Matthew 25:14-30 (Pentecost 25)
St. John, Galveston, 11/15/2026
Rev. Alan Taylor
+ In Nomine Jesu +
Grace to you and peace, from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
After Jesus told His disciples the parable about the Ten Virgins, or Ten Bridesmaids, and the coming the Groom, He them this parable about the Talents. A man was going on a journey and before he left he entrusted to his servants his property. To one servant he gave five talents, to another two and still to another, he gave one talent. The talents were distributed according to each servants ability.
The man went on his way, and the servant who was given five talents, traded them and he made five talents more. Likewise, the servant who was given two talents, made two talents more. The one servant though who was given one talent, went and dug a hole in the ground in order to hide the talent his master had given him.
After a long time, the master of the servants came and settled accounts with them. The first servant came forward and said, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 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.’ And then the servant who had the two talents came forward, saying essentially the same thing. You gave me two talents, and I've made two talents more. He too received the commendation of His master.
The last servant came to the master and said, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 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? 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. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. The worthless servant (was cast) into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Now, at first glance, this parable can be a bit troubling, since, as Christians, you and I are the servants who have been entrusted with Talents by our master, Jesus. While a talent is a sum of money, and a large sum at that, the parable isn't simply about money. Rather, it's about everything that master (God) entrustes to His servants in the course of their lives. The parable seems to be about making sure we give back to God an acceptable measure of return when He comes again in glory. What though is that acceptable measure of return? Well, in the parable it seems to be 100%, five turned to 10 and 2 turned to 4, but for the sake of pursuing this way of looking at the parable, let's just call it, "enough." Make sure in dealing with the gifts of God in your life, you return to Him "enough" on the last day.
"Enough" is a maddening goal to strive for, don't you think? I mean, you never really know when you've reached it, do you? Is 'enough' the same for each of us? Is "enough" the same for you as it is for me? How do you know when you reached that mystical number? I mean, at the end of the day, isn't a little bit more you could have done with the gifts, the talents God gave you? Do you see why 'enough' is maddening goal. Fortunately, this is also not the way to view this parable of the talents.
So, let's abandon our quest for "enough," in terms of putting the gifts God has given us to work in His Kingdom, and take a little closer look at the parable. While there are three servants in the parable, there is actually no distinction to be made between the first two servants. In other words, the parable isn't so much about three servants as it is about two types of servants.
Since there is not a great deal said about the first two servants, other than the master's commendation for their faithfulness, we can understand them better as they are contrasted with the third servant. So, let's start there. The third servant was entrusted by the master with one Talent. He took that Talent he had been given and he buried in the ground in order to hide it. Now, why would he do such a thing? I mean, the master Himself said, you could have put the talent in the bank and it would have at least made a little interest! So, why did the third servant bury his Talent? Well, he tells us why in his own words. What it boils down to is, he didn't know his master. In fact, he said he believed Him "to be a hard man, reaping where (He) did not sow, and gathering where (He) scattered no seed." What would this do with the talent he had been given, being that he didn't really the master who gave it to Him. How could he used in a beneficial manner, or in way that was pleasing to his master? The answer is, he couldn't. Perhaps in the third servants actions, we get a vivid image of the Bible means when it says, "without faith it is impossible to please God."
The first two servants, though they were given different amounts by the master, acted in unison, in way that was contrary to the third servant. This is really what we call the "point of comparison" in the parable. It's between the first two servants and the last servant. While the last servant didn't know his master, the first two servants did know Him.
What they knew about their master was that He was worth serving. In other words, He's not harsh, or mean, or exacting, or cruel, rather, He's merciful and kind, forgiving and gracious. He's the kind of master one would want to serve.
This parable is about the end times, the parousia, as it's called, the second coming of Jesus. In fact, the whole of Matthew 25 is about our Lord's return in judgment. Each of the three sections of the chapter, the parable of the Ten Virgins, the Parable of the Talents, and the judgment scene of the Sheep and the Goats, which we'll hear next Sunday, deal with faith in Jesus, which makes for a life lived toward Him in gratitude and thanksgiving for the inumerable gifts He has given to you, His dear child. Faith in Jesus shapes and forms your life, even the decisions you make. More than that though, your faith in Jesus makes the score, if you will, of your life, good and acceptable in the eyes of God, not by number, or by effort, but by the sanctifying work of Jesus on your behalf. Truly, God looks at your life, and through the life and the atoning sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, He sees a life that is well pleasing in His sight.
Dr. Jeff Gibbs, the author of the Matthew commentary, in the Concordia Commentary series, says, on the last day, at the Parousia, "I imagine a conversation like this. One slave approaches the Master and says, “Lord, you entrusted these things to me, and I have gained this much.… But there was so much more that I could have done!” The Master replies, “Yes, I am well aware that there was more that you could have done. Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of your Master.” A second slave approaches the Master and says, “Lord, you entrusted this to me, and I have gained an additional amount.… But I was timid too often. I failed to take advantage of all of the opportunities presented to me.” The Master replies, “Yes, I recall every detail of all the times when you were a coward. Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of your Master."
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.
+ Soli Deo Gloria +