Parable of the talents: how do you use yours?

Talents were a unit of weights and measures used by the Jews in the Old Testament. Do you know the parable of the talents? Enter here, and discover how God wants you to use the gifts that he has given to each of his children.

parable of the talents

The parable of the talents is one of the stories that Jesus told and that we can find in the book of Matthew in chapter 25, verse 14 to 30. This book is the first that we find in the New Testament and it reveals and teaches us about of the kingdom of God at the end of time.

A talent in the light of the Word of God was a monetary unit and it weighed thirty kilos of gold. It was the highest, most expensive or most valuable thing any person of the time could have. That is, the talent was a type of currency that was established in Babylonian times and gave a person a certain economic rank.

Then as we study the Word of God, we find another definition of the word talent and it is the most valuable quality or characteristic of a person. A person can have many or only one talent and make the most of it or else not even know what his real talent is.

This definition is also applied today as we use the word talent to emphasize or highlight a person's talent. For example, many times we have heard that a person has a talent for playing a guitar or for selling. That is, an attribute that God gave him so that he could stand out in something or several things.

Understanding what talents are for both the Old Testament and our present, let's begin to study the parable of the talents to understand what our Lord Jesus Christ wants to tell us through this wonderful and powerful passage.

parable-of-the-talents3

Parable of the talents verses 14-15

The parable of the talents begins right after the parable of the ten virgins. That is to say, first the Lord makes a list of the kingdom of heaven with ten virgins, where there were five foolish and five wise. Then the Lord Jesus relates the kingdom of heaven as a man who goes on a journey and gives some talents to his servants.

It must be taken into account that before these two parables, Jesus Christ speaks of the faithful and wise servant. Then we could understand that these two parables are told by the Lord for a clearer and deeper teaching about these characteristics that every servant of the Lord should have.

Mattheww 7:7-8

14 For the kingdom of heaven is like a man who went far away and called his servants and gave them his possessions.

15 To one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to each according to his ability; and then he went away.

Let's see that this man gave each of his servants the talents according to their ability. Our Heavenly Father does the same with us, not only tests us according to our strength. He's not going to give us an ounce more than we can really handle. God has not given everyone a capacity, an ability or a talent that makes us good, valuable and different from someone else.

Here we find that that man gave five talents to the one who was qualified for five, two to the one who was qualified for two, and one to the one who was qualified for one. God is not wrong, He gives to everyone according to his wisdom and knowledge of us.

parable-of-the-talents

This man left all his assets in the hands of his servants, fully trusting each one of them and their abilities. He left for a time, not definitive, but he would come back to be with them again.

Is this relationship familiar to you? Soon, very soon, our Lord will return, who for a time walked in flesh and blood with us, went to heaven after being resurrected and will once again establish his powerful and eternal Kingdom.

Parable of the talents verses 16-18

Follow the parable of the talents by describing what each of the servants did with the talents their master had given them.

Mattheww 7:7-8

16 And he that had received five talents went and traded with them, and gained another five talents.

17 Also the one who had received two, also gained two others.

18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.

The first servant traded the five talents he had been given and earned five more. The second servant also doubled the amount he had been given. The third unlike hid it under the ground.

Jesus Christ the story he tells us uses the word talent as currency or money. Money represents time, it represents the aptitude of a person and it also represents diligence.

There are people who give a lot of time and have the skills to carry out an activity, however, they do absolutely nothing, so they are not diligent. So, in this story we can see how two servants used their time, skills and were diligent.

While the third did not use his time, nor the skills he possessed and was negligent with what he was given. The Lord gave us all his children time and opportunity to do what we have to do.

Ecclesiastes 9:11

11 I turned and saw under the sun, that the race is not for the swift, nor the war for the strong, nor even for the wise the bread, nor for the prudent the riches, nor for the eloquent the favor; but time and chance happen to all.

That opportunity is brief, its time is what the Lord Jesus Christ has determined that we will be here on earth. The Lord reveals to us that we are all blessed and we all have time and opportunity to do.

If they ever told you that you weren't good at something, it's false. The circumstances of life made you believe that everything you do is to fail, it is not true either. Don't fall for the lies of this world.

When God created you, he did it with love and gave you one or more skills that make you unique and special. Nor do you think that what you can contribute in the kingdom of heaven is nothing. On the contrary, the Lord Jesus created you, formed you and chose you because he has a purpose in your life and in his kingdom.

