Christian Universe ™
Home | Christian Resources | Christian Links | Links | Site Map
Parable Of The Talents
December 06, 2015
Jesus gave several parables that help us to understand how we believers are to proceed in life. The parable of the talents shows us several important guidelines. For one, we are not to judge ourselves by the abilities of others, nor are we to judge others by what we can accomplish. We are all different, with different functions and abilities in the body of Christ. Some do much, some do less. However, another important lesson is that we try our best in the service of the Lord. We are not to be slackers, but hard workers. - Bernie Parsons
Parable of the Talents
by Bernie Parsons
Presented to Globe church of Christ on 12-06-2015
Presented to Load church of Christ on 12-13-2015
Jesus knew that we are not cookie-cutter Christians. Not every person
has the same abilities. Nor is every person able to be a perfect match
to other Christians. We are not meant to be. That is why that the
apostle Paul explained that we are like the different organs that make
up a body – the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:14 "For
the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the
body; is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the
body; is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole
were hearing, where were the smelling?
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it
hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor
again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more
feeble, are necessary:
23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable,
upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have
more abundant comeliness.
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body
together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members
should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one
member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it."
We need to recognize, as did Jesus, that we all have different work to
do. In the parable of the talents, a talent indicated a large sum of
money. Scholars disagree on the exact weight or value of the talent, but
all agree that it represents a large amount.
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.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the
same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid
his lord's money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth
with them.
20 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.
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.
22 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.
23 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.
24 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:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there
thou hast that is thine.
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."
We see from the above that we do not all have the ability to return the
same kind of a profit on our activities. The point of the parable is not
how much we earn in profit, but whether or not we earn all that we can.
Neither is Jesus talking about money, but about spiritual profit.
I find it no coincidence that Matthew continues his writing thusly:
Matthew 25:31 "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the
holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate
them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the
left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed
of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation
of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave
me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in
prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee
an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed
thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren,
ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye
cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye
gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me
not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an
hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and
did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as
ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the
righteous into life eternal."
It all goes back to the two greatest commandments: If we love God will
all of our capacity, then we will heed His instructions, teachings and
commandments; and, if we love our neighbors as we love ourselves, we
will render good unto them. That is the fruit of the spirit, the
increase resulting from our spiritual efforts.
Those who do not listen, or fail to follow orders, will go away into
everlasting punishment. Those who do good deeds to others will have life
eternal, for they are the righteous.
