Matthew 25:14-30Page 839 in Pew Bibles

14. “For it is just like a man going on a journey. He called his own slaves and turned over his possessions to them.

15. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; and to another, one—to each according to his own ability. Then he went on a journey. Immediately

16. the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more.

17. In the same way the man with two earned two more.

18. But the man who had received 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 slaves came and settled accounts with them.

20. The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. Look, I’ve earned five more talents.’

21. His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’

22. Then the man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. Look, I’ve earned two more talents.’

23. His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’

24. Then the man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a difficult man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed.

25. So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.’

26. But his master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy slave! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered,

27. then you should have deposited my money with the bankers. And when I returned I would have received my money back with interest.

28. ‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has 10 talents.

29. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

30. And throw this good-for-nothing slave into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Parable of Talents

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Not What is Meant by Talents

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Talents = Money

• The “talent” was the highest known denomination of currency in the ancient Roman Empire

• One talent = 60 danarii• One denarius = minimum daily wage• At today’s minimum wage of $7.25 per

hour and an 8 hour day (X 60): $3,494.40

• This parable is the origin of the sense of the word "talent" meaning "gift or skill" as used in English and other languages. >

What Do The Talents Represent?

• A talent is anything God entrusts to you.

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We Possess, God Owns

• Vs. 14 “For it is just like a man going on a journey. He called his own slaves and turned over his possessions to them.”

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Managing Something That Belongs to Someone Else

• I Corinthians 4:1-2 “A person should consider us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of God’s mysteries. In this regard, it is expected of managers that each one be found faithful.”

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Not Equal Ability, Equal Responsibility

• Vs. 15 “To one he gave five talents; to another, two; and to another, one—to each according to his own ability.”

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Person 1

• Vs. 15-16 “…Immediately the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more.”

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Person 2

• Vs. 17 “In the same way the man with two earned two more.”

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Person 3

• Vs. 18 “But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.”

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J. C. Ryle

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To hide our talent is to neglect opportunities of glorifying God, when we have them. The Bible-despiser, the prayer-neglecter, and the Sabbath-breaker—the unbelieving, the sensual, and the earthly-minded—the trifler, the thoughtless, and the pleasure-seeker—the money-lover, the covetous, and the self-indulgent—all, all are alike burying their Lord’s money in the ground.

Delayed, But Certain

• Vs. 19 “After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.”

• II Peter 3:3-4, 9 “…scoffers will come… saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’ …The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.”

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We Don’t Grade Ourselves; He Grades Us• Vs. 20-21 “The man who had

received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. Look, I’ve earned five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’”

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Use It Well, Get More

• Vs. 20-21 “The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. Look, I’ve earned five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’”

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Use It Well, Get Joy!

• Vs. 20-21 “The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. Look, I’ve earned five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’”

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Smaller Cup,But Just as Full

• Vs. 22-23 “Then the man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. Look, I’ve earned two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’

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Misrepresenting God

• Vs. 24-25 “Then the man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a difficult man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.’”

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Too Fearful to Take Risk = Too Fearful to Obey

• Vs. 24-25 “Then the man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a difficult man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.’”

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The Seriousness ofSins of Omission

• Vs. 26-27 “But his master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy slave! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, then you should have deposited my money with the bankers. And when I returned I would have received my money back with interest.”

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Faithful Service Begets Greater Opportunity

• Vs. 28-29 “‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has 10 talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough.”

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No Armored Trucks in Funeral Processions

• Vs. 29-30 “…But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him….”

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Lost

• Vs. 29-30 “…And throw this good-for-nothing slave into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

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