'For the kingdom of heaven la as a man travelling into a
far country, who called his own servants, and delivered
unto them his goods. 15. And unto one he gave five
talents, to another two, and to another one; to every
man according to his several ability; and straightway
took his journey. 16. Then he that had received the five
talents went and traded with the same, and made them
other five talents. 17. And likewise he that had received
two, he also gained other two. 18. But he that had
received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his
lord's money. 19. After a long time the lord of those
servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 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. 21. His lord said unto him, Well done,
thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful
over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many
things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22. He also
that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou
deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained
two other talents beside them. 23. His lord said unto
him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast
been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler
over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24. Then to which had received the one talent came and
said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man,
reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where
thou hast not strawed: 25. And I was afraid, and went
and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast
that is thine. 26. His lord answered and said unto him,
Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I
reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not
strawed: 27. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my
money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should
have received mine own with usury. 28. Take therefore
the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten
talents. 29. For unto every one that hath shall be given,
and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not
shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30. And
cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness:
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
--MATT. xxv. 14-30.
The parable of the Ten Virgins said nothing about their working
whilst they waited. This one sets forth that side of the duties of
the servants in their master's absence, and so completes the former.
It is clearly in its true historical connection here, and is closely
knit to both the preceding and following context. It is a strange
instance of superficial reading that it should ever have been
supposed to be but another version of Luke's parable of the pounds.
The very resemblances of the two are meant to give force to their
differences, which are fundamental. They are the converse of each
other. That of the pounds teaches that men who have the same gifts
intrusted to them may make a widely different use of these, and will
be rewarded differently, in strictly graduated proportion to their
unlike diligence. The lesson of the parable before us, on the other
hand, is that men with dissimilar gifts may employ them with equal
diligence; and that, if they do, their reward shall be the same,
however great the endowments of one, and slender those of another. A
reader who has missed that distinction must be very shortsighted, or
sworn to make out a case against the Gospels.