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Author: Stephen Weller
596 words, 3 minutes read time

Punishment for Disobedience

Scripture: Matthew 25:26-30

In the previous lesson the master returned, and the three servants were evaluated. The one who was given five returned with five more and the one who was given two returned with four. To both of them the master said, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much (the reward for faithful service). Enter into the joy of your master.” The one who was given only one talent came back with only one and a harsh statement toward his master. In this lesson we will look at the response of the master to that servant.

^{Mt 25:26} But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ²⁹ For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Because the servant was not faithful in going and investing the talent given to him and returns with what was given him and a harsh statement about his master, his master replies by calling him a “wicked and slothful servant.” He was wicked in his attitude and his disobedience. He was slothful in that he did nothing to make a return on his talent. The master’s comment about himself and how it applies to Jesus was discussed in lesson H547.

The master then tells his servant what he should have done as a minimum. He said, “You ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.” Instruction was then given to someone else to take the one talent from the unfaithful servant and give it to the one has ten talents.

Each person who is born spiritually is given abilities of some form to use wisely and productively in doing kingdom work. That is a vital aspect of discipleship and will be rewarded with additional opportunities to serve God faithfully and fruitfully.

Not only will the unfaithful, worthless servant lose what was given to him, he is to be cast out into the outer darkness where the suffering is severe. The use of “outer darkness” and “weeping and gnashing of teeth” is a typical description of hell and eternal damnation. The expression “weeping and gnashing of teeth” is found in six locations in the gospels: Matthew 13:42, Matthew 13:50, Matthew 22:13, Matthew 34:51, Matthew 25:30, and Luke 13:28.

Conclusion

To each believer is given a gift (Romans 12:6 – 8, 1 Corinthians 12:7 – 11, 1 Peter 4:10 – 11), a measure of faith (Romans 12:3), and a measure of grace (Ephesians 4:7) and is instructed to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:18 – 20). As in the parables of the mina and the talents, God has equipped us and given us instructions to go and do the assigned work (Ephesians 2:10). The work we do will be evaluated to determine our reward (1 Corinthians 3:10 – 15; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11).