After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
After a long interval of delay the master returns and calls each servant to account for what was entrusted, requiring it back with increase. The lord is Christ and the servants are His followers redeemed for service, and the reckoning is His second coming and the great Judgment-day of final accounts. The goods reckoned for are the Lord's own loaned capital purchased with His blood, distributed to every person according to ability and capacity, embracing body, mind, time, means, influence and every natural and spiritual gift. The long time is the present probationary time of opportunity to trade, and the reckoning is the last-day investigative judgment from the record books when character is disclosed, reward is given according to works, and the account is fixed forever with no second probation. Those who diligently trade and double their trust in soul-winning service are commended as good and faithful and enter the joy of their lord with eternal life, while the servant who buries his trust through fear, idleness and selfishness is condemned as wicked and slothful and cast out, for reward is measured by fidelity and improvement rather than amount.
Verse Wording and Setting
After a long time, interval and delay the master returns and calls his servants to account for the goods entrusted to them, judging stewardship by what was done with those goods and requiring his own back with increase. The reckoning examines what each did with what was lent, commending and rewarding the faithful while condemning those who buried or squandered the trust and judging the servant who hid his talent for failing to use it. Those who improved and doubled their talents present both principal and gain, and are made rulers over many and bidden to enter the joy of their lord, while the servant who hid his one talent in the earth and did nothing comes with complaint and excuse for slothfulness. He pleads fear and charges the lord with being hard, reaping where he has not sown and gathering where he has not strawed, as if God were severe and unjust and no benefit would come from improvement since God would take the gain himself. He is answered as wicked and slothful and told he ought to have put the money to the exchangers so the lord might receive his own with usury at his coming, and his talent is taken and given to him who has ten talents, and as an unprofitable servant he is cast into outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The verse belongs to the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-23, given by Jesus in his discourse shortly before entering Gethsemane. It is the last of the many parables in his public teachings to the disciples, spoken early in the morning after he had crossed the mount. It was given as a warning in regard to his second appearing in the clouds of heaven, so that the coming of the lord after a long time to reckon with his servants points to that second coming. That coming is after this gospel of the kingdom is preached in all the world for a witness to all nations, and its day and hour no man and no angel knows but the Father only. It will be as the days of Noah, when people eating and drinking and marrying knew not until the flood took them away, with one taken and the other left, because they did not heed God's warning through Noah to build the ark on dry land.
The waiting and slumber followed by the coming in Matthew 25 was applied to the expected advent announced in the 1844 movement, when a period of waiting and slumber was followed by the bridegroom's coming. In the parable the lord represents Christ and the servants represent his followers, and the reckoning points to the great Judgment-day of final accounts when they must answer for how they have served him. The reckoning is his second coming to call his servants to account for what he entrusted to them, an accounting of the use made of soul, body, spirit and endowments. It embraces more than earthly, temporal employments and more than worldly goods, because eternal interests are involved and eternity must be kept in the reckoning.
Talents Owned and Distributed
The talents to be reckoned for are the Lord's own goods, loaned capital and a sacred trust of His grace, not the servants' own property to bury, squander, or use for self-pleasing. They were secured at infinite cost, for Christ paid with His own blood and sufferings to purchase entire obedience and service, and therefore even the humblest service done at His bidding becomes a consecrated gift to promote His glory. At His coming He requires His own again with usury, commending faithful investment that saves souls and condemning burial or misuse, for church membership alone does not release the steward and self-denying zeal alone is rewarded.
They are distributed to every man, woman, and child, to each according to his several ability and capacity, in differing measure as five, two, and one, never equally to all. The outcome of that stewardship brings satisfaction to the Master and to all interested when He returns after the long interval to call each to account for what was entrusted. Greater trusts bring greater responsibility, yet each is accountable only for faithful use of what was actually received, able to present both principal and gain when the faithful are commended and the unfaithful judged.
The reckoning embraces more than earthly temporal employments and more than worldly goods, for eternity must be kept in the reckoning because eternal interests are involved. It is an accounting of soul, body, and spirit with all endowments, to be sacredly employed and not trifled with or buried in worldly enterprises. It covers time, money, property, houses, lands, intellect, influence, speech, affections, opportunities, light, and every natural and spiritual gift, with ability to accumulate giving no ground for satisfaction unless turned to account for Him who bestowed it.
Probation Time and Judgment
The long time is the present, the probationary time of gracious opportunity in which trading is to be done today. It lasts only until the Master comes or probation ends, when the account is fixed forever and what was done with entrusted means, souls, and service determines approval or condemnation. The reckoning embraces eternal interests, covering more than earthly employments and worldly goods, and its outcome brings satisfaction to the Master and to others interested in the stewardship.
That reckoning is the last-day final reckoning at Christ's return, the great Judgment-day and close of probation when each servant answers for gifts, opportunities, soul, body, spirit, and endowments. Each life's work is examined, character is disclosed, and reward or condemnation is given according to works, with the faithful who present principal with increase commended and the unfaithful who hid their trust judged and stripped of it. The books of record fix what was invested for the cause and the salvation of souls and what was buried or squandered, and after that examination there is no second probation.
The reckoning is soon, fast approaching and near, with only a little probationary time left. Therefore the delay is no ground for idleness but a call to urgent diligence, readiness, and working while the day lasts, using differing gifts faithfully in God's service and especially in missionary soul-winning.
Faithful Rewarded Unfaithful Punished
After a long interval the master returns to call his servants to account for the goods entrusted to them, and the issue of that stewardship brings satisfaction to him and to all who are concerned in it. The present is the time to put opportunities and abilities to work for him, especially in missionary labor for the salvation of souls, for church membership alone does not secure entrance into heaven. Those who trade faithfully and double what was given can present both principal and increase, with souls won through investing in the warning message rather than tying means up in uncertain ventures or worldly enterprises. They are commended as good and faithful, made rulers over many things, bidden to enter the joy of their lord, and rewarded with eternal life by him who rewards self-denying, self-sacrificing zeal. That reward embraces more than earthly employment and worldly goods, for eternity with its eternal interests is kept in the reckoning, and even the humblest service done at the Master's bidding to advance his glory becomes a consecrated gift.
The servant who hid his talent and did nothing with it comes with complaint and excuse for slothfulness, claiming the lord is a hard man reaping where he has not sown and gathering where he has not strawed, and saying he was afraid. He is answered as wicked and slothful, told he ought to have put the money to the exchangers so the lord could receive his own with usury at his coming. His talent is taken from him and given to him who has ten talents, and as an unprofitable servant he is cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. In that great Judgment-day the lord who represents Christ calls his followers to answer for how they have served him, so that the faithful who invested means to save souls receive the Master's approval while those who bury or squander what was lent to them, doing no good with soul, body, spirit and endowments, receive condemnation and loss.
The talents are God's gifts lent and not the servants' own, given in differing measure according to each one's ability, and each is accountable for using faithfully what was received. Reward is measured not by amount but by fidelity, motives, and improvement, so faithful use of little is as accepted as faithful use of much. Ability to accumulate worldly goods gives no ground for satisfaction unless turned to account for him who bestowed it and paid with his own blood and sufferings to secure entire obedience and service. Neglect that leaves gifts unproductive and fails to bless others brings proportionate condemnation and eternal loss.
Trading Increase Required
After a long interval the master returns to call his servants to account, and the outcome of their stewardship brings satisfaction to him and to all others interested in the matter. The reckoning is an accounting for how opportunities, abilities, and all natural and spiritual gifts entrusted have been used, and the present is the time to put those gifts to work for him, especially in missionary work for the salvation of souls. Every person has a duty to employ what was given faithfully and to the fullest in his service and to bless others, putting gifts to productive use and increasing them for the good of others, for gifts misused or left unproductive fail that responsibility. They are to be invested wisely in carrying the warning message and winning souls, not tied up in uncertain ventures, worldly enterprises, or self-pleasing, and church membership alone does not secure entrance into heaven. God rewards servants who labor with self-denying, self-sacrificing zeal to advance his cause.
The master after long delay requires his stewards to answer for what was entrusted, holding them accountable for using their means to advance his cause. Those who bury or squander what was committed receive condemnation, while faithful servants who invest it to save souls receive the Master's approval. The reckoning embraces more than earthly, temporal employments and more than worldly goods, because eternal interests are involved and eternity must be kept in the reckoning. The talents committed are a loan from the Master and a stewardship of his grace for a sacred, higher trust, to be invested in work for him to advance his glory and not to be buried up in worldly enterprises. Ability to accumulate worldly goods gives no ground for satisfaction unless those talents are turned to account for him who bestowed them, since entire obedience and service were secured at the cost of his own blood and sufferings. Even the humblest service becomes a consecrated gift when exercised in doing the Master's bidding and promoting his glory, and faithful servants can present both what they received and what their work gained, while the servant who hid his talent is judged for failing to use it.
The lord who reckons is not hard but good, compassionate, forgiving, and just, a giver whose goods are lent and after a long time required again at the servants' hands. The accounting covers soul, body, spirit, and endowments, which are to be consecrated and sacredly employed in his service and not trifled with, with faithful use putting the money out to usury and returning principal with interest commended and rewarded, while hiding the talent and doing no good with it brings condemnation and loss. The unfaithful servant's fear and complaint that his lord is a hard man reaping where he has not sown and gathering where he has not strawed show that he did not know God's character, carrying the false idea that God is a severe and unjust master who would gather the improvement himself so the servant would not be benefited. That excuse for slothfulness is answered as wicked and slothful, with the charge that he ought to have put the money to the exchangers so the lord could receive his own with usury at his coming. His talent is therefore taken and given to him who has ten talents, and as an unprofitable servant he is cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Burying Talent Condemned
To hide the talent in the earth, to hoard it or leave it idle and do no good with it, is to fail the trust and to bring condemnation and loss at the reckoning, while faithful servants who invest what was lent them to save souls receive the Master's approval. After a long interval the master returns to call his servants to account for what he entrusted to them and to require those talents again at their hands, for they are not their own. The accounting covers the use made of soul, body, spirit and every endowment, which are to be consecrated and sacredly employed in God's service and not trifled with. To bury them in worldly enterprises, to squander means on selfish indulgence, or to withhold resources so that souls are not saved, is unfaithfulness, and church membership alone does not secure entrance into heaven. The present is the time to put opportunities and abilities to work for Him, especially in missionary work for the salvation of souls, and God rewards those who labor with self-denying, self-sacrificing zeal, to the satisfaction of himself and of all who are interested in the matter.
Mere profession counts for nothing at that reckoning, for genuine faith works by love in self-denying service and even the humblest service becomes a consecrated gift when done in doing the Master's bidding and promoting His glory. The reckoning embraces more than earthly, temporal employments and more than worldly goods, because eternal interests are involved and eternity must be kept in view. The talents are a loan from the Master and a stewardship of His grace for a sacred, higher trust, to be invested in work for Him to advance His glory and not buried up in worldly enterprises. Ability to accumulate worldly goods gives no ground for satisfaction unless those talents are turned to account for Him who bestowed them, who paid with His own blood and sufferings to secure entire obedience and service. When the lord who represents Christ returns after a long absence to reckon with His followers, selfishness, pride, covetousness and even idle words are exposed, and only those who can present both what they received and what their work gained are accepted as faithful.
The reckoning is strict, charging not only wrong done but what could have been done and was left undone, with neglected opportunities and souls that might have been saved laid to the servant's account. The servant who did not improve his one talent but hid it and did nothing with it comes with an excuse for slothfulness, complaining that the lord is a hard man reaping where he has not sown and gathering where he has not strawed. He pleads that he was afraid, carrying the idea that God is a severe and unjust master and that he himself would not be benefited by improvement because God would gather the improvement Himself. That plea is no excuse and that false judgment of God does not release him, for he is answered as wicked and slothful, told he ought to have put the money to the exchangers so the lord could receive his own with usury at his coming. His talent is therefore taken and given to him who has ten talents, and as an unprofitable servant he is cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Personal Proportionate Accountability
After a long time the master comes back to settle accounts with his own servants one by one, requiring each to answer for what was actually placed in his hands. No steward can hand his trust to someone else to bear, blend it into another's work, sell it off, or surrender its control to any other person or body, whether council, conference, or publishing house, for the reckoning lies with the receiver himself. What is demanded back is the use made of soul, body, spirit, and every endowment, consecrated to service and not trifled with, with principal returned together with increase gained by faithful work. Those who so invest what was lent to save souls meet approval and bring satisfaction to the master and to all concerned, while those who bury or squander it meet condemnation.
