His Word Today

¹⁸ “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. ¹⁹ For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. ²¹ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:18–21 (ESV)

Do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! (Luke 12:4–5)

If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire. (Matt. 18:8–9)

Dr. James Montgomery Boice comments that, “Today’s preaching is deficient at many points. But there is no point at which it is more evidently inadequate and even explicitly contrary to the teachings of the New Testament than in its neglect of “the wrath of God.” God’s wrath is a dominant Bible teaching and the point in Romans at which Paul begins his formal exposition of the gospel. Yet, to judge from most contemporary forms of Christianity, the wrath of God is either an unimportant doctrine, which is an embarrassment, or an entirely wrong notion, which any enlightened Christian should abandon.”

In the Old Testament, there are more than twenty words used to refer to God’s wrath.  There are close to six hundred important passages on the subject. These passages are not isolated or unrelated to each other but present a consistent understanding that wrath is part of God’s character. God wrath is one of the most important themes and events of Scripture.

J.I. Packer says, “One of the most striking things about the Bible is the vigor with which both Testaments emphasize the reality and terror of God’s wrath.”

Arthur W. Pink writes, “A study through a concordance will show that there are more references in Scripture to the anger, fury, and wrath of God than there are to His love and tenderness.”

Wrath is God’s holy displeasure and righteous vengeance against sin. There are two main words for wrath in the New Testament. One is thymos, from a root that means “to rush along fiercely,” “to be in a heat of violence,” or “to breathe violently.” The other biblical word for wrath is the Greek word orge meaning divine punishment based upon God’s angry judgment against someone. Orge means “to grow ripe for something.” It portrays wrath as something that builds up over a long period of time, like water collecting behind a great dam or a ripening peach which is ready to burst forth with flavor and juice.

Please notice the two preceding adjectives describing God’s displeasure and vengeance against sin in Romans 1:18 are the words holy and righteous. God’s wrath is never, ever sinful. His wrath is a holy wrath, a righteous wrath. It is a wrath which is in keeping with the sinlessness of His character.

Additionally, God’s wrath should never be likened to a person “blowing their top,” “being out of control,” or “losing one’s cool.” Rather, God’s wrath is a settled opposition against the sinner because of their sin. Along with this settled opposition comes the solemn promise of judgment.

Dr. John MacArthur writes that God’s wrath, “is not an impulsive outburst of anger aimed capriciously at people whom God does not like. It is the settled, determined response of a righteous God against sin (cf. Psalm 2:5, 12; 45:7; 75:8; 76:6–7; 78:49–51; 90:7–9; Isaiah 51:17; Jeremiah 25:15–16; John 3:36; Romans 9:22; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:5–6).”

Theologian John Murray says in his exposition of Romans 1:18 that “wrath is the holy revulsion of God’s being against that which is the contradiction of his holiness. Before all else, as Christians, we confess that we ourselves justly deserve the wrath of God save for Christ’s mercy alone.”

Pastor and author D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says, “Grace is favor shown to people who do not deserve any favor at all… We deserve nothing but hell. If you think you deserve heaven, take it from me, you are not a Christian.”

Take time today to thank God for sending Jesus Christ to take your place and receive on your behalf the wrath of God. If you have not repented of your sin and trusted Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior, do so immediately in order to no longer face the wrath of God.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁵ “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it. ¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, ¹⁷ but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:15–17 (ESV)

“Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:4 (ESV)

“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned,” (Romans 5:12 ESV)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 (ESV)

What is eternal death? It is simply eternal separation from God and His blessings. One author writes, “Eternal death is not just physical death, which everyone experiences. But “eternal death”, means separation from God in Hell (Mark 9:43-48). Eternal death is what sinners deserve. It is the penalty for sin. All of us have missed God’s standard of holy perfection.”

