“Well done, good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of your master,” Jesus in Matthew 25:21 and 23
“The first time we gave $50,000 away to 73 small groups and by God’s grace we raised over half a million dollars. The money was used to help the victims and those at high risk of HIV/AIDS in Malawi, Niger, Cambodia and Papua.” (from the website of Living Hope Alliance Church in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada)
“People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. Can that be called a sacrifice which is simply paid back as a small part of a great debt owing to our God, which we can never repay? It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege…I never made a sacrifice.” (Missionary David Livingstone’s speech to students at Cambridge University, December 4, 1857)
Jesus continues a series of parables that accompany His teaching about His return. Like all parables, this one (“the parable of the talents”) has one primary teaching point. As one studies the many themes found within this parable, it is best to focus on its one grand theme: “Each of us will give an account of himself to God,” (Romans 14:12).
“For it [the kingdom of heaven, see v.1] will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more,” (vv. 14-16).
There are common elements here that can also be found in the previous parables. Each element has a connection with the teaching of Christ’s return. They are 1) the master leaves on a journey, 2) servants, or bridesmaids, have responsibilities while the master is away. 3) the master returns unexpectedly, usually after a long time, 4) there is a reckoning or judgment of the servants’ or bridesmaids’ behavior.
Yet there is something unique to this parable: each according to his ability (v. 15). Our Master has given each of us different abilities. However, the Lord expects a return on those abilities, no matter the size, that He has given to us. What a shame if in the Day of Judgment it is shown we dug in the ground and hid our master’s money (v. 18). Instead may we invest His talents in proclaiming Christ, shepherding His flock and ministering to the “least of these,” (v. 45).
Doing His work for the sake of reward or a crown is a New Testament truth: Matthew 5:12, 10:40-42; James 1:12; Revelation 2:10. 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 teaches that on the Day of Judgment each man’s work will be tested by fire. Those who can say, “Master, you delivered to me five [or two] talents; here I have made five [or two] talents more,” (v. 20) will “receive a reward,” according to 1 Corinthians 3:14.
By far, the greatest reward of any who serve their Master will be to hear the words, “Well done faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master,” (vv.21, 23). Gloriously, our finite minds cannot fully grasp what the joy of our master will be. For it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him,” (1 Corinthians 2:9). Wow!
Revelation 21:1-22:5 attempts to describe heavenly glory with human words and categories. Certainly those human descriptions fall way short of “the glory that is to be revealed to us,” (Romans 8:18). Hallelujah! Praise God! I can’t wait! So let us be watchful and ready; let us be about the Master’s business. For Jesus says, "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done,” (Revelation 22:12, NASB).
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