Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 25:20

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.

20. moe ] for more, the reading of the Authorised Version (1611), altered in later editions. Cp. Shaks. ful. Cs. ii. 1:

“ Bru. Is he alone?

Luc. No, sir, there are moe with him.”

( Bible Word-Book, p. 321).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

I have gained – Gained by trading or by honest industry, Mat 25:16.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

This part of the parable teacheth us only these things:

1. That some persons in this world make a very good use and improvement of those gifts and good things which God hath entrusted them with, according to the measure with which God hath entrusted them.

2. That those who do so shall in the day of judgment have a liberal reward in the kingdom of glory, called here

the joy of their Lord.

That God doth not expect an equality of service from all, but a service proportionable to those gifts which God hath given men; and those shall go to heaven who have made a due improvement of the gifts with which God hath blessed them, though it be not proportionable to the service which others, of greater parts, and who have had greater advantages and opportunities, have made: if men have but two talents, yet if they gain other two, they shall go to heaven at last, as well as those who have had five, and improved them to the gaining of other five.

We must take heed of concluding from this part of the parable, that those who have most given them ordinarily do make the best improvement of them, for daily experience teacheth us the contrary, neither is the parable brought to instruct us in any such thing.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

20. Lord, thou deliveredst unto mefive talents; behold, I have gained besides them five talentsmoreHow beautifully does this illustrate what the beloveddisciple says of “boldness in the day of judgment,” and hisdesire that “when He shall appear we may have confidence, andnot be ashamed before Him at His coming!” (1Jn 4:17;1Jn 2:28).

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

And so he that had received five talents,…. Or the greatest gifts: as this man is the first to whom his Lord gave any talents, and the first that went and traded with them; he is also the first that is reckoned with; who

came and brought other five talents: he came freely and cheerfully, with a holy confidence and intrepidity of mind, and gave in his account very readily, both of what he had received, and of what he had gained;

saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents, behold I have gained besides them five talents more. True ministers of the Gospel frankly own, that what gifts they have are delivered to them by Christ; and such are willing that he should have all returned to him, principal and increase: it is not to be imagined that this will be said in so many express words by them, nor will there be any need thereof; for Christ will not be ignorant of what they have been doing, and of what use they have been of; but the sense is, that as all will be manifest to Christ the searcher of hearts, with whom they have to do, so the account will stand fair and open; and it will be seen and known by all, that such and such faithful ministers of Christ have behaved in this agreeable manner, and have been thus and thus serviceable in his interest.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

20. And he who had received five talents. Those who employ usefully whatever God has committed to them are said to be engaged in trading The life of the godly, (691) is justly compared to trading, for they ought naturally to exchange and barter with each other, in order to maintain intercourse; and the industry with which every mall discharges the office assigned him, the calling itself, the power of acting properly, and other gifts, are reckoned to be so many kinds of merchandise; because the use or object which they have in view is, to promote mutual intercourse among men.

Now the gain which Christ mentions is general usefulness, (692) which illustrates the glory of God. For, though God is not enriched, and makes no gain, by our labors, yet when every one is highly profitable to his brethren, and applies advantageously, for their salvation, the gifts which he has received from God, he is said to yield profit, or gain, to God himself. So highly does our heavenly Father value the salvation of men, that whatever contributes to it he chooses to place to his own account. That we may not become weary in doing well, (Gal 6:9,) Christ declares that the labor of those who are faithfully employed in their calling will not be useless.

According to Luke, he says that he who gained five pounds obtains the government of five cities; by which words he informs them, that the glory of his kingdom will be very different at his last coming from what it now appears. For now (693) we have labor and anxiety in managing, as it were, the affairs of an absent master; but then he will have at his command an ample and copious supply of honors, to ennoble and enrich us. The form of expression employed by Matthew is more simple, Enter thou into the joy of thy master; by which he means that faithful servants, whose discharge of duty shall meet with his approbation, will share with himself a blessed abundance of all good things.

But it is asked, What is meant by what is added, Take from him the talent, and give it to him who hath ten talents? For every kind of trading will then be at an end. I reply, We ought to keep in remembrance what I formerly mentioned, that those who insist on explaining, with exactness, every minute phrase, are mistaken. The true meaning is, though slothful and unprofitable servants are now endued with the gifts of the Spirit, yet they will at length be deprived of them all, that their wretched and shameful poverty may redound to the glory of the good. Now these slothful persons, Christ tells us, hide either the talent or the pound in the earth; because, while they consult their own ease and gratifications, they refuse to submit to any uneasiness; as we see very many who, while they are privately devoted to themselves and to their own advantage, avoid all the duties of charity, and have no regard to the general edification. When it is said that the master of the house, after his return, called the servants to account; as this ought to impart courage to the good, when they understand that they do not lose their pains, so the indolent and careless, on the other hand, ought to be struck with no small terror. Let us therefore learn to call ourselves daily to account, before the Lord come, and make a reckoning with us.

(691) “ Des fideles;” — “of believers.”

(692) “ C’est le profit ou l’avancement de toute la compagnie des fideles en commun;” — “it is the profit or advancement of the whole company of believers in common.”

(693) “ En ce monde;” — “in this world.”

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(20) I have gained beside them five talents more.The result of the right use of opportunities could not be otherwise expressed within the limits of the imagery of the parable. In the kingdom of God the gain commonly takes another form than the mere increase of the gifts or opportunities which we call talents (though even here that increase is often the result of faithfulness), and appears as good done to men and souls gained for God.

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

20. Behold, I have gained With a sweet and cheerful boldness does the faithful servant come before his Lord. Behold, I have gained, as it is in Matthew; and, Thy pound hath gained, as it is in Luke. These united expressions show how man and God unite in the performance of Christian duty. But even in Matthew the servant recognizes that it is the five talents which thou deliveredst unto me.

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