Parable of the Talents

The main emphasis of the parable of the talents is on the one-talented servant.

This is the one who received the smallest amount. It is too easy for this kind of servant to mistreat or ignore what the master has given him.

When it says that he went and dug in the earth and hid his talent, it probably signifies he rendered the Lord's gift useless.

"But he who had received the one went off and dug in the earth and hid his master's money." (v.18)

A servant of Christ may become involved so much in the world that his spiritual gift is rendered useless through his not functioning. His spiritual gift will lie useless under the cloak of all kinds of excuses.

The Christian must be on guard not to use excuses for wasting his spiritual gift. This is to hide the gift. And this is a particular temptation to the Christian who always deems that she or he is not AS useful to the Lord's service as some other more gifted person.

"What I have is the smallest. So I did not exercise my spiritual ability. There was no time. There were too many other distractions. There were too many legitimate needs to be more concerned with. The Lord Jesus has a high standard. It is so high that I dare not serve Him with this SMALLEST of all spiritual abilities."

Excuses like these will not work on the day Christ determines this servant's position and responsibility in the coming millennial kingdom.

Notice that when the servant told his master that he knew he was a strict master, the master did not disagree with this.

"Then he who had received the one talent came also and said, Master, I knew about you ..."

Many Christians will come before the judgment seat of Christ talking about what they KNEW about Jesus. This will not excuse them from discipline.

" .... I knew about you, that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow.

And I was afraid and wet off and hid your talent in the earth; behold, you have what is yours.

And his master answered and said to him, Evil and slothful slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not winnow." (vs. 24-26)

The master did not correct the slave but rather agreed with him. He is a strict master expecting a return on his investment, even in the place where it seems he is doing no business.

It is not always so evident that Christ is moving in a certain place. But He expects us to venture out on faith that He may receive some spiritual value even from a situation which does not at first appear to be so fertile.

"Therefore you should have deposited my money with the money changers; and when I came, I would have received what is mine with interest."

The excuse, though offered with false humility and mock respect, does not work.
The one-talented servant was expected to do business just the same as the five-talented or three-talented servant was.

Probably, most Christians are one-talented servants. But if ALL the one-talented servants would do business for the Lord's kingdom, what a huge profit of spiritual riches He would have in His coming back.

Originally posted by sonship
The main emphasis of the parable of the talents is on the one-talented servant.

This is the one who received the smallest amount. It is too easy for this kind of servant to mistreat or ignore what the master has given him.

When it says that he went and dug in the earth and hid his talent, it probably signifies he rendered the Lord's gift useless.

...[text shortened]... for the Lord's kingdom, what a huge profit of spiritual riches He would have in His coming back.

Oh, Man of Few Words, it seems your one talent has been taken away from you.

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Oh, Man of Few Words, it seems your one talent has been taken away from you.

For the second time, I never claimed to be a man of few words. I merely said I admired such.

Now, if you have become bored just move on. There is still much to talk about here.

The one-talented servant came to the master just like the others came.
This shows that they ALL equally appear before the judgment seat of Christ.

"Then he who received the one talent ALSO CAME ..." (v. 24)

The came in verse 19 signifies the Lord Jesus coming back to the air to set up His judgment seat.

"Now after a long time the master of those slaves CAME and settled accounts with them." (v. 19)

This should mean Jesus Christ coming after a long church age at His second coming. Since judgment begins with the house of God (1 Pet. 4:17) Christ starts His judging with His own household. That is He begins His examination of His own servants who have lived throughout the church age.

The "came" in verse 24 who "also came" with the other servants also appears before the judgment seat of Christ. He is a member of God's household of faith.

As to his faith, he is saved.
As to his service, he will suffer loss and not be rewarded as the other two servants are.

Originally posted by sonship
For the second time, I never claimed to be a man of few words. I merely said I admired such.

Now, if you have become bored just move on. There is still much to talk about here.

Let's see:

SS: "This is a preliminary remark. Would you like me to continue a bit more?

ToO: I'd like to hear more about what you call "faithfulness in service" and how that pertains to the Parable of the Talents.

Is it unreasonable that I expected "a bit more" and not that you'd open up the flood gates? Do you think it right to take advantage like this?

What or who then will the five talented one and the three talented one reign over ?

"His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful over a few things; I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master." (v.23)

The many things are the cities and inhabitants of the millennial kingdom. These are the "sheep" who inherit the kingdom in the last teaching of Matthew 25.

These are living nations who are transferred into the millennial kingdom age from the last three and one half years of the previous age, that is the time of "the great tribulation".

Some peoples will remain alive after the second coming of Christ and be transferred into the millennial age. The overcoming saints will reign over them as co-kings with Christ for their reward. This is to enter into the joy of their master in the parable of the talents.

Luke 12:44 also says Christ will set His servants who are rewarded over His possessions. And in the similar parable of the servants with pounds, they are rewarded to reign over cities (Luke 19:17).

"And he said to him, Well done, good slave. Because you have become faithful in the least, have authority over ten cities." (v.17)

"And he said to this one as well, And you, be over five cities." (v.19)

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Let's see:

SS: "This is a preliminary remark. Would you like me to continue [b]a bit more?

ToO: I'd like to hear more about what you call "faithfulness in service" and how that pertains to the Parable of the Talents.

