Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The master's statement, "you ought to have invested my money with the bankers," doesn't endorse all forms of lending. It points out that even the "least" effort—simply entrusting the money to financial intermediaries—would have yielded some profit, a task less demanding than burying it. This highlights that the servant's failure wasn't a lack of opportunity but a fundamental refusal to engage with the master's resources responsibly.
Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.
English Standard Version (ESV)
In this parable, Jesus describes a master entrusting valuable resources to his servants before going on a journey, with the expectation of a return upon his coming back. The focus shifts to the servant who, out of fear and a distorted view of his master, buried the talent instead of using it. This verse highlights the master's disappointment, pointing out that even a minimal, safe investment with bankers would have yielded some profit.
The third servant didn't take huge risks, but he still failed. What was the 'least' he could have done, and why does it matter?
Jesus tells the unfaithful servant that even if he was too afraid to actively trade and grow the money, he had a safer option: giving it to the 'exchangers' or bankers.
A Low-Risk Option
The point isn't that the master wanted exorbitant wealth. He just wanted to see his money used and not hoarded out of fear.
The word 'usury' sounds harsh today, but was that Jesus's intention here? What's the real meaning behind the master's expectation?
The word translated as 'usury' in this verse (and the original Greek word 'tokos') actually means 'offspring' or 'increase.'
Not Exorbitant Greed
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The master’s expectation was for a return, a sign that his investment was being stewarded, not buried.
The parable of the talents draws on the economic realities of banking and money lending common in the Roman-influenced world of 1st-century Judea, highlighting the expectation of investment and growth for entrusted resources.
c. 1st century BC - 1st century AD
Growth of Banking and Money Lending
During this period, sophisticated banking and money-lending practices, including the use of exchangers and financiers, were common in the Roman Empire and Judea. These individuals facilitated trade and investment.
c. 27 BC - AD 68
Roman Rule in Judea
Judea was under Roman occupation, which influenced its economy and legal systems. The parable reflects the economic realities and social structures of the time.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus Teaches the Parable of the Talents
Jesus delivered this parable to his disciples, likely in Jerusalem or the surrounding areas, in the context of discussions about the Kingdom of God and his impending return.
c. AD 70
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple marked a significant turning point for Jewish society and religious life, though the parable's message transcends this specific event.
This passage, from a parallel account of the parable of the talents (in Luke's version, the parable of the pounds), echoes the same principle. The master asks why the servant didn't at least deposit the money with the bankers to earn interest, highlighting the expectation of increase even from the most basic financial transactions.
Deuteronomy 23:19-20This Old Testament passage addresses the concept of 'usury' or interest, permitting it with foreigners but forbidding it between fellow Israelites. While Matthew 25:27 doesn't delve into the ethics of interest, it uses the concept of 'interest' (or 'produce') as a standard measure of expected gain, contrasting with the servant's complete lack of return.
Romans 12:6-8This passage speaks about using our spiritual gifts 'according to the grace given to us,' likening them to different functions within the body of Christ. Just as the master in Matthew's parable gave talents 'according to his ability,' believers are called to actively use their God-given gifts for the good of others and the glory of God.
1 Peter 4:10This verse directly encourages believers to 'use whatever gift they have received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.' It parallels the parable's core message that every gift, whether great or small, is meant to be put to use and produce fruit, not to be hidden away.
vincentMatthew 25:27: "Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury."
Put (βαλεῖν)Lit., throw or fling down, as one would throw a bag of coin upon the exchanger's table.Exchangers (τραπεζίταις)Taking their name from the table or counter at which they sat (τράπεζα). The Jewish bankers bore precisely the same name.Usury (τόκῳ)A very graphic word, meaning first child-birth, and then offspring. Hence of interest, whic…
barnesMatthew 25:27: "Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury."
The exchangers - The "exchangers" were persons who were in the habit of borrowing money, or receiving it on deposit at a low rate of interest, to be loaned to others at higher interest. They commonly sat by "tables" in the temple, with money ready to exchange or loan. See Matthew 21:12 . This money was left with the servant, not to exchange, nor to i…
The master's statement, "you ought to have invested my money with the bankers," doesn't endorse all forms of lending. It points out that even the "least" effort—simply entrusting the money to financial intermediaries—would have yielded some profit, a task less demanding than burying it. This highlights that the servant's failure wasn't a lack of opportunity but a fundamental refusal to engage with the master's resources responsibly.
In this parable, Jesus describes a master entrusting valuable resources to his servants before going on a journey, with the expectation of a return upon his coming back. The focus shifts to the servant who, out of fear and a distorted view of his master, buried the talent instead of using it. This verse highlights the master's disappointment, pointing out that even a minimal, safe investment with bankers would have yielded some profit.
In this parable, Jesus describes a master entrusting valuable resources to his servants before going on a journey, with the expectation of a return upon his coming back. The focus shifts to the servant who, out of fear and a distorted view of his master, buried the talent instead of using it. This verse highlights the master's disappointment, pointing out that even a minimal, safe investment with bankers would have yielded some profit.
"Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest." — The master's statement, "you ought to have invested my money with the bankers," doesn't endorse all forms of lending. It points out that even the "least" effort—simply entrusting the money to financi…
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Last reviewed October 2026