Mt 25:14-30

14 "At that time the Kingdom of heaven will be like this. Once there was a man who was about to leave home on a trip; he called his servants and put them in charge of his property. 15 He gave to each one according to his ability: to one he gave five thousand gold coins, to another he gave two thousand, and to another he gave one thousand. Then he left on his trip. 16 The servant who had received five thousand coins went at once and invested his money and earned another five thousand. 17 In the same way the servant who had received two thousand coins earned another two thousand. 18 But the servant who had received one thousand coins went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money. 19 "After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. 20 The servant who had received five thousand coins came in and handed over the other five thousand. "You gave me five thousand coins, sir,' he said. "Look! Here are another five thousand that I have earned.' 21 "Well done, you good and faithful servant!' said his master. "You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!' 22 Then the servant who had been given two thousand coins came in and said, "You gave me two thousand coins, sir. Look! Here are another two thousand that I have earned.' 23 "Well done, you good and faithful servant!' said his master. "You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!' 24 Then the servant who had received one thousand coins came in and said, "Sir, I know you are a hard man; you reap harvests where you did not plant, and you gather crops where you did not scatter seed. 25 I was afraid, so I went off and hid your money in the ground. Look! Here is what belongs to you.'26 "You bad and lazy servant!' his master said. "You knew, did you, that I reap harvests where I did not plant, and gather crops where I did not scatter seed? 27 Well, then, you should have deposited my money in the bank, and I would have received it all back with interest when I returned. 28 Now, take the money away from him and give it to the one who has ten thousand coins. 29 For to every person who has something, even more will be given, and he will have more than enough; but the person who has nothing, even the little that he has will be taken away from him. 30 As for this useless servant--throw him outside in the darkness; there he will cry and gnash his teeth.' (TEV).

14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. `Master,' he said, `you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' 21 "His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 22 "The man with the two talents also came. `Master,' he said, `you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' 23 "His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. `Master,' he said, `I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'26 "His master replied, `You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 "`Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' (NIV).

Who is the Master?

Who are the servants?

What does the gold represent?

What is the place outside with the darkness?

What about the servant’s charge against the master?

What does the story say about the state of the servants’ hearts?

Why are we all servants?

Were the servants trusted?

At whose expense does the master gather where he has not sown and reap where he has not planted?

Why is it so bad to bury our gifts from our master?

What is the large amount?

A crown. 2Ti4:8

A throne. Re 3:21

A kingdom. Mt 25:34

We are called to profit God and others.

We are called upon to do work for God.

Matthew Henry Commentary:

Matthew 25:14-30

We have here the parable of the talents committed to three servants; this implies that we are in

a state of work and business, as the former implies that we are in a state of expectancy. That

showed the necessity of habitual preparation, this of actual diligence in our present work and

service. In that we were stirred up to do well for our own souls; in this to lay out ourselves for

the glory of God and the good of others.

In this parable, 1. The Master is Christ, who is the absolute Owner and Proprietor of all

persons and things, and in a special manner of his church; into his hands all things are

delivered. 2. The servants are Christians, his own servants, so they are called; born in his

house, bought with his money, devoted to his praise, and employed in his work. It is probable

that ministers are specially intended here, who are more immediately attending on him, and

sent by him. St. Paul often calls himself a servant of Jesus Christ. See

# 2Ti 2:24

We have three things, in general, in this parable.

I. The trust committed to these servants; Their master delivered to them his goods: having

appointed them to work (for Christ keeps no servants to be idle), he left them something to

work upon. Note, 1. Christ's servants have and receive their all from him; for they are of

themselves worth nothing, nor have any thing they can call their own but sin. 2. Our receiving

from Christ is in order to our working for him. Our privileges are intended to find us with

business. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 3. Whatever

we receive to be made use of for Christ, still the property is vested in him; we are but tenants

upon his land, stewards of his manifold grace,

# 1Pe 4:10

Now observe here,

(1.) On what occasion this trust was committed to these servants: The master was travelling

