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It Is Written Canada

Chris Holland

Who’s Got Talent

God's book, the Bible, still relevant in today's complex world.

It is written sharing messages of hope around the world.

A Northern California couple by the name of John and Mary were on their daily walk with their dog.

They had taken that same route for their walk for years.

As they walked along their property, they noticed something sticking out of the ground.

It looked like a rusty can, but they weren't sure.

They hadn't noticed it before, but today they saw it and it intrigued them.

They began to dig around that object and eventually they unearthed 8 rusty cans.

While that may not seem much of a find, it was the contents of those metal cans that was truly amazing.

What they found might well be the greatest buried treasure ever found in the United States.

They found a cache of 1, 400 rare 19th century coins that are estimated to be worth more than 10 million U.S.

Some had thought it was money from a bank robbery.

It seems that someone just buried these coins and died before they could let anyone know where they were.

Is it possible that we're sitting on a buried treasure?

Could it be that this pot of gold as it was could teach us a lesson in how we might be ready for the return of Jesus?

In Matthew 25 there are 3 parables, each of these parables demonstrating the answer of Jesus' call to watch and be ready.

Today, we look at the second of those parables.

In Matthew chapter 25, beginning in verse 14, it says these words.

Matthew chapter 25, beginning in verse 14.

For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them." The King James Version and the New King James Version use the phrase, Kingdom of Heaven.

Now notice that those words are in italics.

What this simply means is that the original Greek, those words actually don't appear there.

What the translators have done is inserted these words to clarify the meaning.

Newer versions of the Bible simply use the word, It.

This is in fact what the original Greek text says.

Now why do I make such a big deal about such a small issue?

By using the word It, Jesus is drawing us back to the parable that is just previous to this parable.

In a previous program we studied verses 1-13 and saw that Jesus is talking about the Kingdom of God in the parable of the 10 virgins.

This is important to note because Jesus, by using the word it, points us back to this first parable which discusses our personal readiness and accountability.

All 3 of the parables of Matthew 25 are connected.

In fact, they are connected to Jesus' words of Matthew 24.

This is not just a series of individual counsels strung together, but rather counsel where Jesus wants to be clear in our understanding the factors related to being ready for the return of Jesus.

As we look at this parable, and remember, parables are stories that are often metaphorical or symbolic in nature.

In this parable, the master going on a journey is representative of Jesus Christ and it is a reference to his departure from the earth and his soon return.

Let's continue with the parable in verse 15.

And to 1 he gave 5 talents, to another 2, and to another 1, each according to his own ability, and he went on his journey.

As we analyze what this parable is saying, we will look deeper into some of the words so we might better understand it.

The word ability in the original Greek language is the word dunamis.

In the King James it is often translated as mighty works.

However, when dunamis is used, it is often used in association with God's power and His strength, especially the power of the Holy Spirit.

This gives us the sense that although these servants have been given according to their personal ability, that these abilities themselves are God-given attributes.

The master gave them talents according to their ability.

The talent in New Testament times was both a weight and a coin.

Here in the parable we will see in just a moment there is no question that it is referring to the coin and it just helps us in our understanding of the parable.

The value of such a coin in today's money would be worth approximately $4, 700.

However, our concern should be the value of a talent in New Testament times.

In the New Testament, what is the daily wage?

Well, if we turn back just a few chapters in Matthew chapter 20 and verse 2, we find out what the daily wage was.

It talks about a daily wage being 1 penny or 1 denarius.

The talent in New Testament times was worth about 6000 denarii.

Now if we figure that there are 300 working days per year, giving time off for weekends and such, that means that the slave who received only 1 talent received almost 20 years worth of wages.

To the 1 who received 2 talents, he received 40 years worth of wages, and to the 1 who received 5, he received almost 100 years worth of wages.

As we journey through this parable, we will see that the talent is symbolic of the skills and ability God has given us to grow His kingdom.

After giving each of the servants their talents, the Master leaves for a journey.

The point that is being made is very clear as we begin this passage.

Everyone is given some gift or skill in accordance with his ability, which was given by God for the expanding of His kingdom.

Let's get further into this parable in verses 16 to 18.

Then he who had received the 5 talents, went and traded with them, and made another 5 talents.

And likewise he who had received 2, gained 2 more also.

But he who had received 1, Here we draw another point.

It seems clear that there is an expectation that we are to utilize the gift or gifts given to us by God.

In verse 16 it simply says the word, then.

In more modern version it uses the word immediately.

In the original it literally says that he went without delay.

The 1 who received the 5 talents immediately with no delay utilized those gifts and the passage says that the 1 who had the 2 talents did the same.

Quite literally it means he invested them.

Now although the text does not plainly indicate any instructions from the master, these first 2 servants knew that the talents were to be put to use.

They were to be taken to the marketplace and profited on.

However, the third slave does something very interesting.

He goes, he digs a hole, and he hides the money in the ground.

He does nothing with the talents, but rather he stores them.

After a long time, the Lord of the servants came and settled accounts with them.

So he who had received 5 talents came and brought 5 others, saying, Lord, you delivered to me 5 talents.

Look, I have gained 5 more talents beside them.

His Lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant.

He also who had received 2 talents came and said, Lord, you delivered to me 2 talents.

Look, I have gained 2 more talents besides them.' His Lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant.

You have been faithful over a few things.

Enter into the joy of your Lord." The passage begins by referring to the Master returning to settle accounts.

The idea clearly being conveyed is that there will be a settling of accounts.

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