Today in Hebrew, this is the most common word for a gift. It is exactly the same word that was used in both in the Old and the New Testaments.
The root of this word is
na•tan,
gave, gift
spelled with the letters:
noon,tav, and noon.
this is actually the name Nathan.
In Hebrew, a gift, can also mean
כִּשָּׁרוֹן
kisharón.
This refers to someone who is gifted, or has a special talentor ability.
In modern Hebrew, there are two different words for
gift:
מתנה. Matana
שי Shai
Generally a gift would be
matana מתנה
in Hebrew however lesser used synonyms are:
shay שי and doron דורון
and are often used as names alongside
מתן to signify someone being a gift to the world or life.
In modern Hebrew the most common word would be
מַתָנָה pronounced ma-ta-nah
and also meaning:
present, offering, donation, largess, or a bribe, depending on the context and the intention you are using the word with.
There are at least a dozen other words in Hebrew with the same meaning of: a thing given willingly to someone, without payment or retribution or as a gratuity.
14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
This parable has more than one message within it and all have relevance to our life and times.
First it’s a warning, telling us to stay alert, because we do not know the day nor the hour of His return. Then He likens it to the situation described in the parable:
“Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour. 14 For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them.
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. – Matthew 25:13 (NKJV)
So the foundation of the parable of the talents really begins with verse 13. That’s why this parable is one of preparedness – because eventually, Yeshua/Jesus is coming back and sooner than most realize or want Him to!
In the Parable of the Talents Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus/Yeshua again used a story to encourage His followers to be ready for His return at all times.
“Be on the alert,”
He said,
“for you do not know which day your Lord is coming” Matthew 24:42.
In the parable, He describes a man who goes on a journey, entrusting his servants with his wealth and possessions in his absence.
The man traveling is Yeshua/Jesus and we are the servants.
From this understanding, let’s look at the various meanings people have pointed out.
First the talents referred to here are coins, money.
In the chart above we see that a talent or mina is worth a lot of money!
We often picture it as a few coins; as in the picture below:
This is an incorrect image and alters our visual understanding of what Yeshua /Jesus was trying to illustrate.
Just one talent could be valued at around
$400,000 in today’s U.S.dollars!
Or approx.. 300,000 UK pounds or Euros.
1 drachma = 1 days wages
1 mena = 100 drachma which = 100 days wages
60 minas = 1 talent which was = to about 19 years wages!!
So it would have been according to that which was given of
5, 2 and 1 talents.
5x 400,000 = 2,000,0000
2x 400,000 = 800,000 and 1 = 400,000
This could not have been put in a little bag under a stone!
It also says how much the Lord values us and how much He values what He gives us. More than most people will see in a lifetime.
However it is not really talking about money.
More importantly, it is talking about:
stewardship,
responsibility,
obedience
and preparedness.
Looking at this parable, it really is one of self-examination; and a good one to meditate on during the season prior to Shavuot/Pentecost.
We often say of someone they are very talented or they have talent! This does not mean money it means they have an ability or are gifted in some area either musically, artistically, creatively, usually in regard to making something that others admire. Many times it is above what is considered the normal or average ability.
So we interchange the word
gift for talent
and don’t think of it as money or currency.
Here it may surprise us to discover that this parable may have nothing to do with natural gifts and abilities
but what rather relates to
THE GIFT of His Holy Spirit.
Mincha Ruach HaKo’desh
Here we must point out that the Hebrew reads
רוח הקודש
ruach hako’desh
the spirit of the holy one
also transliterated
ruacḥ ha-qodesh and
literally spirit of holiness/holy spirit
YHWH – hwhy (Yahoveh)’s Spirit.
His Spirit of Holiness is Jesus/Yeshua
because He said in John 14:23
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. John 14:18
His spirit of Holiness is not an it or a thing and it seems strange that we always seem to refer to Him as ‘the’? when it should be His Holy Sprit, or, Gods’/Fathers’ Holy Spirit or Yeshua/Jesus’Spirit of Holiness. We lessen the purity and reverence that is due to the essence of our Heavenly Fathers presence.
He is with us always even to the end of the age.
He is the same Spirit of Holiness that created the universe and hovered/ brooded over the face of the deep. We need a fresh and deeper revelation of the gift/mincha we have been given. His power has been given in a measure that will not harm or destroy us but will enable us to walk as Yeshua walked while on this earth.
Every power source needs a stable container, uncontaminated with certain parameters to maintain its correct operation and function. This is why we are to be cleansed, purified and prepared; the very essence of the OMER and a special reason they were to count the OMER that particular year. 50 days to Pentecost/Shavuot and the time of receiving the promise; His impartation and the promise of His being with us always. Literally living, residing, within us.
A portion of the kingdom of the heavens – the gift/mincha of eternal life; followed by the flowing out in physical manifestation of: preaching the good news of the kingdom of the heavens, healings and casting out unclean spirits raising the dead, performing miracles and working the works of Jesus/Yeshua.
It is the Father doing the works through us, just the same as through Jesus/ Yeshua. Heal the sick, the lame, give sight to the blind, cleanse the lepers set the captives free.
We know that Shavuot/Pentecost is the time of the
giving of His gift/mincha,
of His Spirit of Holiness.
It is important that we must never measure our spiritual capacity on the basis of our education or intellect; but rather our capacity in spiritual things is measured on the basis of the promises of God.
2 Cor. 1:20
All the promises of God in Him are yes and in Him Amen.
If we receive less than God wants for us to have, we are in danger of falsely accusing Him; just as the servant in the parable did because he did not know his master.
The giver of the gift.
Which in essence, still belonged to the master who received it back upon his return.
So that puts another angle on it also. Was the servant was saying: You expect more of me than you equipped me or gave me the power to do. Your demands are too much on me my time and my life and I cant do what you want me to in what you have chosen for me??!
Here’s your talent back….
We need to remember that when it’s a question of our Fathers Spirit, we never say, I Cant; that is simply turning the responsibility on ourselves and we are to be dead to self. If we are still trying to figure out everything and organize our time and schedule our lives, we are not submitted to His spirit working in us. We are still in control and we must never allow the limitations of our own natural ability to enter into any given situation. If we received His Spirit of Holiness He expects the work of His Spirit to be exhibited in us just as He did with Jesus/Yeshua.
In the parable the servant justified himself and at the same time was condemning his lord /master on every point; as if to say, your demand on me is way out of proportion to what you gave me.
Have we been falsely accusing God? By daring to worry after what He has promised inMatt 6:33? Worrying means exactly what was implied by the servant.
I know your intent to leave me alone and vulnerable.
We must be careful to remember that our lives will only reflect that which is from within and that our capacity and capability in spiritual matters is measured by, and based on the the promises of God who alone is able to fulfill them.
Do we believe that?
Our answer to that question will depend on whether or not we have received His Mincha/His Spirit of Holiness.
Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift.
First He came in the flesh and now is present with us always.
If we are still only come as far as asking God for things, we have never come to the point of understanding the least bit of what surrender really means; and we have instead become a Christian based on our own terms. Jer. 45:5.
As we continue to count through the days from the Omer lets surrender all, and prepare ourselves to receive afresh His Minchathe gift of His Spirit of Holiness; and re evaluate what the parable of the talents is saying to us. The lateness of the hour is evident and to whom much is given much is required and we have ALL been given the gift of the measure of faith.
Another view of The Parable of the Talents is, that Yeshua/Jesus uses it to help us understand our calling as Christians and our responsibility to use what God has given us to bring Him glory and honor! We can only do that when we invest our time, talents and treasure into His Kingdom and not one of our own making, based on us and making a life for ourselves!
We have the most valuable gift/mincha of all,
the Word of God and the
saving Gospel
of Jesus Christ/Yeshua haMashiach.
Reading the verses it’s also clearly a HEAVEN and HELL parable! The servants who used their talents entered into heaven,
“the joy of the Lord”.
The servant who didn’t use his talent was cast into hell.
Some say the only thing the talents could represent is – saving faith!
That view says that salvation, which is entering the Kingdom, is only by grace though faith. It is a gift from God. Everyone is given the opportunity to have faith.
It is up to us what we do with it.
Do we use it
or
do we bury it?
Are those who put their talents to work are simply those who have genuine faith? “Faith without corresponding actions is dead” i.e. not genuine.
These servants would seem to represent the Jewish “sinners” of Messiah’s day, and the humble poor, who were believing in the grace of God and receiving Yeshua/Jesus as Messiah.
Will they enter into the Kingdom?
Are they are the good and faithful servants simply because they have faith?
The lazy servant represents the self righteous religious people of His day and the prideful rich. This wicked servant buried his talent, hid his faith, because he didn’t believe in the goodness and grace of God. Instead he believed that God was a hard task master who demands we give to Him and also what we are not able to give. This is a mindset of law based thinking, which Yeshua/Jesus came to correct. This evil unbelieving servant represents those who trust in their works or their riches to save them, Pharisees’ rules and laws, those who ultimately reject Messiah and God’s grace.
The parable is given to contrast:
faith vs works,
grace vs law,
the gift of righteousness vs self righteousness
and humility vs pride.
The talents were given according to ability, 5, 2 and 1.
Remembering what a talent is = to in todays money.
It is all referring to that which God knew He had imparted into them and what they were able to do.
Its also about obedience.
Using our talents for the kingdom of the heavens, not for our own success fame and fortune. It’s a test of our allegiance and to whom we are in submitted. If we are truly dead to self then we have no goal, no personal agenda other than to serve our Father in His Kingdom; no vision other than the heavenly one.
We need to stop making excuses and go, make disciples!
Just as He told us to.
We are all too often working the wrong works.
Ultimately is wasn’t about the amount given or the ability to use it, it was about –
did they use it?
Did they use their faith or did they bury it?
Did they believe in the goodness of their master or did they believe wrongly about him?
Those who receive the grace of God by faith, will enter into the Kingdom and receive grace upon grace, those who reject His grace through unbelief will have everything taken away from them and will be cast into outer darkness.
Jesus/Yeshua uses a number of parables to communicate essential principles about His return.
We have seen that a talent in the first-century was a unit of currency and 1 talent represented a large sum of money. A lot of older translations used to use the word talent, so the parable came to be known as The Parable of the Talents. The value of the money entrusted to the servants isn’t that important. Obviously the master was extremely rich and was entrusting a tremendous amount to them.
In the beginning, we see the master making the disciples responsible for managing a portion of his estate. Even though the servants are given different sums to take care of, it all still belongs to the master. They’re merely administrators who will answer for how they invested the master’s belongings.
This fact reinforces the principle of stewardship.
As believers, we are all given resources according to our skills and abilities, but those resources ultimately belong to God. We will eventually answer for how we invest and reminding us that we really own nothing it is on loan to us from the Father.
When the master returns and hears the reports of the first two servants, he’s pleased.
His response is to invite them to share in his happiness.
This seems a strange suggestion…
why?
In place of only the wrath of God that people associate with His judgment, Jesus/Yeshua shows that upon His return, the faithful will be entering into His happiness and will experience His joy. He made a similar statement in
Luke 12:32. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
The unfaithful servant who doesn’t give the master a return on his investment is thrown out where he will never experience the master’s happiness.
When the unfaithful servant returns the exact amount he received, the master is infuriated. Where is the return on the servant’s investment? To excuse himself, the servant reveals to the master that he was scared. Knowing the master to be a merciless boss, he was afraid to invest and lose the master’s money. This is the reason he just buried it in the yard.
The master responds in anger. Is he saying that if that servant were truly afraid of him, he would have responded differently, and would have done anything to have something to offer?
Too often we allow our misunderstood views about God to justify or excuse poor stewardship or disobedience.
As servants of Messiah/Christ, we are called to be productive. All of our health, money, time, and abilities have come from Him, and we are tasked with putting them to use to benefit the kingdom. A time is coming when the Master will return to settle accounts, and then it will be too late.
It’s not enough to say, I didn’t waste what you gave me, Lord. We want to demonstrate how we have used the gifts and abilities we have been given to benefit the kingdom. God desires that we be those who step out in faith, who share His commitment. That’s how we’ll enter into the happiness of the Master.
Consider what Yeshua/Jesus said in Matt. 25:14-15.
A man traveled to a far country, called his own servants, delivered his goods to them, and immediately went on a journey.
We must see the parallels….Yeshua/Jesus came to earth, called His disciples, entrusted them with the message of the gospel, and departed when He ascended back to heaven, and
Matthew 25;19 completes this picture.
After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. (NKJV)
This verse is a reminder that not only did Messiah leave this earth, but one day He will come back and we will have to give account. This is one of the most important points.
The parable of the talents is a reminder that Jesus/Yeshua is coming back and we have some work to do.
While we are still counting from Omer, below are some things to prayerfully consider.
One of the phrases we read this story is
to each according to his own ability;
leading to simple questions:
What is our role in the kingdom,
what has God given us to do?
and what is His expectation of us?
Remember, He began the parable by saying
the kingdom of heaven is like.
God has given each of us a responsibility, according to our abilities. So often we leave the work of preaching the gospel and making disciples to those who are called to do it.
The reality is that calling is for all of us.
Some may have more responsibility if God has called them to do that in a full-time capacity, but we are all called to this purpose. These are the talents/goods God has delivered to each of us.
It does not matter if God has positioned us to do this full-time or not, it is critical to recognize what God has given each of us as individuals. The message of the gospel, which is the talents/goods/gifts are alive in us if we know Yeshua/Jesus as our Savior.
What has God given us?
The responsibility, applies to everyone,
and now that we are aware of it we are accountable, so we must ask ourselves,
what are we doing with it?
Looking at this in a very practical way; recall one had 5 talents, one had 2 talents, and one had 1 talent. We need to see that our mindset needs an adjustment and understand that in Gods eyes, everyone is in full-time ministry. The difference is what is the primary focus of our ministry.
It could be described as this:
Some people’s ministry is only focused on the gospel and disciples all the time (5 talents). Some people work full-time outside of a church or ministry setting and may volunteer to serve in church. For this person the majority of their ministry happens in their jobs and communities (2 talents or 1 talent). So being a teacher, business person, an accountant (or whatever your occupation) is really full-time ministry.
