17. In your own words, briefly relate the parable of the talents.

¹⁷ Consider Jesus’ parable of the talents, as recorded at Matthew 25:14-30. A man who was about to travel abroad summoned his slaves and committed his belongings to them. “To one he gave five talents, to another two, to still another one, to each one according to his own ability.” When the master returned to settle accounts with his slaves, what did he find? The slave who had been given five talents gained five talents more. Similarly, the slave who had been given two talents gained two talents more. The slave who had been given one talent buried it in the ground and did nothing to increase his master’s wealth. What was the master’s assessment of the situation?

¹⁹ Of course, the third slave was not commended. In fact, he was thrown into the darkness outside. Having received but one talent, he would not have been expected to produce as much as the slave with five talents. He, though, did not even try! His adverse judgment was ultimately because of his “wicked and sluggish” heart attitude, which betrayed a lack of love for the master.