Matthew 25:16

Mat 25:16-18. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded, &c. — Thus the servants of Christ should consider the gifts or talents which they have received, whether by nature or by grace, as being intrusted with them for the sole end of their serving God and their generation with the use of them; and made them other five talents — Thus he who endeavours to use the gifts of God according to the design of the giver, is sure to find them increased; and that both because the exercise of any power or ability, gift or endowment, has a natural tendency to increase it, and because the divine blessing never fails to crown human diligence, when that diligence is used in the fear of God, in obedience to his will, and with a single eye to his glory. “He who lives not solely to his own profit,” says Theophylact, “but whether he have prudence, or riches, or power, or whatever influence or art he hath, endeavours thereby to serve and be useful to others, ο τοιουτος διπλασιαζει το δοθεν αυτω, this is the man who doubles that which is given to him.” Likewise he that had received two, &c. — He went immediately and traded with the talents he had received, and his improvement was in the same proportion; he gained other two. But he that had received one — Being displeased, probably, that he had received no more, or being seized with servile fear, without so much as attempting to make any proper use or improvement of his talent; went and digged in the earth, &c. — Buried his talent, instead of employing it according to the design of his master, who had intrusted him with it. He did not mis-spend or mis-employ it; did not embezzle or squander it away, but he hid it. Here we have the characteristic of a slothful servant, of one who has received from God an excellent gift, and yet suffers it to remain useless and unemployed, and therefore unimproved; like money laid up in a bag, which, if properly used and dispersed, might be of much advantage, as well to the possessor as others, but while so locked up, is at once unprofitable to the owner and to all besides. And the sin of this slothful servant was highly aggravated in this, that the talent intrusted to him was not his own; he hid his lord’s money. Had it been his own he might have asked, Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? but, in truth, whatever abilities and advantages men, as the creatures and servants of the living God, possess, they are not their own: they are but stewards of them, and must give an account to their lord, whose goods they are. It was, moreover, an aggravation of this servant’s slothfulness, that his fellow-servants were busy and successful in trading; their zeal and assiduity should have provoked his; and, incited by their example, he should have gone and done likewise. It will be a high aggravation of the offence of slothful professors, who have suffered the gifts of God to remain unimproved, that their fellow-servants have, with the same means, and the same opportunities, acted with the fidelity required, and gained to the talents committed to them a sufficient increase to obtain their Lord’s approbation and applause. Reader, art thou thus slothful? Art thou burying the talent God hath lent thee?

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat_25:16. Εἰργάσατο] traded with them (ἐν αὐτοῖς, instrumental). Very common in classical writers (especially Demosthenes) with reference to commerce and matters of exchange, though usually with the simple dative of the instrument.

ἐποίησεν] he acquired, gained; as in German: er machte Geld (he made money). See instances in Wetstein and Kypke. So also the Latin facere.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 25:16 . εἰργάσατο ἐν αὐτοῖς , traded in or with them, used in classics also in this sense but without any preposition before the dative of the material. ἄλλα πέντε , other five, which speaks to a considerable period in the ordinary course of trade.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(16) Traded with the same.—Literally, wrought, or, was busy. The fact that the capital was doubled implies that the trading was both active and prosperous.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16. went and traded] i. e. went on a journey. The ideas of trade and travelling were very nearly connected in ancient times, as the Greek words for traffic shew. In Mat_25:18 went=departed.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then he that had received the five talents,.... The largest measure of gifts; an account is first given of him, how he behaved, and conducted in his Lord's absence, and what use he made of the gifts bestowed upon him: this must be understood, not of a single man, but of that sort of the servants of Christ, who have the greatest ministerial gifts: he

went; it denotes immediate application to business, and signifies that such servants went according to their commission, preached the Gospel to every creature, and administered the ordinances to proper subjects; they went directly, as soon as they had their talents; they did not stay to consult with flesh and blood, whether it would be for their interest and credit or not; they did not stick at any difficulties and discouragements, nor were deterred by the cross, reproaches, and persecutions; but went forth with courage and boldness, not in their own name and strength, but in the name and strength of Christ, who sent them, and promised them his presence and assistance, on which they depended:

and traded with the same: with the five talents, or their ministerial gifts. The ministers of the Gospel are traders, not in their own name, nor on their own stock, and for themselves, but for Christ, and for the good of immortal souls: they closely attend unto, and work at, their business and employment; by constant reading, and diligent search into the word of God; by studious meditation on it; by frequent prayer; and continual preaching the Gospel, and administering ordinances; and their success follows:

and made them other five talents; that is, increased in spiritual knowledge; gifts were improved and enlarged; a greater stock of divine things were laid in; and many souls gained to Christ: such are they whom Christ has ordained to go forth, and bear and bring forth fruit in their ministry, and whose fruit remain.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

Ver. 16. Went and traded] Grace grows by exercise, and decays by disuse; as that side of the teeth which is least used in chewing is apt to have more rheum to settle upon it. Though both arms grow, yet that which a man useth is the stronger and bigger; so is it in both gifts and graces. In birds, their wings which have been used most are sweetest. Among trees, that which is planted and plashed {a} against a wall, the more it is spread and laid forth in the branches, even to the least twig, the more warmth and vigour it gets from the sunbeams, and the more fruit it beareth. So here.

