Matthew 25:14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.

◄ Matthew 25:14 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.

English Standard Version
“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.

New American Standard Bible
"For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them.

King James Bible
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
"For it is just like a man going on a journey. He called his own slaves and turned over his possessions to them.

International Standard Version
"Similarly, it is like a man going on a trip, who called his servants and turned his money over to them.

American Standard Version
For it is as when a man, going into another country, called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For even as a man going into a far country, called his servants, and delivered to them his goods;

Darby Bible Translation
For it is as if a man going away out of a country called his own bondmen and delivered to them his substance.

Young's Literal Translation
'For -- as a man going abroad did call his own servants, and did deliver to them his substance,

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

25:14-30 Christ keeps no servants to be idle: they have received their all from him, and have nothing they can call their own but sin. Our receiving from Christ is in order to our working for him. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. The day of account comes at last. We must all be reckoned with as to what good we have got to our own souls, and have done to others, by the advantages we have enjoyed. It is not meant that the improving of natural powers can entitle a man to Divine grace. It is the real Christian's liberty and privilege to be employed as his Redeemer's servant, in promoting his glory, and the good of his people: the love of Christ constrains him to live no longer to himself, but to Him that died for him, and rose again. Those who think it impossible to please God, and in vain to serve him, will do nothing to purpose in religion. They complain that He requires of them more than they are capable of, and punishes them for what they cannot help. Whatever they may pretend, the fact is, they dislike the character and work of the Lord. The slothful servant is sentenced to be deprived of his talent. This may be applied to the blessings of this life; but rather to the means of grace. Those who know not the day of their visitation, shall have the things that belong to their peace hid from their eyes. His doom is, to be cast into outer darkness. It is a usual way of expressing the miseries of the damned in hell. Here, as in what was said to the faithful servants, our Saviour goes out of the parable into the thing intended by it, and this serves as a key to the whole. Let us not envy sinners, or covet any of their perishing possessions.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Mt 25:14-30. Parable of the Talents.

This parable, while closely resembling it, is yet a different one from that of The Pounds, in Lu 19:11-27; though Calvin, Olshausen, Meyer, and others identify them—but not De Wette and Neander. For the difference between the two parables, see the [1356]opening remarks on that of The Pounds. While, as Trench observes with his usual felicity, "the virgins were represented as waiting for their Lord, we have the servants working for Him; there the inward spiritual life of the faithful was described; here his external activity. It is not, therefore, without good reason that they appear in their actual order—that of the Virgins first, and of the Talents following—since it is the sole condition of a profitable outward activity for the kingdom of God, that the life of God be diligently maintained within the heart."

14. For the kingdom of heaven is as a man—The ellipsis is better supplied by our translators in the corresponding passage of Mark (Mr 13:34), "[For the Son of man is] as a man," &c.,

travelling into a far country—or more simply, "going abroad." The idea of long "tarrying" is certainly implied here, since it is expressed in Mt 25:19.

who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods—Between master and slaves this was not uncommon in ancient times. Christ's "servants" here mean all who, by their Christian profession, stand in the relation to Him of entire subjection. His "goods" mean all their gifts and endowments, whether original or acquired, natural or spiritual. As all that slaves have belongs to their master, so Christ has a claim to everything which belongs to His people, everything which, may be turned to good, and He demands its appropriation to His service, or, viewing it otherwise, they first offer it up to Him; as being "not their own, but bought with a price" (1Co 6:19, 20), and He "delivers it to them" again to be put to use in His service.