The Parable of the Talents
Three servants, three sums entrusted — and a reckoning for what they did with them.
A man going on a journey entrusts his servants with five, two, and one talents. The first two trade and double their money; the third buries his in fear. On the master's return, the faithful hear well done, good and faithful servant, but the fearful servant, who risked nothing, is condemned.
The parable
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.
Well done, thou good and faithful servant... enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
The fearful servant: I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth.
What it means
A talent was a large sum of money, and the parable has given English the very word for gifting. Each servant receives according to his several ability — the amounts differ, but the expectation is the same: use what you are given. The master is not looking for equal returns but for faithfulness.
The first two servants are commended in identical words, though one produced five talents and the other two — faithfulness, not size of result, is what earns the well done. The third servant's sin is not that he lost the money but that he did nothing with it, and his excuse reveals the problem: he saw the master as harsh, and let fear bury the gift.
The parable teaches that God entrusts every person with something — abilities, opportunities, the gospel itself — and expects a return of faithful use, not timid hoarding. The joy of the lord is the reward for those who risk and invest what they have been given; the tragedy is the buried life that played it safe and produced nothing.
Quick answers
- What is the meaning of the parable of the talents?
- God entrusts each person with gifts and expects faithful use of them, not fearful hoarding. Faithfulness — not the size of the results — is what he rewards; wasting what we are given through fear is the real failure.