I was asked to teach an adult class on the Parable of the talents (described as bags of gold in the NIV), so I developed some questions and would like your answers and comments:
What are the servants being entrusted with?
This is from (Matt. 25: 14-30)
What are the servants being entrusted with?
Did one servant get a talent of gold, the next a talent of silver and the third a talent of copper?
Did one get some land, the next get some sheep and the third got a fish boat?
Did the Master “gift” these servants with money, so it is their money?
In the Kingdom of God what would be used as the measure of wealth and the medium of exchange (money)?
What “ability” is the master talking about?
Do they have different abilities: one is a farmer, another fisherman and another shepherd?
As the money grows in their possession would their “ability” also have to grow?
Since there is the same kind of money given to the servants, just different quantities, would that mean every Christian has this same ability at different portions?
What “ability” is truly ours to begin with, so we all bring this one ability to the relationship with God/Christ?
John 6:29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” Can the nonbeliever bring anything more?
The Money grows
Is there any indication in this parable the money could be lost with use?
Are the servants putting the master’s money at risk, is there any down side possibility?
If the “money” is some physical talent of gift given to a Christian could that be lost over time?
Would it have been easier for the third servant to just turn the money over to some money changers than it would be to sneak around, dig a whole at night, remember where the money was hidden and worry about someone else finding the money?
Can we goof-off as Christians and still please the master by having others grow his money?
Hope (Desired Expectation)
Did the first two servants have hope of the Master’s return?
Did the third servant hope for the Master’s return?
How should we feel about Christ’s return?
Old people in poor health can be ready to die, but are they prepared to die?
A Spiritual Understanding of the Parable
All Christians are gifted with Love as a result of being forgiven (Luke 7) thus own that portion of Love, but are they also stewards of a portion of God’s Love to be used in the Market?
Love and Faith seem to go together, so if “faith” is man’s ability is God’s Love given in proportion to that faith?
If we take God’s Love to the market place (the world of people) with our portion of faith will it automatically grow with use and is there any risk of it being lost?
If a person just extends God’s Love to other Christians who can grow God’s Love will that person’s God Love he/she is a steward of grow?
Can the Love God has entrusted each of us with continue to grow with us all the way to our death bed?
Interesting Tidbits
The servant with ten bags gold is given the bag of gold of the unfaithful servant and it is not divided up or just kept by the Master, so what could this be about in the kingdom?
How did the faith (ability) of the ten bag of gold servant grow with the unfaithful servant going to hell?
What could the “being in charge of many things” represent?
The Master said: “So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?” So what is that talking about if God is in control?
What are the servants being entrusted with?
This is from (Matt. 25: 14-30)
What are the servants being entrusted with?
Did one servant get a talent of gold, the next a talent of silver and the third a talent of copper?
Did one get some land, the next get some sheep and the third got a fish boat?
Did the Master “gift” these servants with money, so it is their money?
In the Kingdom of God what would be used as the measure of wealth and the medium of exchange (money)?
What “ability” is the master talking about?
Do they have different abilities: one is a farmer, another fisherman and another shepherd?
As the money grows in their possession would their “ability” also have to grow?
Since there is the same kind of money given to the servants, just different quantities, would that mean every Christian has this same ability at different portions?
What “ability” is truly ours to begin with, so we all bring this one ability to the relationship with God/Christ?
John 6:29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” Can the nonbeliever bring anything more?
The Money grows
Is there any indication in this parable the money could be lost with use?
Are the servants putting the master’s money at risk, is there any down side possibility?
If the “money” is some physical talent of gift given to a Christian could that be lost over time?
Would it have been easier for the third servant to just turn the money over to some money changers than it would be to sneak around, dig a whole at night, remember where the money was hidden and worry about someone else finding the money?
Can we goof-off as Christians and still please the master by having others grow his money?
Hope (Desired Expectation)
Did the first two servants have hope of the Master’s return?
Did the third servant hope for the Master’s return?
How should we feel about Christ’s return?
Old people in poor health can be ready to die, but are they prepared to die?
A Spiritual Understanding of the Parable
All Christians are gifted with Love as a result of being forgiven (Luke 7) thus own that portion of Love, but are they also stewards of a portion of God’s Love to be used in the Market?
Love and Faith seem to go together, so if “faith” is man’s ability is God’s Love given in proportion to that faith?
If we take God’s Love to the market place (the world of people) with our portion of faith will it automatically grow with use and is there any risk of it being lost?
If a person just extends God’s Love to other Christians who can grow God’s Love will that person’s God Love he/she is a steward of grow?
Can the Love God has entrusted each of us with continue to grow with us all the way to our death bed?
Interesting Tidbits
The servant with ten bags gold is given the bag of gold of the unfaithful servant and it is not divided up or just kept by the Master, so what could this be about in the kingdom?
How did the faith (ability) of the ten bag of gold servant grow with the unfaithful servant going to hell?
What could the “being in charge of many things” represent?
The Master said: “So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?” So what is that talking about if God is in control?