Matthew 25:18

Mat 25:18. Ἀπέκρυψε, hid) sc. in the earth; see Mat 25:25.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat_25:18. Ἀπελθών] he went away, removed to a distance. How entirely different in the case of the two first, Mat_25:16! They started upon a journey (πορευθ.).

ὤρυξεν ἐν τ. γῇ] he digged, i.e. he made a hole in the earth. The reading γῆν, which Tisch. adopts, following B L א (C*: τὴν γῆν), but from which the vss. deviate, would mean: he dug up the earth (Plat. Euthyd. p. 288 E).

τὸ ἀργύρ. τοῦ κυρ. αὐτ.] brings out emphatically the idea of responsibility and dereliction of duty.

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 25:18 . ὤρυξεν γῆν , dug up the earth, and hid the silver of his master. Not dishonest the master had not misjudged as to that but indolent, unenterprising, timid. What he did was often done for safety. The master might have done it himself, but he wanted increase as well as safety. In Lk.’s parable the same type of man buries his pound in a napkin . A talent was too large to be put up that way.

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

(18) He that had received one . . .—There is something strikingly suggestive in the fact that those who had received the higher sums were “good and faithful,” and that it was left to the man who had received the smallest to fail in his duty. Failure in the use of wider opportunities brings with it a greater condemnation; but it is true, as a fact of human nature which our Lord thus recognised, that in such cases there is commonly less risk of failure. The very presence of the opportunities brings with it a sense of responsibility. So faithfulness in a very little receives its full reward, but the consciousness of having but a little, when men do not believe in their Master’s wisdom and love in giving them but a little, tempts to discontent and so to sloth on the one hand, and on the other, as with Judas, to hasty and unscrupulous greed of immediate gain.

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

But he that received one,.... Talent, or the least degree of gifts, for the ministry of the word:

went and digged in the earth, and hid his Lord's money. The Syriac and Arabic versions read, "silver", and the Ethiopic, "gold"; but whether these talents were silver or gold, is not certain. Where he buried it; that is, he neglected the gift that was in him, he made no use of it, either to his own advantage, or to the good of others, and the interest of his Lord; he either never went into the ministry, or if he did, he left it as Demas did, having too great affection for the world, and the things of it: he minded earth and earthly things, and employed himself in them, and not in his master's work and service. The phrase seems to point out the earthly mindedness of the man, his worldly disposition, and his eager pursuit after the things of life; which were the reason why he disregarded his talent, and made no use of his ministerial gifts: he could not deny worldly self, nor leave all to follow Christ; but rather than drop the world, he chose to bury his talent in it: it was his Lord's money and not his own, and he was accountable to him for it, and should have used it in another manner.

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

18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

Ver. 18. Digged it in the earth] Through sloth and pride; as many today will do no more service to God than may breed admiration among men. Some preachers (saith one) to win applause, set forth at first with such a strife to seem eloquent and learned, that they quickly spend their store; and then, rather than they would be observed to want, they will give over preaching, or else preach once a quarter, to air their learning, and keep it from going to mould. Such another is the miser, like the Cornish chough, {a} which will steal a piece of money, and hiding it in some hole, will never help herself or others with it afterward.

{a} A bird of the crow family; formerly applied somewhat widely to all the smaller chattering species, but especially to the common Jackdaw. 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.

Digged in the earth ... - This represents the conduct of those who neglect the abilities that God has given, and fail to do what he has required. This is done often:

On the plea that they do not occupy a high station. That they have slender abilities, and can do little good. As it was in this case, that God had not given them as much as he did others, and they will therefore do nothing.

These pleas are without foundation; because:

God does not require us to do as much as those who have greater abilities; but this is not a reason why we should do nothing, 2Co 8:12. Any situation is honorable, and may be useful, where God has placed us; and though humble, yet in that we may do much good, 1Co. 12:11-31. People of slender abilities may often do more good in the world than people of much greater talents. It is rather a warm heart than a strong head which is required to do good. A humble Christian, by his life, example, and conversation, may often do much more good than “is” done by those in more elevated stations and with far greater gifts.

We are not to suppose by this, however, that our Saviour meant to teach that only those of feeble talents neglected their duty. The parable does not require us to do this; and the Fact is, perhaps, that those most highly endowed are the farthest from properly improving their talents.

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

He that had received the one. The man who hid this one talent, represents all those who, having received any good quality, whether mental or corporal, employ it only on earthly things. (St. Gregory) --- Origen is also of the same sentiment: if you see any one, says he, who has received from God the gift of teaching and instructing others to salvation, yet will not exercise himself in this function, he buries his talent in the ground, like this unworthy servant, and must expect to receive the like reward.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

18. Received one — His duties were not as responsible as those of the man of five, yet he discharged them less faithfully. Hid his lord’s money — He buried his responsibility to heaven under a load of earth. He merged the celestial in the terrestrial. He sunk duty in selfishness.

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

He that had received one (to en , the one talent). Limited opportunities do not condone neglect. This third servant was as much bound to put out to interest his little capital as the first was his larger means. Went; went away. He too was not altogether idle; he in some sort exerted himself, not indeed actually in evil, (as the servant in Mat_24:48, Mat_24:49) but yet not practically in his lord"s service. Hid his lord"s money. He thought the amount so small, or his master so rich, that it was of no consequence what was done with it; it was not worth the trouble of traffic. So, like all Easterns, he buried the little treasure in the ground, to keep it safe till his lord should ask tot it. recognizing that it was not his own to treat as he liked, but that it still belonged to him who had entrusted it to his care. The man had some special grace, but he never exercised it, never let it shine before men, or bring forth the fruit of good works.

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

He that had received one - Made his having fewer talents than others a pretense for not improving any. Went and hid his master's money - Reader, art thou doing the same? Art thou hiding the talent God hath lent thee?

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

18. He that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. Before the days of banks of deposit, and still in countries where they are not established, it is a common thing to hide treasure in the earth. The servant's only care was to hold on to what he had.

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.

18. But he who received the one went away and digged in the earth, and hid his master’s money.]

(L)

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