The difference is that the primary focus of an individuals ministry is not just preaching the gospel; but it is still ministry. In the course of working, we can shine His light and share the truth of the gospel when the opportunities arise.
The bottom line is we may not be able to do as much as someone with 5 talents, but we still can and should contribute with the talents God has given us.
To whom much given much is required.
“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48).
Again reminding us that we are not alone in the quest for doing good and that we have to be responsible in using His gifts.
One of the most important thing to remember from this parable of the talents, is the suddenness of the master’s return.
This takes us back to Matt. 25;19
After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. (NKJV)
There are two points of emphasis here:
First, the master (Yeshua/Jesus) will return one day,
and second,
we will have to give account.
The master didn’t announce his coming, he just came back after a long time!!
It will be the same with Yeshua/Jesus.
After a while, He will come back.
The question is,
are we ready for His return?
Another way of looking at it is—what would we want to be found doing when Messiah returns? Hopefully, the answer is to be taking what He has entrusted us with and sharing it with those around us. After all, this is the only way possible He can get a return on what He has entrusted you with.
Are we ready for His return?
Why is this a recurring theme in the posts? Because it is the message coming from His Spirit of Holiness at this hour, and the hour is very, very late……
When we read the whole story, there were two different responses given to the servants. Two of them heard well done and one heard you wicked, lazy servant. That is why it is so important to focus on what we do with the task/responsibility God has given us and not the amount of responsibility God has given us.
The point made in this situation is the servant with the smallest amount of responsibility was the one who was declared wicked and lazy. This confirms that it is not how much God has given us but what are we doing with it. In other words, there are no excuses.
This is a challenging word, but it is part of the calling and what Yeshua/Jesus has entrusted us to do. What God has given us is real and very valuable and we have a responsibility to share it, even if all we have is 1 talent. That can make a very big difference in the kingdom of God, and it can also make a difference in what God will say to us on that day.
What will Yesua/Jesus say to us on that day and
where do we go from here?
Each reader be encouraged to consider what God has entrusted and placed in us. Consider what He is asking us to do. Remember everyone is not going to be full-time (5 talents). Most of us will only have 2 talents or 1 talent.
Whatever God has asked us to do, we are to work at it with all our might, being the best we can be and doing all we can for the kingdom of God.
Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength. Ecc. 9:10
Gifts can be talents placed within us, given by our Father to use for and in furthering His Kingdom; talents are also gifts/goods that we are entrusted with, to put to His use and increase their volume; so we can present them to Him upon His return and show that we have been good stewards.
Paul makes it clear that faithfulness in that calling was not an option; it was a requirement.
1 Corinthians 4:1-2 Let a man so consider us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.
1Peter 4:10
There’s a purpose why God has given us what we have right now. Let’s not waste what God has given us. Make sure we do our best to increase what God has given us. As good stewards, we have the responsibility to manage and handle our resources so we can earn an increase.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Cor. 15:58
Family, His truth is what we need in this hour and not having our ears tickled… like the people said in Isaiah 30:10
who tell the seers, “Don’t see!” and to the prophets, “Don’t prophesy to us right things. Tell us pleasant things. Prophesy deceits.
Oh prophesy to us of pleasant things
…they did not want to hear the voice of their Lord through His prophets …He was calling them telling them to repent/teshuvah, to turn back to Him and His ways ..He is speaking the same today; and above all let us be found faithful doing that which we have been called to do.
Days are quickly coming when an unshakable faith in the Way the Truth and The Life is going to be critical. We must not be moved by what we see or hear, but stand fast in who and what we know.. He will strengthen our hearts…
The kingdom of the heavens is this parable, and it exists right this moment, each minute of the day we have a choice to use our gifts wisely; to go forward into growth and maturity, or retreat back to safety.
Just what is it we are supposed to do with these talents?
We are to serve with all our hearts and then we will experience the true joy of the Lord that always accompanies the blossoming and thriving of life/chaim. Let us us not fail to use our gifts/mincha by burying and hiding them….
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
Isaiah 55:6-9
Seek the Lord while He may be found don’t wait one more day…today is the day of salvation.
The greatest mincha was and is Himself – Jesus/Yeshua
John 3:16
God GAVE
and salvation is
His GIFT/mincha
to us.
“God recommends his own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.
Are you sure of your salvation?
May His true Shalom/Peace
rest upon each one in Jesus/Yeshuas’ Name.
‘Mishpachah’ ‘Family’
משפחה
Mish-pa-KHa Mish-pa-KHa
you are greatly loved and prayed for daily..
NOT SURE? YOU CAN BE..
please make certain you are secure in the knowledge that you are saved….
SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past. I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.
mincha or minchah is 
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