by Ron Wahlquist
Matthew 25:14-30, tells us the parable of the Talents. This story is similar to the parable of the Faithful Steward in the previous chapter in Matthew.
We need to be faithful and watchful, but particularly, here, we are taught to be stewards who handle wisely the things that have been committed unto us.
"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. 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." (Matt. 25:14,15)
Jesus has traveled to a far country - he is now seated on the right hand of God the Father. Jesus has called US, as His servants, and He has delivered His goods unto us. And He has not distributed these goods to us equally (fairly), but He has delivered them to us according to our ability. These goods represent responsibilities and abilities that the LORD has given unto us. And whatever we have been given, we need to manage and multiply.
"Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money." (Matt. 25:16-18)
So, how did these people manage what they had been given by their master? The first two actually doubled the resources of their master, but the third just tried to protect what he was given.
The word "went" here seems to convey that they started immediately - their minds (good and bad) were already made up.
What do you do with the abilities and resources that the LORD has committed unto you? Do you try to manage and expand the reach of the Word of God? Or do you try to protect it, guarding it for your own use, thinking that it will always be there when you need it, right where you hid it (so that no one else could find it)?
The steward knew that the talents were not for his own use, but that he would have to one day give an account for how he handled his master's money. Do you realize the same - that one day you will have to give an account of how you handled the responsibilities and resources that God has entrusted to you?
"After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 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. 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. 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. 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." (Matt. 25:19-23)
Both of these stewards were rewarded equally. One of the previous parables emphasized that "equal gifts, if used with unequal diligence, may be unequally rewarded." This parable shows "that unequal gifts, if used with equal faithfulness, will be equally rewarded."
This parable also emphasizes the need for faithful service during the absence of the master.
"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: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine." (Matt. 25:24,25)
Here, the servant accuses the master of being harsh and cruel, which may have been a totally false view. We learn here that he feared his master, and that he was afraid of the possibility of losing the entrusted talent.
By the judgment received, though, we should learn that: It is better to try to increase the entrusted amount than to decide to not try. There is a healthy level of risk-taking that is good. We must be willing to venture out, in an attempt to fulfill our responsibilities.
"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: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury." (Matt. 25:26,27)
We see here that the steward could have at least gathered interest on the master's money (without any risk). Note that gathering interest from Israelites was forbidden in the Old Testament (Deut. 23:19-20), but it was allowed from Gentiles.
This very likely was the entire job of the stewards for their master. So losing the talent was like being fired from your job. You lose the income, and then you have a hard time finding another, because of the reputation you now have with the previous employer.
"Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 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." (Matt. 25:28,29)
This will be true in all areas of life.
Those who are diligent and careful will prosper and do well. And those who are careless and sloppy in their work will do poorly.
As each one of you young people grows up, you need to understand that fooling your parents won't benefit you at all. You are going to have to perform, and if you don't learn the things you need to learn now, you will be stuck later when those skills are needed.
I remember coming to that realization one day in the public school system. I realized that I could just "get by", but that in the next year or two, I would be expected to know the things that I was being taught, and not knowing them would put me behind everyone else, and then it would be a serious problem. Fortunately, I realized this very early, and school remained a pleasant experience. It was when I realized that the schooling was for my true benefit that I was able to make full advantage of it.
Proverbs 22:29 applies here:
"Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men."
"And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matt. 25:30)
How much has Jesus committed to your stewardship? It really doesn't matter how much has been committed unto you. What matters is how you handle what you have (what has been committed unto you).
And what has Jesus committed to your stewardship? This is not just about money, but about abilities and resources and the knowledge of His will and His ways.
Mind the little things. Nothing is too small. Be faithful in what has been committed unto you.
This also has to do with being about the wrong business. The bad steward may have been talented, and he may have been diligent, but he did not feel compelled to invest in the master's plan to increase what was committed unto him.
The real problem here was that the steward, not pleased with how his master did business, decided to do business his own way, and he did not at least gather interest on his master's resources.
That is one reason why a person with ability might not prosper. Jesus did not commend this steward for refusing to make money in this manner which seemed offensive. Instead, the steward was condemned in the account, for having not done something profitable for his master.
"Christ keeps no servants to be idle: they have received their all from him, and have nothing they can call their own but sin." -Matthew Henry's Commentary
"If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?" (Luke 16:11-12)
The general idea of the parable is, that Jesus was not then about to establish his kingdom, as they had supposed. He was going to leave the world for a time, to reappear again, at a future day, fully invested with power. In the mean time, he was to leave in the hands of his friends and followers the revelations of divine truth which he had made, as a private trust, for the faithful exercise of which they would be called to a strict account, when he should come again in power.
May we each be faithful stewards with what God has entrusted us!
