Charles Ellicott Commentary Matthew 25:15

"And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his several ability; and he went on his journey." — Matthew 25:15 (ASV)

Unto one he gave five talents—For the value of the talent, see the note on Matthew 18:24. The languages of modern Europe bear witness to the impression this parable has made through their common use of the word. A person's energies, gifts, and capacities are what we now call "talents," for which they will have to give an account. We even describe someone who possesses them as "talented," though this is little more than a poorly-coined, common term. Common as this usage is, however, it tends to obscure the true meaning of the parable.

In the parable, an "ability" is presupposed in each case before the talents are distributed. We are therefore led to the conclusion that the talents here represent not so much natural gifts as external opportunities—such as possessions, offices, or what we call "spheres of duty." We are told that these opportunities, in the wisdom of God, are ultimately given to people according to their several ability.

Viewed this way, the parable does not simply repeat the lesson of the preceding one. Instead, it is addressed not to all Christians in general, but specifically to those who hold a vocation or ministry in the Church of Christ, or who have outward resources for working within it.

It is perhaps not entirely fanciful to see an initial application of this in the three-tiered scale of distribution, tracing a correspondence to the three groups of four into which the twelve Apostles were divided. The sons of Jona and Zebedee were like those who had received five talents. The less prominent middle group corresponded to those who received two. Meanwhile, the wicked and slothful servant finds his representative in the only disciple from the third and final group who is at all prominent.