What would you do if someone handed you a fortune and simply said, “Use this however you want until I get back”?
That’s basically the setup of the parable of the talents (also called the parable of the bags of gold), one of Jesus’ most well-known parables.
We tend to think everything we have is ours. Our time. Our skills. Our money. But this parable of Jesus invites us to rethink how we use what God has given us, including our time, money, skills, and influence.
Whether you’re new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, this parable invites you to ask: What am I doing with what God’s given me?
What Is a Parable?
A parable is a simple story that uses everyday imagery to reveal deep spiritual truths. Jesus didn’t invent parables, but He was a master parable teller, using them to teach timeless lessons about God’s kingdom.
Parables invited listeners to lean in, reflect, and wrestle with what Jesus was really saying. For those with open hearts, these simple stories revealed deep spiritual truths. But for those who resisted, the meaning remained hidden.
Where Does the Parable of the Talents Appear in Scripture?
The parable of the talents appears in Matthew 25:14–30.
Different Perspectives on the Parable of the Talents
While the most common interpretation of the parable of the talents today centers on stewardship, with the master representing God and the servants representing us, there’s an alternate view that flips this around.
Some readers throughout history have seen the master as a symbol of oppressive power and the servant who buried the talent as an inspiring figure of resistance.
In this article, we’ll focus on the traditional modern interpretation, where the master represents God and the servant with one talent tragically misses the point. But stay tuned—we’ll explore that alternate reading in our upcoming article on the parable of the ten minas found in Luke 19:11–27.
A Parable of the Talents Summary
The parable begins with a rich man preparing to leave on a long journey to a distant country. Before he goes, the master entrusts his property to three servants.
Each servant receives a different number of “talents.”
- The first servant receives five talents.
- The second servant gets two talents.
- The third servant is given one talent.
But what’s a talent?
Back then, a talent was a unit of weight referring to an amount of money worth many years of wages. That’s why some translations simply say “bags of gold,” to make it easier to understand for modern readers.
The first two faithful servants go out and invest the master’s money, doubling what they were given. But the third servant buries his one talent in the ground and does nothing with it.
When the master returns, he asks the servants to explain how they used his talents. He praises the two who brought a return, calling them good and faithful servants, but he punishes the third. His one talent is taken and given to the servant with ten talents, and he’s cast into “outer darkness.”
Who’s Who in the Parable of the Talents?
Every parable contains people, objects, or animals to which Jesus gives spiritual meaning. This parable is no different. So before we explore what this parable means, we need to find out who or what everything in this parable represents. In this story:
- The master represents God, who entrusts us with responsibilities while we wait for His return.
- The three servants represent Jesus’ disciples—ourselves included—who’ve been given something to steward for God’s glory.
- The talents represent anything God has entrusted to us: time, money, gifts, influence, opportunities.
- The master’s return symbolizes Jesus’ return and the day we give an account for how we used what God gave us.
- The good and faithful servants represent those who lived for God’s kingdom and made the most of what they were given.
- The lazy servant (or slothful servant) represents someone who plays it safe, makes excuses, and ultimately wastes what was entrusted to them.
- Outer darkness symbolizes separation from God, an image Jesus often used to describe the gravity of rejecting His ways.
The Parable of the Talents Explained
This isn’t just a Bible story about bags of gold. It’s a wake-up call to serve God with everything we have and to live with spiritual urgency.
The parable of the talents teaches us that we’re not called to play it safe or hoard what’s been given to us. We’re called to be good stewards: to take risks, invest in people, and live in such a way that we multiply God’s love and truth in the world.
The Context of the Parable of the Talents
This parable wasn’t written to us, but it was spoken to real people in a real moment. Understanding that moment helps us see what Jesus meant more clearly.
The parable of the talents shows up in Matthew 25, right between two other powerful parables: the parable of the ten virgins and the parable of the sheep and goats.
All three were part of a bigger conversation Jesus was having with His disciples about the kingdom of God, the end of an era, and what it means to live faithfully.
In the parable of the ten virgins, Jesus painted a picture of readiness. In the parable of the talents, He shifted from waiting to working, because being ready for the bridegroom’s (Jesus’) arrival isn’t just about watching. It’s about serving.
