Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Although those listening to Jesus' parable would likely have viewed the talents of which He was speaking in a monetary context, the parable could be applied with equal validity to any resources (both spiritual and non-spiritual) that God has placed at our disposal to do His work. This would include not only money, but time, personal abilities and strengths, contacts with other people (including fellowship with other believers), and witnessing to our faith in written and spoken words.

April 15 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Ben Jones Retired Professional Photographer

All three servants were given a sum of money, called talents from the Greek word talanton. One talent equaled 6000 denarii which was the equivalent of 20 years wages for a day laborer, or about $700,000 in US currency today! Quite a sum of money I would say! I don't believe this parable is about gifts given to the redeemed by God. 

This parable is about how people use what God has given them in the way they spend their money, time and abilities. I noticed in reading this parable that only two of the three servants were called "good and faithful " by the Master, while the third was called "wicked and lazy." 

I believe only the first two servants were saved because only Godly men and women are called good and faithful in the scriptures. They are never called wicked and lazy like the ungodly are. In Ephesians 1:4 Christians are called "holy and without blame." In Phil 2:15 Christians are called "blameless, harmless children of God" and in Ephesians 5:27 we are called "a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle...holy and without blemish." So this begs the question, are the unsaved God's servants? Do they also have money, time and abilities? Yes, so where did they get them? From God obviously, Satan certainly cannot. He is not a creator, he is the destroyer, a liar and a murderer. So yes the unsaved are servants of God, but they are unwilling servants.

Note that the last servant did not have any knowledge of what his master was really like, calling him "a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter seed." Is God a "hard man" or is he "gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls." (Matt 11:29 Is Jesus our Savior or is He the condemner? (John 3:16 & 17) Where did I get the idea that God is gentle and lowly in heart and that He is our Savior? From the scriptures. Do the unsaved (the wicked and lazy servant) read and understand the scriptures? No. They believe that evolution created the earth and everything in it over 4.5 billion years.

If talents are the gifts of the Holy Spirit this would violate Romans 11:29 which states, "For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable."

April 15 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report