The measure in that reckoning is what was given, for talents differ according to ability and each is judged by the light, grace, and truth received. Condemnation falls in proportion to the trust bestowed, because the reckoning reaches beyond earthly employment and worldly goods to eternal interests that must be kept in view. The goods are a loan and a stewardship of grace for a sacred and higher trust, to be invested to advance His glory and not buried in worldly enterprise, and mere skill in accumulating property gives no ground for satisfaction unless turned to account for Him who bestowed it. Men belong to Him by creation and by redemption, since He paid with His own sufferings and blood to secure entire obedience and service.
Even the humblest service, when done at His bidding for His glory, becomes a consecrated gift, and the one small talent faithfully used is accepted and gains increase like the larger trusts. Mere church membership does not secure entrance, for the present time to work with self-denying zeal in missionary soul-saving must be improved. Caution twisted into fearful inaction is slothfulness, and the plea of fear with complaint against the master as hard brings the answer of wicked and slothful, loss of the talent to the faithful, and casting out as unprofitable into outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth. Neglect of mind and speech and failure to put the money to the exchangers so it returns with usury therefore fails the test, while those who double what they received are commended as good and faithful, made rulers over many, and enter the joy of their lord.
Present Calls to Action
After a long interval the returning master requires his stewards to account for what was done with what was entrusted, holding them answerable for using means, gifts and opportunities to advance his cause and save souls. The accounting covers soul, body, spirit and every endowment, which are not their own but lent to be consecrated and sacredly employed, with faithful investment that returns principal with increase approved and rewarded, and burying, squandering or doing no good condemned with loss. The goods reckoned are more than temporal employments and worldly goods, for eternity and eternal interests are involved, and ability to accumulate gives no ground for satisfaction unless turned to account for him who bestowed it. The present is the time to put gifts to work, especially in missionary labor with self-denying zeal, since church membership alone does not secure entrance, and the faithful will be able to present both what was received and what was gained while the one who hid his talent is judged for failure.
Present opportunity is a trust to be traded by regarding money, houses, lands, property, time, strength and abilities as the Lord's goods and using them to build up his kingdom and help others, seeking wisdom so the trust is not used to glorify self or indulge selfish impulses. Trading means improving talents so they yield a return, with even the smallest talent of means having its appointed work, and faithfulness in little duties operating on the plan of addition while God multiplies, making small faithful efforts most precious influences. All ransomed sons and daughters of Adam must answer in the last day for neglecting entrusted talents, reproaching their Maker, robbing God by withholding and burying his goods, and abusing gifts for self. Entrusting property to wife or children does not release responsibility, which remains until the means are returned to God through faithful use in his cause, and the judgment examines that stewardship.
Diligent use can enlarge and multiply what was entrusted according to ability, and even the smallest gift is to be valued and used rather than hidden. Servants must learn to trade from the very first endowment, putting goods out to the exchangers by calling attention to their value, presenting sacred truth by precept and example, seeking wisdom daily, searching the Scriptures, and realizing co-partnership with God, in which he educates workers and develops executive ability. Life itself is a costly talent owned by God through creation and redemption, to be used, improved and returned to him, with faithful service rewarded and selfish departure from his will leaving a person wanting in judgment. The servant who hid his talent and then accused his lord of hardness took the slothful course, failing to advance the kingdom and lay up treasure in heaven, whereas faithful stewardship brings reward.
Day by day and hour by hour people trade on the Lord's money and build the record for the last great day, when results are expected from everyone with reward proportionate to work and no second probation afterward. Money lent by the master is to be examined carefully, especially in old age, as to whether all required to advance his work was done, and returning what is his means placing it in new missionary fields where truth was never preached and lifting the standard there, for the giver's own eternal interest. Responsibility rests not on priests and rulers alone but on every believer from lowliest to highest, each called to decided service in the vineyard with active virtues illustrating saving truth, with earnest, vigilant working joined to waiting, watching and preparing for appearing. Faithfully using even small ability in whatever situation prepares for greater responsibility, while neglect fails the trust; wealth and abilities spent on selfish desires violate stewardship, but used in mercy and compassion they serve need and bring increase beyond measure.
After a long interval of delay the master returns and calls each servant to account for what was entrusted, requiring it back with increase. The lord is Christ and the servants are His followers redeemed for service, and the reckoning is His second coming and the great Judgment-day of final accounts. The goods reckoned for are the Lord's own loaned capital purchased with His blood, distributed to every person according to ability and capacity, embracing body, mind, time, means, influence and every natural and spiritual gift. The long time is the present probationary time of opportunity to trade, and the reckoning is the last-day investigative judgment from the record books when character is disclosed, reward is given according to works, and the account is fixed forever with no second probation. Those who diligently trade and double their trust in soul-winning service are commended as good and faithful and enter the joy of their lord with eternal life, while the servant who buries his trust through fear, idleness and selfishness is condemned as wicked and slothful and cast out, for reward is measured by fidelity and improvement rather than amount.
Verse Wording and Setting
After a long time, interval and delay the master returns and calls his servants to account for the goods entrusted to them, judging stewardship by what was done with those goods and requiring his own back with increase. The reckoning examines what each did with what was lent, commending and rewarding the faithful while condemning those who buried or squandered the trust and judging the servant who hid his talent for failing to use it. Those who improved and doubled their talents present both principal and gain, and are made rulers over many and bidden to enter the joy of their lord, while the servant who hid his one talent in the earth and did nothing comes with complaint and excuse for slothfulness. He pleads fear and charges the lord with being hard, reaping where he has not sown and gathering where he has not strawed, as if God were severe and unjust and no benefit would come from improvement since God would take the gain himself. He is answered as wicked and slothful and told he ought to have put the money to the exchangers so the lord might receive his own with usury at his coming, and his talent is taken and given to him who has ten talents, and as an unprofitable servant he is cast into outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The verse belongs to the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-23, given by Jesus in his discourse shortly before entering Gethsemane. It is the last of the many parables in his public teachings to the disciples, spoken early in the morning after he had crossed the mount. It was given as a warning in regard to his second appearing in the clouds of heaven, so that the coming of the lord after a long time to reckon with his servants points to that second coming. That coming is after this gospel of the kingdom is preached in all the world for a witness to all nations, and its day and hour no man and no angel knows but the Father only. It will be as the days of Noah, when people eating and drinking and marrying knew not until the flood took them away, with one taken and the other left, because they did not heed God's warning through Noah to build the ark on dry land.
The waiting and slumber followed by the coming in Matthew 25 was applied to the expected advent announced in the 1844 movement, when a period of waiting and slumber was followed by the bridegroom's coming. In the parable the lord represents Christ and the servants represent his followers, and the reckoning points to the great Judgment-day of final accounts when they must answer for how they have served him. The reckoning is his second coming to call his servants to account for what he entrusted to them, an accounting of the use made of soul, body, spirit and endowments. It embraces more than earthly, temporal employments and more than worldly goods, because eternal interests are involved and eternity must be kept in the reckoning.
Talents Owned and Distributed
The talents to be reckoned for are the Lord's own goods, loaned capital and a sacred trust of His grace, not the servants' own property to bury, squander, or use for self-pleasing. They were secured at infinite cost, for Christ paid with His own blood and sufferings to purchase entire obedience and service, and therefore even the humblest service done at His bidding becomes a consecrated gift to promote His glory. At His coming He requires His own again with usury, commending faithful investment that saves souls and condemning burial or misuse, for church membership alone does not release the steward and self-denying zeal alone is rewarded.
They are distributed to every man, woman, and child, to each according to his several ability and capacity, in differing measure as five, two, and one, never equally to all. The outcome of that stewardship brings satisfaction to the Master and to all interested when He returns after the long interval to call each to account for what was entrusted. Greater trusts bring greater responsibility, yet each is accountable only for faithful use of what was actually received, able to present both principal and gain when the faithful are commended and the unfaithful judged.
The reckoning embraces more than earthly temporal employments and more than worldly goods, for eternity must be kept in the reckoning because eternal interests are involved. It is an accounting of soul, body, and spirit with all endowments, to be sacredly employed and not trifled with or buried in worldly enterprises. It covers time, money, property, houses, lands, intellect, influence, speech, affections, opportunities, light, and every natural and spiritual gift, with ability to accumulate giving no ground for satisfaction unless turned to account for Him who bestowed it.