Parable of the talents verses 19-23

After these things, the man in the parable of the talents returns and met with each of his servants so that they would give him an account of what you had done.

Matthew 25: 19

19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them

Every Christian is waiting for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and it will come in the blink of an eye. We will all present ourselves before our beloved Lord and give reasons for the things we did and did not do.

If we work according to the talents given to us by our Heavenly Father, according to the will and with the fear of Jehovah, we will be rewarded. This is what the parable of the talents reveals to the two servants who were faithful in a little.

Matthew 25: 20-23

20 And the one who had received five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, Lord, you gave me five talents; here you go, I've gained another five talents on them.

21 And his master said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant; You have been faithful over little, I will put you over much; Enter into the joy of your Lord.

22 The one who had received two talents also came and said, Lord, you gave me two talents; here you go, I've gained another two talents on them.

23 His master said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant; You have been faithful over little, I will put you over much; Enter into the joy of your Lord.

Yes, the parable of the talents refers to how things happen in the kingdom of God and refers to the end times. Christ reveals to us through this story, that even though this world is cruel and we have gone through painful trials. Although the whole world makes fun of us. Our reward is eternal life with our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord recognizes the fidelity that was in us towards the things of the kingdom of God. We will not only receive earthly blessings but in the afterlife, giving us the joy that only our Lord can give us. The word of God reveals to us that we will obtain a crown and we will be at the wedding of the lamb.

Parable of the talents verses 24-28

Unlike the other two servants, the third servant, who had been given one talent, begins to speak before his master asks him. The curious thing is that when this servant begins to speak, he shows his master the knowledge that he has about him and even so he did nothing.

The same thing happens in the kingdom of heaven, many people have knowledge about God, they read the word, they know for sure all the things that are written there. They go to the temple but their hearts are far away from Him.

Mattheww 7:7-8

24 But the one who had received one talent also came and said: Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, that you reap where you did not sow and gather where you did not spread;

25 therefore I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the earth; here you have what is yours.

26 Answering his master, he said to him: Bad and negligent servant, you knew that I reap where I did not sow, and that I gather where I did not spread.

27 Therefore, you should have given my money to the bankers, and when I came, I would have received what is mine with interest.

28 So take the talent away from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

If we analyze every word that the servant says to his master, it is understood that he knew that his master was powerful: you reap where you did not sow and gather where you did not spread. It may be that we see miracles, the power of God, wonders and signs and still not humble ourselves before his presence and say: here I am.

Many do not believe with all their hearts the miracles and wonders of God, they do not believe that we are washed by the blood of Christ, they do not believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, they do not believe in the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. They speak of these things with their mouths but they do not believe them with their hearts.

This is a wicked and negligent servant, he knew the power of God and that it moves in a supernatural way. That he could have helped the servant in his weakness and did not trust Him. By not being faithful in little, Jehovah will not reward him in little. Rather what he has will be taken from him.

He who is unfaithful, when God takes away what he has, he will give it to him and reward the faithful servant and obtain an even greater blessing.

Parable of the talents 29-30

The parable of the talents ends, affirming once again that whoever has it will be rewarded and will have more, and not only materially. But in all areas of his life, the Lord Jesus Christ will bless him and he will see the greatness of God in this and the next life.

Matthew 25: 29-30

29 For to him who has, it will be given, and he will have more; and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

30 And throw the useless servant outside into the darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 While the useless servant, another of the adjectives used by the Lord Jesus Christ in this parable, not only what he has will be taken from him. But he will be thrown into darkness forever and that will be his punishment for being far away and not accepting to serve the Lord.

We know that God is a God of justice, of love, of mercy, of forgiveness, he is our judge but he is our lawyer, he is our Father, the Almighty, Creator and Savior. However, if we stop for a minute and analyze the words I use to describe the unhelpful servant, it is surprising to see that he uses the words: mean, careless, and useless.

Not because he is wrong, really a person who does not work for the kingdom of God and who has hardened his heart, is a bad person and in his heart there is only deceit. But it is an opening of spiritual eyes and understanding that nobody deceives the Lord and that just as he is Love, he is also Justice.

What is a parable?

The parables were a recurring way that our Lord used to send a message to his chosen ones. Understand well, to his chosen ones, not to the whole world. This truth was told by Jesus Christ to his apostles, after he gave the parable of the sower.

Matthew 13

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, Why do you speak to them in parables?

11 He answered and said to them: Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; but to them it is not given.

In them are the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven and that only their children will be able to discern and understand.

They are stories of some fake event to explain or compare some circumstance and provide a new vision about something specific. A parable also conveys, through certain hints and images, a central theme to establish a teaching.

In the Old Testament we find some parables in the book of proverbs, in the teachings of King Solomon to compare one thing with another. So that you can see this truth I invite you to enter the following link book of proverbs where this wonderful book is discussed.

Another story that meets the characteristics of a parable in the Old Testament is the one Nathan tells David about the rich man and the poor man.

In the New Testament for its part, we find the parables that our Lord Jesus left us and that contain great and powerful messages. Christ gives us a deep revelation of the kingdom of heaven and how it operates even in the face of horrible things that can be seen in this world.

Among the parables of our Lord are: importunate friend, tree and its fruits, weddings or mourning, good shepherd, good Samaritan, house on sand or on rock, tares in the wheat, builder of a tower, growth of the seed, ten virgins , two debtors, the fig tree and more.

Conclusion

The master of these servants before leaving for a time, I trust them by giving him all his goods to make them grow. He already knew what each one's skills were and what each one could contribute. God does the same with all his children and from the beginning of creation. At the end of all the work, the Lord gave Adam and Eve the land to work and trusted them to deliver that activity.

The servant who did five times as much and the one who did twice as much honored the trust that had been given to them, thus being grateful and faithful people to their master. While the third did not honor the trust that had been given to him.

Also, this master wanted that when he returned from his journey, he would find his servants being diligent, working for his kingdom, and ready for his coming. They were to be responsible and productive of what had been given to them.

The Lord wants us to be busy in his kingdom and producing for Him. Taking his word to people who do not know him, praying for the sick, working for his kingdom and bearing fruit, is what we must do.

Christ is preparing his coming and wants us to be ready for that moment. He exhorted us to watch and pray because he would come as a thief in the night. We must live in holiness, waiting for that great day.

We will appear before the King of kings and Lord of lords to account for the things we did here on earth. Our hope is that through the Blood of the Lamb of God. Blood that washes and transforms us before the Heavenly Father, because he is a just and faithful God.

parable-of-the-talents

The word of God reveals to us that after God's final judgment takes place, there will be a new heaven and a new earth, ruled by Jesus Christ. The promise is that everyone who believes in Him will be forgiven of his sins and we will live eternally together with our Jesus Christ.

This world that is full of darkness and ruled by the evil one, is a world that is sick, separated from the presence of God, of corruption, deception, death and evil. This is not the life that God wanted for us from the beginning, so by being faithful in little, our reward is unimaginable.

We must bear in mind that not everyone who says that Jesus Christ is Lord is really their Lord. These are useless servants, who do not work or strive in the kingdom of God. They do not believe in their hearts all the blessings and promises that the word establishes.

If we are faithful and stay on the path of Jehovah until the end of the world, we will be greatly rewarded and what better than to live eternally in the presence of our God. In addition to all the blessings and peace that we will have while we are in this life.

On the other hand, that servant who is not faithful, does not believe and think that in his own strength and intelligence, he can overcome all things. He will not have the peace that passes all understanding, his riches will not last in time. In addition to in the end time, being judged and considered guilty, so his judgment will be eternally cast into the lake of fire.

Watch and pray brothers, let's keep working and being faithful to our Lord Jesus. The times are drawing near and his coming is getting closer. Let us not faint in this battle because God's promises will soon be fulfilled.

Seek the Lord day and night, ask him to fill you with hunger for His word, find time for Him, do the things that are pleasing to Him. There is still time, the Lord has extended the days out of mercy for you to kneel before him and repent. This life is very short and we don't know how long we will be in it. Today is a day without Him but tomorrow can be an eternity without Him.

If we do all these things, the Glory in which we will live is without comparison. Being in a life literally seeing, listening, eating and sharing with the Lord, has no price that this passing world can give us. A life of joy, peace, life and not death, health and not sickness, is what our Creator promises us.

Then I give you this audiovisual that will take you even deeper into the presence of our Heavenly Father, giving us greater understanding about the mysteries that are found there to continue bearing fruit in the kingdom of God.


Be the first to comment

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

*

*

  1. Responsible for the data: Actualidad Blog
  2. Purpose of the data: Control SPAM, comment management.
  3. Legitimation: Your consent
  4. Communication of the data: The data will not be communicated to third parties except by legal obligation.
  5. Data storage: Database hosted by Occentus Networks (EU)
  6. Rights: At any time you can limit, recover and delete your information.