The parable of the talents: meaning
Short answerA master going on a journey entrusts his servants with large sums of money; on his return he rewards the two who put it to work and condemns the one who buried it out of fear. Jesus teaches that His followers are to serve Him faithfully with everything He has entrusted to them until He comes back.
Jesus told the parable of the talents a few days before His death, in His teaching on the Mount of Olives about His
return (Matthew 25:14–30). It stands between the parable of the ten virgins and the picture of the final
judgment, and all three speak about the time while the Lord is away. Albert Barnes sums up its purpose: to show how
Christ will deal with people when He returns.
What a talent was
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
Matt 25:14–15 · King James Version (1769)
John MacArthur explains that a talent was a unit of weight, not a coin, and a talent of silver was a very large sum
of money. Even the servant with one talent was trusted with a great deal. The New Geneva Study Bible notes that our
everyday word “talent,” meaning a natural gift, comes from this parable. MacArthur cautions that this has led many
to read it as a story only about developing abilities, while its main concern is faithfulness to the absent Lord.
The master gives to each according to his ability. Warren Wiersbe draws a careful distinction here: the
servants’ abilities were already theirs, and the talents were the opportunities they were given to use those
abilities in their master’s service.
Two faithful servants
The first two servants went to work at once and doubled what they had received (Matthew 25:16–17). After a long
time the master came back to settle accounts.
After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Matt 25:19–21 · King James Version (1769)
The servant with two talents hears exactly the same words of praise (Matthew 25:22–23). MacArthur and Wiersbe
both draw the lesson: the reward depends not on the amount but on faithfulness. William MacDonald adds that the
master looked less at how much each had earned than at how diligently each had worked. A believer faithful in a
small place is honored as fully as one with a large one.
The servant who buried his talent
Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strewed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
Matt 25:24–25 · King James Version (1769)
The third servant has excuses instead of results. He blames his master and admits he was afraid. Matthew Henry sees
in him people who think it impossible to please God and pointless to serve Him, and so do nothing; whatever they
claim, they simply dislike the Lord’s character and work. MacArthur and MacDonald conclude that this man did not
really know his master, and Wiersbe doubts that he can be called a believer at all.
His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strewed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
Matt 25:26–27 · King James Version (1769)
MacDonald points out that the master does not accept the charge against him. He takes the servant at his word: if
you thought me so demanding, you had all the more reason to put the money to work, even if only with the bankers.
His own words condemned him.
For unto everyone that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
Matt 25:29 · King James Version (1769)
This is the principle of the parable. MacDonald puts it plainly: we lose what we do not use, while those who use what
God gives them for His glory receive more opportunity to serve. The servant is then cast out (Matthew 25:30).
MacDonald explains that it was not a poor investment that condemned him; the absence of any fruit showed that he
lacked saving faith.
The talents and the minas
Luke records a similar story about a nobleman and his servants, each of whom receives one mina (Luke 19:11–27).
Barnes shows that it is not the same parable: it was told at a different time and place, on the way to Jerusalem, to
correct those who thought the kingdom would appear at once (Luke 19:11). Henry suggests one difference in
meaning: the single mina given to each may picture the gospel, which is the same for all who hear it, while the
different numbers of talents picture the different capacities and opportunities God gives each person.
What the parable means for us
Henry’s comment on this passage begins with a short line: “Christ keeps no servants to be idle.” Everything we have,
our time, gifts, money and the knowledge of the gospel itself, is entrusted to us by the Lord, and we will give an
account of it. Peter says the same: every believer is to use the gift he has received in serving others
(1 Peter 4:10).
This does not mean we earn salvation by being useful. Henry is careful to add that improving our natural powers does
not entitle anyone to God’s grace. Salvation is a gift received through faith. But real faith does not bury what it
has received. It works out of love for the Master and looks forward to the praise and the joy He promised His faithful
servants. Paul states the one requirement simply: those entrusted with
something must be found faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2).