into a far country. This is explained,

# Eph 4:8

When he ascended on high, he gave gifts to men. Note, [1.] When Christ went to heaven, he

was as a man travelling into a far country; that is, he went with a purpose to be away a great

while. [2.] When he went, he took care to furnish his church with all things necessary for it

during his personal absence. For, and in consideration of, his departure, he committed to his

church truths, laws, promises and powers; these were the parakatatheke -- the great

depositum (as it is called,

# 1Ti 6:20, 2Ti 1:14

the good thing that is committed to us; and he sent his Spirit to enable his servants to teach and

profess those truths, to press and observe those laws, to improve and apply those promises,

and to exercise and employ those powers, ordinary or extraordinary. Thus Christ, at his

ascension, left his goods to his church.

(2.) In what proportion this trust was committed. [1.] He gave talents; a talent of silver is

computed to be in our money three hundred and fifty-three pounds eleven shillings and ten

pence halfpenny; so the learned Bishop Cumberland. Note, Christ's gifts are rich and valuable,

the purchases of his blood inestimable, and none of them mean. [2.] He gave to some more, to

others less; to one five talents, to another two, to another one; to every one according to his

several ability. When Divine Providence has made a difference in men's ability, as to mind,

body, estate, relation, and interest, divine grace dispenses spiritual gifts accordingly, but still

the ability itself is from him. Observe, First, Every one had some one talent at least, and that is

not a despicable stock for a poor servant to begin with. A soul of our own is the one talent we

are every one of us entrusted with, and it will find us with work. Hoc nempe ab homine

their favour. Seneca de Otio Sapient. Secondly, All had not alike, for they had not all alike

abilities and opportunities. God is a free Agent, dividing to every man severally as he will;

some are cut out for service in one kind, others in another, as the members of the natural body.

When the householder had thus settled his affairs, he straightway took his journey. Our Lord

Jesus, when he had given commandments to his apostles, as one in haste to be gone, went to heaven.

II. The different management and improvement of this trust, which we have an account of,

# 16-18

1. Two of the servants did well.

(1.) They were diligent and faithful; They went, and traded; they put the money they were

entrusted with, to the use for which it was intended -- laid it out in goods, and made returns of

it; as soon as ever their master was gone, they immediately applied themselves to their

business. Those that have so much work to do, as every Christian has, need to set about it

quickly, and lose not time. They went, and traded. Note, A true Christian is a spiritual

tradesman. Trades are called mysteries, and without controversy great is the mystery of

godliness; it is a manufacture trade; there is something to be done by upon our own hearts, and

for the good of others. It is a merchant-trade; things of less value to us are parted with for

things of greater value; wisdom's merchandize,

# Pr 3:15, Mt 13:45

A tradesman is one who, having made his trade his choice, and taken pains to learn it, makes it

his business to follow it, lays out all he has for the advancement of it, makes all other affairs

bend to it, and lives upon the gain of it. Thus does a true Christian act in the work of religion;

we have no stock of our own to trade with, but trade as factors with our master's stock. The

endowments of the mind -- reason, wit, learning, must be used in subserviency to religion; the

enjoyments of the world -- estate, credit, interest, power, preferment, must be improved for the

honour of Christ. The ordinances of the gospel, and our opportunities of attending them, bibles,

ministers, sabbaths, sacraments, must be improved for the end for which they were instituted,

and communion with God kept up by them, and the gifts and graces of the Spirit must be

exercised; and this is trading with our talents.

(2.) They were successful; they doubled their stock, and in a little time made cent. per cent. of

it: he that had five talents, soon made them other five. Trading with our talents is not alway

successful with others, but, however, it shall be so to ourselves,

# Isa 49:4

Note, The hand of the diligent makes rich in graces, and comforts, and treasures of good works.

There is a great deal to be got by industry in religion.

