| The Good and Bad Servants |
Creation Date: 14-Nov-2024 |
| Parable of Talents and Minas (large sum of money) |
Last updated: 27-Dec-2024 |
| Warning and Reason to Succeed | |
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Sections
The Parable of Talents is a key scriptural passages, in the form of a parable, given by Jesus Christ as a warning for the Christian. The warning is if we are not growing in our Christian Life, then
The interpretation of the Parable and other related scriptures is the following two points:
| Always do | Admonition to always be growing in your Christian life so that we can obtain and get more talents. The talents will yield a great life and Rewards in Heaven. |
| Never do | Staying content in knowing you have Salvation and doing nothing with it. This will bring problems in life that will not be solved, and lost opportunities for building rewards in heaven. |
All of us can have times our lives that we might become lukewarm and not growing. It is the observation from many Christians, including this author, that the overwhelming majority of Christians do not continue to become more knowledgeable, act accordingly as Christians. This is not meant to be an act of judgment by this author, but sadness in knowing that the excitement that I have is not seen in other people who I know are Christians. When this author occasionally speaks with other Christians on this topic, there is usually an embarrassment in a confession by too many great friends who know they are stagnant in their life regarding growth as a Christian.
| Revelation 3:16 | (for more information on the Church of Laodicea, see the topic on
the Seven Churches) 14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. |
| Mathew 13:11-16 | 11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. |
| 2 Timothy 1:6-9 | We are all beneficiaries of
Grace and Mercy, which means with this beneficiary gift, we are to
grow as Christians: 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, |
| Excerpt from the topic on the Law: The difference, regarding the Old and New Testament Periods, is we are no longer required to follow the laws that the nation Israel were required to obey which pointed to the Messiah. Many of the laws, including all the High Sabbaths / Feasts, pointed to the Messiah even when the Nation of Israel did not fully understand the requirements and the Messianic reasons. The Bronze Serpent is an example of an act that was required temporarily by Israel, which pointed to Jesus Christ. In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus Christ told the Pharisees the summary of the entirety of the Old Testament Commandments, with two laws that encompasses all of the laws of the Old Testament. It is also confirmed in John 13:34 when Jesus Christ spoke of the "new commandment".
This "new commandment" is reinforced by so many other scriptures such as Matthew 24:40 where Jesus states that if you sin against your brother and sister then you have done it unto Him. The question that many of ask is how could a sin against someone else be done against God? The answer is God:
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"The Christian's life is like a person standing in a river where if we aren't moving forward against the river flow then we will be swept down stream.":
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When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we start a path of fulfillment because of our relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, where the righteousness:
| Psalm 32:8 | I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. |
| Isaiah 30:21 | And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left |
| Isaiah 48:17 | Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. |
| Philippians 4:19 | And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. |
| Philippians 4:13 | I can do all things through him who strengthens me. |
| Hebrews 13:21 | Equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. |
| John 16:13 | When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. |
| Matthew 6:33 | But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. |
| Romans 8:14 | For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. |
Jesus Christ is speaking to His disciples about many areas in Matthew chapter 24, and forwarding chapters before speaking about the Parable of Talents, concerning the:
| Matthew 24:36 | But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. |
Notice the admonition by Jesus Christ to all of us in Matthew 24:45-51 concerning the time before the return of Jesus Christ:
| Matthew 24:45-51 | 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. |
In Matthew 25:14-30, the Parable of Talents is given by Jesus Christ, where the review of the previous points is important for us to continue the full scope of the teaching for us.
| Matthew 25:14-30 | 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. 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.’ 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. 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.’ |
The Parable of Talents given in Matthew 25:14-30 has three Servants where they represent the Christian and our responsibilities. Each of us are given talents which are abilities to be used in God's purpose for our life with the ultimate goal of earning responsibilities and Rewards in Heaven.
Notice these three primary area aspects of the Parable of Talents:
| 1 | Warning | We must be in active service in the area of our gifted abilities: 1. We each are gifted with abilities that are for the service of God's Kingdom that we must be using. 2. We cannot take advantage of our Salvation Gift, that was not earned but gifted to us upon the asking, to then not be in God's Service. 3. We are to be Ambassadors of God which is the 3rd Commandment's meaning. |
| 2 | Based on our actions can experience loss | If we do not overcome sin and be serving God: 1. We will lose opportunities to receive greater and greater understanding of God and blessings to be retested in the overcoming the sins which will make us have the possibility of being a prisoner to specific sis. 2. We will eventually lose the gifts that we already possessed to serve God. |
| 3 | Being a good servant will gain Gifted Abilities from God | We will gain new gifted abilities and more rewards: 1. More understanding from God in the scriptures and life. 2. Blessings as Christians in our life. 3. Rewards in Heaven 4. We will gain victories over sinful areas and our enemies. |
In the Book of Revelation there is many admonitions by Jesus Christ for us that are reinforcing the point of the Parable of Talents when dealing with our Rewards in Heaven.
| The following is an excerpt from the
Rewards in Heaven
topic: Everything done through faith that:
will contribute to rewards in Heaven that includes our new glorified bodies.
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Jesus Christ was also reinforcing that He would be gone, but would return to set up the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ and then Eternity.
Notice as the reinforcement and parallel in the Luke 19:12-27 Parable of Ten Minas that is exponential consistency:
| Luke 19:12-27 | 11 As they heard these things, he proceeded to
tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they
supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.
12 He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ 14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15 When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. 16 The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord,
your mina has made ten minas
more.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well
done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you
shall have authority over ten
cities.’ 24 And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25 And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ 26 ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’” |
What to read next?
What is Salvation? Is it possible to lose Salvation? We have eternal life. Evolution is not real. When a Christian suffers is there benefits from it. Rewards in heaven. Do we Tithe? What does the 3rd Commandment tell us? What is Grace and Mercy? Is there an Age of Accountability? Is there a place of unending punishment and exile form God?