Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant
Matthew 25:14-15, 20-21: "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.... And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'"
The Parable of the Talents is the last parable in the Gospel of Mathew. In chapters 24 and 25, Jesus taught four parables all focused on what it meant to prepare oneself for his return. In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus used the same financial designation as in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. Instead of the idea of a debt, the talent here represented an opportunity for good stewardship. The master went away having entrusted the talents to his servants. Upon his return, the expectation was that each servant would have invested the talents wisely so that the master would find his net value having increased. Sure enough, the servant who received five talents did invest wisely, and he doubled the money upon the master's return. The blessing of the master is expressed, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter the joy of your master" (Matthew 25:21). How delighted that servant must have been to hear those words of praise and joy from his master!
Jesus wanted his disciples and us to know that he has entrusted gifts to his followers. The gifts are not distributed equally, but each has different gifts and different responsibilities. In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus warned that his return would be delayed, "Now after a long time the master of those servants came" (Matthew 25:20). The servants were to be busy working and investing until the master came, and they were to expect him at any time.
The words "after a long time" were there to let Jesus' followers know that he would take his time to return. In the meantime, there was much work to be done in the kingdom. Jesus expected his disciples and his followers to work diligently as if he may be back any day and fervently to build his kingdom through the proclamation of the Gospel.
We understand that there is a very long delay between Jesus' first coming and his second coming. Despite the long delay, we are not to stop working diligently and fervently to build the kingdom of the Lord. We are still to expect him at any time. The Lord has given each of us gifts to be stewarded in this building of the kingdom. May we faithfully invest our gifts, our time, and our resources so that when Jesus returns, we can hear those same words of affirmation: "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Reflection:
Are you faithfully stewarding the gifts entrusted to you? What more may Jesus be calling you to do today?
The Parable of the Talents is the last parable in the Gospel of Mathew. In chapters 24 and 25, Jesus taught four parables all focused on what it meant to prepare oneself for his return. In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus used the same financial designation as in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. Instead of the idea of a debt, the talent here represented an opportunity for good stewardship. The master went away having entrusted the talents to his servants. Upon his return, the expectation was that each servant would have invested the talents wisely so that the master would find his net value having increased. Sure enough, the servant who received five talents did invest wisely, and he doubled the money upon the master's return. The blessing of the master is expressed, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter the joy of your master" (Matthew 25:21). How delighted that servant must have been to hear those words of praise and joy from his master!
Jesus wanted his disciples and us to know that he has entrusted gifts to his followers. The gifts are not distributed equally, but each has different gifts and different responsibilities. In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus warned that his return would be delayed, "Now after a long time the master of those servants came" (Matthew 25:20). The servants were to be busy working and investing until the master came, and they were to expect him at any time.
The words "after a long time" were there to let Jesus' followers know that he would take his time to return. In the meantime, there was much work to be done in the kingdom. Jesus expected his disciples and his followers to work diligently as if he may be back any day and fervently to build his kingdom through the proclamation of the Gospel.
We understand that there is a very long delay between Jesus' first coming and his second coming. Despite the long delay, we are not to stop working diligently and fervently to build the kingdom of the Lord. We are still to expect him at any time. The Lord has given each of us gifts to be stewarded in this building of the kingdom. May we faithfully invest our gifts, our time, and our resources so that when Jesus returns, we can hear those same words of affirmation: "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Reflection:
Are you faithfully stewarding the gifts entrusted to you? What more may Jesus be calling you to do today?
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