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The Setting of the Parable
The Parable of the Talents is a well known parable.
While it is used frequently on its own, it is a part of a lengthier sermon.
This particular parable occurs towards the end of a sermon often called “The Olivet Discourse” which is recorded in .
This “discourse” was a lesson given by Jesus in response to a question from the disciples.
Jesus responded to the disciples’ question, but He does so in two parts, for their question really had two answers.
Jesus first speaks about the destruction of Jerusalem.
This is the subject matter of .
In , Jesus shifts and begins speaking about a completely separate event—the last day, or the end of the world.
Jesus’ words make it clear that these are two separate and unrelated events.
While there were signs which would warn the faithful of the pending doom of Jerusalem, there will be no signs concerning the end of the world and Jesus’ return.
The Lord says;
Since there will be no signs concerning the Lord’s return, Jesus spends the rest of the discourse teaching about the imperative need to always be prepared for the Master’s return.
He does this through the use of several parables.
First, he refers to His return as the coming of a thief in .
The point is not that the Lord is a thief, but that His coming will be completely unexpected.
There will be no way to know when it will happen.
Next, Jesus tells the parable of the unfaithful servant ().
This servant begins acting wickedly, thinking he has plenty of time to get things in order before the master returns.
The master returns sooner than expected, however, and the servant is caught unprepared.
The next parable is that of the wise and foolish virgins ().
This parable depicts an entirely different problem.
In this parable, the Lord, portrayed by the bridegroom, comes later than expected.
Some of those waiting weren’t prepared for a longer wait, and thus they end up unprepared.
The point is this: we don’t know when Jesus will return.
He could come sooner than we expect, or it may take longer than we expect.
We could die suddenly in the near future, or have decades before us.
Either way, we must be prepared, and we must always be faithful.
That is the point of the next parable—the parable of the talents.
The Situation: Verses 14-15
This Parable pictures a master and servants once again.
The master must depart for a time, but instead of letting his possession merely lie dormant, he entrusts them to his servants.
The first thing to recognize is that the talents belong to the master.
The servants are not owners of the money, they are merely stewards.
They are entrusted with great wealth, yet they are still stewards.
All that we have and all we are given is given by God.
Our very life is God’s gift, and for the purpose of God’s glory.
Let us remember that in every realm of life we are simply stewards, caring for that which God has entrusted to us.
All that we have and all we are given is given by God.
Our very life is God’s gift, and for the purpose of God’s glory.
Let us remember that in every realm of life we are simply stewards, caring for that which God has entrusted to us.
The master divides his talents out as he sees fit.
One man is given 5; another 2; and another 1.
This is not unfair—the talents belong to the master and he distributes as he sees fit.
Applying this point, we recognize that everyone possesses different “talents.”
We all vary in our abilities, strengths, and opportunities.
The important thing is not the amount we are given, but how we use what we are given.
Paul exhorts:
We must each use the ability and opportunity we have.
As we use what we have, we will surely grow.
The 2 talent man became a 4 talent man through work and effort.
Likewise, we can increase our ability to serve the Lord, but only when we begin with what we have now.
Further, while 1 talent may seem slim compared to 5 talents, it’s worth recalling that even 1 talent was a great sum.
One talent was roughly equivalent to 20 years of labor for a typical laborer.
So even the 1 talent man was entrusted with a great amount!
Even the smallest of God’s gifts and blessings can be mighty and powerful when used in service to Him!
The question for us, is, “Am I using the gifts God has given me?” Do I use what ability and opportunity I have to serve God?
The Servants: Verses 16-18
The servant entrusted with 5 talents wasted no time.
While his master would be gone for “a long time” he immediately began working with the treasure entrusted to him.
Likewise, we should not delay in our own service to the Lord.
There is no wisdom or benefit in waiting for a better time to work for the Lord.
We should obey Him now; serve Him now; labor in His kingdom now.
If we don’t, we may be like the unfaithful servant in the previous parable that is found unprepared—fully intending to work for the Master, just at a later time.
Also, the faithful servants worked.
Jesus doesn’t expound on the details of their trading, but they used what the master gave them and went to work.
There is a work to do in the Lord’s kingdom.
The servant entrusted with 1 talent did not labor.
Instead, he dug a hole and hid the talent.
At this point in the parable we aren’t told the motivation, but the master’s words later indicate it was laziness.
Perhaps a portion was fear, but by and large the servant was slothful.
What else he used his time for we aren’t told.
We may think, “at least he didn’t steal or squander the talent.”
But the Master hadn’t entrusted the talent to him for safekeeping.
If that was the master’s goal, he could have simply taken the talent with him.
His desire was for the servants to put the talents to work.
The gifts of the gospel and salvation are not treasures meant to be hidden!
This parable should clearly show us that Christ is not pleased with Christians who do nothing but sit and observe.
What we do and how we do it may vary greatly, but we should be working.
If our Christianity is a passive thing that never requires work or action, we are like the wicked servant in this parable.
What else is worth our greatest attention and effort?
If we are not growing in Christ and working for Christ, we are squandering the greatest thing in our lives.
How pathetic we are if we bury the Lord’s talent, only to spend our time and energies on our own desires and goals.
How dare we neglect the work of the Lord so that we can work for other men and ourselves?
Perhaps we think that as long as we don’t “fall away from the church” we’ll be ok.
Sure we aren’t growing and producing fruit for the Lord, nor are we even trying to, but at least we’re here right?
We still show up right?
At least we haven’t lost what the Master gave us.
Just wait until we see the result of such an attitude and such behavior.
The Settling of Accounts: Verses 19-23
After a long time, the master returns.
When he does, he calls his servants whom he’d entrusted with a portion of his wealth in order to settle accounts with them.
One day, every person will stand before Jesus in order to “settle accounts.”
All will be required to give an account for how they lived their lives and used the Lord’s blessings.
The settling of accounts for the first two servants is identical.
Notice how they both, despite their great profits, recognize that the talents are the Master’s.
They would have had no ability to make 5 or 2 more talents had the master not entrusted the talents to them in the first place.
Their productivity was only possible because of the master’s generosity and trust.
Likewise, while we should work and labor for the Lord, we should never be boastful or arrogant of our work or accomplishments.
All we accomplish is done so by the grace of God, and all our strength and ability is only because God has granted it.
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