Daily Bread 2010 - Matthew 25
Matthew 25
The Parable of the Talents
14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent 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. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. 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 the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; 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 the one talent 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. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent 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? 27Well 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" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
So often we hear the phrase, “So is so is such a talented person”. Or, “They’ve got a lot of talent.” Many don’t realize that this phrase comes from this biblical phrase “talent”, which represents quite a large amount of money. Some would say it is worth 1,000 denarii, which would be about 3 years worth of wages. So it clear that the amount the master has entrusted to each servant is substantial. The English meaning for “talent” has evolved more into meaning someone’s skill or ability.
Each servant was given or entrusted with a different amount before the master left on his journey. When he came back the one who had been given five talents and the one who had been given two talents, had put the money to work and doubled the master’s investment. The third servant, however, who only had one, fearing losing the money, hid it in the ground. Thinking he would gain the master’s pleasure, he took the safe route.
Much to his chagrin, when the master came home he rewarded both of the servants who had doubled their money and scolded the one who hid their talent in the ground saying, “You could have at least made some interest at the bank”. (I guess CD’s were a pretty safe investment then too!)
So what is the moral of the story? It is not so much how much you have been given by God that is important, as what you do with it. Secondly, we will be accountable with the gifts/resources He has given to us some day. Finally, God expects us to put whatever He has given us to use. We are not to just bury our talents in fear, thinking this will somehow be a faithful way to use what we have been given!
If Jesus were to return today, which servant would you most represent and why?
Prayer: God thank you for entrusting us with gifts and talents that will help us bring Your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Regardless of how much talent we have been given may we put it to work for you so we can hear the words when you return, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” Amen.
The Parable of the Talents
14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent 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. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. 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 the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; 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 the one talent 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. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent 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? 27Well 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" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
So often we hear the phrase, “So is so is such a talented person”. Or, “They’ve got a lot of talent.” Many don’t realize that this phrase comes from this biblical phrase “talent”, which represents quite a large amount of money. Some would say it is worth 1,000 denarii, which would be about 3 years worth of wages. So it clear that the amount the master has entrusted to each servant is substantial. The English meaning for “talent” has evolved more into meaning someone’s skill or ability.
Each servant was given or entrusted with a different amount before the master left on his journey. When he came back the one who had been given five talents and the one who had been given two talents, had put the money to work and doubled the master’s investment. The third servant, however, who only had one, fearing losing the money, hid it in the ground. Thinking he would gain the master’s pleasure, he took the safe route.
Much to his chagrin, when the master came home he rewarded both of the servants who had doubled their money and scolded the one who hid their talent in the ground saying, “You could have at least made some interest at the bank”. (I guess CD’s were a pretty safe investment then too!)
So what is the moral of the story? It is not so much how much you have been given by God that is important, as what you do with it. Secondly, we will be accountable with the gifts/resources He has given to us some day. Finally, God expects us to put whatever He has given us to use. We are not to just bury our talents in fear, thinking this will somehow be a faithful way to use what we have been given!
If Jesus were to return today, which servant would you most represent and why?
Prayer: God thank you for entrusting us with gifts and talents that will help us bring Your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Regardless of how much talent we have been given may we put it to work for you so we can hear the words when you return, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” Amen.
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