Eternal death is the necessary consequence of sin (Rom. 6:16, 21, 23; 8:13; James 1:15), and the portion of the wicked (Matt. 25:41, 46; Rom. 1:32). The way to eternal death is described in Ps. 9:17; Prov. 14:12; Matt. 7:13). It is God alone who can inflict eternal death (Matt. 10:28; James 4:12).

Eternal death is being separated from the presence of God (2 Thess. 1:9), to be in utter darkness (2 Pet. 2:17), to experience God’s fury and wrath (Rom. 2:8–9). It is metaphorically described as a lake of fire (Rev. 19:20; 21:8), outer darkness (Matt. 25:30), and the worm that does not die (Mark 9:48).

Other names for eternal death include destruction (Rom. 9:22; 2 Thess. 1:9), eternal punishment (Matt. 25:46), the resurrection of judgment (John 5:29), a resurrection to shame and everlasting contempt (Dan. 12:2), the second death (Rev. 2:11), the sentence of hell (Matt. 23:33), and the wrath to come (1 Thess. 1:10).

Eternal death will be inflicted by the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 25:31, 41; 2 Thess. 1:7–8), and who is the only One who provides an escape from eternal death (John 3:16; 8:51; Acts 4:12; Rev. 2:11; 20:6). Believers in Christ should strive to save others from eternal death (James 5:20). The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus illustrates eternal death (Luke 16:23–26).

“It is a serious mistake to imagine that we improve Scripture or enhance its effectiveness by blunting its sharp edges. Scripture is a sword, not a cotton swab, and it needs to be fully unsheathed before it can be put to its intended use,” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

“The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). The gospel is supposed to be an affront to fleshly pride, offensive to human sensibilities, foolishness in the eyes of worldly wisdom, and contrary to all carnal judgments.”

“No Christian teaching exemplifies those characteristics more powerfully than the doctrine of hell. It is an appalling truth. We rightly recoil at the thought of it. The doctrine of hell thus stands as a warning and a reminder of what a loathsome reality sin is. No reasonable or godly person delights in the reality of eternal damnation. God Himself says, “As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezek. 33:11),” continues Dr. MacArthur.

“We do no one any favors by downplaying the truth of God’s wrath or neglecting to mention the severity of His judgment. We certainly don’t eliminate the threat of hell by refusing to speak or think of it. If we truly believe what the Bible teaches about the eternal fate of unbelievers, it is in no sense “loving” to remain silent and refuse to sound the appropriate alarm.”

“What, after all, is the good news we proclaim in the gospel? It is not an announcement that no one really needs to fear God or fret about the possibility of hell. As a matter of fact, there would be no glad tidings at all if God merely intended to capitulate to the stubborn will of man and forgo the demands of His perfect righteousness,” concludes Dr. MacArthur.

Soli deo Gloria!

“If we don’t believe in hell, the good news isn’t really that good. And if we don’t believe in hell, we have no good reason to believe in heaven either. Hell is a foundational doctrine of the historic Christian faith, and to deny it is to deny the faith, because if we don’t believe in hell, we don’t believe Jesus. We cannot deny hell and accept the words of Jesus.” – Pastor Dr. Burk Parsons

What is hell? Where is hell? Why does hell exist? Is the notion of hell the figment of some medieval imaginative mind or a biblical doctrine which must be preached (2 Tim. 4:1-5)? Does this biblical doctrine detract from the love of God? How does the doctrine relate to the justice of God? Let’s begin to answer these questions.  

“Hell is the final destiny of unbelievers and is variously described by the figures of speech as a furnace of fire, eternal fire, eternal punishment (Matt. 13:42, 50; 25:41, 46); outer darkness, the place of weeping and torment (8:12); the lake of fire, the second death (Rev. 21:8); a place for the devil and his demons (Matt. 25:41). Evidently, those in hell experience everlasting separation from the Lord, never to see the glory of his power (2 Thess. 1:9). Those who worshiped the beast will be subject to continuous torment (Rev. 14:10–11),” explains the Tyndale Bible Dictionary.

“The sobering reality of an eternal hell should break our hearts for the lost. May God open our eyes to humanity’s desperate condition that we might more willingly and prayerfully declare the grace of God in Christ to those God has placed in our midst,” explains one author.

In the Scriptures, hell is described as the second death or eternal death (Rev.  20:11-14). Hell contains anyone whose name is not found written in the book of life (Rev. 20:15).

The Tyndale Bible Dictionary states, “Other expressions that indicate that the final state of the wicked is eternal are these: “burn with unquenchable fire” (Matt. 3:12); “to the unquenchable fire … where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched” (Mk. 9:43, 48); there is sin that “will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matt. 12:32, rsv). When Scripture is understood properly, there is no hint anywhere of the termination of the terrible state of unbelievers in hell. Their doom is unending; there is a solemn finality about their miserable condition. (It is significant that the most descriptive and conclusive utterances about hell come from the lips of Jesus).

There is much confusion regarding the metaphorical descriptions of hell. The illustrative terms such as “lake of fire,” a place where ‘the worm devours,” and a place “of utter darkness” appear confusing and contradictory. The student of Scripture should not lose sight of the real torment of hell.

The Tyndale Bible Dictionary concludes, “Hell is hell for those who are there essentially because they are completely alienated from God, and wherever there is alienation from God, there is always estrangement from one’s fellows. This is the worst possible punishment to which anyone could be subject: to be totally and irrevocably cut off from God and to be at enmity with all those who are around oneself. Another painful consequence of such a condition is to be at odds with oneself—torn apart from within by an accusing sense of guilt and shame. This condition is one of total conflict: with God, one’s neighbors, and oneself. This is hell!”

“There is, however, another more subtle, diabolical, and dangerous denial of hell that is rampant in the church today. While many preachers have not yet denied hell and perhaps still mention it occasionally in their sermons, they are not preaching the biblical doctrine of hell but a non-offensive, man-made version of hell without all the fire and brimstone,” suggests Dr. Parsons.

“They point to the vivid imagery that Jesus used to describe hell, and they suggest that because Jesus used such imagery we should not think that hell is a literal lake of fire where the damned will be punished eternally. Thus, they reason that since we don’t really know what hell will be like, we don’t need to preach it as Jesus preached it. And though it is true that the imagery Jesus used may not be the literal reality of what hell will be like, that is no comfort whatsoever. The reality will likely be far more terrible than what we can comprehend, considering the limits of our language and understanding. Nevertheless, I cannot think of anything more terrifying than eternally burning in a lake of fire, and that is precisely the point, and precisely why we must preach hell as Jesus preached hell and preach the gospel of eternal life as He preached it—for the love of God and our love for the lost.”

More to come.

Soli deo Gloria!

³⁰ And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:30 (ESV)

In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus was not teaching a true believer in Christ could lose their salvation. Rather, He instructed His disciples, then and now, about the importance of perseverance. True believers will watch for Christ’s return and will work as citizens of the kingdom of heaven until Christ’s return or their homecoming to heaven. They will not be idle, irresponsible and lazy.

Those “professing” believers in Christ who display their unconverted spiritual condition by their idleness, irresponsibility and laziness face a dire destiny. Jesus described it as a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. This grammatical phrase describes inconsolable grief and continual torment. This description of “hell” is found throughout the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 13:41–42 (ESV) – “⁴¹ The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, ⁴² and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 13:47–50 (ESV) – “⁴⁷ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. ⁴⁸ When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. ⁴⁹ So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous ⁵⁰ and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 24:45–51 (ESV) – “⁴⁵ “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? ⁴⁶ Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. ⁴⁷ Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. ⁴⁸ But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ ⁴⁹ and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, ⁵⁰ the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know ⁵¹ and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

For the next several days, we will examine the biblical doctrine of hell. It is a biblical truth some pseudo-Christian authors have recently sought to dismiss and reject. They do so at their peril and therefore place the spiritual health of the church, and unbelievers, at risk.  

“One of the more loving and merciful things Jesus did was preach on hell. He preached on hell more than He preached on heaven, and He did so in order to point the lost to Himself as the way, the truth, and the life apart from condemnation and eternal punishment in hell—which He created,” explains Dr. Burk Parsons.

“Although most preachers have not denied the doctrine of hell outright, they might as well have, since it is entirely absent from their sermons. My guess is that many preachers think that preaching on hell is unkind, unloving, and offensive. They are certainly right that it is offensive in that preaching on hell offends our false perceptions of self-righteousness. However, such an offense is a most kind, loving, and blessed offense, as it points all men to their desperate need for the righteous life and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. If preachers do not preach sin, wrath, death, and hell, their supposed preaching of the gospel is practically useless. If they do not preach what we’re saved from, then their message of what we’re saved to is worthless.”

Pastor Charles Spurgeon said, “When men talk of a little hell, it’s because they think they have only a little sin and believe in a little Savior.”

Soli deo Gloria!  

The Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) and the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-28) has solicited many observations from theologians, pastors and commentators. Today, we consider a few of those astute observations.

“The parable of the talents which we have now read is near akin to that of the ten virgins. Both direct our minds to the same important event, the second advent of Jesus Christ. Both bring before us the same people, the members of the professing Church of Christ. The virgins and the servants are one and the same people, but the same people regarded from a different point, and viewed on different sides. The practical lesson of each parable is the main point of difference. Vigilance is the key note of the first parable, diligence that of the second. The story of the virgins calls on the Church to WATCH, the story of the talents calls on the Church to WORK.” – J.C. Ryle

“We have here the parable of the talents committed to three servants; this implies that we are in a state of work and business, as the former implies that we are in a state of expectancy. That showed the necessity of habitual preparation, this of actual diligence in our present work and service. In that we were stirred up to do well for our own souls; in this to lay out ourselves for the glory of God and the good of others.” – Matthew Henry

“What does it mean to be a Christian? What is a person who is a true Christian look like? What are the things that a true Christian does? What are the attitudes that a true Christian has? We could ask that question in many different ways and we could give many answers which are legitimate to that question, but I want you to see that Jesus is pressing that home on His disciples. He’s preaching this message to His own disciples and yet He’s talking to them about people who appear to be servants of the king who do not live as if they are servants of the king. And He’s giving them a tremendous warning against those who profess to be His followers but in their lives, totally neglect to live as if they were His followers. I’d like you to see the 3 parts of this story. If you look at verse 14 and 15, you’ll see a description of the trust that this master gave to his slave before he went away on a long journey. Then if you look at verse16-18, you’ll see an account of how each one of these servants did and what they did with the trust that had been given to them. And then finally in verses 19-30, you’ll the master return to settle his accounts with theses particular slaves and you’ll see how two of them were rewarded and one of them was condemned and punished.” – Dr. Ligon Duncan

“Though this exhortation — as will appear from the conclusion of it–has nearly the same object with the former, yet it is properly added, in order to confirm believers in perseverance. Our Lord knew how strongly the nature of men is inclined to idleness, and how, for the most part, they not only grow weary after a great lapse of time, but give way through sudden dislike. To remedy this disease, he taught his disciples that they were not duly fortified, unless they had sufficient perseverance for a long period. When this is ascertained to be the design of the parable, we ought not to trouble ourselves much with minute investigations, which have nothing to do with what Christ intended.” – John Calvin

May all of us who have ears to hear, and eyes to read, understand the meaning of the Parables of the Ten Virgins and the Talents. In light of Jesus Christ’s soon return, may each of us be watchful and working for the glory of God. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

²⁹ “For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:29–30 (ESV)

In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus was not teaching a true believer in Christ could lose their salvation. Rather, He instructed His disciples, then and now, about the importance of perseverance. True believers will watch for Christ’s return and will work as citizens of the kingdom of heaven until Christ’s return or their homecoming to heaven. They will not be idle, irresponsible and lazy.