Probation Time and Judgment
The long time is the present, the probationary time of gracious opportunity in which trading is to be done today. It lasts only until the Master comes or probation ends, when the account is fixed forever and what was done with entrusted means, souls, and service determines approval or condemnation. The reckoning embraces eternal interests, covering more than earthly employments and worldly goods, and its outcome brings satisfaction to the Master and to others interested in the stewardship.
That reckoning is the last-day final reckoning at Christ's return, the great Judgment-day and close of probation when each servant answers for gifts, opportunities, soul, body, spirit, and endowments. Each life's work is examined, character is disclosed, and reward or condemnation is given according to works, with the faithful who present principal with increase commended and the unfaithful who hid their trust judged and stripped of it. The books of record fix what was invested for the cause and the salvation of souls and what was buried or squandered, and after that examination there is no second probation.
The reckoning is soon, fast approaching and near, with only a little probationary time left. Therefore the delay is no ground for idleness but a call to urgent diligence, readiness, and working while the day lasts, using differing gifts faithfully in God's service and especially in missionary soul-winning.
Faithful Rewarded Unfaithful Punished
After a long interval the master returns to call his servants to account for the goods entrusted to them, and the issue of that stewardship brings satisfaction to him and to all who are concerned in it. The present is the time to put opportunities and abilities to work for him, especially in missionary labor for the salvation of souls, for church membership alone does not secure entrance into heaven. Those who trade faithfully and double what was given can present both principal and increase, with souls won through investing in the warning message rather than tying means up in uncertain ventures or worldly enterprises. They are commended as good and faithful, made rulers over many things, bidden to enter the joy of their lord, and rewarded with eternal life by him who rewards self-denying, self-sacrificing zeal. That reward embraces more than earthly employment and worldly goods, for eternity with its eternal interests is kept in the reckoning, and even the humblest service done at the Master's bidding to advance his glory becomes a consecrated gift.
The servant who hid his talent and did nothing with it comes with complaint and excuse for slothfulness, claiming the lord is a hard man reaping where he has not sown and gathering where he has not strawed, and saying he was afraid. He is answered as wicked and slothful, told he ought to have put the money to the exchangers so the lord could receive his own with usury at his coming. His talent is taken from him and given to him who has ten talents, and as an unprofitable servant he is cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. In that great Judgment-day the lord who represents Christ calls his followers to answer for how they have served him, so that the faithful who invested means to save souls receive the Master's approval while those who bury or squander what was lent to them, doing no good with soul, body, spirit and endowments, receive condemnation and loss.
The talents are God's gifts lent and not the servants' own, given in differing measure according to each one's ability, and each is accountable for using faithfully what was received. Reward is measured not by amount but by fidelity, motives, and improvement, so faithful use of little is as accepted as faithful use of much. Ability to accumulate worldly goods gives no ground for satisfaction unless turned to account for him who bestowed it and paid with his own blood and sufferings to secure entire obedience and service. Neglect that leaves gifts unproductive and fails to bless others brings proportionate condemnation and eternal loss.
Trading Increase Required
After a long interval the master returns to call his servants to account, and the outcome of their stewardship brings satisfaction to him and to all others interested in the matter. The reckoning is an accounting for how opportunities, abilities, and all natural and spiritual gifts entrusted have been used, and the present is the time to put those gifts to work for him, especially in missionary work for the salvation of souls. Every person has a duty to employ what was given faithfully and to the fullest in his service and to bless others, putting gifts to productive use and increasing them for the good of others, for gifts misused or left unproductive fail that responsibility. They are to be invested wisely in carrying the warning message and winning souls, not tied up in uncertain ventures, worldly enterprises, or self-pleasing, and church membership alone does not secure entrance into heaven. God rewards servants who labor with self-denying, self-sacrificing zeal to advance his cause.
The master after long delay requires his stewards to answer for what was entrusted, holding them accountable for using their means to advance his cause. Those who bury or squander what was committed receive condemnation, while faithful servants who invest it to save souls receive the Master's approval. The reckoning embraces more than earthly, temporal employments and more than worldly goods, because eternal interests are involved and eternity must be kept in the reckoning. The talents committed are a loan from the Master and a stewardship of his grace for a sacred, higher trust, to be invested in work for him to advance his glory and not to be buried up in worldly enterprises. Ability to accumulate worldly goods gives no ground for satisfaction unless those talents are turned to account for him who bestowed them, since entire obedience and service were secured at the cost of his own blood and sufferings. Even the humblest service becomes a consecrated gift when exercised in doing the Master's bidding and promoting his glory, and faithful servants can present both what they received and what their work gained, while the servant who hid his talent is judged for failing to use it.
The lord who reckons is not hard but good, compassionate, forgiving, and just, a giver whose goods are lent and after a long time required again at the servants' hands. The accounting covers soul, body, spirit, and endowments, which are to be consecrated and sacredly employed in his service and not trifled with, with faithful use putting the money out to usury and returning principal with interest commended and rewarded, while hiding the talent and doing no good with it brings condemnation and loss. The unfaithful servant's fear and complaint that his lord is a hard man reaping where he has not sown and gathering where he has not strawed show that he did not know God's character, carrying the false idea that God is a severe and unjust master who would gather the improvement himself so the servant would not be benefited. That excuse for slothfulness is answered as wicked and slothful, with the charge that he ought to have put the money to the exchangers so the lord could receive his own with usury at his coming. His talent is therefore taken and given to him who has ten talents, and as an unprofitable servant he is cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Burying Talent Condemned
To hide the talent in the earth, to hoard it or leave it idle and do no good with it, is to fail the trust and to bring condemnation and loss at the reckoning, while faithful servants who invest what was lent them to save souls receive the Master's approval. After a long interval the master returns to call his servants to account for what he entrusted to them and to require those talents again at their hands, for they are not their own. The accounting covers the use made of soul, body, spirit and every endowment, which are to be consecrated and sacredly employed in God's service and not trifled with. To bury them in worldly enterprises, to squander means on selfish indulgence, or to withhold resources so that souls are not saved, is unfaithfulness, and church membership alone does not secure entrance into heaven. The present is the time to put opportunities and abilities to work for Him, especially in missionary work for the salvation of souls, and God rewards those who labor with self-denying, self-sacrificing zeal, to the satisfaction of himself and of all who are interested in the matter.
Mere profession counts for nothing at that reckoning, for genuine faith works by love in self-denying service and even the humblest service becomes a consecrated gift when done in doing the Master's bidding and promoting His glory. The reckoning embraces more than earthly, temporal employments and more than worldly goods, because eternal interests are involved and eternity must be kept in view. The talents are a loan from the Master and a stewardship of His grace for a sacred, higher trust, to be invested in work for Him to advance His glory and not buried up in worldly enterprises. Ability to accumulate worldly goods gives no ground for satisfaction unless those talents are turned to account for Him who bestowed them, who paid with His own blood and sufferings to secure entire obedience and service. When the lord who represents Christ returns after a long absence to reckon with His followers, selfishness, pride, covetousness and even idle words are exposed, and only those who can present both what they received and what their work gained are accepted as faithful.
The reckoning is strict, charging not only wrong done but what could have been done and was left undone, with neglected opportunities and souls that might have been saved laid to the servant's account. The servant who did not improve his one talent but hid it and did nothing with it comes with an excuse for slothfulness, complaining that the lord is a hard man reaping where he has not sown and gathering where he has not strawed. He pleads that he was afraid, carrying the idea that God is a severe and unjust master and that he himself would not be benefited by improvement because God would gather the improvement Himself. That plea is no excuse and that false judgment of God does not release him, for he is answered as wicked and slothful, told he ought to have put the money to the exchangers so the lord could receive his own with usury at his coming. His talent is therefore taken and given to him who has ten talents, and as an unprofitable servant he is cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Personal Proportionate Accountability
After a long time the master comes back to settle accounts with his own servants one by one, requiring each to answer for what was actually placed in his hands. No steward can hand his trust to someone else to bear, blend it into another's work, sell it off, or surrender its control to any other person or body, whether council, conference, or publishing house, for the reckoning lies with the receiver himself. What is demanded back is the use made of soul, body, spirit, and every endowment, consecrated to service and not trifled with, with principal returned together with increase gained by faithful work. Those who so invest what was lent to save souls meet approval and bring satisfaction to the master and to all concerned, while those who bury or squander it meet condemnation.
