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Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 25:18

Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 25:18

But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

Digged in the earth … – This represents the conduct of those who neglect the abilities that God has given, and fail to do what he has required. This is done often:

  1. On the plea that they do not occupy a high station.
  2. That they have slender abilities, and can do little good.
  3. As it was in this case, that God had not given them as much as he did others, and they will therefore do nothing.

These pleas are without foundation; because:

  1. God does not require us to do as much as those who have greater abilities; but this is not a reason why we should do nothing, 2Co 8:12.
  2. Any situation is honorable, and may be useful, where God has placed us; and though humble, yet in that we may do much good, 1Co. 12:11-31.
  3. People of slender abilities may often do more good in the world than people of much greater talents. It is rather a warm heart than a strong head which is required to do good. A humble Christian, by his life, example, and conversation, may often do much more good than is done by those in more elevated stations and with far greater gifts.

We are not to suppose by this, however, that our Saviour meant to teach that only those of feeble talents neglected their duty. The parable does not require us to do this; and the Fact is, perhaps, that those most highly endowed are the farthest from properly improving their talents.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

18. But he that had received onewent and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s moneynotmisspending, but simply making no use of it. Nay, his action seemsthat of one anxious that the gift should not be misused or lost, butready to be returned, just as he got it.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

But he that received one,…. Talent, or the least degree of gifts, for the ministry of the word:

went and digged in the earth, and hid his Lord’s money. The Syriac and Arabic versions read, “silver”, and the Ethiopic, “gold”; but whether these talents were silver or gold, is not certain. Where he buried it; that is, he neglected the gift that was in him, he made no use of it, either to his own advantage, or to the good of others, and the interest of his Lord; he either never went into the ministry, or if he did, he left it as Demas did, having too great affection for the world, and the things of it: he minded earth and earthly things, and employed himself in them, and not in his master’s work and service. The phrase seems to point out the earthly mindedness of the man, his worldly disposition, and his eager pursuit after the things of life; which were the reason why he disregarded his talent, and made no use of his ministerial gifts: he could not deny worldly self, nor leave all to follow Christ; but rather than drop the world, he chose to bury his talent in it: it was his Lord’s money and not his own, and he was accountable to him for it, and should have used it in another manner.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(18) He that had received one . . .There is something strikingly suggestive in the fact that those who had received the higher sums were good and faithful, and that it was left to the man who had received the smallest to fail in his duty. Failure in the use of wider opportunities brings with it a greater condemnation; but it is true, as a fact of human nature which our Lord thus recognised, that in such cases there is commonly less risk of failure. The very presence of the opportunities brings with it a sense of responsibility. So faithfulness in a very little receives its full reward, but the consciousness of having but a little, when men do not believe in their Masters wisdom and love in giving them but a little, tempts to discontent and so to sloth on the one hand, and on the other, as with Judas, to hasty and unscrupulous greed of immediate gain.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

18. Received one His duties were not as responsible as those of the man of five, yet he discharged them less faithfully. Hid his lord’s money He buried his responsibility to heaven under a load of earth. He merged the celestial in the terrestrial. He sunk duty in selfishness.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

“But he who received the one went away and dug in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.”

But the one who received the one talent, which did not after all require all that much of him, although it was still a useful sum (it was beyond most people’s dreams), went away, and instead of making use of what had been entrusted to him he buried it in the earth. Burial was a recognised way of keeping treasures safe in those days. He was just doing what many people did. But the point is that he was refusing to make use of what had been entrusted to him, possibly because in his misguided view of his Master he was either frozen with fear, or resentful and unwilling to serve. Either he was terrified at the thought of losing the precious money, or he simply did not want to be bothered with it (as ever Jesus leaves each listener to apply it to his own situation). We should recognise that he was a servant, and knew that his responsibility was to make use of what he had been entrusted with. But he chose not to do so. He thus had no excuse when called to account. In the same way many are so terrified of God that they never come to appreciate His mercy, and others just cannot be bothered with Him, and resent His demands. Both can fit into this picture.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Mat 25:18 . ] he went away , removed to a distance. How entirely different in the case of the two first, Mat 25:16 ! They started upon a journey ( .).

. ] he digged, i.e. he made a hole in the earth . The reading , which Tisch. adopts, following B L (C*: ), but from which the vss. deviate, would mean: he dug up the earth (Plat. Euthyd. p. 288 E).

. . .] brings out emphatically the idea of responsibility and dereliction of duty.

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

Ver. 18. Digged it in the earth ] Through sloth and pride; as many today will do no more service to God than may breed admiration among men. Some preachers (saith one) to win applause, set forth at first with such a strife to seem eloquent and learned, that they quickly spend their store; and then, rather than they would be observed to want, they will give over preaching, or else preach once a quarter, to air their learning, and keep it from going to mould. Such another is the miser, like the Cornish chough, a which will steal a piece of money, and hiding it in some hole, will never help herself or others with it afterward.

a A bird of the crow family; formerly applied somewhat widely to all the smaller chattering species, but especially to the common Jackdaw. D

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Mat 25:18 . , dug up the earth, and hid the silver of his master. Not dishonest the master had not misjudged as to that but indolent, unenterprising, timid. What he did was often done for safety. The master might have done it himself, but he wanted increase as well as safety. In Lk.’s parable the same type of man buries his pound in a napkin . A talent was too large to be put up that way.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

went = went off.

earth = ground. Greek. ge. App-129.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Mat 25:18. , hid) sc. in the earth; see Mat 25:25.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

and hid: Pro 18:9, Pro 26:13-16, Hag 1:2-4, Mal 1:10, Luk 19:20, Heb 6:12, 2Pe 1:8

Reciprocal: 2Ki 7:8 – hid it

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

5:18

The only comment I will make here on the third man, is that he at least did not misuse or lose it: further comments will be made at verse 25.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Mat 25:18. Went away, in carelessness.

Digged in the earth and hid his lords money.Not an active ill-doer, like the wicked servant of Mat 24:48, but simply neglectful of the blessing given him. He buried his spiritual gift in what is earthly, fleshly; the napkin in the other parable means idleness in office. The man with the one (spiritual) talent is negligent, not because he has little natural capacity, but from envy, or false ideas of human inability (Mat 25:24), etc. The one talent may represent the general influences of the Spirit of God. In our history as Christians, this one may be changed to five.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament