Matthew 25:14
“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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It's not just about the owner leaving his "goods" – the text highlights he entrusted them to "his own servants." This emphasizes that the master sees them as belonging to him, creations of his power and recipients of his bounty, making their stewardship a matter of loyalty and connection. This intimate ownership frames the entire exchange, pointing to a deeper relationship than a mere business transaction.
This passage is the beginning of the Parable of the Talents, where Jesus compares God's kingdom to a master entrusting his valuable property to his servants before leaving on a journey. This sets the stage for evaluating how each servant uses their master's resources, highlighting the importance of diligence and accountability before the master's eventual return.
Imagine your boss or a significant mentor handing you a large sum of money and saying, 'Here, make something of this.' What would that feel like?
This parable kicks off with a powerful picture of trust. A master, about to leave on a journey, doesn't just give his servants a task; he entrusts them with his property (his 'goods'). This isn't just about assigning jobs; it's about a deep-seated confidence in their ability to manage and grow what belongs to him.
The Nature of Entrustment:
Why would a master leave his valuable property with his servants? What does his absence signify in this story?
The master's departure for a 'far country' is a crucial element. It signifies Jesus' ascension to heaven and His absence from earth in bodily form until His return. This absence isn't abandonment, but a period of waiting and testing.
The Significance of Absence:
Understand the original words
doulos · Greek Noun
A person bound to service for another, often implying total devotion, obedience, and stewardship of the master's affairs. In biblical contexts, it describes the relationship between humanity and God, emphasizing service and accountability.
paradidōmi · Greek Verb
To deliver something into the care or protection of another; to commit or entrust. It implies a high degree of confidence and the expectation of faithful stewardship.
hyparchonta · Greek Noun
Possessions, goods, or wealth belonging to an owner. In a theological sense, it often refers to the gifts, resources, or spiritual responsibilities that God places under the care of believers.
This parable, spoken as Jesus approached Jerusalem for his crucifixion, uses the common practice of entrusting property to servants during a master's absence to illustrate how Christ expects his followers to use the spiritual gifts and resources he provides while he is away in heaven.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Ministry and Ascension
Jesus taught extensively, entrusting his followers with spiritual truths and responsibilities, before his ascension into heaven.
c. 30 AD - 70 AD
Early Church Growth and Ministry
The apostles and early believers began to use their spiritual gifts and resources to spread the gospel and build the church, awaiting Christ's return.
c. 70 AD
Destruction of Jerusalem
The Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple marked a significant turning point, intensifying the sense of urgency for believers and the end of the Jewish era.
This passage, also from Jesus' teachings, presents a very similar parable where a nobleman entrusts money to servants before going to receive a kingdom, highlighting the theme of entrusted responsibilities.
Genesis 1:28This foundational creation account shows God entrusting humanity with dominion over the earth, mirroring the master entrusting his property to his servants as a form of delegated authority and responsibility.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11This passage details the diversity of spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit, aligning with the idea that the 'goods' entrusted in Matthew 25 represent various abilities and capacities given to individuals for use.
Romans 14:12This verse directly speaks to personal accountability before God, stating that each person will give an account of himself, which is the underlying principle of the master's reckoning with his servants in the parable.
Colossians 3:23This verse encourages believers to 'work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,' which captures the spirit of diligent use of entrusted 'goods' that is central to the parable.
bensonMatthew 25:14: "For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods."
Matthew 25:14-15 . For, &c. — To show us more clearly the nature and duty of Christian watchfulness, to which he exhorts us in the preceding verse, our Saviour immediately subjoins another parable, wherein he represents to us the different characters of a faithful and slothful servant, and the difference of their future acceptation. Like the forme…
calvinMatthew 25:14-30: "For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods."
- For as a certain man, setting out on a journey, called his servants, and delivered to them his goods. 15. And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one; to every one according to his own ability; and immediately set out. 16. And he who had received five talents went away and traded with them, and amassed other five…
It's not just about the owner leaving his "goods" – the text highlights he entrusted them to "his own servants." This emphasizes that the master sees them as belonging to him, creations of his power and recipients of his bounty, making their stewardship a matter of loyalty and connection. This intimate ownership frames the entire exchange, pointing to a deeper relationship than a mere business transaction.
This passage is the beginning of the Parable of the Talents, where Jesus compares God's kingdom to a master entrusting his valuable property to his servants before leaving on a journey. This sets the stage for evaluating how each servant uses their master's resources, highlighting the importance of diligence and accountability before the master's eventual return.
This passage is the beginning of the Parable of the Talents, where Jesus compares God's kingdom to a master entrusting his valuable property to his servants before leaving on a journey. This sets the stage for evaluating how each servant uses their master's resources, highlighting the importance of diligence and accountability before the master's eventual return.
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"“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property." — It's not just about the owner leaving his "goods" – the text highlights he entrusted them to "his own servants." This emphasizes that the master sees them as belonging to him, creations of his power…