Observe, The returns were in proportion to the receivings. [1.] From those to whom God hath

given five talents, he expects the improvement of five, and to reap plentifully where he sows

plentifully. The greater gifts any have, the more pains they ought to take, as those must that have

a large stock to manage. [2.] From those to whom he has given but two talents, he expects only

the improvement of two, which may encourage those who are placed in a lower and narrower

sphere of usefulness; if they lay out themselves to do good according to the best of their

capacity and opportunity, they shall be accepted, though they do not so much good as others.

2. The third did ill

# 18

He that had received one talent, went, and hid his lord's money. Though the parable

represents but one in three unfaithful, yet in a history that answers this parable, we find the

disproportion quite the other way, when ten lepers were cleansed, nine of ten hid the talent,

and only one returned to give thanks,

# Lu 17:17, 18

The unfaithful servant was he that had but one talent: doubtless there are many that have five

talents, and bury them all; great abilities, great advantages, and yet do no good with them: but

Christ would hint to us, (1.) That if he that had but one talent, be reckoned with thus for burying

that one, much more will they be accounted offenders, that have more, that have many, and bury

them. If he that was but of small capacity, was cast into utter darkness because he did not

improve what he had as he might have done, of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shal

l he be thought worthy, that tramples underfoot the greatest advantages? (2.) That those who

have least to do for God, frequently do least of what they have to do. Some make it an excuse

for their laziness, that they have not the opportunities of serving God that others have; and

because they have not wherewithal to do what they say they would, they will not do what we

are sure they can, and so sit down and do nothing; it is really an aggravation of their sloth, that

when they have but one talent to take care about, they neglect that one.

He digged in the earth, and hid the talent, for fear it should be stolen; he did not misspend or

misemploy it, did not embezzle it or squander it away, but he hid it. Money is like manure (so

my Lord Bacon used to say,) good for nothing in the heap, but it must be spread; yet it is an evil

which we have often seen under the sun, treasure heaped together

# Jas 5:3, Ec 6:1, 2

which does good to nobody; and so it is in spiritual gifts; many have them, and make no use of

them for the end for which they were given them. Those that have estates, and do not lay them

out in works of piety and charity; that have power and interest, and do not with it promote

religion in the places where they live; ministers that have capacities and opportunities of doing

good, but do not stir up the gift that is in them, are those slothful servants that seek their own

things more than Christ's.

He hid his lord's money; had it been his own, he might have done as he pleased; but, whatever

abilities and advantages we have, they are not our own, we are but stewards of them, and must

give account to our Lord, whose goods they are. It was an aggravation of his slothfulness, that

his fellow-servants were busy and successful in trading, and their zeal should have provoked

his. Are others active, and shall we be idle?

III. The account of this improvement,

# 19

1. The account is deferred; it is not till after a long time that they are reckoned with; not that

the master neglects his affairs, or that God is slack concerning his promise

# 2Pe 3:9

no, he is ready to judge

# 1Pe 4:5

but every thing must be done in its time and order. 2. Yet the day of account comes at last; The

lord of those servants reckoneth with them. Note, The stewards of the manifold grace of God

must shortly give account of their stewardship. We must all be reckoned with -- what good we

have got to our own souls, and what good we have done to others by the advantages we have

enjoyed. See

# Ro 14:10, 11

Now here is,

(1.) The good account of the faithful servants; and here observe,

[1.] The servants giving up the account

# 20, 22

"Lord, thou deliveredst to me five talents, and to me two; behold, I have gained five talents,

and I two talents more."

First, Christ's faithful servants acknowledge with thankfulness his vouchsafements to them;

Lord, thou deliveredst to me such and such things. Note, 1. It is good to keep a particular

account of our receivings from God, to remember what we have received, that we may know

what is expected from us, and may render according to the benefit. 2. We must never look upon

our improvements but with a general mention of God's favour to us, of the honour he has put

upon us, in entrusting us with his goods, and of that grace which is the spring and fountain of all

the good that is in us or is done by us. For the truth is, the more we do for God, the more we are

indebted to him for making use of us, and enabling us, for his service.

