In the parable of the talents we learn of three different men given three different talents with the first having five talents, the second two and the third one. When the Lord had seen what the first two men had done with their’s as they both doubled what was given them, we see the third who had only one talent went and hid his because he was afraid of the Lord. We read the Lord was very pleased with the first two calling them good and faithful servant’s, but the third was cast into outer darkness! (Matthew 25:20-30). 20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make the e ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This lesson may seem extremely severe for the one who chose to hide their talent which the Lord entrusted them with, but the truth of this story of the parable has nothing to do with money at all which the three received! We read later in this chapter the answer to this parable. It is teaching us about how we treat our fellow man. It is how we treat the least of our brethren with the talents God has given us to help and care for one another! (Matthew 25:40-46). 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. :46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
That’s a great insight, I had never connected those 2 things together before as it never occurred to me. On a side note, it’s even better to have “lost” the talent while trying to get a return vs just hiding it away, at least there would be an earnest attempt!
Your right! It would be better to of lost the talent than to be guilty of trying to hide it from the Lord. I love the way you worded that. Be Blessed in Him.
Julia