Matthew 25:14-30 ~ well done, good and faithful servant

The Camera degli Sposi ("Bridal Chamber"), sometimes known as the Camera Picta ("Painted Chamber"), is a room frescoed by Andrea Mantegna in the Ducal Palace, Mantua, Italy.

Matthew 25:14-30

¹⁴ "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants ^{[bondservants]} and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, ^{[a talent is a monetary unit for about 20 years wages]} to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

¹⁶ He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ¹⁷ So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸ But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. ¹⁹ Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' ²¹ His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant ^{[bondservant]}. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'

²² And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' ²³ His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'

²⁴ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' ²⁶ But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.

²⁹ For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

We can take this passage and feel like God, Heaven and all of His Kingdom are watching. And if we look down to our own core, we can feel full or empty. Sometimes we are full and sometimes we are like the beatitudes.

Luke 6:25
Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

Or

Amos 6:1
Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!

Perhaps the best way to approach our talents is with the enthusiasm of Isaiah -

Isaiah 6:8
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

We all have talents and gifts - the LORD has given us.

1 Corinthians 12
27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. 28And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? 31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts.

What is that one gift that draws us upward and to One Body in Him?

1 Corinthians 13
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.


1 John 4:16
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.


1 Corinthians 10:31
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Hebrews 12:12
So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees.


Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.




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