The parable of the ten talents is very searching as is that of the ten virgins in the same chapter of Matthew’s Gospel. The literal meaning of the parable of the ten talents can be readily understood — of the man travelling into a far country and delivering to his servants different amounts of money with which they were to trade in his absence, so that when he returned he might receive his own with usury; and how on his return he approved and rewarded those servants whose industry and labour had in the case of one, increased his lord’s money from five talents to ten and in the case of the other, from two talents to four.
But it is especially to the case of the other servant — the one who received one talent — that we wish to direct your attention. This servant, instead of diligently applying himself to his lord’s service and honouring the trust placed in him, went and digged in the earth and hid his lord’s money. For this man the time of reckoning at length came when he had to deliver up his lord’s money and give account of his stewardship. How sadly he fared then! How quickly was his attitude towards his master disclosed — “Lord I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not straved” — indicating that he had no heart to serve him. Then came his confession — a confession of utter failure to take advantage of the gifts and privileges bestowed on him — “And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.”
What attitude would the master take towards such conduct? Would he view it indifferently? Certainly not! “Thou wicked and slothful servant” was how he addressed this servant whose reprehensible conduct merited the just displeasure of his master. What a solemn scene followed! The talent he had was taken from him and given to the servant who had ten talents, and the principle was laid down for all time coming — “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.” Then that awful sentence was passed — “Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Now we must ask ourselves whether these things can have any application to us. Do we not enjoy privileges, opportunities in relation to the gospel of God’s grace denied to many? Are we seeking to profit from these blessings? If we belong to the household of faith and have the grace of God in our hearts, are we growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?
It is all very well to read this parable and to be moved to some extent by the awful events which befel the unprofitable servant. But we must go even further and seek its application to our own soul’s case. Surely the least we can do is to ask ourselves — Am I that unprofitable servant? Will this be my end? It is so easy to apply to ourselves the promises and consolations of God’s Word but at the same time to be little affected by the warnings of God’s Word. We have need of the warnings as well as the encouragements. They were written for our learning — not for our discouragement — but that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. We have need of being searched by God’s Word and by His Spirit for we have hearts that are deceitful and desperately wicked.
Let us ask then—Can this unprofitable servant mean me? If we are honest with ourselves will we not say — Am I not very like this unprofitable servant? What fruit have I ever brought forth to God’s glory? In what ways might I be serving the Lord that I am not serving Him? What gifts do I have — gifts the Lord has bestowed upon me for His service — that lie unused and discarded? If these are our questions, then let us go on to ask in view of this — How may my talents be laid out for the service of the Master and be more fully used than they have been used hitherto? Let us also ask ourselves this question — Have I not a Master who is worth serving, and worth serving with my whole heart and mind? If I am Christ’s, then it is mine to serve the Lord Christ. I am bought with a price, I am not my own. How earnestly, how diligently should I be serving such a Master, seeking the interests of His kingdom and doing whatsoever lies in my power for the furtherance of His Cause in the world!
What do unused talents suggest? Surely this indicates either that we are without grace or that grace is not in living exercise in our soul. Where faith is, it cannot be inactive. It seeks out ways of honouring and serving God, not for reward, but because He is worthy of such honour and service. Faith without works is dead. Such faith can only lead finally to the awful condemnation which came upon the slothful servant. May we, at the beginning of another year, seek grace to serve the Lord through good and evil report and to be living followers of the Saviour in our day and generation.
D. A. MacF.