Parable of the Talents

Setting and Overview
Both Luke and Matthew provide parables from Jesus featuring servants entrusted with talents and it is easy to conflate the two, especially considering the numerous similarities. The differences, however, including the amount of money involved and the storyline in Luke (Luke 19:11-27) of the nobleman departing to receive his kingdom, as well as the different settings in Jesus’ ministry, would indicate that Jesus was simply telling similar but different parables and different times. This then should lead us to focus solely on the parable as told in Matthew, in the setting of the Olivet Discourse, and how it would apply both to the disciples at the time and to Matthew’s readers for centuries to come.

Exposition
The parable begins with a man leaving on a long journey and leaving differing amounts of significant funds in the stewardship of three different slaves. While these men were truly slaves, slaves could at that time serve a function much more similar to a trusted employee, and that is how the men function here. While the valuation of a “talent” can depend on numerous factors, the most common comparison would be to twenty years’ of wages, meaning that even one talent was an enormous amount of money. The slaves have differing abilities and are accordingly given different amounts, but each understands the expectation to put the money to work. The first two slaves, one who was given five talents and the other one who was given two, put their money to work and double the amounts given to them. The third slave, however, is afraid of losing the one talent that he was given and he buries his money.
The master finally returns and settles his accounts with all three slaves. The first two he finds to have done well, and he gives each of them a two-part reward: to be put in charge of more and to enter into his joy. The third, however, differentiates himself first by his view of the task. Instead of viewing the responsibility as a positive sign of trust, he begins with an accusation of the master, as if he was being unfair in even giving them this assignment. Accordingly, he explains that he felt that the best thing to do would be to bury the money so that nothing would be lost. The master’s assessment, however, is harsh. He calls the slave evil and lazy and asks why he wouldn’t have at least tried to earn interest on the money, especially in light of knowing the master’s high expectations. While charging interest to a fellow Israelite was not allowed under the law (Leviticus 25:35-37), charging to foreigners was (Deuteronomy 23:20) and so they could have done so without running afoul of the law. The final part of the settling comes when the single talent that was entrusted to the last slave is taken away and given to the one who had the most.
The application of the parable comes in verse 29. Jesus states the broader principle that whoever has more will receive more. The emphasis is not on who had the most to begin, but rather who worked to grow what they were given. Other passages also charge those entrusted with resources to utilize them as good stewards, growing them, and to give an account for their work, but the nature of the resources differs. The principle can apply to spiritual gifts (I Peter 4:10-11), wealth (Luke 16:9-11), authority (Hebrews 13:17, I Timothy 3:1), and knowledge of God’s word (Luke 12:41-48, II Timothy 3:14-15.) As reward for faithfully growing what we have, we are blessed with additional responsibility. The alternative, in verse 30, is shown not to be a less rewarded servant, but rather to be found to not truly belong to the master at all, with the punishment being eternal condemnation (Matthew 24:51.)

Examination and Application
How do we view our knowledge, spiritual growth, money, resources, and position? The world sees such things as items to be desired, pursued, flaunted, and exploited for personal benefit. As Christians we may see them as blessings, sometimes as deserved and sometimes as measures of grace. We should, however, see them not just as unmerited favor, but also a duty to be carried out faithfully. We should still be eager for that responsibility, however (I Corinthians 12:31) and thankful that we have amazing work prepared for us to carry out (John 14:12.)
How are we called to use these assets to carry out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20)? It can include using our spiritual gifts to build up others (I Corinthians 14:12), teaching God’s word with patience (II Timothy 4:1-2), making the most of our positions, good or bad (Colossians 4:3-4), and directing our financial resources to spreading the Gospel (I Corinthians 9:14.) We are blessed to be entrusted with the knowledge of God’s will, and we are called to grow in the knowledge and then use it to seek to please him (Colossians 1:9-11.)