14 " For it is just like a man about to go on a journey , who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 "To one he gave five talents , to another e , two , and to another e , one , each according to his own ability ; and he went on his journey . 16 "Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. 17 "In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more . 18 "But he who received the one talent went away , and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money . 19 "Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 "The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents , saying , 'Master , you entrusted five talents to me. See , I have gained five more talents .' 21 "His master said to him, 'Well done , good and faithful slave . You were faithful with a few things , I will put you in charge of many things ; enter into the joy of your master .' 22 "Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said , 'Master , you entrusted two talents to me. See , I have gained two more talents .' 23 "His master said to him, 'Well done , good and faithful slave . You were faithful with a few things , I will put you in charge of many things ; enter into the joy of your master .' 24 "And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said , 'Master , I knew you to be a hard man , reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. 25 'And I was afraid , and went away and hid your talent in the ground . See , you have what is yours .' 26 "But his master answered and said to him, 'You wicked , lazy slave , you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. 27 'Then you ought to have put my money in the bank , and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest . 28 'Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents .' 29 " For to everyone who has , more shall be given , and he will have an abundance ; but from the one who does not have , even what he does have shall be taken away . 30 "Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness ; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth .
31 "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory , and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Matthew 25:14-31
Commentary on Matthew 25:14-30
(Read Matthew 25:14-30)
Christ keeps no servants to be idle: they have received their all from him, and have nothing they can call their own but sin. Our receiving from Christ is in order to our working for him. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. The day of account comes at last. We must all be reckoned with as to what good we have got to our own souls, and have done to others, by the advantages we have enjoyed. It is not meant that the improving of natural powers can entitle a man to Divine grace. It is the real Christian's liberty and privilege to be employed as his Redeemer's servant, in promoting his glory, and the good of his people: the love of Christ constrains him to live no longer to himself, but to Him that died for him, and rose again. Those who think it impossible to please God, and in vain to serve him, will do nothing to purpose in religion. They complain that He requires of them more than they are capable of, and punishes them for what they cannot help. Whatever they may pretend, the fact is, they dislike the character and work of the Lord. The slothful servant is sentenced to be deprived of his talent. This may be applied to the blessings of this life; but rather to the means of grace. Those who know not the day of their visitation, shall have the things that belong to their peace hid from their eyes. His doom is, to be cast into outer darkness. It is a usual way of expressing the miseries of the damned in hell. Here, as in what was said to the faithful servants, our Saviour goes out of the parable into the thing intended by it, and this serves as a key to the whole. Let us not envy sinners, or covet any of their perishing possessions.
Commentary on Matthew 25:31-46
(Read Matthew 25:31-46)
This is a description of the last judgment. It is as an explanation of the former parables. There is a judgment to come, in which every man shall be sentenced to a state of everlasting happiness, or misery. Christ shall come, not only in the glory of his Father, but in his own glory, as Mediator. The wicked and godly here dwell together, in the same cities, churches, families, and are not always to be known the one from the other; such are the weaknesses of saints, such the hypocrisies of sinners; and death takes both: but in that day they will be parted for ever. Jesus Christ is the great Shepherd; he will shortly distinguish between those that are his, and those that are not. All other distinctions will be done away; but the great one between saints and sinners, holy and unholy, will remain for ever. The happiness the saints shall possess is very great. It is a kingdom; the most valuable possession on earth; yet this is but a faint resemblance of the blessed state of the saints in heaven. It is a kingdom prepared. The Father provided it for them in the greatness of his wisdom and power; the Son purchased it for them; and the blessed Spirit, in preparing them for the kingdom, is preparing it for them. It is prepared for them: it is in all points adapted to the new nature of a sanctified soul. It is prepared from the foundation of the world. This happiness was for the saints, and they for it, from all eternity. They shall come and inherit it. What we inherit is not got by ourselves. It is God that makes heirs of heaven. We are not to suppose that acts of bounty will entitle to eternal happiness. Good works done for God's sake, through Jesus Christ, are here noticed as marking the character of believers made holy by the Spirit of Christ, and as the effects of grace bestowed on those who do them. The wicked in this world were often called to come to Christ for life and rest, but they turned from his calls; and justly are those bid to depart from Christ, that would not come to him. Condemned sinners will in vain offer excuses. The punishment of the wicked will be an everlasting punishment; their state cannot be altered. Thus life and death, good and evil, the blessing and the curse, are set before us, that we may choose our way, and as our way so shall our end be.