The Parable of the Talents

Matthew 25:15 – “To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went away.”

The original Greek word translated as “ability” or “talent” in this verse refers to a person’s capacity to do a task. However, the parable isn’t about people’s natural abilities but emphasizes that the Lord gives gifts of varying sizes to each person according to their situation (Romans 12:3, 6; Ephesians 4:7). No believer can claim they have no gift; all are required to serve faithfully while they wait for the Lord.

The amounts five thousand, two thousand, and one thousand in the Chinese text actually correspond to five talents, two talents, and one talent in the original Greek. A “talent” was the largest unit of currency in the Jewish system, with one talent being equivalent to 6,000 denarii. This parable gives us the English word “talent” to mean a special aptitude. A common laborer’s daily wage was one denarius, so these three servants received the equivalent of 82, 33, and 16.5 years of wages, respectively. No one could say that they received a small gift!

What Jesus values in every believer is faithfulness, not the size of the gift we receive or the visible results of our work. The size of a believer’s gift and the extent of their accomplishments are irrelevant to their reward. Therefore, we should not envy the greater gifts or achievements of others but focus on being “good” and “faithful,” ensuring that our service is proportional to our gifts. This is because, as Jesus said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48).

(Edited and compiled based on the Chinese Union Version Bible and Comprehensive Biblical Interpretation)