Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 25:20-21

"And he that received the five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: lo, I have gained other five talents. 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 25:20-21 (ASV)

I do not doubt that this man had often taken stock of himself—for anyone who never takes stock of himself has good reason to be afraid of being called to account before his God—and I imagine that he had often grieved to think that he had not turned the five talents into twenty.

He must have thought that, to gain only five talents more, was very little; but he found his master was well content with what he had done.

Do you think, brother, that all of you who have five talents have gained five talents more? You were richly endowed as a youth; have you increased your ability to serve your God?

You see, the parable speaks not so much of what they had done for other people, as of what they had themselves gained and still had in hand.

Have you more grace? Have you more tact? Have you more adaptation to your Master's service? Are you conscious that it is so?

I would not be surprised if you are mourning that you are not more useful and more fit to be used. It is good that you should mourn in that way; but when your Master comes, I trust that he will say, Well done, thou good and faithful servant.

Have all of us, who received five talents from our Lord, gained beside them five talents more? I think not. Have we double the grace we had at first? Twice the tact with which we began our service for God? Twofold adaptation to the work He has given us to do? It was so with this servant, and therefore his lord commended and rewarded him. There was no proportion between his service and its reward.

Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things. He who is faithful to his Lord shall have greater opportunities of proving his loyalty and devotion in a higher sphere and, in addition, he shall share the bliss of his Lord’s return: Enter thou into the joy of thy lord. This is not the servant’s portion, but the Master’s portion shared with His faithful servants. This will be the consummation of all heavenly delights—not so much that we shall have a joy of our own as that we shall enter into the joy of our Lord.