.
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.
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.
24  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.
26   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.
28  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.