Charles Ellicott Commentary Matthew 25:21

"His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord." — Matthew 25:21 (ASV)

I will make you ruler over many things. — A better translation is, I will set you over many things. The word “ruler” is not in the Greek.

Here again, as in Matthew 24:47, we are given a glimpse into the future that lies behind the veil. Insofar as the parable prominently brings before us either the final judgment or what follows each person’s death, we see that the reward for faithful work lies not only in rest but also in enlarged activity.

The world to come is therefore connected by a law of continuity with the one in which we live. Those who have used their “talents” to turn many to righteousness may find new spheres of action, beyond all our dreams, in that future world. We may reverently believe that the ties of brotherhood formed on earth are not extinguished there, but are multiplied and strengthened.

Enter into the joy of your lord. — These words are almost too strong for the framework of the parable, as a human master would hardly use such language with his slaves. But here, and even more so in the parable that follows, the reality breaks through the symbol. We hear the voice of the divine Master speaking to His servants, bidding them share His joy. For that joy also had its source, as He told them only a few hours later, in loyal and faithful service—in having kept His Father’s commandments (John 15:10–11).