Jesus continued to teach those who were faithful in little would become faithful in much. He would give them more, and greater, ministry responsibilities since they proved faithful. A pastor, for instance, who began a faithful preaching and teaching ministry with Jr. High boys in a church furnace room or a utility closet became a Christian High school teacher, a children’s pastor, then a youth pastor and eventually a senior pastor. Following the conclusion of his local church ministry, the Lord providentially placed him in an evangelical seminary ministry of pastoring pastors, while also teaching the Bible to some of the institution’s college students.  This is my story. Perhaps you can relate.

However, Jesus also gave a stern warning to professing believers who begin serving but later become apostates. The Lord will judge them as the unprofitable and wicked servants they truly are.

“The recipients of divine grace inherit immeasurable blessings in addition to eternal life and the favor of God (cf. Rom. 8:32). But those who despise the riches of God’s goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering (Rom. 2:4), burying them in the ground and clinging instead to the paltry and transient goods of this world, will ultimately lose everything they have (cf. Matt. 6:19; John 12:25),” explains Dr. John MacArthur.  

Theologian J.C. Ryle states, “We learn, in the first place, from this parable, that all professing Christians have received something from God. We are all God’s “servants.” We have all “talents” entrusted to our charge. We learn in the second place, that many make a bad use of the privileges and mercies they receive from God. We are told in the parable of one who “dug in the earth and hid his Lord’s money.” That man represents a large class of mankind. We learn in the third place, that all professing Christians must one day have a reckoning with God. The parable tells us that “after a long time the master of those servants came, and reckoned with them.” We learn, in the fourth place, that true Christians will receive an abundant reward in the great day of reckoning. The parable tells us that the servants who had used their Lord’s money well, were commended as “good and faithful,” and told to “enter into the joy of their Lord.” We learn in the last place, that all unfruitful members of Christ’s Church will be condemned and cast away in the Day of Judgment. The parable tells us that the servant who buried his master’s money, was condemned as “wicked,” “slothful,” and “unprofitable,” and cast into “outer darkness.” And our Lord adds the solemn words, “there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

May each of us make every effort to evidence our true conversion in Christ, by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. Our faith in Christ is not produced by our good works. Rather, our faith in Christ is evidenced by our good works (James 2:14-26).

Soli deo Gloria!

²⁴ “He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ ²⁶ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.” (Matthew 25:24–28 ESV)

God has called believers in Christ to serve Him (Eph. 2:10). It is one the great privileges He has entrusted to the church. All we do is to be for His glory alone (I Cor. 10:31). This is the case whether God calls us into vocational and pastoral ministry, or we serve as a layman in the local church.

¹⁰ “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: ¹¹ whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:10–11 ESV)

 “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: ² shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; ³ not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.” (1 Peter 5:1–3 ESV)

“On the popular religious level, many people believe that God somehow stands in need of His creation or is otherwise dependent on it for His satisfaction. The Bible presents no such deity, and it would be bad news indeed if the Lord actually needed us. A God who needs us cannot ultimately help us because He requires assistance from us,” explains one commentator.

Although God does not need us to serve Him, He has called believers in Christ to do so. Therefore, we are to be obedient and faithful wherever He has called us. This must be understood in light of today’s text and the master’s encounter with his third servant.

Whereas the master’s first two servants were good and faithful in their service to him (Matt. 25:19-23), the third one was not. He did not wisely use the master’s finances as the previous two, but rather dug a hole in the ground and buried the one talent he received (Matt. 25:18).  

As the master began settling accounts with his servants, the third one approach him saying, “Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.”

The third servant did not take responsibility for his faithless stewardship, but rather blamed the master. He called the master a hard man. The word hard (σκληρός; skleros) means sever, demanding and harsh. He also accused the master of being an unethical thief.

