Matthew 25:20

Mat 25:20. Προσελθὼν, coming up to Him) sc. with confidence. The bad servant did so with diffidence; Mat 25:24.—ὁ τὰ πέντε τάλαντα λαβὼν, he that had received the five talents) The righteous receive sentence before the wicked: cf. Mat 25:34.—ἵδε, See!) The freedom of speech of a good servant.—ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς, on them) The servant does not attribute the gain to himself, but to his Lord’s goods.

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

Mat_25:20 f. Ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς] in addition to them; comp. on Col_3:14. The ἵδε points the master to what had been gained; the boldness of a good conscience.

εὖ] is generally taken absolutely: excellent! that is right! But this would have required εὖγε (Plat. Gorg. p. 494 C; Lach. p. 181 A; Soph. Phil. 327), which reading (taken from Luk_19:17, where εὖγε is the original one) Fritzsche actually adopts, following A*, Vulg. It. Or. (once). Consequently we should connect εὖ with ἦς πιστός: Thou wast admirably (probe) faithful in regard to a little. For εὗ when separated from the word to which it belongs, comp. Xen. Cyr. i. 6. 24; Mem. ii. 1. 33, and Kühner thereon. Ἀγαθέ and πιστέ represent the genus and species of an upright character. The opposite of this: Mat_25:26.

εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίον σου] χαρά is not to be understood of a feast (Clericus, Schoettgen, Wolf, Michelsen, Kuinoel, Schott), a sense in which the word is not used (LXX. Est_9:17 is an inaccurate rendering), and which the context does not sanction any more than it countenances the idea of a festival in honour of the masters return (in opposition to de Wette and Lange); but what is meant is that the slave is invited to participate in the happiness which his master is enjoying (Chrysostom admirably: τὴν πᾶσαν μακαριότητα διὰ τοῦ ῥήματος τούτου δεικνύς), thus exhibiting the thought of Rom_8:17. The use of the expression εἴσελθε is, in that case, to be regarded as due to the nature of the thing which the parable is meant to illustrate (the Messianic kingdom).

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 25:20 . he first servant gives his report: bringing five and five, he presents them to his master, and says: ἴδε , as if inviting him to satisfy himself by counting.

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

(20) I have gained beside them five talents more.—The result of the right use of opportunities could not be otherwise expressed within the limits of the imagery of the parable. In the kingdom of God the gain commonly takes another form than the mere increase of the gifts or opportunities which we call “talents” (though even here that increase is often the result of faithfulness), and appears as good done to men and souls gained for God.

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

20. moe] for more, the reading of the Authorised Version (1611), altered in later editions. Cp. Shaks. ful. Cæs. ii. 1:

“Bru. Is he alone?

Luc. No, sir, there are moe with him.”

(Bible Word-Book, p. 321).

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.

And so he that had received five talents,.... Or the greatest gifts: as this man is the first to whom his Lord gave any talents, and the first that went and traded with them; he is also the first that is reckoned with; who

came and brought other five talents: he came freely and cheerfully, with a holy confidence and intrepidity of mind, and gave in his account very readily, both of what he had received, and of what he had gained;

saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents, behold I have gained besides them five talents more. True ministers of the Gospel frankly own, that what gifts they have are delivered to them by Christ; and such are willing that he should have all returned to him, principal and increase: it is not to be imagined that this will be said in so many express words by them, nor will there be any need thereof; for Christ will not be ignorant of what they have been doing, and of what use they have been of; but the sense is, that as all will be manifest to Christ the searcher of hearts, with whom they have to do, so the account will stand fair and open; and it will be seen and known by all, that such and such faithful ministers of Christ have behaved in this agreeable manner, and have been thus and thus serviceable in his interest.

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

20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

Ver. 20. He that had received five] He was first called to an account, and if four, or but one of his five talents had lain dead and unoccupied he had been doomed for his ill husbandry. See that ye receive not any grace of God in vain; neither envy those that have much; a proportion is expected, Non tantum otiosi, sed cunctatores plectentur. Thou idle, and therefore evil servant, Mat 25:26.

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.

I have gained - Gained by trading or by honest industry, Mat 25:16.

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

I have gained other five. Free-will, aided by the grace of God, doth evidently merit as we see here.

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).

This part of the parable teacheth us only these things:

1. That some persons in this world make a very good use and improvement of those gifts and good things which God hath entrusted them with, according to the measure with which God hath entrusted them.

2. That those who do so shall in the day of judgment have a liberal reward in the kingdom of glory, called here

the joy of their Lord.

That God doth not expect an equality of service from all, but a service proportionable to those gifts which God hath given men; and those shall go to heaven who have made a due improvement of the gifts with which God hath blessed them, though it be not proportionable to the service which others, of greater parts, and who have had greater advantages and opportunities, have made: if men have but two talents, yet if they gain other two, they shall go to heaven at last, as well as those who have had five, and improved them to the gaining of other five.

We must take heed of concluding from this part of the parable, that those who have most given them ordinarily do make the best improvement of them, for daily experience teacheth us the contrary, neither is the parable brought to instruct us in any such thing.

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

20. Behold, I have gained — With a sweet and cheerful boldness does the faithful servant come before his Lord. Behold, I have gained, as it is in Matthew; and, Thy pound hath gained, as it is in Luke. These united expressions show how man and God unite in the performance of Christian duty. But even in Matthew the servant recognizes that it is the five talents which thou deliveredst unto me.

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 the five talents. The slaves appear in the same order as they had come to receive the deposits. The first comes joyfully, showing boldness in his day of judgment, (1Jn_2:17) because he has dealt faithfully and diligently, and prospered in his labours. Thou deliveredst unto me. He rightly acknowledges that all he had came from his lord, and that it was his duty and his pleasure to increase the deposit for his master"s benefit. The long delay had not made him careless and negligent; rather, he had used the time profitably, and thereby added greatly to his gains. I have gained beside them (ep autoiv). The two last words are omitted by Westcott and Hort, Tischendorf, and the Revised Version. If they are not genuine, they are, at any rate, implied in the account of the transaction. The Vulgate has, Alia quinque superlucratus sum. The good servant says, Behold, as if he pointed with joy to the augmented wealth of his master. He does not speak boastfully; he does not praise himself for his success; he had simply done his best with the means entrusted to him, and he can speak of the result with real pleasure. (comp. 2Co_1:14 Php_4:1 1Th_2:19) So in a religious sense the obligation to improve talents is even more imperative. "The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one to profit withal". (1Co_12:7) The grace which he receives he must employ for his own sanctification, as a member of Christ, for the edification of others, for the interests of God"s Church; such work will show that he is worthy of his Lord"s trust and faithful in his stewardship.

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

20. He that had received five talents, etc. He had doubled what he had received, and in acknowledgment that all was due to his lord who had given all and whose he was, he brought all to lay at his feet.

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.

20.] The faithful servant does not take the praise to himself—μοι παρέδωκας is his confession—and ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς the enabling cause of his gain;—‘without Me, ye can do nothing,’ Joh 15:5. This is plainer in Luke (19:16), ἡ μνᾶ σου δέκα προσηργάσατο μνᾶς. See 1Co 15:10;—and on the joy and alacrity of these faithful servants in the day of reckoning, 1Th 2:19: 2Co 1:14: Php 4:1.

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

20. And he who had received the five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, five talent thou didst deliver to me; lo, I have gained other five talents.]

(L)

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