The measure in that reckoning is what was given, for talents differ according to ability and each is judged by the light, grace, and truth received. Condemnation falls in proportion to the trust bestowed, because the reckoning reaches beyond earthly employment and worldly goods to eternal interests that must be kept in view. The goods are a loan and a stewardship of grace for a sacred and higher trust, to be invested to advance His glory and not buried in worldly enterprise, and mere skill in accumulating property gives no ground for satisfaction unless turned to account for Him who bestowed it. Men belong to Him by creation and by redemption, since He paid with His own sufferings and blood to secure entire obedience and service.
Even the humblest service, when done at His bidding for His glory, becomes a consecrated gift, and the one small talent faithfully used is accepted and gains increase like the larger trusts. Mere church membership does not secure entrance, for the present time to work with self-denying zeal in missionary soul-saving must be improved. Caution twisted into fearful inaction is slothfulness, and the plea of fear with complaint against the master as hard brings the answer of wicked and slothful, loss of the talent to the faithful, and casting out as unprofitable into outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth. Neglect of mind and speech and failure to put the money to the exchangers so it returns with usury therefore fails the test, while those who double what they received are commended as good and faithful, made rulers over many, and enter the joy of their lord.
Present Calls to Action
After a long interval the returning master requires his stewards to account for what was done with what was entrusted, holding them answerable for using means, gifts and opportunities to advance his cause and save souls. The accounting covers soul, body, spirit and every endowment, which are not their own but lent to be consecrated and sacredly employed, with faithful investment that returns principal with increase approved and rewarded, and burying, squandering or doing no good condemned with loss. The goods reckoned are more than temporal employments and worldly goods, for eternity and eternal interests are involved, and ability to accumulate gives no ground for satisfaction unless turned to account for him who bestowed it. The present is the time to put gifts to work, especially in missionary labor with self-denying zeal, since church membership alone does not secure entrance, and the faithful will be able to present both what was received and what was gained while the one who hid his talent is judged for failure.
Present opportunity is a trust to be traded by regarding money, houses, lands, property, time, strength and abilities as the Lord's goods and using them to build up his kingdom and help others, seeking wisdom so the trust is not used to glorify self or indulge selfish impulses. Trading means improving talents so they yield a return, with even the smallest talent of means having its appointed work, and faithfulness in little duties operating on the plan of addition while God multiplies, making small faithful efforts most precious influences. All ransomed sons and daughters of Adam must answer in the last day for neglecting entrusted talents, reproaching their Maker, robbing God by withholding and burying his goods, and abusing gifts for self. Entrusting property to wife or children does not release responsibility, which remains until the means are returned to God through faithful use in his cause, and the judgment examines that stewardship.
Diligent use can enlarge and multiply what was entrusted according to ability, and even the smallest gift is to be valued and used rather than hidden. Servants must learn to trade from the very first endowment, putting goods out to the exchangers by calling attention to their value, presenting sacred truth by precept and example, seeking wisdom daily, searching the Scriptures, and realizing co-partnership with God, in which he educates workers and develops executive ability. Life itself is a costly talent owned by God through creation and redemption, to be used, improved and returned to him, with faithful service rewarded and selfish departure from his will leaving a person wanting in judgment. The servant who hid his talent and then accused his lord of hardness took the slothful course, failing to advance the kingdom and lay up treasure in heaven, whereas faithful stewardship brings reward.
Day by day and hour by hour people trade on the Lord's money and build the record for the last great day, when results are expected from everyone with reward proportionate to work and no second probation afterward. Money lent by the master is to be examined carefully, especially in old age, as to whether all required to advance his work was done, and returning what is his means placing it in new missionary fields where truth was never preached and lifting the standard there, for the giver's own eternal interest. Responsibility rests not on priests and rulers alone but on every believer from lowliest to highest, each called to decided service in the vineyard with active virtues illustrating saving truth, with earnest, vigilant working joined to waiting, watching and preparing for appearing. Faithfully using even small ability in whatever situation prepares for greater responsibility, while neglect fails the trust; wealth and abilities spent on selfish desires violate stewardship, but used in mercy and compassion they serve need and bring increase beyond measure.