Matthew 25:14-30 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. (15) And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. (16) Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. (17) And likewise, he who had received two gained two more also. (18) But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. (19) After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. (20) "So, he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' (21) His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' (22) He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' (23) His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' (24) "Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. (25) And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' (26) "But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. (27) So, you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. (28) So, take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. (29) 'For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. (30) And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
The parable quoted above is very similar to the one we looked at earlier in the section that dealt with unforgiven sin. Both parables deal with the day of judgement, but although the parables are similar they deal with two different categories of the Lord’s servants, for unlike the first parable in which every servant received the same amount, in this parable the servants are given different amounts based on their abilities. And so we see that the first parable dealt with all the Lord’s saints, for each one received the same gift of salvation, whereas in this parable our Lord is dealing with His ministry gifts, for each one received a measure of grace according the different gifts given to each one. The outcome in both parables for the ones who did not use their minas and talents is almost identical, in that both have their inheritance taken from them. But in the above parable dealing with the Lord’s ministry gifts the judgement pronounced is far more serious, because they not only lose their inheritance but they are also banished to outer darkness for all eternity. And so our Lord couldn’t have made the point any clearer than that, i.e. ministers who refuse to answer their call to preach the gospel are in danger of incurring eternal damnation, for to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
Michael E.B. Maher
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