14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.” (Matthew 25:14–18 ESV)
Jesus continued using parables describing His return and the complete establishment of His rule and reign on earth. The phrase, “For it will be like” refers to the main subject in this context; the kingdom of heaven. Jesus used a simile indirectly comparing the kingdom of heaven to a man “going on a journey who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.”
The phrase “going on a journey” (ἀποδημέω; apodomeo) refers to leaving one’s home and country for a considerable period of time and for a long distance. The strong implication is this journey the man was actively taking was going to be a lengthy one.
“Well-to-do masters often went on long journeys. Given the uncertainties of transportation in those days, the time of return for even a well-planned trip would be uncertain,” explains commentator Craig Keener.
With this in mind, the man wanted to keep his financial affairs in order. He owned property (ὑπάρχω; hyparcho) or possessions. He was a man of means for he had servants (δοῦλος; doulos) or slaves he also owned and controlled. He entrusted (παραδίδωμι; paradidomi) or handed over the authority to his servants for them to manage his household and property; specifically his money.
“The beginning of the parable pictures a propertied individual who is about to leave on a journey. Cf. 21:33. Before he does so he entrusts his belongings to his servants. In the present parable it is not a vineyard that he entrusts to them but money (verse 27), specifically “talents,” comments Dr. William Hendriksen.
The money the master entrusted to his servants were talents (τάλαντον; talanton). A talent was a Greek monetary unit (also a unit of weight) with a fluctuating value depending upon the particular monetary system which prevailed at a particular period of time. For example, a silver talent was worth approximately six thousand denarii with gold talents worth at least thirty times more. However, the primary point of interest is not the value of money as much as the amount given to each servant, according to their ability to manage the entrusted amount.
The man entrusted one servant with five talents. He entrusted a second servant with two talents. Finally, he entrusted a third servant with one talent. The master did not give the three servants money they could use as they pleased. Rather, he entrusted each with his money for which he expected them to manage on his behalf.
What did each servant do with the entrusted funds? The first multiplied the five talents by five. The second servant multiplied two talents by two. Both increased their master’s resources by twice the original amount.
“Prompted undoubtedly by the orders they had received from their master, by the confidence he had placed in them, and by the knowledge that one day they would have to give an account to him, the first and the second servants used the entrusted sums so effectively that in each case the amount doubled,” states Dr. Hendriksen.
However, the third servant did not do as his fellow servants had done. He took the one talent he received from his master, dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. Therefore, the money was not invested and did not yield any accumulated interest. Why did he do this?
“The third servant did not care to be bothered by the task that had been assigned to him. So he dug a hole in the ground and buried the talent there. It was not unusual for treasures to be buried in the ground. See 13:44. What motivated this man in deciding to do this? Was it love for his master, lest some burglar might come along and steal what belonged to the absent one? Was it timidity perhaps, a feeling of inferiority strengthened by the consideration that less had been entrusted to him than to the others,” asks Dr. Hendriksen.
“Today’s passage shows what it means to expect the second coming of Christ and ready ourselves for it. Jesus exhorts us to stay awake and be prepared for His return in 24:36–25:13, but those verses give few specific, practical directives for how to wait and equip ourselves properly. The parable of the talents makes it plain that the waiting and preparation Jesus expects is ethical and active. We must work, putting our gifts to use for His glory, which means nothing less than the love of God and neighbor (Micah 6:8; Matt. 22:34–40),” concludes Dr. R. C. Sproul.
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 