Is it unreasonable that I expected "a bit more" and not that you'd open up the flood gates? Do you think it right to take advantage like this?[/b]

I'll think on that after I finish the "bit more".

Originally posted by sonship
I'll think on that after I finish the "bit more".

Evidently you do think it right to take advantage.

Perhaps you should think on this also:
Would have others take advantage of you like this?

Did Jesus exist?

You seemed to imply, TOO, that it doesn't matter.

Originally posted by chaney3
Did Jesus exist?

You seemed to imply, TOO, that it doesn't matter.

You're taking advantage of this thread. THAT is not the topic.

Originally posted by sonship
You're taking advantage of this thread. THAT is not the topic.

Discussing what Jesus said seems meaningless if you don't know who He is.

Originally posted by chaney3
Discussing what Jesus said seems meaningless if you don't know who He is.

I'll respond to your question over on one of those "Who is Jesus?" threads.
My retort mistakenly thought you were the one criticizing about taking advantage of threads.

Some time would well be spent concerning this topic, to compare the parable of the talents Matthew 25:14-30 with the similar parable of the pounds found in Luke 19:11-27.

Then what would be very profitable to those really seeking the meaning of these parables, would be to find plain teaching which conveys virtually the same thing.

Here's probably one of the most useful plain teachings which convey the same lessons of the two parables - First Corinthians 3:11-17 .

Originally posted by sonship
Some time would well be spent concerning this topic, to compare the parable of the talents [b]Matthew 25:14-30 with the similar parable of the pounds found in Luke 19:11-27.

Then what would be very profitable to those really seeking the meaning of these parables, would be to find plain teaching which conveys virtually the same thing.

Here' ...[text shortened]... teachings which convey the same lessons of the two parables - First Corinthians 3:11-17 .[/b]

Your 1 Cor 3 passage contains a group that WILL BE DESTROYED BECAUSE OF THEIR EVIL. Same as the in the parable of the talents.... those cast into outer darkness are DESTROYED.

Cast into outer darkness.
Destroyed
Weeping and gnashing of teeth
Everlasting punishment.
Its all the same.

All you succeed in doing is demonstrating your poor reading comprehension and your ability to manipulate and twist the Bible.

Originally posted by Rajk999

Your 1 Cor 3 passage contains a group that WILL BE DESTROYED BECAUSE OF THEIR EVIL. Same as the in the parable of the talents.... those cast into outer darkness are DESTROYED.
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"If anyone's work is consumed, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. " (1 Cor. 3:15)

Since the passages clearly says this sufferer "himself will be saved" any punishment he endures cannot be eternal.

Therefore in context verse 17 concerning the saved cannot be being destroyed in eternal punishment.

"If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for the temple of God is holy, and such are you." (verse 17)

Since the warning is to those who are "the temple of God" the suffering of loss or the destroying must be the dealing with what is not holy in the Christian. This indeed will be experienced as the suffering of loss, but "he himself will be saved". So for the punished Christian this would not be eternal destruction.


Cast into outer darkness.
Destroyed
Weeping and gnashing of teeth
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Indeed the phrase "weeping and gnashing of teeth" IS used for the furnace of fire in Matthew 13:42,50. But it is also used for a guest who attended the wedding feast not clothed properly who was cast into outer darkness:

"But when the king came in to look at those reclining at table, he saw there a man who was not clothed with a wedding garment,

And he said to him, Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Then the king said to the servants, Bind his feet and hands, and cast him out into the outer darkness. In that place there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth." (Matt. 22:11-13)

On the extreme end of the discipline to "suffer loss" there could conceivably be temporary and nearly equivalent weeping and gnashing of teeth. But the disciplined disciple in First Corinthians 3:15 is STILL saved eternally though he suffers loss and is not rewarded:

"If anyone's work is consumed, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."

One has to ask WHO will come to the wedding feast of Christ ? Will unbelievers be invited into the wedding feast of Christ? I say no. So the man arriving at the wedding feast yet not clothed in an appropriate wedding garment but presumptuously ill prepared must correspond to not being rewarded, suffering loss, yet still being saved.


Everlasting punishment.
Its all the same.
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Some regard this as so. But the very expression "weeping and gnashing of teeth" could be applied to unbelievers lost forever and Christians, who according to First Corinthians 3:15,17 suffer loss, yet are saved, and are part of the living church, the temple of God (v.16) who nevertheless suffer something during the millennial age.


All you succeed in doing is demonstrating your poor reading comprehension and your ability to manipulate and twist the Bible.
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I have twisted no part of First Corinthians 3:15. I have merely quoted it.

" If anyone's work is consumed, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." ( 1 Cor. 3:15)

And I have shown how a couple of parables in Matthew 25 would conceivably fit the clear teaching.

Anyone can see it differently if they are so persuaded.

The phrase "weeping and gnashing of teeth" is used in Matthew in:

13:42,50 for a furnace of fire,
22:13 for the outer darkness,
24:51 where the faithless servant has the returning master surprise him with his coming and punishes him by letting him have his portion with "the hypocrites".

"The master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know.

And will cut him asunder and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. In that place there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth." (24:50,51)

It is an assumption that the phrase can only be used by Christ to mean eternal punishment. He could use the same warning phrase for dispensational and temporary punishment as in the case of -

"he shall suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."