To the Exchangers with Usury - Matthew 25:27

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus told His disciples about two servants who did well with the five and two talents given to them by their master. Jesus continued his story by saying, “Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew you that you are an hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not strawed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the earth: lo, there you have that is yours. His lord answered and said unto him, You wicked and slothful servant, you knew that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed”, and in chapter twenty-five and verse twenty-seven of his book, Matthew writes how Jesus shares how the master of the servant with one talent said, “you ought therefore to have put my money to the exchangers” where we read:

You ought therefore to have put my money to the exchangers,

and then at my coming I should have received my own with usury.

The verse reads, “You ought therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, ...” Matthew began with Jesus' words, “you ought therefore to have ” which means “the servant then, wherefore, consequently and these things being so should have” “put my money” or “to have poured out and thrown the master's talent” “to the exchangers” which means “to money changers, brokers or bankers”. Matthew shared how Jesus said the master told his servant he should have at least given his “talent” to the “bankers or money changers”.

The verse continues, “... and then at my coming I should have received my own with usury.” Matthew added Jesus' words, “and then at my coming” or “and at the time of the master's appearance, arrival and arising” “I should have received my own” which means “the master should have obtained and recovered his money”, “with usury” or “with interest”. Matthew shared how Jesus said the master surmised that he could have at least recovered his original talent with interest added to it.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see more of the master's response to his servant. Rather than using the “one talent” given to him, this “servant” buried the talent because he was afraid, and his fear was so intense that it kept him from putting the “talent” with the “money changers or bankers” so at least interest would be made. Many people reject God's gift of “salvation” through Jesus Christ because they believe their way is better than His, and others “bury” “gifts and abilities” God has given them. Fear keeps people from employing “God's gifts”, and those “sluggish and irksome” non-believing servants shall give an account for how they have used what God has bestowed. Let all who read these world be warned and encouraged to utilize what God has given to them.

Next time Matthew writes how Jesus shares how the lord of the servant said, “Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which has ten talents”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.