The Parable of the three Talents

Matthew 25:14-30-- Stewardship Sunday

Rev. Dr. Niveen Ibrahim Sarras

Matthew 25:14-30-- Stewardship Sunday

November 15, 2020

 

The evangelist Matthew gives us three stories back to back to explain the end of time. The Parable of the Ten Virgins, The Parable of the Three Talents, and The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. The parable of the three talents is not about salvation by works. The apostle Paul teaches us that "by grace, you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8), and the apostle James teaches "faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (James 2: 17). The purpose of this parable is to encourage us to prepare for the second coming of Christ.

 

Let us look at the symbols of this parable:

In this parable, the owner represents God, and the servants represent us. Jesus describes the master as a hard man, harvesting where he has not sown and gathering where he has not scattered seed (v.24). The parable's point is not the evil character of the master but how the servants prepared for his second coming. Therefore, do not assume that Jesus is describing God, the Father, as unjust and harsh God. A talent was "the largest unit of currency at the time… possessed five talents of gold or silver was a multimillionaire by today's standards."[1] The talents represent all gifts God entrusted to us, such as the gift of children, time, work, skills, money, community, technology, spiritual gifts, and more.

 

 

The master gives the first servant three bags of gold or silver, and the second servant two bags of gold, and the third servant one bag of gold. God gives talents to us according to God's wisdom and our abilities.

 

Often leaders in Jesus' time journeyed to Rome to lobby for power or position themselves politically with the new emperor. The journey took a long time, and it could be dangerous. Those leaders could be robbed or killed by thieves. So, their return was not for sure. Before they started their journey, the masters put their servants in charge of their business and properties. Those servants were called stewards; they acted on behalf of their owners. In this parable, the Lord emphasizes the fact that the master may delay, but he is coming back.

 

The delay of the master is a crucial point. It proves who is faithful and who is unfaithful, who is good and who is wicked. So, the delay is significant. The faithful steward or servant prepares for the coming of his master. Our Lord Jesus may delay, but he is coming back for sure. Our calling is to be faithful stewards by preparing for his second coming.

 

In the principle of stewardship: God owns it all. Everything belongs to God, and I am responsible for managing everything God gives me. These stewards were given stewardship responsibilities to act on behalf of the owner when he went away. The owner expected his servants to manage the money as he would do. They were expected to adopt the priority of their master. Stewardship is using God-given resources to accomplish God's given goals. For example, the judge and prophetess Deborah used the prophecy gift God gave her to judge in Israel. She rescued her people from their enemy, Sisera (Judges 4). Deborah demonstrates an excellent example of a faithful steward because she used God's gift to accomplish God's goal and priority. We rob God by using God's resources and ignoring God's priorities and goals. As stewards, we are accountable to God for everything.

 

The wicked servant did not put the master's priority first. Jesus is telling us what would happen in his followers' lives if they do not manage God's gifts to prepare for the second coming of Christ. Our Lord encourages us to be faithful stewards because one day, we will stand before God to give an account for what we did with what we had. You will fail as a steward when you do nothing with what God has given you. Instead of entering into the joy of your master, you will be left out in the darkness. The first and second stewards worked hard to double their gifts. The third servant was lazy and irresponsible. It is easy not to give money or share your time and skills with the church. Remember that God does not need your money or skills and gifts because they are already God's. The point is what you are doing with what the owner has given you to prepare for his second coming.

 

My friends, stay awake and watch for the second coming of the Lord. I pray when he comes he will tell you “Well done, good and trustworthy servant [steward]; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.”

 

[1] https://www.learnreligions.com/what-is-a-talent-700699