The story
A man going on a journey entrusts his property to three servants: five talents to one, two to another and one to the third, “to every man according to his several ability.” The first two trade with the money and double it. The third digs a hole and buries his talent.
When the master returns, he praises the first two with the same words, even though they earned different amounts. He rebukes the third, who explains that he was afraid. His money is given to the servant who has ten.
How much was a talent?
A talent was a large weight of silver or gold, roughly 6,000 denarii. Since a denarius was about a day’s wage for a laborer, one talent was close to twenty years of ordinary wages. Even the servant with one talent was trusted with a fortune.
Our English word “talent,” meaning a natural gift, comes from this parable. But in the story itself, the talents are money.
What it teaches about money
Everything we have is entrusted to us. We are managers, not owners, and the master expects a return on what he has given, not just its safe return.
The third servant’s failure was not losing money. It was doing nothing out of fear. Burying the talent looked safe, but it was unfaithful. Jesus’ point is far bigger than finance (the parable is about being ready for His return), but it plainly includes how we handle what God has put in our hands.
Faithfulness is measured against what you were given. The servant with two talents receives the same praise as the one with five.
Putting it into practice
- Write down what you have been entrusted with: income, savings, skills, time and relationships.
- Ask which of those you have “buried” out of fear rather than put to work.
- Set a plan for money to grow over the long term instead of sitting idle.
- Measure faithfulness against what you were given, not against other people.
Common questions
What is the main lesson of the parable of the talents?
God entrusts each person with resources and expects them to be used faithfully and fruitfully. The servant who buried his talent out of fear was rebuked, while those who put theirs to work were praised.
How much is a talent in today’s money?
A talent was about 6,000 denarii, roughly twenty years of a laborer’s wages. In today’s terms that is a large sum, easily hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Is the parable of the talents about money or gifts?
In the story the talents are money. The parable’s main subject is faithfulness while waiting for Christ’s return, which applies to every gift God gives, including money, abilities and time.
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