Parable of the Talents

Well, you've got to admit that most of the "We" on that thread did not think the 5 foolish virgins were saved. Anyone reading that thread will see that maybe just 2 people agree with this view (including you) and a whole pack of people disagreed with your view.

 

I agree with you Marcia. The foolish virgins were unsaved.

 

There were many more than that. It's just that some thought it represented people who lost their salvation, some thought it was representative of two types of Christians, and one who thought they just weren't quite saved enough. There were at least 5 people who voiced an opinion who saw that the virgins had oil, and 1 that could not comprehend the concept of "going out" as opposed to "never was lit".

There were at least 5 who were interested in looking at what it actually meant for them to go out.

Just as I'm sure that there are some who are going to say that when the master called his very own slaves, he was obviously lying about them being his.

 

Then he was thrown out into outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

What does this mean to you? Does it sound remotely like Heaven? Does it even sound like the millenial kingdom? This servant was sent to HELL. He's NOT a Christian. This is obvious from a casual reading of the scripture. How can you say that someone who is "cast into outer darkness" is saved? Unbelievable.

 

Well, I guess he just didn't a firm hold on this servant, then, did he? Or did he just lie about him being his servant? Or, did the servant lose his salvation?

 

Right on Marcia;

 

So, did he lie, or did the servant lose his salvation?

 

:thumbs: :applause:
peace to youraise:

 

(To JJ, in the future, would you please put the scriptural reference for what you post from the Bible? It's just polite so that we don't have to rummage around looking for it. Thanks.)

The passage does not give evidence that being a servant of the master means salvation. I think it means this is a parable for Israel. Israel is God's own possession - it's the land and people He created from scratch! I think this is about what he entrusted to Israel through the prophets and through his signs and the law.

One cannot ignore the passage immediately after this, in which Jesus tells a parable about judgment of the sheep and goats, after which Jesus states:

Nothing in the Bible is accidental, and these 3 parables being together like this seem linked. The last one seems to be a parallel to the two previous parables, so that the Lord not knowing the foolish virgins, and the servant being cast into outer darkness is the same fate as we find here: "eternal punishment" as opposed to "eternal life." In other words, hell.

There is a progression to show judgment and that these are all linked:
"I do not know you" said to the 5 foolish virgins
Cast into the "outer darkness" for the servant
"eternal punishment" in the last parable

There is no way, imo, to coherently read the text and claim that the first two statements are to saved people while the last one is for unsaved. That would be illogical and confusing. Jesus was clearly showing them what the fate in the first 2 parables means by his clear statement in the last parable.

 

I do not have enough time to type post, I have go to work tonight - 3rd shift.

I want to discuss on Matthew 25:1-13 and Matt. 25:14-30. This is a serious matter on salvation issue. Tomorrow, I will discuss more on this.

In Christ
Rev. 22:20 -Amen!

 

Marcia

I continue to appreciate your insightful analysis of scripture. Well done:thumbs:
peace to youraise:

 

I can't think of a single parable that compares saved to unsaved.

Matthew 25:14: For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

It starts off telling you that it's talking about the Kingdom of the Heavens and not simply talking about spiritual salvation.

He called his own servants. If this is talking about Jesus, who is going away and travelling into a far country, keep in mind that Israel is God the Father's chosen people. Israel is the bride of Jehovah.

But, this man, called his own servants and delivered unto them his goods.

He didn't call some strangers in, he called his own.

 

I think the question to ask is "Is there anywhere in scripture where we see the term servant used and it does not indicate salvation?" The answer is "yes." There is no reason to assume that servant here means saved. Jesus was talking to mostly unsaved Jews - it makes sense that he's talking about Israel and its rejection of the Messiah. Israel was called God's servant.

All over the OT! God gave his precious law to Israel; he revealed himself to the Jews. They had the gems of God's words given to them by handpicked prophets while the pagan nations served false gods and died in degradation. The Jews had the teaching of the Messiah to come, yet when he comes, they reject him. God entrusted them with much and they rejected it. John 1 tells us that Jesus was not received by his own -- Israel.

This is a straw man. No one is saying that everyone who is saved is okay. There are plenty of scriptures in the NT that warn believers about the consequences of bad works, deception and sin. We don't need to turn these parables into something they aren't just because the saved aren't "okay." That is not what these parables are about as is pretty clear from the plain language Jesus uses: "I don't know you;" "cast into outer darkness," and "eternal punishment." How anyone could see these statements as anything but the equivalent of separation from God is beyond me.

 

Thanks jd! :wavey: :flower:

 

OK, I know I sound like a broken record, but I still see this as Israel vs the church.

25:14 “For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves16 and entrusted his property to them.

Could this not be talking of God entrusting Israel with telling the world about Him.

25:15 ... Then he went on his journey.
God was silent 400 yrs before Christ came on the scene.

25:16 The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work19 and gained five more. 25:17 In the same way, the one who had two gained two more. 25:18 But the one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money in it.
Isreal had various people that served God... He did have a remnant.

25:19 After20 a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them.
Jesus arrived on the planet.

I'll have to study the rest to understand it more.


One thing for sure... I am taking up an extra offering this Sunday... and investing it. :laugh: :laugh: :smilewinkgrin:


(I just read Marcia's post above, and I agree with her)

 

J.jump, do you know that God knows you today? Do you have an intimate relationship with him? If so, how could he say he has NEVER known you?

He would be lying if He know you today... You salvation is secure not from what you do... But from what He did... If you don't trust completely in Him for your salvation, you are not saved. If you depend on yourself to get to Heaven, you will go to Hell... Our righteousness is as filthy rags (written to the church)

If you were perfect from this day forward, you would just be fulfilling what you were supposed to do anyway... where would you get the extra payment for your back sins? It has to come from the life of Jesus.

 

double post sorry...

Has anyone else been doing this lately.. BB seems slow.