{a} To bend down and interweave (stems half cut through, branches, and twigs) so as to form them into a hedge or fence ŒD

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The two who had received most employed their money in trade, and by honest industry doubled it before their master returned, representing the conduct of those who make a good improvement of their abilities, and employ them in doing good.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

This part in the parable only showeth the different use that men and women make of those gifts, whether of common providence or of grace, especially common grace, which the Lord bestowed on them. Some make a great use of them for the profit of their Master, for the end for which God entrusted them with them, to wit the glory of his holy name, and the salvation of their souls. Others make no use at all of them for those ends.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

16. Made them other five talents — As we say a man makes money. His five talents were a high duty to perform, proportioned to his high ability. The five other talents is an amount of good he had accomplished by his discharge of his task in life. He may have been a minister in the Church of God, and faithfully discharged his office. He may have been a wealthy man, on whom rested an office for distributing to the good of man and the glory of God, and that duty he may have liberally done. God requireth of man according to his ability. He may have been a magistrate, and have well discharged the duty of guarding the morals and peace of society.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Went. The one who had received the five talents, the mark of the greatest trust, lost no time, but betook himself to business with zeal and energy. Traded with the same (eirgasato en autoiv , made gain with them). The verb is applied to husbandry or any work by which profit is obtained. A special method of increasing the allotted sum is mentioned in ver. 27; but here the term is general, and implies only that the slave used the money in some business which would prove to his master"s advantage. In other words, he exercised his faculties and powers in his master"s service and with a view to his master"s interests. Made them other five talents. The addition "them" is unnecessary. He doubled his principal being equivalent to "gained." In the parable of the "pounds" we find the same sum increased in different proportions; here we have different sums multiplied in the same proportion.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The former verses gave an account of the Lord’s distribution; these acquaint us with the servants’ negociation. Some traded with, and made improvement of, their talents, others traded not at all; yet it is not said they did embezzle their talent, but no improve it.

Learn, It is not sufficient to justify us, that we do not abuse our talents; it is fault enough to hide them, and not improve them; the slothful servant shall no more escape punishment than the wasteful servant.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16. Then he that had received five … traded … and made them other five. Whoever diligently uses the powers and means of grace the Lord has given is such a servant. The result is gain to himself.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

16. πορευθεὶς … εἰργάσατο. The ideas of trade and travelling were very nearly connected in ancient times, as the Greek words for traffic shew: ἔμπορος, ἐμπορία, ἐμπορεύομαι, πωλέω. Cp. also the connection between venio, veneo and vendito, ventito. See Jas 4:13, Ἄγε νῦν οἱ λέγοντες· Σήμερον ἢ αὔριον πορευσόμεθα εἰς τήνδε τὴν πόλιν καὶ ποιήσωμεν ἐκεῖ ἐνιαυτὸν καὶ ἐμπορεύσομεθα καὶ κερδήσομεν. Contrast therefore πορευθὶς here with ἀπελθὼν Mat 25:18.

εἰργάσατο ἐν αὐτοῖς. ‘Traded with them.’ Made money (χρήματα) by them. A technical use of the word. cp. Demosth., Contr. Dionys., καὶ δὶς ἢ τρὶς ὑπῆρχεν αὐτοῖς εἰργάσασθαι τῷ αὐτῷ ἀργυρίῳ; Aristoph. Eq. 840, ᾗ πολλὰ χρήματʼ ἐργάσει σείων τε καὶ ταράττων.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16-18.] The increase gained by each of the two faithful servants was the full amount of their talents:—of each will be required as much as has been given.

“εἰργάσατο is the technical term, common in the classics, and especially in Demosthenes: see Reiske’s index. ἐν is instrumental.” Meyer.

ἐποίησεν is not a Latinism (conficere pecuniam), but answers to ποιεῖν καρπόν ch. 3:10.

The third servant here is not to be confounded with the wicked servant in ch. 24:48. This one is not actively an ill-doer, but a hider of the money entrusted to him—one who brings no profit: see on ver. 24.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16. Forthwith he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five other talents.]

(L)

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Straightway [ευθεως] . Connected with the beginning of this verse, instead of with the end of ver 14 Straightway he that had received, etc., indicating promptness on the servant 's part.

Traded with them [ηργασατο εν αυτοις] . Lit., wrought with them. The virgins wait, the servants work.

Made [εποιησεν] . Not made them, as A. V. The word is used in our sense of make money. Wyc. and Tynd., won. Geneva, gained. Some read ejkerdhsen, gained, as in ver. 17.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.