Secondly, They produce, as an evidence of their faithfulness, what they have gained. Note,

God's good stewards have something to show for their diligence; Show me thy faith by thy

works. He that is a good man, let him show it,

# Jas 3:13

If we be careful in our spiritual trade, it will soon be seen by us, and our works will follow us,

# Re 14:13

Not that the saints will in the great day make mention of their own good deeds; no, Christ will

do that for them

# 35

but it intimates that they who faithfully improve their talents, shall have boldness in the day

# 1Joh 2:28 ... 4:17

And it is observable that he who had but two talents, gave up his account as cheerfully as he

who had five; for our comfort, in the day of account, will be according to our faithfulness, not

according to our usefulness; our sincerity, not our success; according to the uprightness of our

hearts, not according to the degree of our opportunities.

[2.] The master's acceptance and approbation of their account,

# 21, 23

First, He commended them; Well done, good and faithful servant. Note, The diligence and

integrity of those who approve themselves the good and faithful servants of Jesus Christ, will

certainly be found to praise, and honour, and glory, at his appearing,

# 1Pe 1:7

Those that own and honour God now, he will own and honour shortly. 1. Their persons will be

accepted; Thou good and faithful servant. He that knows the integrity of his servants now, will

witness to it in the great day; and they that are found faithful, shall be called so. Perhaps they

were censured by men, as righteous overmuch; but Christ will give them their just characters,

of good and faithful. 2. Their performances will be accepted; Well done. Christ will call

those, and those only, good servants, that have done well; for it is by patient continuance in

well-doing that we seek for this glory and honour; and if we seek, we shall find; if we do that

which is good, and do it well, we shall have praise of the same. Some masters are so morose,

that they will not commend their servants, though they do their work ever so well; it is thought

enough not to chide: but Christ will commend his servants that do well; whether their praise be

of men or not, it is of him; and if we have the good word of our Master, the matter is not great

what our fellow-servants say of us; if he saith, Well done, we are happy, and it should then be a

small thing to us to be judged of men's judgment; as, on the contrary, not he who commendeth

himself, or whom his neighbours commend, is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

Secondly, He rewards them. The faithful servants of Christ shall not be put off with bare

commendation; no, all their work and labour of love shall be rewarded.

Now this reward is here expressed two ways.

1. In one expression agreeable to the parable; Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will

make thee ruler over many things. It is usual in the courts of princes, and families of great men,

to advance those to higher offices, that have been faithful in lower. Note, Christ is a master that

will prefer his servants who acquit themselves well. Christ has honour in store for those that

honour him -- a crown

# 2Ti 4:8

a throne

# Re 3:21

# 25:34

Here they are beggars; in heaven they shall be rulers. The upright shall have dominion: Christ's

servants are all princes.

Observe the disproportion between the work and the reward; there are but few things in which

the saints are serviceable to the glory of God, but there are many things wherein they shall be

glorified with God. What charge we receive from God, what work we do for God in this

world, is but little, very little, compared with the joy set before us. Put together all our

service, all our sufferings, all our improvements, all the good we do to others, all we get to

ourselves, and they are but a few things, next to nothing, not worthy to be compared, not fit to

be named the same day with the glory to be revealed.

2. In another expression, which slips out of the parable into the thing signified by it; Enter thou

into the joy of thy Lord. Note, (1.) The state of the blessed is a state of joy, not only because all

tears shall then be wiped away, but all the springs of comfort shall be opened to them, and the

fountains of joy broken up. Where there are the vision and fruition of God, a perfection of

holiness, and the society of the blessed, there cannot but be a fulness of joy. (2.) This joy is the

joy of their Lord; the joy which he himself has purchased and provided for them; the joy of the

redeemed, bought with the sorrow of the Redeemer. It is the joy which he himself is in the

possession of, and which he had his eye upon when he endured the cross, and despised the shame,

# Heb 12:2

It is the joy of which he himself is the fountain and centre. It is the joy of our Lord, for it is

joy in the Lord, who is our exceeding joy. Abraham was not willing that the steward of his

house, though faithful, should be his heir

# Ge 15:3

but Christ admits his faithful stewards into his own joy, to be joint-heirs with him. (3.)

