Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus told His disciples, “the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods, And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and dug in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants comes, and reckons with them”, and in chapter twenty-five and verse twenty of his book, Matthew writes how Jesus said, “he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents” where we read:
And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, you delivered unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
The verse reads, “And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, you delivered unto me five talents: ” Matthew began with Jesus' words, “and so he that had received” which means “and therefore the servant who was given and delivered” “five talents” or “five sums of money weighing a talent and varying in different states and according to the changes in the laws regulating currency” “came and brought” which means “arose, appeared and came forth and carried with him” “other five talents” which means “another five sums of money weighing a talent and varying in different states and according to the changes in the laws regulating currency”, “saying” or uttering, declaring and proclaiming”, “Lord” or “One to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding or master”, “you delivered unto me” which means “the master gave to his first servant” “five talents” or “five sums of money weighing a talent and varying in different states and according to the changes in the laws regulating currency”. Matthew shared how Jesus the “servant” who was given “five talents” by his master produced “five more talents” and referred to the original “five talents” he was granted.
The verse continues, “behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.” Matthew added Jesus' word, “behold” which means “lo, see and consider”, “I have gained” or “the servant with five talents acquired” “beside them” which refers to “aside from the first five talents given to him” “five talents more” or “five more sums of money weighing a talent and varying in different states and according to the changes in the laws regulating currency”. Matthew shared how Jesus said the “servant with five talents” told his master he produced “five more talents” in addition to the original “five talents” entrusted to him.
When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we notice how this “servant” was extremely productive with the “talents” he was given. He doubled the amount in which he was entrusted and was able to present them to his master. God loves for His children to use their “gifts” whether money, abilities, powers or strengths for His pleasure and in His Kingdom. First, a person receives Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, and then they use their “gifts” to tell others about God's “salvation” plan. Let all who read these words be inspired by the “servant with five talents” and seek to produce multiplied more from that which He has originally given.
Next time Matthew writes how Jesus shares how the lord says to the servant who earned five more talents, “Well done, you good and faithful servant”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
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