Title According to their talents
Contents
In this chapter, with the words of three parables, the saints in the last days are teaching the life of the world and the faith to prepare for the last days. First, in the parable of the ten virgins (verses 1-13), as a lesson about the relationship between the saints and the Lord, the hope of waiting for the Lord of the Second Coming, and in verses 14-30, in the parable of the talents, about the saints about the works of faith, and Finally (31-46), he taught the practice of love for the relationship between the saints and neighbors through the parable of the sheep and the goats. In the parable of the talents, we hope that it will be a time for us to open our eyes and grow spiritually by understanding the correct teaching on the faith of the saints with the theme of 'each according to his talent' in verse 15 of the text.
1. A person's talent belongs to God.
In verses 14-15 we read, 'It was like another man who was going to a foreign country and called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions. ', some people said it in the light of the wealthy or powerful people at the time, but it is a metaphor for the redemptive history that Jesus entrusted to his disciples and all the saints on earth after his spiritual resurrection and ascension. It is reasonable to view it as
The first thing to remember in this parable of the talents is that the talents of man are originally owned by God. Our lives are also created by God and given through our parents. We see the confession Job made when he lost his sons and was in trouble. Job 1:21 "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return to her; the LORD gave and the LORD took away; blessed be the name of the LORD." is of Material things are only what God has entrusted to them. Haggai 2:8 'The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts', Psalm 50:10-12 'All the beasts of the forest and the livestock of heaven are mine, and the birds of the mountain are mine, and the beasts of the field. It is also mine. Even if I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fulness are mine.'
In the text, those who were entrusted with this talent were called servants. The slave is in charge of the master's property, but it is not his and he is only responsible for managing it. However, we often boast of our lives and everything in the world as our own and use them as we please. Therefore, we must always remember that every gift belongs to God.
2. Each must work according to their talents.
In verse 15, we read, “They gave each one five talents of gold, the other two talents, and the other one talent, according to their talents, and they left.”
1) It shows that the individuality and unique ability given to a person is not a small one, but a very large ability. One talent was the monetary value of silver and gold, an enormous value equivalent to 6,000 denarii. A denarius is a worker's daily wage, and even if the daily wage is calculated at 50,000 won, it is a large amount of 300 million won.
2) He gave them 1, 2, and 5 talents in different ways. The fact is that each person is given a different nature and degree of ability. It doesn't mean that you are being forced to be equal with others. Romans 12:3 “I say to each one of you by the grace given to me, do not think more than you ought to think, but think wisely according to the measure of faith that God has given you.” Therefore, we must remember that there is a degree to which God has entrusted even the spiritual power of the saints who must work by faith.
3) You must work as much as you are given. In verses 16-18 in the parable of the talents in the text, “The one who received the five talents went right away and traded with them, and made another five. I hid my master's money.”
Those who received the five talents and the two talents each left double the amount of the principal to be praised by their master, but the one who received the one talent was rebuked for not working because they were lazy and had one talent buried in the ground. However, the important thing here is that because of the difference between 5 talents and 2 talents, he did not do well or did not work well, but that he worked according to his own abilities.
At the same time, the master did not call him a servant who did a great job just because he left the boat with 5 talents, but praised him just like a man who worked with 2 talents. In verse 21, “His master said, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant, you You have been faithful in your work, and I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.”
And in verse 23, 'His master said, 'Well done, good and faithful servant, since you have been faithful over a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' You will find that they are the same. Therefore, you should know that each one has to work according to their talents.
3. The day for accounting will come.
Verse 19 says, 'After a long time the master of his servants returned and set an account with them.' It means that the master must return, and the day will come when the account will be calculated for the talents distributed.
At the end of the three parables in this chapter, the judgment of the last days for the practice of love is foretold. He told us that what he did to his brother, that is, what he did toward the world, became what he did to the Lord, and he would ask how faithfully he lived in goodness and love. Even if it seems that we have done great things before God in a sense, we must have a humble heart for free.
Just like the one who left the boat with 5 talents and 2 talents, you should note in verses 21 and 23, 'Faithful servant, you were faithful over a little thing.' Although it may seem great in our eyes, it has nothing to brag about and is a useless servant. Lord, it's not enough. You should be able to say this. However, a disciple must bear fruit. In John 15:8, 'My Father is glorified, that ye bear much fruit, and ye shall be my disciples.' A servant who does not bear fruit is treated like a lazy servant who has received one talent.
The master will not escape the judgment as it is said in verse 30, 'Cast this useless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' The saints will be fundamentally saved and only God's reward will be provided. Seeing these words expressed here when you receive one talent and go to hell, it means a world of unbelief in which people do not believe in God, use all God's gifts in the world as they please, and do not remain loyal to God.
It is a parable that invites us to be praised and rewarded only as those who are more faithful. Today, in the parable of the talents, we receive the message that our saints who have met God, who has given each individual personality, characteristics, and abilities according to their talents, must become faithful in spiritual power as much as the grace given.
James said that faith without works is dead in itself. Therefore, among the three parables in this chapter, we did not forget the lesson on how to be faithful by acquiring each of our talents as the content of faith. When the Lord, the Lord, comes, we say that we will be faithful in this way. I pray that you and I will be able to report this kind of fruit.