One of the things Jesus was famous for was His parables. Today, we start a new series based on one of His most famous parables: ‘The Parable of Talents.’ In the Message translation, this story is aptly titled, ‘The Parable of Investments.’
This parable of talents gives us a glimpse into the workings of God’s economy using 4 main characters, namely the Master and his 3 servants. Through these 4 characters, we are taken through an economic class of how we can practically grow our wealth.
Will you join me in this class?
The Parable:
“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Matthew 25:14-30
Again
Jesus starts this parable with the word ‘Again.’ This means He is emphasizing a point. What point is He emphasizing?
At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom…
Matthew 25:1
He was picking up from His other parable: ‘The Parable of the Ten Virgins’, emphasizing the working of the kingdom of heaven.
There are many different interpretations and applications of this parable, but, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we shall focus on the interpretation of wealth from the point of view of the kingdom of heaven.
We shall start off next week with heaven’s definition of success!