Whatever we receive to be made use of for Christ, still the property is vested in him; we are but tenants upon his land, stewards of his manifold grace, 1 Pet 4 10. (1.) So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. Did you visit me? Christ's appearing to judge the world will be splendid and glorious. His apology for himself, v. 24, 25. Note, (1.) Now he that hath these things, and useth them for these ends, he shall have abundance; perhaps abundance of the things themselves, at least, abundance of comfort in them, and of better things; but from him that hath not, that is, that hath these things as if he had them not, had not power to eat of them, or to do good with (Avaro deest, tam quod habet, quam quod non habetThe miser may be considered as destitute of what he has, as well as of what he has not), they shall be taken away. Lets celebrate together!, 24Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didnt plant and gathering crops you didnt cultivate. [20] While the narrator worries over his limited accomplishments, Patience reminds him that God does not need "man's work". If they must depart, and depart from Christ, might they not be dismissed with a blessing, with one kind and compassionate word at least? The just shall live by his faith. The first two servants went to . 2. Thy glorious warfare's past; Study the Bible for as low as $3.33/mo. (2.) I was naked, and you gave me clothing. Sometimes people get themselves into trouble by attaching too much significance to every aspect of the story. It was at midnight that the first-born of Egypt were destroyed, and Israel delivered, Exod 12 29. Then he went on his journey. The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more., The master said, Well done, my good and faithful servant. It is the omission of works of charity to the poor. Answer (1 of 6): When the season for the fruit came near, he sent his servants to the farmers to receive his fruit. And it is observable that he who had but two talents, gave up his account as cheerfully as he who had five; for our comfort, in the day of account, will be according to our faithfulness, not according to our usefulness; our sincerity, not our success; according to the uprightness of our hearts, not according to the degree of our opportunities. Jesus' Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). If Christ himself were among us in poverty, how readily would we relieve him? A steward lives for the day he will return the Masters goods to Him. See here the nature of Christianity. 14(A)For (B)it will be like a man (C)going on a journey, who called his servants[a] and entrusted to them his property. If his candle be not put out before him, it is put out with him, Job 18 5, 6. 17The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. For he causes the sun to shine, and his rain to fall, upon the evil and unthankful, and fills their hearts with food and gladness who say to the Almighty, Depart from us. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.. Now, in prosecution of these serious awakening cautions, in this chapter we have three parables, the scope of which is the sameto quicken us all with the utmost care and diligence to get ready for Christ's second coming, which, in all his farewells to his church, mention was made of, as in that before he died (John 14 2), in that at his ascension (Acts 1 11), and in that at the shutting up of the canon of the scriptures, Rev 22 20. He shall come not only in the glory of his Father, but in his own glory, as mediator: his first coming was under a black cloud of obscurity; his second will be in a bright cloud of glory. With the "Parable of the Talents", Merton metaphorically described the system of authorial rewards used, among the community of scientists, whereby famous scientists usually are awarded credit that is disproportionately greater than their contributions, while less-famous scientists are awarded lesser credit than is merited by their contributions; see also Stigler's law of eponymy: "No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer. Proud member with access to 50+ premium resources - over $2,500 in value! Now here is. We will eventually answer for how we invest them. He gave to some more, to others less; to one five talents, to another two, to another one; to every one according to his several ability. Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didnt plant and gathering crops you didnt cultivate. It is a kingdom; which is reckoned the most valuable possession on earth, and includes the greatest wealth and honour. Parable of the Three Servants 14 "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. 24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a 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. The sentence is solemnly bound on with, Verily I say unto you, which amounts to no less than swearing in his wrath, that they shall never enter into his rest. Those are fit for heaven that are mortified to the earth. Those that inferred the suddenness of it from its certainty, when that answered not their expectation, were apt from the delay to infer its uncertainty. God does not demand brick, and deny straw; no, whatever is required in the covenant, is promised in the covenant; so that if we perish, it is owing to ourselves. Extract from the reading: There was once a rich man who decided to tour the world. But the master replied, You wicked and lazy servant! Note, The stewards of the manifold grace of God must shortly give account of their stewardship. If into fire, may it not be some light or gentle fire? But this time, for some reason, the slave decided not to participate in the oppressive economic system that had supported him all these years. Now, [1.] Secondly, The tenure by which they shall hold and possess it is very good, they shall come and inherit it. This bespeaks, [1.] The Apostle Paul understood the freedom we can experience through the grace of God when he recounted the words, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christs power may rest on me. (II Corinthians 12: 9), In these parables of the second coming each story contains a depth of teaching regarding how we can prepare for his return in the everyday choices we make now. He comes to the account with a deal of assurance, relying on the plea he had to put in, that he was able to say, "Lo, there thou hast that is thine; if I have not made it more, as the others have done, yet this I can say, I have not made it less." New Living Translation "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. "[28], The "Parable of the Talents" has been depicted by artists such as Rembrandt, Jan Luyken, and Matthus Merian. What does this parable teach us about living our lives today as we await his coming? 20And 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 first coming was not with any observation at all, nor did they say, Lo, here is Christ, or Lo, he is there; he was in the world, and the world knew him not; but his second coming will be with the observation of all the world; Every eye shall see him. We must give proof of this love by our readiness to do good, and to communicate; good wishes are but mockeries without good works, Jam 2 15, 16; 1 John 3 17. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. The good works of the saints, when they are produced in the great day, (1.) He that was the Shepherd (which bespeaks the care and tenderness wherewith he will make this disquisition), is here the King, which bespeaks the authority wherewith he will then pronounce the sentence: where the word of this King is, there is power. We cannot hence infer that any good words of ours merit the happiness of heaven, by any intrinsic worth or excellency in them: our goodness extends not unto God; but it is plain that Jesus Christ will judge the world by the same rule by which he governs it, and therefore will reward those that have been obedient to that law; and mention will be made of their obedience, not as their title, but as their evidence of an interest in Christ, and his purchase. Matthew, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB The farmers took his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned another. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. They were successful; they doubled their stock, and in a little time made cent. If a drop of water be denied to cool the tongue, buckets of water will never be granted to quench this flame. He hid his lord's money; had it been his own, he might have done as he pleased; but, whatever abilities and advantages we have, they are not our own, we are but stewards of them, and must give account to our Lord, whose goods they are. Even here we can learn something about how to prepare for Christs return. Those that allow themselves in slumbering, will scarcely keep themselves from sleeping; therefore dread the beginning of spiritual decays; Venienti occurrite morboAttend to the first symptoms of disease. See Eph 6 5-7. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He that knows the integrity of his servants now, will witness to it in the great day; and they that are found faithful, shall be called so. who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. The different management and improvement of this trust, which we have an account of, v. 16-18. They cut it short, as men in haste; when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or naked? What Does the Parable of the Talents Mean? - Biblical Archaeology Society Christ, as to us, seems to tarry, and yet really does not, Hab 2 3. (2.) The real misery of their state on the other side death, and in the judgment; how far their fair, but false, profession of religion will be from availing them any thing in the great day; see what comes of it. 1, brings in Socrates thus speaking, Du sunt vi, duplicesque cursus corpore exeuntium: nam qui se vitiis humanis contaminarunt, et libidinibus se tradiderunt, iis devium quoddam iter est, seclusum consilio deorum; qui autem se integros castosque servarunt, quibusque fuerit minima cum corporibus contagio, suntque in corporibus humanis vitam imitati deorum, iis ad illos a quibus sunt profecti facile patet reditusTwo paths open before those who depart out of the body. Now this reason of the sentence is. BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. No matter how much or how little, they are all gifts from God. Maybe that third slave has fed farmers who were hungry and provided clothes for those who needed them and visited them when they were sick. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. or naked, and clothed thee? It bespeaks him resolved, and them silenced by it. II. And here we have. Though, in judging of ourselves, we ought to remember that the gate is strait, and few find it; yet, in judging of others, we ought to remember that the Captain of our salvation brings many sons to glory. If you knew I harvested crops I didnt plant and gathered crops I didnt cultivate, 27why didnt you deposit my money in the bank? And this is good news for our earthly life. The distress which the foolish virgins were in, for want of oil, v. 8, 9. The life of the soul results from its union with God by the mediation of Jesus Christ, as that of the body from its union with the soul by the animal spirits. It is a kingdom prepared: the happiness must needs be great, for it is the product of the divine counsels. The foolish virgins came when it was too late (v. 11); Afterward came also the other virgins. Lets celebrate together! I. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. [5] The objective of investing or trading during the absence of the master was intended to counter expectations of the immediate appearance of God's kingdom. He speaks as if that were no great fault; nay, as if he deserved praise for his prudence in putting it in a safe place, and running no hazards with it. Do we see Christ as a hard man with unfair and unrealistic expectations of us? 7 Things the Bible Says You Can Know for Sure, 15 Amazing Attributes of God: What They Mean and Why They Matter. If they must depart, and depart with a curse, may they not go into some place of ease and rest? Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. Give us of your oil; that is, "Speak a good word for us;" so some; but there is no occasion for vouchers in the great day, the Judge knows what is every man's true character. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his masters money. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. The apprehensions which some hypocrites have of the misery of their state, even on this side death, when God opens their eyes to see their folly, and themselves perishing with a lie in their right hand. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. Note, [1.] On his return, Jesus will look for those whom he can invite into his joy. ", by John Wesley, notably alludes to the "Parable of the Talents" (Matthew 25:23), which was written on the occasion of the death of George Whitefield (17141770), the English Anglican cleric who was instrumental to the First Great Awakening (ca. The sheep and goats are here feeding all day in the same pasture, but will be coted at night in different folds. Execution is the life of the law, and Christ will take care that that be done according to the sentence. We get stuck in this story. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All of our health, money, time, and abilities have come from Him, and we are tasked with putting them to use to benefit the kingdom. Those that would be saved, must have grace of their own. Its not enough to say, I didnt waste what you gave me, Lord. We want to demonstrate how we have used the gifts and abilities we have been given to benefit the kingdom. But though Christ tarry past our time, he will not tarry past the due time. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. Those that inherit kingdoms, wear all the glories of the crown, enjoy all the pleasures of the court, and command the peculiar treasures of the provinces; yet this is but a faint resemblance of the felicities of the saints in heaven. The heavenly life consists in the vision and fruition of God, in a perfect conformity to him, and an immediate uninterrupted communion with him. American Philosophical Society. Note, In looking forward it is good to prepare for the worst, to lay in for a long siege. Observe here. 2. Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. What iniquity have we or our fathers found in him? Their performances will be accepted; Well done. And the blessed Spirit, in preparing them for the kingdom, in effect, is preparing it for them. Lastly, Here is a practical inference drawn from this parable (v. 13); Watch therefore, We had it before (ch. Each story is told in the context of his second coming. The parable teaches that when somebody "has done what God expects, he or she is only doing his or her duty." [1] Narrative [ edit] The parable reads as follows: Will Graham Devotion: Struggling to Prioritize? (3.) but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil.

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