Matthew 25:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Having entrusted the vineyard to the tenants, the proprietor went away; similarly, after distributing the money, He departed, demonstrating His great patience. Furthermore, it appears that Christ is hinting at the resurrection. However, His reference extends beyond the tenants and the vineyard; it applies to all workers universally, as He is addressing not just the leaders and the Jews, but all people. Those who return the funds genuinely acknowledge what they have acquired and the gifts they have received from the Lord. One states, "Sir, five talents thou hast given me" (Matthew 25:20), while another claims two. Through this acknowledgment, they indicate that He has enabled them to gain profit, and they express their gratitude, attributing all success to Him.

Eventually, the one who has entrusted his silver—representing either divine teachings, since ‘the words of the Lord are molten silver’ (Psalm 11:7), or some other blessing that enhances and honors the individual who possesses it—returns to seek an account of what has been given.

The period that lies between the Ascension of the Savior into Heaven and His eventual return is significant. If even the apostles were to face the need to account for themselves and rise again, trembling at the prospect of judgment, what shall we do?

He will return, specifically at the time of His Second Advent; thus, He stated: after many occurrences. This signifies that He requires an accounting.

The Master who entrusted His servants with gifts will return to seek a reckoning, for He who abundantly imparts spiritual blessings will scrutinize all during His judgment. He will consider what each has received and will assess how well each individual has utilized those gifts.

What is the talent mentioned by the Lord that will be stripped from the unfaithful servant at the end and given to the one who has wisely managed the five talents (Matthew 25:14-30)? Response: Some interpret this talent as the Holy Spirit, which is bestowed through the Sacrament of Baptism. However, I would contest that the one who received the five talents also possessed the Holy Spirit and did not require an additional measure of it. Generally, this parable illustrates that God often bestows certain gifts of healing and of teaching from the inspired Scriptures even upon the unworthy and outsiders, so that they, feeling the weight of their unworthiness, might be led toward righteousness. Yet, many of these individuals, in their deceitfulness and misunderstanding of God’s providence, become blinded by pride, mistakenly believing their gifts are a sign of their own righteousness. Thus, they risk eternal separation in Gehenna, having lost such blessings.

At the time of the Lord's second coming, when our Lord Jesus Christ returns to judge both the living and the dead, He will engage in this solemn examination with every individual and assess the actions of each person individually. The parable of the debtor who owed a thousand talents illustrates this same judgment: “the kingdom of heaven is likened to a man who is a king, who wants to settle accounts with his servants” (Matthew 18:23).

Finally, the Master of the servants returned and sought an account from them. The diligent and trustworthy servants approached their Master with joy. The one who had received five talents presented the additional five talents he had gained through his hard work and dedication, saying, “Lord, you entrusted me with five talents; here are the other five talents I have earned.”

A righteous God does not require anything beyond man’s capability; He has endowed humanity with various talents and resources to fulfill His purpose, and He does not expect much from those to whom little has been given. However, when seeking God’s mercy, we must not use our lack of wealth or extraordinary gifts as an excuse for inaction. For those who possess little, they will be held to a lesser account; yet, if they stand before the Judgment without any good works, no matter how minor, they will still be accountable. The example of the poor widow, who contributed her last two pennies to the treasury, illustrates this point; she did not let her poverty deter her, but gave all she had, and according to Jesus’ observation, she contributed more than all the rich.

Human existence typically concludes in this manner, ensuring that all individuals are accountable for their actions.

"Finally": this signifies that the return of Christ would not occur as quickly as the disciples had initially believed (Matt. 24:3). - "Requires an account": this reflects the expectation of an evaluation given to the servants, to either commend or discipline them based on their actions. "The other five talents are the other two talents": within the parable, the total gained is mentioned to match the initial amount allotted, ensuring clarity in the numbers. However, in actual life, it is not always the case; one may gain more or less, provided there is gain, and the reward will undoubtedly follow whatever has been obtained. The most troubling outcome is to gain nothing at all, to conceal the talent, and to fail to use it for personal growth and the benefit of others.