Glorified saints shall enter into this joy, shall have a full and complete possession of it, as the

heir when he comes of age enters upon his estate, or as they that were ready, went in to the

marriage feast. Here the joy of our Lord enters into the saints, in the earnest of the Spirit;

shortly they shall enter into it, shall be in it to eternity, as in their element.

(2.) The bad account of the slothful servant. Observe,

[1.] His apology for himself,

# 24, 25

Though he had received but one talent, for that one he is called to account. The smallness of

our receiving will not excuse us from a reckoning. None shall be called to an account for more

than they have received; but for what we have, we must all account.

Observe, First, What he confides in. He comes to the account with a deal of assurance, relying

on the plea he had to put in, that he was able to say, "Lo, there thou hast that is thine; if I have

not made it more, as the others have done, yet this I can say, I have not made it less." This, he

thinks, may serve to bring him off, if not with praise, yet with safety.

Note, Many a one goes very securely to judgment, presuming upon the validity of a plea that

will be overruled as vain and frivolous. Slothful professors, that are afraid of doing too much

for God, yet hope to come off as well as those that take so much pains in religion. Thus the

# Pr 26:16

This servant thought that his account would pass well enough, because he could say, There

thou hast that is thine. "Lord, I was no spendthrift of my estate, no prodigal of my time, no

profaner of my sabbaths, no opposer of good ministers and good preaching; Lord, I never

ridiculed my bible, nor set my wits to work to banter religion, nor abused my power to

persecute any good man; I never drowned my parts, nor wasted God's good creatures in

drunkenness and gluttony, nor ever to my knowledge did I injury to any body." Many that are

called Christians, build great hopes for heaven upon their being able to make such an account;

yet all this amounts to no more than there thou hast that is thine; as if no more were required,

or could be expected.

Secondly, What he confesses. He owns the burying of his talent; I hid thy talent in the earth.

He speaks as if that were no great fault; nay, as if he deserved praise for his prudence in putting

it in a safe place, and running no hazards with it. Note, It is common for people to make a very

light matter of that which will be their condemnation in the great day. Or, if he was conscious

to himself that it was his fault, it intimates how easily slothful servants will be convicted in the

judgment; there will need no great search for proof, for their own tongues shall fall upon them.

Thirdly, What he makes his excuse; I knew that thou were a hard man, and I was afraid.

Good thought of God would beget love, and that love would make us diligent and faithful; but

hard thoughts of God beget fear, and that fear makes us slothful and unfaithful. His excuse bespeaks,

1. The sentiments of an enemy; I knew thee, that thou art a hard man. This was like that

wicked saying of the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal,

# Eze 18:25

Thus his defence is his offence. The foolishness of man perverteth his way, and then, as if that

would mend the matter, his heart fretteth against the Lord. This is covering the transgression,

as Adam, who implicitly laid the fault on God himself; The woman which thou gavest me.

Note, Carnal hearts are apt to conceive false and wicked opinions concerning God, and with

them to harden themselves in their evil ways. Observe how confidently he speaks; I knew thee

to be so. How could he know him to be so? What iniquity have we or our fathers found in him?

# Jer 2:5

Wherein has he wearied us with his work, or deceived us in his wages?

# Mic 6:3

Has he been a wilderness to us, or a land of darkness? Thus long God has governed the

world, and may ask with more reason than Samuel himself could, Whom have I defrauded? or

whom have I oppressed? Does not all the world know the contrary, that he is so far from being

a hard master, that the earth is full of his goodness, so far from reaping where he sowed not,

that he sows a great deal where he reaps nothing? For he causes the sun to shine, and his

rain to fall, upon the evil and unthankful, and fills their hearts with food and gladness who say

to the Almighty, Depart from us. This suggestion bespeaks the common reproach which wicked

people cast upon God, as if all the blame of their sin and ruin lay at his door, for denying them

his grace; whereas it is certain that never any who faithfully improved the common grace they

had, perished for want of special grace; nor can any show what could in reason have been done

more for an unfruitful vineyard than God has done in it. God does not demand brick, and deny

straw; no, whatever is required in the covenant, is promised in the covenant; so that if we

perish, it is owing to ourselves.

