“For to everyone who has
will more be given, and he will have an abundance,” Jesus in Matthew 25:29.
This passage is a continuation of the parable of the talents given by Jesus as He teaches on the end times and the final judgment. The master has returned from a long journey and has called his servants to give an account of his money (v. 27) which he has entrusted to each of them (v. 19). Two of the servants, both of whom had received 5 and 2 talents respectively, had multiplied what they had received. The master said to them, “Well done good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of your master” (v. 21,23).
Next the servant who had received the one talent came forward (v. 24). His response: pathetic. “Master, 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,” (vv. 24-25).
Humans have a way of blaming God for their own failures. Even Adam in the garden blamed God (and Eve) when asked why he ate the fruit: “The woman who you gave to be with me, she gave me [the] fruit…and I ate,” (Genesis 3:12, emphasis added). And here, the lazy servant blames the master for no return on his property. The master sees no need to defend himself against the false accusations of the slave and instead uses the slave’s faulty reasoning against 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,” (vv. 26-28).
For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away, (v. 29). One should not read too much into a parable since its prime purpose is one main teaching point. But the for makes this verse the topic statement of this parable. God gives to his servants a disproportionate amount of talents. Yet those who multiply his talents, regardless of the amount entrusted, will be given more and those who do nothing will have taken from them even the little talent given to them.
This is a parable about ultimate judgment and exposing frauds in the church. They look and act like real believers, but the Day will show that they are mere pretenders. This theme runs through the parables of the Olivet Discourse and can be found elsewhere in Matthew. For example, the weeds and wheat will grow together undisturbed until the day of reckoning when one is harvested and the other is burned (Matthew 13:24-30).
On the Day of Judgment the pretending, worthless servant will be cast far away into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (v. 30). While hell is not mentioned by name here, Jesus could mean little else. “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all,” says 1 John 1:5. The outer darkness lacks the presence of the Living God. No wonder there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth! These parables are a warning to all pretenders.
While this parable is about the Day of Judgment (see Revelation 20:12), the Christian, secure in his salvation, must be aware that his life’s work will be judged. If that work is gold, silver and precious stones, then he will receive a reward; if it is wood, hay and straw, then it will be “burned up and he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire,” (1 Corinthians 3:15).
Are we engaging in the Master’s business until He returns (see Luke 19:13)? Are our “treasures in heaven”? (Matthew 6:20) Or will we merely present ashes and seashells to the Lord on the Day of Judgment? Yes, we are “saved by faith” alone (Ephesians 2:8-9); but saving faith is never alone (see James 2:17).
“I will show you how to waste your life. Consider this story from the February 1998 Reader’s Digest: A couple ‘took early retirement from their jobs in the Northeast five years ago…Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida, where they cruise on their 30-foot trawler, play softball and collect shells…’ Picture them before Christ at the great day of judgment: ‘Look, Lord. See my shells.’ That is tragedy.” (John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Life)
“I would rather go to hell than to believe in a megalomaniac like God.” (“Kelly” on ABC News’ Nightline, May 2007)
This passage is a continuation of the parable of the talents given by Jesus as He teaches on the end times and the final judgment. The master has returned from a long journey and has called his servants to give an account of his money (v. 27) which he has entrusted to each of them (v. 19). Two of the servants, both of whom had received 5 and 2 talents respectively, had multiplied what they had received. The master said to them, “Well done good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of your master” (v. 21,23).
Next the servant who had received the one talent came forward (v. 24). His response: pathetic. “Master, 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,” (vv. 24-25).
Humans have a way of blaming God for their own failures. Even Adam in the garden blamed God (and Eve) when asked why he ate the fruit: “The woman who you gave to be with me, she gave me [the] fruit…and I ate,” (Genesis 3:12, emphasis added). And here, the lazy servant blames the master for no return on his property. The master sees no need to defend himself against the false accusations of the slave and instead uses the slave’s faulty reasoning against 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,” (vv. 26-28).
For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away, (v. 29). One should not read too much into a parable since its prime purpose is one main teaching point. But the for makes this verse the topic statement of this parable. God gives to his servants a disproportionate amount of talents. Yet those who multiply his talents, regardless of the amount entrusted, will be given more and those who do nothing will have taken from them even the little talent given to them.
This is a parable about ultimate judgment and exposing frauds in the church. They look and act like real believers, but the Day will show that they are mere pretenders. This theme runs through the parables of the Olivet Discourse and can be found elsewhere in Matthew. For example, the weeds and wheat will grow together undisturbed until the day of reckoning when one is harvested and the other is burned (Matthew 13:24-30).
On the Day of Judgment the pretending, worthless servant will be cast far away into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (v. 30). While hell is not mentioned by name here, Jesus could mean little else. “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all,” says 1 John 1:5. The outer darkness lacks the presence of the Living God. No wonder there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth! These parables are a warning to all pretenders.
While this parable is about the Day of Judgment (see Revelation 20:12), the Christian, secure in his salvation, must be aware that his life’s work will be judged. If that work is gold, silver and precious stones, then he will receive a reward; if it is wood, hay and straw, then it will be “burned up and he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire,” (1 Corinthians 3:15).
Are we engaging in the Master’s business until He returns (see Luke 19:13)? Are our “treasures in heaven”? (Matthew 6:20) Or will we merely present ashes and seashells to the Lord on the Day of Judgment? Yes, we are “saved by faith” alone (Ephesians 2:8-9); but saving faith is never alone (see James 2:17).
