| Geneva Study Bible {2} For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. (2) Christ witnesses that there will be a long time between his departure to his Father and his coming again to us, but yet notwithstanding that, he will at that day take an account not only of the rebellious and obstinate, how they have made use of that which they received from him, but also of his household servants, who have because of slothfulness not employed those gifts which he bestowed upon them. People's New Testament 25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country. Compare Mr 13:34-36 Lu 19:11-27. Christ's departure from the earth to heaven is referred to. Called his own servants. The church members or disciples. Delivered unto them his goods. This applies to the trust of the entire interests of the kingdom of our Savior to his servants on the earth. Wesley's Notes 25:14 Our Lord proceeds by a parable still plainer (if that can be) to declare the final reward of a harmless man. May God give all such in this their day, ears to hear and hearts to understand it! The kingdom of heaven - That is, the King of heaven, Christ. Mark 13:34; Luke 19:12. Scofield Reference Notes Margin the kingdom of heaven is Omit the italicised words, "the kingdom of heaven is". Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary Mt 25:14-30. Parable of the Talents. This parable, while closely resembling it, is yet a different one from that of The Pounds, in Lu 19:11-27; though Calvin, Olshausen, Meyer, and others identify them-but not De Wette and Neander. For the difference between the two parables, see the [1356]opening remarks on that of The Pounds. While, as Trench observes with his usual felicity, "the virgins were represented as waiting for their Lord, we have the servants working for Him; there the inward spiritual life of the faithful was described; here his external activity. It is not, therefore, without good reason that they appear in their actual order-that of the Virgins first, and of the Talents following-since it is the sole condition of a profitable outward activity for the kingdom of God, that the life of God be diligently maintained within the heart." 14. For the kingdom of heaven is as a man-The ellipsis is better supplied by our translators in the corresponding passage of Mark (Mr 13:34), "[For the Son of man is] as a man," &c., travelling into a far country-or more simply, "going abroad." The idea of long "tarrying" is certainly implied here, since it is expressed in Mt 25:19. who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods-Between master and slaves this was not uncommon in ancient times. Christ's "servants" here mean all who, by their Christian profession, stand in the relation to Him of entire subjection. His "goods" mean all their gifts and endowments, whether original or acquired, natural or spiritual. As all that slaves have belongs to their master, so Christ has a claim to everything which belongs to His people, everything which, may be turned to good, and He demands its appropriation to His service, or, viewing it otherwise, they first offer it up to Him; as being "not their own, but bought with a price" (1Co 6:19, 20), and He "delivers it to them" again to be put to use in His service. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 25:14-30 Christ keeps no servants to be idle: they have received their all from him, and have nothing they can call their own but sin. Our receiving from Christ is in order to our working for him. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. The day of account comes at last. We must all be reckoned with as to what good we have got to our own souls, and have done to others, by the advantages we have enjoyed. It is not meant that the improving of natural powers can entitle a man to Divine grace. It is the real Christian's liberty and privilege to be employed as his Redeemer's servant, in promoting his glory, and the good of his people: the love of Christ constrains him to live no longer to himself, but to Him that died for him, and rose again. Those who think it impossible to please God, and in vain to serve him, will do nothing to purpose in religion. They complain that He requires of them more than they are capable of, and punishes them for what they cannot help. Whatever they may pretend, the fact is, they dislike the character and work of the Lord. The slothful servant is sentenced to be deprived of his talent. This may be applied to the blessings of this life; but rather to the means of grace. Those who know not the day of their visitation, shall have the things that belong to their peace hid from their eyes. His doom is, to be cast into outer darkness. It is a usual way of expressing the miseries of the damned in hell. Here, as in what was said to the faithful servants, our Saviour goes out of the parable into the thing intended by it, and this serves as a key to the whole. Let us not envy sinners, or covet any of their perishing possessions. | 