Your Life on Earth Matters
Jesus told this story near the end of His life, in the days leading up to His crucifixion. His disciples were starting to understand that following Jesus wasn’t a quick fix, it was a lifetime of trust, service, and stewardship.
They were also getting anxious about what was coming.
Jesus kept warning them that He was going away, that suffering was coming, and that they would be left to carry on His mission in a world that wouldn’t always welcome it. They had given up everything to follow Him, and now the path ahead felt uncertain and overwhelming. What were they supposed to do when He was no longer physically with them?
This parable was part of Jesus’ answer. It was His way of saying, “What you do with your life while I’m gone still matters. You’ve been entrusted with something valuable—don’t bury it.”
The Twist of the Parable
To Jesus’ first-century audience, especially in a society where servants often managed large sums for rich men, this parable would’ve made sense. But the twist comes when the lazy servant does nothing, and the master replies with judgment.
In that cultural context, burying money wasn’t inherently irresponsible. It was actually a common way to safeguard valuables from theft or loss, especially for someone who didn’t want to risk it in trade. But the master in the parable isn’t looking for caution; he’s looking for courage.
It’s a hard parable. But it’s also a hopeful one, because it shows how much God believes in us. He entrusts us with His work. He doesn’t expect perfection. He expects participation.
What the Parable of the Talents Means Now
It’s easy to think that only certain people like pastors, missionaries, and ultra-talented Christians are entrusted with “doing God’s work.” But the parable of the talents flips that idea on its head. Jesus tells us that every person has been entrusted with something, and God cares deeply about how we use it.
The master’s reaction isn’t based on how much each servant made—it’s based on whether they were faithful with what they had. This parable shows us that risk is an essential element of faith.
The parable of the talents invites us to prayerfully step out of our comfort zone as we serve God.
In a culture that pushes comfort and convenience, the parable of the talents invites us to prayerfully step out of our comfort zone as we serve God.
Christian faith isn’t just belief—it’s action. The master is returning, and how you use your talents matters eternally.
Taking Risks for God
What kinds of risks does God want us to take? Anything that helps people get to know God’s love, care, and grace. This can look like using your time to serve people in need, using your finances to fuel global efforts of relief and restoration, and showing kindness and respect to people you disagree with.
Yes, you might fail, get rejected, or feel like you’re wasting your time. But remember, the point isn’t how efficient or effective you are in the moment. The point is your willingness to use what you have for the good of others.
A Modern Retelling of the Parable of the Talents
If we told this parable today, the unfaithful servant might have spent the year pursuing safe spiritual growth through personal prayer time and Scripture reading, without actually loving their neighbor, caring for the sick, or sharing their resources with others.
On the other hand, the faithful servants would have used what they had to bring God’s love to their community, workplaces, and schools, while also committing to personal spiritual practices.
Jesus isn’t just talking about money here. He’s also talking about your life, your time, your energy, your gifts, and your relationships. Those are your “talents.”
This parable prompts the uncomfortable question: Are you using your talents for others? If so, keep going. If not, this parable is your invitation to shift from comfort to purpose.
3 Truths From the Parable of the Talents
- God trusts you with more than you think.
The master entrusts his servants with something valuable—not to crush them, but because he believes they can do something meaningful with it. - Faithfulness matters more than flashy results.
The good and faithful servants are celebrated, not for outshining others, but for showing up and doing what they could with what they had. - Doing nothing is not a neutral choice.
The lazy servant learns the hard way that burying what his master gives him isn’t safe, it’s disobedient. When we serve God, even in small ways, it multiplies into something greater than we can imagine.
Next Steps
Reflection Question: What has God entrusted to me (time, relationships, abilities)? Am I hiding anything God has given to me because of fear, insecurity, or distraction?
Pray: God, thank You for trusting me with what I have. Help me to live as a courageous, faithful servant, using what You’ve given me for Your glory and the good of others. Show me where I’ve held back and give me strength to step forward in obedience. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Action Step: Choose one thing this week—your time, a skill, a relationship, or a resource—and use it sacrificially to serve someone else. Don’t wait until it’s convenient. Don’t wait until it’s comfortable. The master’s return could be closer than you think.
đŸ“– Read the Parable of the Talents for Yourself
“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.
The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” Matthew 25:14-30 NIV
For more on the parables of Jesus, check out the Finds ultimate guide.