Chapter 25—Talents
This chapter is based on
Matthew 25:13-30
.
Christ on the Mount of Olives had spoken to His disciples of His
second advent to the world. He had specified certain signs that were to
show when His coming was near, and had bidden His disciples watch
and be ready. Again He repeated the warning, “Watch therefore; for
ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
Then He showed what it means to watch for His coming. The time is
to be spent, not in idle waiting, but in diligent working. This lesson
He taught in the parable of the talents.
“The kingdom of heaven,” He said, “is as a man traveling into
a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them
his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and
to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and
straightway took his journey.”
The man traveling into a far country represents Christ, who, when
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speaking this parable, was soon to depart from this earth to heaven.
The “bondservants” (R.V.), or slaves, of the parable, represent the
followers of Christ. We are not our own. We have been “bought with
a price” (
1 Corinthians 6:20
), not “with corruptible things, as silver
and gold, ... but with the precious blood of Christ” (
1 Peter 1:18, 19
);
“that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but
unto Him which died for them, and rose again” (
2 Corinthians 5:15
).
All men have been bought with this infinite price. By pouring
the whole treasury of heaven into this world, by giving us in Christ
all heaven, God has purchased the will, the affections, the mind, the
soul, of every human being. Whether believers or unbelievers, all men
are the Lord’s property. All are called to do service for Him, and for
the manner in which they have met this claim, all will be required to
render an account at the great judgment day.
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