“What the wicked servant is saying, then, amounts to this, “If in doing business with the talent which you entrusted to me I had lost it, you would have demanded it of me nevertheless. That’s the kind of man you are. I was afraid, therefore. That fear was not really my fault but yours. You made it so that the only thing I could do was to dig a hole in the ground and hide the talent.” Then, calling his master’s attention to the bag holding the money, he adds, Look, (here) you have what is yours; as if to say, “I did not keep anything back. You should be thankful that I kept it intact, and that I now return to you whatever is yours,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.  

It is evident the third servant did not love his master. He is representative of professing believers who do not truly possess a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

“His characterization of the master maligns the man as a cruel and ruthless opportunist, “reaping . . . and gathering” what he had no right to claim as his own. This slothful servant does not represent a genuine believer, for it is obvious that this man had no true knowledge of the master,” states Dr. John MacArthur.  

In the parable, the master’s words to the wicked servant mirror are direct. “You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.”

“In repeating the slave’s charge against him, the master was not acknowledging that it was true. He was allowing the man’s own words to condemn him. If the slave really believed the master to be the kind of man he portrayed, that was all the more reason for him not to be slothful. His accusation against the master—even if it had been true—did not justify his own laziness,” comments Dr. MacArthur.

The master’s word parallel the warning Jesus gave in his Sermon on the Mount.

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:21–23 ESV)

John Calvin says, “There will be no excuse of the indolence of those who both conceal the gifts of God, and waste their time in idleness.”

May we make every effort to confirm our calling and election by God (2 Peter 1:3-11). While we are saved solely by the person and work of Jesus Christ, our relationship in Christ is evidenced by our work for Christ.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁹ “Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²² And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ (Matthew 25:19–23 (ESV)

Following an indefinite but lengthy period of time, the master of the three servants returned from his journey. Upon his return, he settled accounts with all three. Jesus did not provide a reason for the long absence of the master. The focus was rather on the stewardship of the master’s servants with his finances in his absence.

“A faithful servant in the ancient Near East often became a steward over his master’s household (for example, Joseph; Gen. 39:1–6a) and could be entrusted with enormous resources This is the background for the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-18); even the servant who is given one talent is entrusted with much as one talent is equivalent to twenty years of pay for a first-century day laborer (Matt. 25:15),” states Dr. R. C. Sproul.

The master proceeded to meet with each servant. The first slave entrusted with five talents came forward with the increase of five more saying, “Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.” The master was pleased and said, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”

Note the following. First, the master was pleased with his servant. Second, the master commended him by saying “well done” or “excellent job.” What servant would not want to hear such a statement from their master? Third, the master, after commending the servant for his good work, praised him for being superior in his trustworthiness, dependability, commitment and honor to the master. Fourth, the master entrusted the servant with even more responsibilities. Finally, the master commanded the servant to experience the happiness from his master. The extended principle of sowing and reaping is found throughout this scene (Gal. 6:6-10).

The same scene is repeated with the servant entrusted with two talents from the master. The master amply rewarded the second faithful and wise servant for his stewardship of the master’s finances.  

“We can picture a party at which the three—the master and these two good and faithful servants—tell each other what has happened, rejoice because of the business enterprises that have been carried forward so successfully, but especially share each other’s joy. Each man is happy because so are the others,” comments Dr. William Hendricksen.

“Our Creator has blessed everyone in Christ with spiritual blessings above and beyond our undeserved salvation. Even those who have comparatively fewer gifts are rich in Him and must put their time and talents to work. God sovereignly determines our gifts and graces (v. 15), and, whether we have many or few, He mandates their profitable use,” states Dr. Sproul.

Each believer in Christ is God’s workmanship. God justified us by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone to faithfully serve Him (Eph. 2:10). We do so with the spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit has sovereignly entrusted to us (I Cor. 12:11-12). Let us be faithful in the Master’s service.

Soli deo Gloria!

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!