131. Parable of the Talents
14“For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property;a 15to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. 17So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20And 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.' 21His 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.' 22And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' 23His 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.' 24He also who had received one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; 25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' 26But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? 27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.'”37And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet.
(Mt. 25:14–29; Lk. 21:37)
a “For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property”—In this parable a man going on a journey entrusts his property to his servants; in a like manner, Jesus is leaving this world and is entrusting his property—his truth—to his apostles and believers. The faithful servants use the talents given them to create new wealth for their master; likewise Jesus' apostles and believers are called to use the truths he taught to grow in truth and to minister this truth in others. As new wealth was produced from the old, so new spiritual gains should be the result of our stewardship of Jesus' truth. (continued next page)
(176:3/1916–8)
