In Jesus' Parable of the Talents, what are talents literally, and what do they represent in the parable?

Question

A deacon preaching on this parable yesterday equated talents in the parable with individuals talents, in the sense of natural aptitudes or skills. Does that account for Jesus' conclusion in Matt 25, "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," or Jesus' warning of damnation for those who fail to make a proper investment: "And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."?

Answer 1

Stewardship



The Parable of the Talents





“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.



“The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent 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 the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. 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 the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; 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 the one talent 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 talent 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.’



“‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” (NIV, Matthew 25:14-30)



A talent was a very large sum of money worth something like 15 years wages for a laborer.



The three different sums of money entrusted to the servants in this parable represent the differing wealth and abilities God has entrusted to us. In fact, the English word "talent," meaning a natural ability, comes from the symbolism in this parable.



The first two servants invested the money that had been entrusted to them wisely and earned a return for their master. The master praised them greatly.



However, the third servant simply kept the money and did not put it to good use. The master was very angry with this servant for his laziness.



Like the money entrusted to the servants, the gifts we have received are not ours alone. God gave them to us for the purpose of serving Him and serving other people.



Like the master in the parable, Jesus has departed from earth and entrusted His work to us. But also like the master in the parable, Jesus will return someday to judge how well we have performed our duties.



The lesson is that Christ will judge us for what we have done or not done with the abilities and wealth we have been given. It is not sufficient for us to merely live without sinning. We must actively use the gifts we have been given to serve God and to serve other people. Each of us must honestly evaluate our gifts and prayerfully decide how they can be put to the best use. Some of us have been given small gifts and some great gifts, but we must all do our best with what we have:





... From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded. (NRSV, Luke 12:48)



Each of us has something to give. We can give our money and our time to charity, be a friend to someone who is sick or lonely, do volunteer work, or be a peacemaker, teacher or minister. We may give unselfishly of our time to our spouse, children or parents. We may choose a service-oriented occupation, or we may just do our everyday jobs with integrity and respect for others.



Related verses: Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 20:25-28, Mark 12:28-31, 12:41-44, Luke 6:38, 12:42-48, 19:11-27, 21:1-4, Acts 3:6, 20:35, Romans 12:5-8, 12:11, 1 Corinthians 1:24-30, 3:7-9, 4:1-2, 7:7, 12:4-11, 12:27-31, 14:12, Galatians 5:13-14, 6:9, Ephesians 4:10-12, 1 Peter 4:8-10, 2 Peter 1:5-7, Hebrews 6:10-12, James 1:22-27.



Related article: What Does the Bible Say About Using Time, Talents and Wealth?





((Bruce))) God bless you and your great questions

Answer 2

A talent was not any kind of coin but a measure of value worth about fifty kilos (one hundred pounds) of silver.



The traditional meaning of the parable is that a Christian needs to make an effort to respond to God's grace their entire life. And that all the gifts of God's grace and nature should yield a profit. It doesn't matter how many gifts we have received, what is important is our generosity in employing them.



Another aspect is from the fact of the differing amounts of talents. Not all received the same number. The person who had 1 talent, who didn't even invest it with the bank but hid it did so for wicked reasons. Since, Jesus calls him wicked. That Jesus highlights the different amounts given is important to the story. It is no mere coincidence that the one who was wicked was the one who received the least amount of talents and is a key to understanding. For he is doing the same thing we are when we read the parable.



And, what is that one might ask? Comparing the different servants and the amounts they have received. When we compare ourselves with one another we set ourselves up for failure. We tend to either start to think too highly of ourselves or we think too low. Then we start to envy those who we think are better than ourselves. And we start to resent them. We may even become angry at God. Why don't I have what these other people have we may ask ourselves? And, we start to complain and grumble against God.



This brings us to the point that the servant who was lazy and fearful was this way because he was envious of the other servants who received more talents. He buried his coin because he was angry at the Master for only giving him one talent. For surely, how difficult was it to deposit the coin in the bank for interest? This little bit that the Master said he could have done was not too hard or difficult for anyone to do. So why didn't he do this at least? Because he was angry at the Master.



Instead of comparing ourselves to others, Paul says in Galatians that each man will have to give his own accounting. And it will not be based on comparing himself with his neighbor.



"Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if any one thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each man will have to bear his own load."

- Gal 6:3-5

Answer 3

Given that the talents in the parables are those things owned by the Master and entrusted to the servant by the master, I think you can make a very solid case that they are gifts of the Spirit, as described in Romans 12, 1 Cor. 12 & 14, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4. These gifts would be something given directly from Christ to His followers which are for the purpose of building up the church. As such, we have no right to sit on these gifts, but are obligated to discover them, develop them, and utilize them for the furtherance of God's kingdom.

Answer 4

No doubt your heart’s desire is to imitate the diligent slaves in Jesus’ parable and have as full a share as possible in the disciple-making work. But what if circumstances severely limit what you are currently able to do? Perhaps harsh economic conditions force you to work long hours to provide for your family. Or maybe you no longer enjoy youthful vigor and good health. If that is the case, the parable of the talents contains an encouraging message for you.

10 Note that the master in the parable recognized that each of his slaves had different potential. He indicated this when he assigned talents to “each one according to his own ability.” (Matt. 25:15) As expected, the first slave produced significantly more than the second slave. However, the master recognized the diligent efforts of both of these slaves by pronouncing the slaves “good and faithful” and giving them identical rewards. (Matt. 25:21, 23) Similarly, the Master of the harvest, Jehovah God, knows that your circumstances affect what you are able to do in his service. He will not fail to recognize your whole-souled efforts to serve him and reward you accordingly.—Mark 14:3-9; read Luke 21:1-4.

Answer 5

I agree with Jim and James. In the context of Matthew chapters 24 and 25 we are looking at the same thing. Paraphrase Question when will the Kingdom be established. Answer not for you to know but here are the signs that its approaching. What you should have asked is how do we make ourselves ready for the kingdom. Take care of Gods household, a household includes the rules of the household and treat his other servants well. Don't let me catch you goofing off when i come back but be vililent. Don't be like foolish brides who have learned nothing about their husband to be and so are unprepared to enter into the wedding chamber but instead learn everything about him and be pleasing in his sight so that your light shines forth unto him. Use the gifts you have been given to further the kingdom of God don't just sit on them or try and deny you even have them and finally do good to all people but especially your brothers and sisters in Messiah put into real action your love for me by your outpouring of love for each other. do not neglect doing. Summation Be not hearers of the word only and be left in the outer darkness but doers of the word then you will be in the Kingdom when it does come.

Answer 6

Metaphorically, the servants are believers, the talents is the revelation of the word of God, the profit is new believers. The worthless servant hid the talent in the ground, he didn't let its light shine, even if left in a bank it would accumulate interest. So the worthless believer doesn't share the word of God and doesn't save anyone but buries it deep in oneself.

Answer 7

Literally they are money



A talent was a measure of gold



However it is easily transferable to anything God gives with the idea that you will go and do something in the kingdom with it.



However...based on a previous question I don't think it stretches to someone who has a good voice who wants to do something else but sing



In the end we are directed by God...or should be, find what your hand finds to do and God will lead you where he wants to you be

Answer 8

A talent is a unit of weight, roughly about 75 pounds. It is also a unit of currency in ancient Greece and Rome.



The parable is a call to use what has been given of you to improve or work for the kingdom of God.

Answer 9

Its Greek talanton meaning



a sum of money weighing a talent and varying in different states and according to the changes in the laws regulating currency



the Attic talent was equal to 60 Attic minae or 6000 drachmae



a talent of silver in Israel weighed about 100 pounds (45 kg)



a talent of gold in Israel weighed about 200 pounds (91 kg)

Answer 10

Yes they are the SPIRITUAL gifts GOD gives us thru the HOLY GHOST as well as natural abilities HE has blessed us with.The servant who was lazy and did nothing with his talent( being a witness of the salvation he received) but could have done better, will be cast into outer darkness.

Answer 11

A talent was a unit of money, but we are free to also use the word as talents imparted to us by God for us to develop and use for the betterment of His children and ourselves.

Talents can be taken away in the sense that, if we do not use them, they will diminish and be gone.

Answer 12

literally money, a monk in the Middle Ages came up with using the word "talent" to mean a God-given ability.