They have no riches, no great mental powers, no musical ability and no recognizable advantages in life. They incorrectly conclude, these two parables about talents do not apply to them. ‘These parables apply to talented people,’ they say, ‘since I do not have any talents, they do not apply to me.’ This is a serious misunderstanding, because the fact is, these parables apply to all believers. Every servant, in these two parables, was given at least ONE talent. With that vital fact in mind, let us look at the first parable.
| Matthew 25: |
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. |
This Scripture is fairly well understood. The traveler is Yeshua the Messiah. The servants are his professed followers. Take note of the word, goods. In other words, the talents throughout this parable are not inherent abilities such as: intelligence, wealth, good appearance or skills. To be sure in normal conversation, one may refer to these as talents, but in these parables, human ability is not what is meant. The talents mentioned here, are the Savior's most valuable possessions called “his goods,” which he entrusts to his servants. What, you may well ask, are the Master’s goods? We list a few:
Through the inspired writings of the Prophets and Apostles, the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel has entrusted us with His Word, the Holy Bible. It is a possession of inestimable worth.
Yahweh's commandments were given through the patriarch Moses.
This is undoubtedly one of the Almighty's prize possessions.
Apostleship, prophecy, healing, helps, tongues, etc.
The privilege and priceless right, to call upon Him at any time and in any place.
The opportunity to testify to others about the saving power of the Almighty and His only begotten Son Yeshua.
These are the talents in this parable. These are the valuable goods, which were delivered by the Master to his servants. To be sure, some servants have more goods than others, more knowledge of His Word and His law, more spiritual gifts, more opportunities to testify etc., but the point to remember is, every servant has at least ONE of the mentioned talents and possibly several more. Check yourself against the list.
| Matthew 25: | 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. |
In other words, there are two separate entities being described in these parables:
His word, His law, the Everlasting Gospel, spiritual gifts, the right to pray and testify etc.
This is the God-given aptitude each servant possesses, in order to make use of the talents (goods) mentioned earlier.
A servant's inherent abilities, whatever they may be, much or little, must not be confused with the Master's goods. They are two separate things. The goods belong to the Master, the inherent ability belongs to His follower. This is an important point. Remember it.
| Luke 19: |
12: He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to
receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 13: And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. 14: But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. 15: And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. 16: Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. 17: And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. 18: And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. 19: And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. 20: And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: 21: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. 22: And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: 23: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? 24: And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. 25: (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) 26: For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. |
In this parable, each servant received exactly the same amount - ONE pound.
These things are called the Master’s goods. Believers usually call them talents. It matters little, so long as we realize, they belong to the Master, not to us.
Every servant has been given at least ONE talent; ONE pound! So, dispel from your mind, any notion about being untalented. It’s just not true. All believers are talented.
There is coming a day of reckoning. Every servant will need to give an account of what he/she has done with the Master's goods (“that he might know how much every man had gained”). There will be exceedingly generous rewards for the diligent. Far in excess of anything any believer can remotely imagine.
He had received, we are told, according to his ability. Maybe he thought, he deserved better. He was wrong.
His words were: “I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed.” He was wrong.
Perhaps he reckoned, he was being honest. He was wrong. He had mistaken his hurt pride and wickedness for honesty. Oh, what a series of tragic mistakes this servant made.
The Good Servant
| Matthew 25: |
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.
|
| Luke 19: |
16: Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten
pounds. 17: And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. 18: And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. 19: And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. |
The Wicked Servant
It is quite impossible to imagine the grief of believers who are represented by this last servant. It will be tragic to say the least.
| Matthew 25: |
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. |
| 2 Timothy 4: |
6: For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at
hand. 7: I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. |
May God grant that all believers, who read this message, echo Paul's words and hear the Master say:
