I’m sure you remember the story Jesus told. A man goes on a journey and divides up his wealth with his slaves. One gets five talents, one two, and one receives only one. They were told to use the money wisely and increase its value until he returned.
That doesn’t seem so dramatic until you realize just how much change Jesus was speaking about. That talent, a unit of money, is a big deal. It was measured out by weight—58 to 80 pounds of silver or gold—and was worth 6000 denarii. A denarii was equal to one day’s wages for a common laborer during Jesus’ day. These slaves, representing people of all kinds (not just believers), were to manage a lot of wealth for their master.
We often do not think that what God has given to humans to manage is very much. But we are wrong.
“I threw that old dusty book away that was in the attic,” said the neighbor. “Really? What was it?” “Oh, an old Bible written by somebody named, ‘Gutten’ or something like that.” “You mean Guttenburg! Why one of those Bibles recently sold at auction for 2 million dollars!” “This one would only be worth a dollar, I’m sure. Some guy named Luther wrote all over it.”
We not only mistake the value of what we’ve been entrusted, but most of us forget who’s property it is—God’s! We’re only stewards of what we’ve been given to us for a brief time. There is a day of reckoning in the future when the master returns.
We’re not told whether the talent is to represent real property, or the other kind of talents or giftedness we associate with that word. Endowments of ability were given the name “talents” because of this parable, by the way. “What do you have that you did not receive,” said Paul. But whatever they are, they have one ultimate purpose for being in our lives. God entrusted them to us temporarily so that we might use them for Him until He returns, turning it into something more for the Master.
Now, the rest of the story: The five talent man turned his into five more; the two talent man doubled his also; but the one talent man buried his in the ground. Christ was not at all pleased with the last one. He was called “evil” and “lazy” and “worthless,” by the master. He obviously represents a person who is not a believer. He is thrown into “outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Reckoning day won’t be a happy one for such people, even if they have developed their gifts to a phenomenal degree. If their labors have not been for God, they are worthless in terms of His kingdom.
Jesus said, “Well done, good and faithful servant” to the five and the two talent men. We usually stop right there are think about how good that would be for Christ to say those words. But if we do, we have really missed the point. Read it all: “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.”
There is a whole lot more than commendation going on here. Jesus is going to give rulership in His future kingdom to those who give good returns for their stewardship. In fact, Jesus said that the talent of the man who did nothing for the master was to be given to the five talent man. All the dominion going on in the world will be portioned out to the saints one day. Daniel prophesied about this day:
“Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the most High” (Dan 7:27).
We all owe God everything, whether we are believers or not. And we all must improve that which we’ve been given from Him. The non-believers won’t do that, sadly. However, the believers have a great opportunity to maximize the opportunity. Don’t think little of what God has promised to the faithful. It means more than you could possibly imagine.
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Quote: "Christ was not at all pleased with the last one. He was called “evil” and “lazy” and “worthless,” by the master. He obviously represents a person who is not a believer."
While I agree with the author's overall conclusion, this interpretation of Jesus' parable is a good example of eisegesis (placing one's suppositions into the text, versus drawing out of the text the intended meaning of the original author (exegesis)). This parable in Matthew 25 is in context and parallel with the preceding parable of the 10 virgins and is followed by the prophecy of His return as Judge over all of the nations. In not one of these accounts does Jesus refer to believers or unbelievers, but speaks of prudent servitude to one's Master. That is to say, in context, being about the work that God (The Master) has instructed in His Word.
In Jesus' parable all three servants are servants to the same Master. The imprudent servant is no less of a servant until he is found not to be about the work of his master. Only then is he punished for being lazy. In context with Jesus' prophecy of Him presiding as Judge at the final judgment, separating the sheep from the goats, is the lazy servant identified as a goat (not easily led as sheep are). In verse 12, the bridegroom says to those who had no oil, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.' This is parallel to: "Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (vs. 30), and "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (vs. 46). This judgment is predicated on doing the Will of God, being about His work, bearing fruit, etc. Jesus had previously established this context earlier. Examine His words in Matthew chapter 7,
15 "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 "So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 "A good tree cannot * produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 "So then, you will know them by their fruits. 21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' 24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
"On that day" (vs. 22) is quoted by Isaiah (11:11, 12:1, 29:18), referring to the restoration of His people. The sheep will have been separated from the goats, and those servants who believe in Jesus, who profess 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' will be revealed as Lawless because they did not do "the will of My Father who is in heaven" (vs. 21).
Therefore, in context, it is not believers who are separated from unbelievers, but those who DO the will of God (righteous) from those who do not (Lawless). Belief certainly precedes doing, but doing the will of God (found in His Word) is what one is ultimately judged by. Click here to reply to this post
The vine produces the fruit
Posted On: 01/08/08 07:07:20 PM
Age 47, MO
Perhaps you meant to say that we are judged by the law, because this is true if we are found under the law. However, Christians are not under law but under grace because of Christ's work on the cross fulfilling the law. So if we are under the law; death, because no one is righteous. If we are under grace; life, because we are found in Christ. We are only found in Christ through an active faith that produces good works. However, our good works are filthy rags and unrighteous no matter how hard we try. Therefore, the solution is to not only be indwelt by the HS but to listen to the promptings of the HS to direct our lives. This is the battle we all face, the challenge to die to self. And yes,, ofcourse the HS will produce good works because when we are dead to self, we are alive to Christ. Ultimately then, good fruit is produced because it is God's fruit since He is the vine. Did this help? John Click here to reply to this post
KNOWING CHRSIT COMPELS US TO DO HIS WILL
Posted On: 01/03/08 07:23:42 PM
Age 64, OH
You have brought up some good points but you say Doing the will of God (found in His Word) is what one is ultimately judged on. I have several questions. Can a man find the will of God for his life in the scriptures. Will the scriptures tell a man if he should go to Asia or Greece. They did not tell Paul. But it was the Holy Spirit of the Lord Jesus that told Paul to go Greece not Asia. Can the scriptures tell a man in battle to turn to the right or to the left. David studied the scriptures and even wrote much of them; but David did not know from the scriptures which way to turn, but he sought the answer from God. How did Noah know to build a boat and how to build it. The building plans for Noah's ark are still not in the scriptures. But the Holy Spirit told Noah every detail. There are all kind of questions in the life of a Christian that the answers are not in the scriptures. The answers are not in the scriptures but THE ANSWER is told about in the scriptures. The scriptures never say they are the answer but the scriptures do say JESUS IS THE ANSWER. The end result Jesus is after is not us doing His will, but the end result Jesus is after is for us to give our lives totally to Him. Look in the Book in the parables you mention. In the parable about the talents the wicked servant says that his master was a hard man and reaped where he did not sow. God is not a hard man and does not reap where he does not sow. The wicked servant did not know his Master. If he had known his Master he would not have been afraid to invest his talents because he would have known his Master was full of mercy and grace and also would have helped the servant make wise decisions. The wicked servant was thrown out for not knowing his Master. Look in Matthew 7:21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'-- we can see that only those who do the will of the Father can enter into the kingdom of heaven. But Jesus does not say throw these servants out for not doing my will; but He says, "I NEVER KNEW YOU. AWAY FROM ME, YOU EVILDOERS". They were thrown out for not knowing the Lord Jesus Christ. Knowing the Lord Jesus Christ compels us to do His will. Lou Click here to reply to this post
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