Matthew 25:16
in Matthew 25The servant who had received the five talents went at once and put them to work and gained five more.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Straightway he that received the five talents went and traded with them, and made other five talents.
KJV
Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
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This verse in Matthew 25
Commentary
15 notes on this verse(Verse 16) And he who had received the five talents went and worked with them, and gained five more talents. With the earthly senses, he doubled his knowledge of heavenly things: understanding the Creator through His creation, the incorporeal through the corporeal, the invisible through the visible, the temporal through the eternal.
This site's exposition
put them to work
on Matthew 25:16-18
The servant with five talents went at once and put them to work, gaining five more. The one with two gained two more in the same way. The third servant dug a hole in the ground and "hid his master’s money," burying what he could have used.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Or, They that have their senses exercised by healthy conversation, both raising themselves to higher knowledge and zealous in teaching others, these have gained other five; because no one can easily have increase of any virtues that are not his own, and without he teaches others what he himself knows, and no more.
He that had received five talents, that is, having received his bodily senses, he doubled his knowledge of heavenly things, from the creature understanding the Creator, from earthly unearthly, from temporal the eternal.
This parable was spoken with respect to mercy in alms; but the one that comes after this, to them that neither in money, nor in word, nor in protection, nor in any other things whatever, are willing to assist their neighbors, but withhold all. And wherefore can it be that this parable brings forward a king, but that a bridegroom? That thou mightest learn how close Christ is joined unto the virgins that strip themselves of their possessions; for this indeed is virginity. Wherefore Paul also makes this as a definition of the thing. "The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord;" such are his words: and, "For that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. These things we advise," he saith. And if in Luke the parable of the talents is otherwise put, this is to be said, that the one is really different from the other. For in that, from the one capital different degrees of increase were made, for from one pound one brought five, another ten; wherefore neither did they obtain the same recompense; but here, it is the contrary, and the crown is accordingly equal. For he that received two gave two, and he that had received the five again in like manner; but there since from the same beginning one made the greater, one the less, increase; as might be expected, in the rewards also, they do not enjoy the same. But see Him everywhere, not requiring it again immediately. For in the case of the vineyard, He let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country; and here He committed to them the talents, and took His journey, that thou mightest learn His long-suffering. And to me He seems to say these things, to intimate the resurrection. But here it is no more a vineyard and husbandmen, but all servants. For not to rulers only, nor to Jews, but to all, doth He address His discourse. […]
The Medieval Church2 voices
Immediately he who had received the five talents went and traded with them. See the speed with which he acts, not in the least bit negligent, but immediately trading and doubling what he had received. For whether a man be gifted with speech, wealth, the …
But he who had received five talents gained another five, because there are some who, although they do not know how to penetrate internal and mystical things, nevertheless for the sake of their intention toward the heavenly homeland teach right things to those they can from those very external things they have received; and while they guard themselves from the wantonness of the flesh and from the pursuit of earthly things and from the pleasure of visible things, they also restrain others from these by admonishing them. Moreover, it is rightly reported that another five or another two came as profit, because when preaching is expended on both sexes, the talents received are, as it were, doubled.
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
(ubi sup.) There are also some who though they cannot pierce to things inward and mystical, yet for their measure of view of their heavenly country they teach rightly such things as they can, what they have gathered from things without, and while they keep themselves from wantonness of the flesh, and from ambition of earthly things, and from the delights of the things that are seen, they restrain others also from the same by their admonitions.
And he that had received the five talents went, etc. Here the use of the gifts is presented, and this with regard to three servants. And first with regard to the first; secondly, with regard to the second; thirdly, with regard to the third. Hence …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Those that have so much work to do, as every Christian has, need to set about it quickly, and lose not time. 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.
Then he that had received the five talents,....
That we may then be ready to receive from him our final sentence, and that it may be to eternal life; and this is shown in a more plain description of the process of the last judgment,
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
The parable of the talents which we have now read is near akin to that of the ten virgins. Both direct our minds to the same important event: the second advent of Jesus Christ. Both bring before us the same persons: the members of the professing church of Christ. The virgins and the servants are one and the same people—but the same people regarded from a different point, and viewed on different sides. The practical lesson of each parable is the main point of difference: vigilance is the keynote of the first parable, diligence that of the second.
The parable of the talents which we have now read is near akin to that of the ten virgins. Both direct our minds to the same important event: the second advent of Jesus Christ. Both bring before us the same persons: the members of the professing church of Christ. The virgins and the servants are one and the same people—but the same people regarded from a different point, and viewed on different sides. The practical lesson of each parable is the main point of difference: vigilance is the keynote of the first parable, diligence that of the second. The story of the virgins calls on the church to watch; the story of the talents calls on the church to work. We learn in the first place from this parable that all professing Christians have received something from God. We are all God’s “servants”: we have all “talents” entrusted to our charge. The word “talents” is an expression that has been curiously turned aside from its original meaning. It is generally applied to none but people of remarkable ability or gifts: they are called “talented” people. Such a use of the expression is a mere modern invention. In the sense in which our Lord used the word in this parable, it applies to all baptized persons without distinction. We have all “talents” in God’s sight: we are all talented people. Anything whereby we may glorify God is a “talent.” Our gifts, our influence, our money, our knowledge, our health, our strength, our time, our senses, our reason, our intellect, our memory, our affections, our privileges as members of Christ’s church, our advantages as possessors of the Bible—all, all are talents. Whence came these things? What hand bestowed them? Why are we what we are? Why are we not the worms that crawl on the earth? There is only one answer to these questions: all that we have is a loan from God: we are God’s stewards; we are God’s debtors.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The two who had received most employed their money in trade, and by honest industry doubled it before their master returned, representing the conduct of those who make a good improvement of their abilities, and employ them in doing good.
The words behind it
13 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| πορευθεὶς | poreutheis | Having gone | G4198 → | 147 times |
| ὁ | ho | the [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πέντε | pente | five | G4002 → | 38 times |
| τάλαντα | talanta | talents | G5007 → | 14 times |
| λαβὼν | labon | having received | G2983 → | 257 times |
| ἠργάσατο | ergasato | he traded | G2038 → | 41 times |
| ἐν | en | with | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| αὐτοῖς | autois | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐκέρδησεν | ekerdesen | he gained | G2770 → | 17 times |
| ἄλλα | alla | more | G243 → | 155 times |
| πέντε | pente | five | G4002 → | 38 times |
πορευθεὶςHaving gone
poreutheisG4198 →147 times
ὁthe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
πέντεfive
penteG4002 →38 times
τάλανταtalents
talantaG5007 →14 times
λαβὼνhaving received
labonG2983 →257 times
ἠργάσατοhe traded
ergasatoG2038 →41 times
ἐνwith
enG1722 →2738 times
αὐτοῖςthem
autoisG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐκέρδησενhe gained
ekerdesenG2770 →17 times
ἄλλαmore
allaG243 →155 times
πέντεfive
penteG4002 →38 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Timothy 2:6The hardworking farmer should be the first to partake of the crops.
it leads to
- Hebrews 10:36
You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
- 1 Corinthians 9:7–11
Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not drink of its milk?
- 1 Corinthians 3:6–9
I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.
- 1 Corinthians 9:23
I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.
- John 4:35–38
Do you not say, ‘There are still four months until the harvest’? I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ripe for harvest.
- Hebrews 10:36
Where this verse is studied
About Matthew
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 9; Gregory the Dialogist, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 78; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.