Parable of the Talents Story

This is a parable about what the kingdom of God, or the kingdom of heaven, is like. It is like a man who traveled to a distant country. And he called together the servants that belonged to him and gave them control of his possessions to watch over.

Meaning of the Parable of the Talents

What does this symbolize? What does it represent? It seems fairly clear that it’s speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, who traveled to a distant country, that is, Heaven, and left His servants with something that belongs to Him, something of Himself, something of value, with the expectation that through these endowments, these giftings, His servants would advance His kingdom in His absence.

The Master’s return, the return of the Lord Jesus, is expected at some future time when there will be a reckoning of the accomplishments of the servants.

The Gifts of God

A talent was a unit of weight used to measure silver or gold, a standard monetary measurement at the time. He distributed his money based on each of his servant’s unique abilities and skills. To one, he gave five weights, to another, he gave two weights, and to the last, he gave one.

The Lord doesn’t give us all the same thing. We do not all have the same gifts and callings and anointings. Yet, if we search our hearts, we will find that we somehow intuitively know what He has called us to do. The Bible says He has “set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.” (1 Corinthians 12:18)

And so, the servant with five weights of money put them to use, and he earned an additional five weights, doubling the original amount. He used what he had been given, and it produced a substantial gain.

Are we using the gifts the Lord has given us by His grace? Are we putting them out there for others to benefit from? Are we placing ourselves in a place where our heavenly gift can reach others?

The second servant was also successful in producing a gain with the two weights of money entrusted to him, using it in such a way as to double the value.

Now, this second servant had not been entrusted with as much as the first one. He was not deemed to be as skillful as the servant who received the five weights of money. Yet he produced a gain when he put it out there to be used and invested. It blessed people, it helped people, and it produced an increase in the master’s estate.

The third servant, the one who was given the one weight of money, did nothing with it, but dug a hole in the ground and buried it there for safekeeping. It was hidden.

Are we using the gifts the Lord has given us? Are we developing them? Or have we hidden our heavenly giftings? Are we in a place, a church body, where we can benefit the growth and the increase of the kingdom of God?

Are we producing something with the gift He has given us? Are we being good and faithful servants with the Lord’s wealth, good stewards of the thing he has entrusted us with, or hiding them?

The lord, the servant’s master, returned from his journey after a long time and he brought them together to review the results of their work and to settle accounts with him.

There is a time coming when the Master shall return, whether it be at His second coming or at the time we leave the earth to go and be with Him.

Good and Faithful Servant

Well done, my servant. You have been useful and trustworthy. You have shown yourself faithful in the discharge of your duties. I will now set you over the administration of many things. You’re getting a promotion. Enter into the joy and the favor I have toward you.

Notice that his lord’s response to the success of this servant who gained two weights of money was identical to his response to the servant who had gained five weights of money. This second servant had done the best he could at his level of ability, and he received the same reward as the servant who had produced more.

The reward was not based so much on the amount of money that was gained as it was on the effort that was put forth by the servant. They both did their best with what they had to work with, And both servants were deemed good and faithful and received the same reward.

The Wicked Servant

Lord, I realized that you’re a harsh and stern man who reaps a harvest where you have not sown seed, gathering grain where you have not worked to separate from the chaff. I was full of fear. After all, I could have lost your money while investing it. And so, I hid your weight of money in the earth. I kept it safely there all this time and here it is.

What good had this man’s endowment from his lord done? It had done no good at all, it had not benefited anyone. It had not advanced his lord’s estate one bit. It had been useless all the time he was gone.

You are an evil and lazy and worthless servant. You were under the belief that I reap a harvest where I have not sown seeds, and you believed that I gather grain where I have not worked to separate it from the chaff. You thought that I expected to receive something for nothing, according to your own words.

And if that’s the case, you should have at least placed my money with the money changers, the bankers who pay a fee for using it, and then at my arrival, I could have received my money back with interest.

You should have put it out here where someone else could have used your gift, even if you didn’t want to do the work yourself. But you weren’t the least bit concerned about using it. No one ever knew you even had anything to give.

God is a rewarder of faithfulness. He blesses the faithful. He blesses those who show up and make an effort to be pleasing to Him, even if we have little or nothing else going for us. He will always add blessings to the faithful.

But unfortunately, He can also take away that which is not used, that which is left dormant and unproductive.

Outer Darkness

Cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness. This implies a dire consequence, suggesting a state of being in the darkness that exists outside the kingdom of God, where there is profound sorrow and intense anger. And given that this takes place at the Lord's return, it appears to refer to an eternal condition and serves as a powerful reminder to us of the importance of utilizing our divine giftings to contribute to and advance the kingdom of God throughout our lives.