2. The spirit of a slave; I was afraid, This ill affection toward God arose from his false notions

of him; and nothing is more unworthy of God, nor more hinders our duty to him, than slavish

fear. This has bondage and torment, and is directly opposite to that entire love which the great

commandment requires. Note, Hard thoughts of God drive us from, and cramp us in his service.

Those who think it impossible to please him, and in vain to serve him, will do nothing to

purpose in religion.

[2.] His Lord's answer to this apology. His plea will stand him in no stead, it is overruled, nay,

it is made to turn against him, and he is struck speechless with it; for here we have his

conviction and his condemnation.

First, His conviction,

# 26, 27

Two things he is convicted of.

1. Slothfulness; Thou wicked and slothful servant. Note, Slothful servants are wicked

servants, and will be reckoned with as such by their master, for he that is slothful in his

work, and neglects the good that God has commanded, is brother to him that is a great waster,

by doing the evil that God has forbidden,

# Pr 18:9

He that is careless in God's work, is near akin to him that is busy in the devil's work. Satis

est mali nihil fecisse boni -- To do no good is to incur very serious blame. Omissions are sins,

and must come into judgment; slothfulness makes way for wickedness; all become filthy, for

# Ps 14:3

When the house is empty, the unclean spirit takes possession. Those that are idle in the affairs

of their souls, are not only idle, but something worse,

# 1Ti 5:13

When men sleep, the enemy sows tares.

2. Self-contradiction

# 26, 27

to the exchangers. Note, The hard thoughts which sinners have of God, though false and unjust,

will be so far from justifying their wickedness and slothfulness, that they will rather aggravate

and add to their guilt. Three ways this may be taken; (1.) "Suppose I had been so hard a master,

shouldest not thou therefore have been the more diligent and careful to please me, if not for

love, yet for fear, and for that reason oughtest not thou to have minded thy work?" If our God is

a consuming fire, in consideration of that let us study how to serve him. Or thus, (2.) "If thou

didst think me to be a hard master, and therefore durst not trade with the money thyself, for fear

of losing by it, and being made to stand to the loss, yet thou mightest have put it into the hands

of the exchangers, or goldsmith, mightest have brought it into the bank, and then at my coming,

if I could not have had the greater improvement, by trade and merchandize (as of the other

talents), yet I might have had the less improvement, of bare interest, and should have received

my own with usury;" which, it seems, was a common practice at that time, and not disallowed

by our Saviour. Note, If we could not, or durst not, do what we would, yet that excuse will not

serve, when it will be made to appear that we did not do what we could and durst. If we could

not find in our hearts to venture upon more difficult and hazardous services, yet will that justify

us in shrinking from those that were more safe and easy? Something is better than nothing; if we

fail of showing our courage in bold enterprises, yet we must not fail to testify our goodwill in

honest endeavours; and our Master will not despise the day of small things. Or thus, (3.)

"Suppose I did reap where I sowed not, yet that is nothing to thee, for I had sowed upon thee,

and the talent was my money which thou wast entrusted with, not only to keep, but to improve."

Note, In the day of account, wicked and slothful servants will be left quite without excuse;

frivolous pleas will be overruled, and every mouth will be stopped; and those who now stand

so much upon their own justification will not have one word to say for themselves.

