Parable of the Talents

Parables

What is a parable?

The word for parable means roughly the same thing as the word, “ Parallel” The word was often used specifically to describe military formations. Naval vessels would be considered to be in parable if they were positioned side by side.

In the context of Jesus’ teachings, it refers to a story Jesus would tell that had a truth that was parallel to it.

IE. Parable of Sower when he talks about the seed being cast onto the groundg. He isn’t teaching them about farming, but about men’s responses to truth when they hear it.

Parables need to be explained,

in the Parable of the Sower, You and I know what truth Jesus placed parallel with his story because he explained it to his disciples and we can read about it, but Jesus did not explain his parables to the general audience that he taught.

Why? Why did Jesus explain the truth of his parables to some and not to others?

Matthew 13:11 KJV

He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

We gotta understand this before studying any parable. They were stories with a parallel truth that were not meant to be understood by everyone. The reason was because people had rejected his teachings, and before Jesus would give them more, they would have to accept those teachings.

Parable of the Talents

What is the Parable about?

V. 14 - it is about the kingdom. As were most of Jesus’ teachings. (Matthew 3:2, Matthew 4:17, Matthew 5.

V. 14 - there is a master, and there are servants, and there are goods.

V. 15 - These goods are called talents. talent is a measurement of weight.

- A talent is a measurement of weight. It is not a very fixed one (26-36 kilograms)

In this context, it is in reference to a portion of either copper, silver, or gold. There is a good chance that silver is in mind, but it could be any of the three.

$233 (copper)

$9467 (silver)

$754676 (gold)

V. 15 Jesus divided these goods amongst his servants

NOTE: the idea here is not that he is going to be gone a while and he wants them to guard his stuff from being stolen. The idea is that he is a buisiness man that trades his goods and makes profit. because he is going to be gone, he is entrusting them with this job.

V. 16-20 each of the servants did one of two things with their talent

V. 21-24 - the master comes back and enquires after the goods which he has entrusted to his servents.

the 5 talent guy doubled his talents

the 2 talent guy doubled his talents.

the 1 talent guy. did nothing with his talent!

V. 26 The master calls the servant wicked and slothful

V. 29 He says something that might sound strange in verse 29. Matthew 25:29 “For unto every one 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.”

V. 30 the slothful servent is cast into outer darkness.

What is this parable about?

The master is Jesus.

the servents are the disciples. specifically those that have received the truths parallel to his parables. REMEMBER: Matthew 13:11 “He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”

The talents refer to truth. notice in Matthew 25:29 “For unto every one 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.”

When giving the reason for taking the talent from the lazy servant, he gives the same reason that he gave the disciples for speaking to the people in parables. Matthew 13:12 “For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.”

with the people, they were irresponsible with the truth that Jesus gave them, and he denied giving them more.

with the servent, he was unfaithful in the task Jesus gave him, and Jesus denied giving him more to be responsible for.

NOTICE: sometimes people look at verse 30 where the servent is cast into outer darkness and say that the servant was sent to hell, but this is not what Jesus is teaching here. This is a teaching about the kingdom, remember verse 14 says that. this parable is about people that are servents in this kingdom. so in this parable, the servant is saved! This casting into outer darkness refers to losing the particular blessing and favor of his master. The term outer darkness literally just means being cast into the street at night.