Let’s read Matthew 25:29, “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.” We will need to consider verses 14-30 to understand this verse. In that passage the Lord Jesus gave the “Parable of the Talents.” A “talent” represents a certain “amount of money” (in that day a talent was equal to about 15-20 years’ wages of a laborer). Verses 14-15 says, “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.” We have four persons brought before us here. The “man traveling to a far country represents the Lord Jesus who ascended back to heaven after His death and resurrection.” Then we have three servants who represent all who profess to know Jesus as their Lord and are responsible to “serve Him while He is gone.” When He returns every one who calls themselves a “servant” will have to give an account to the Lord for what they did with the “talents” He gave to them to use for His honor and glory.

In verses 16-17 we learn that the first two servants served their master faithfully. “Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who received two gained two more also“ (NKJV). When the master returned, he said to both of these servants, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of the Lord” (verses 21 & 23). Notice, the amount of money given and traded was not the object; the vital issue here is FAITHFULNESS and thus “both servants were faithful and both servants received the same words of approval.” The Lord is teaching all true servants (i.e. true believers) that it is not a question of how much we have received of the Lord, but how we use that which He has given us to use for His glory.

Now let’s read verse 18, “But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.” Why did he do that? We see the answer he gave to his master in verses 24-25, “Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.” This third servant is an UNFAITHFUL servant who had no love for his master. He thought he was a “hard man” who didn’t deserve to be served. This so-called servant is “no servant at all” and thus his master says to him, “You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has two talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.” This man clearly illustrates the mere professor in Christ who has “no love for the Lord” because he “doesn’t know the Lord.” When the Lord Jesus returns, He will judge this man who, perhaps, made a “loud profession on faith in Christ” but who never lifted a finger to serve Him. Just as the master in this parable rebuked the unfaithful servant, the Lord Jesus will surely rebuke the false professor. And that’s not all, for we read in the last verse of this parable, “And cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (verse 30). His lack of service will be proof he had never believed on the Lord Jesus, and eternal judgment will be his portion for refusing to believe. John 3:36 declares, “He that believes in the Son has everlasting life; and HE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE THE SON SHALL NOT SEE LIFE, BUT THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDES ON HIM.”  (DO)  (643.3)