Secondly, His condemnation. The slothful servant is sentenced,

1. To be deprived of his talent

# 28, 29

Take therefore the talent from him. The talents were first disposed of by the Master, as an

absolute Owner, but this was now disposed of by him as a Judge; he takes it from the unfaithful

servant, to punish him, and gives it to him that was eminently faithful, to reward him. And the

meaning of this part of the parable we have in the reason of the sentence

# 29

To every one that hath shall be given. This may be applied, (1.) To the blessings of this life --

worldly wealth and possessions. These we are entrusted with, to be used for the glory of God,

and the good of those about us. Now he that hath these things, and useth them for these ends, he

shall have abundance; perhaps abundance of the things themselves, at least, abundance of

comfort in them, and of better things; but from him that hath not, that is, that hath these things

as if he had them not, had not power to eat of them, or to do good with (Avaro deest, tam

has, as well as of what he has not), they shall be taken away. Solomon explains this,

# Pr 11:24

and it tendeth to poverty. Giving to the poor is trading with what we have, and the returns will

be rich; it will multiply the meal in the barrel, and the oil in the cruse: but those that are sordid,

and niggardly, and uncharitable, will find that those riches which are so got, perish by evil travail,

# Ec 5:13, 14

Sometimes Providence strangely transfers estates from those that do no good with them to

those that do; they are gathered for him that will pity the poor,

# Pr 28:8

See

# Pr 13:22, Job 27:16, 17, Ec 2:26

(2.) We may apply it to the means of grace. They who are diligent in improving the

opportunities they have, God will enlarge them, will set before them an open door

# Re 3:8

but they who know not the day of their visitation, shall have the things that belong to their peace

hid from their eyes. For proof of this, go see what God did to Shiloh,

# Jer 7:12

(3.) We may apply it to the common gifts of the Spirit. He that hath these, and doeth good with

them, shall have abundance; these gifts improve by exercise, and brighten by being used; the

more we do, the more we may do, in religion; but those who stir not up the gift that is in them,

who do not exert themselves according to their capacity, their gifts rust, and decay, and go out

like a neglected fire. From his that hath not a living principle of grace in his soul, shall be taken

away the common gifts which he hath, as the lamps of the foolish virgins went out for want of oil,

# 8

Thus the arm of the idle shepherd, which he had sluggishly folded up in his bosom, comes to be

dried up, and his right eye, which he had carelessly or wilfully shut, becomes utterly darkened,

as it is threatened,

# Zec 11:17

2. He is sentenced to be cast into outer darkness,

# 30

Here,

(1.) His character is that of an unprofitable servant. Note, Slothful servants will be reckoned

with as unprofitable servants, who do nothing to the purpose of their coming into the world,

nothing to answer the end of their birth or baptism, who are no way serviceable to the glory of

God, the good of others, or the salvation of their own souls. A slothful servant is a withered

member in the body, a barren tree in the vineyard, an idle drone in the hive, he is good for

nothing. In one sense, we are all unprofitable servants

# Lu 17:10

we cannot profit God,

# Job 22:2

But to others, and to ourselves, it is required that we be profitable; if we be not, Christ will not

own us as his servants: it is not enough not to do hurt, but we must do good, must bring forth

fruit, and though thereby God is not profited, yet he is glorified,

# Joh 15:8

(2.) His doom is, to be cast into outer darkness. Here, as in what was said to the faithful

servants, our Saviour slides insensibly out of the parable into the thing intended by it, and it

serves as a key to the whole; for, outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of

teeth, is, in Christ's discourses, the common periphrasis of the miseries of the damned in hell.

Their state is, [1.] Very dismal; it is outer darkness. Darkness is uncomfortable and frightful: it

was one of the plagues of Egypt. In hell there are chains of darkness,

# 2Pe 2:4

In the dark no man can work, a fit punishment for a slothful servant. It is outer darkness, out

from the light of heaven, out from the joy of their Lord, into which the faithful servants were

admitted; out from the feast. Compare

# 8:12, 22:13

[2.] Very doleful; there is weeping, which bespeaks great sorrow, and gnashing of teeth, which

bespeaks great vexation and indignation. This will be the portion of the slothful servant.