Pounds and Talents

Luke 19:11-28
Matthew 25:14-30

These are two parables given by Jesus.  Jesus taught in parables to hide the true meaning from the lost while making the true meaning available to the saved.  Therefore, we need to be careful to get the true message of these parables.  Now, there are some general considerations which we should keep in mind.

• Since these references in the Bible are parables, they are 'an earthly story given to convey a spiritual meaning'.  1Corinthians 2:14 says: But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  Lost and carnal people get the wrong meaning by using their natural reasoning.  Therefore, the saved need to seek the help of the holy Spirit in order to get the true meaning.
• Since Jesus used parables to produce two different results, we should expect that some of the teachings on parables is wrong and comes from people who claim to be religious experts but who are teaching the wrong meaning that is given to the lost and to carnal saved people.  We should deliberately choose to avoid erroneous doctrine.
• Since most parables use symbolic language, we must consider what the symbols represent in order to get the true spiritual meaning of the parable.  In order to get the true symbolic meaning, we must consider the context of the parables and we must consider the true precepts of the Bible so that the symbolic meaning which we derive matches the true precepts of the Bible and does not contradict them.  That requires considering truths which are presented everywhere in the Bible and making sure that the spiritual message matches those general truths.
• Both of these are about the kingdom of God.  Luke 17:20-21 says And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.  Please notice the phrase of: the kingdom of God is within you.  The character of a kingdom is determined by the character of the king.  The kingdom of God is our having the character of God in us and ruling our attitudes and actions.  That is why our works will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ.
• If I claim to be an American but I do all that I can to help the enemies of America, especially in a time of war, then I am a traitor.  Likewise, if I claim to be a Christian, and have the kingdom of God in me, but live for the world, the flesh and the devil, then I am a liar and a traitor.  There is a spiritual war going on and your actions prove which side you are really loyal to.

With these general truths in mind, we can now look at the context of these two parables.

• The parable in Luke follows the account of Zacchaeus, whom many people thought was a terrible sinner who could not be saved.  This is because he was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.  In the kingdom of this world, which is ruled by Satan, the chief people are hated.  However, Jesus saved Him and he changed from being a crook to repaying all that he stole with interest.  In the kingdom of God the chief people will be loved because they are like God.  What is the same in both kingdoms, and is taught by this parable, is that the chief people work hard to be like their king, are faithful to that king and seek reward from their king for their faithful hard work that they do for their king. The attitudes that people have, in this world, towards money are the attitudes that God wants us to have towards His kingdom.
• We are also told that Jesus spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear  (Luke 19:11).  That is: Jesus knew that He was going to Jerusalem to be crucified and the people thought that God would reward their religious works which followed the doctrines of devils and justifies sin.  God does not reward sin and disobedience but curses the people who live in sin.  Therefore, Jesus spoke this parable to tell God's people who will truly receive a reward from God, and the basis for how much of a reward each receives, and who will go to Hell.
• Notice that after our parable in Luke we have Jesus going to Jerusalem and entering with people hailing Him as King.  Yet days later the same crowd would cry crucify Him because they did not want to become like Him and would not have Him truly rule over them.  They wanted a puppet king with their religious rulers and religious traditions doing the actual ruling.  They wanted the advantages of belonging to the kingdom of God but did not want to accept the character of God.  Our two parables teach that claiming to belong to the kingdom of God, while refusing to work for the kingdom of God and rejecting the character of God, brings God's judgment upon people.
• Thus, the main lesson from these parables is that God wants us to work as hard for His kingdom as the chief people work for money in this world.  However, to do that, we must accept Jesus as our personal Lord and King and we must be willing to act like Him so that we will have the character of God ( the kingdom of God) in our heart and controlling our life, our thoughts, our decisions and our reactions to circumstances.
• All people who claim to be Christians while not working for the kingdom of God have violated the Second Commandment (thou shall not take my name in vain [Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 5:11; Psalms 139:20]) and bring a curse from God upon themselves.
• The second parable, which we are considering, is in Matthew 25.  The prior chapter (Matthew 24), tells us that Jesus was in Jerusalem teaching just before His crucifixion. So, the parable in Luke was told as Jesus went to Jerusalem and the one in Matthew was told after He arrived.  The prior chapter, Matthew 24, also tells us that Jesus was teaching on the judgment of lost people and of the judgment that saved, but carnal people, would receive.  Jesus warned His listeners to avoid receiving those judgments.  Then the start of Matthew 25 is the 'Parable of the 10 Virgins' with some having oil in their lamps and some not.  That parable is a warning to not be a religious lost person.  And, the remainder of Matthew 25, after the 'Parable of the Talents', is the 'Sheep and Goat Judgment'.  Therefore, this parable is in the middle of several warnings about judgment to come and this parable is also about judgment to come.
• In both of these parables which we are considering, we have warnings from Jesus to religious lost people that rejecting the word of God in order to follow the religious traditions.  Those traditions come from the doctrines of devils when they go against the word of God and they will bring a curse and not a reward from God.  Jesus said these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal about the type of people who refused to help build the kingdom of God.
• Both of these parables are surrounded by the teaching that God will bless or curse us depending upon whether or not we actually work to promote the kingdom of God.  Within the context of these matching parables, we find teachings of variable rewards depending upon how well someone actually works to promote the kingdom of God.  Those teachings also teach the condemnation for people who claim to be saved but their actions do not match their claims.  God punishes liars (Revelation 21:8).
• These two parables are parallel.  That is: they deliver the messages that have a same method and deliver similar conclusions but which differ slightly in the details.  In addition, the context where these parables are reported is similar context.  Further, the differences in the details of these two parables give us a fuller meaning than either parable gives by itself.  Therefore, these two parables need to be studied together.

With the above acknowledged, we can look at the details of these parables in a general way.

• Both of the parables tell us about a lord traveling into a far country and giving his goods to his servants and leaving the servants to mind his business while he was gone.  Both also tell of the lord returning and judging the results produced by the servants.  Both tell of the servants who produced a profit receiving rewards.  Both tell of the servants who produced no profit receiving punishment.
• A precept from the Bible, which applies to these parables, is that God does not change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8).  Also, all throughout the Bible God promises to bless His people who obey while promising to curse His people who disobey.  The lie from devils is that God will change when we get to Heaven.  Devils have people teach the doctrinal error that God will not curse His disobedient children at the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2Corinthians 5:10).  People who believe this lie prove that they prefer the doctrines of devils to the truth from God that is in the Bible.  Your arguing to support a doctrine of devils does not make that doctrine true.  Your arguments only reveal that you reject obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ in your heart.
• The general spiritual message is that our Lord Jesus Christ has returned to Heaven and left the saved to take care of His kingdom while He is gone.  We all know that He will return and take the truly saved to Heaven.  There, the saved will go through the judgment seat of Christ.
• The lie from devils is that this is a 'bema seat judgment' with no punishment but only 'loss of rewards'.  Believing that claim means that you believe that your Bible lied because 2Corinthians 5:10-11 clearly says that some saved, who are in heaven, will receive bad and some will receive the terror of the Lord.  In addition, the Bible does not tell us that God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes until Revelation 21:4.  This is more than 1,000 years after the judgment seat of Christ, which is the source of the tears.  Therefore, there will be saved in Heaven who have tears for more than 1,000 years.
• Both of our parables warn us of this result.  However, this is one of the points that the lost and carnal get the wrong meaning from the parable while the saved, who truly accept the truth from the holy Spirit, get the different meaning.
• The two different meanings, one from the lost and one from saved and spiritual people, are why Jesus taught in parables.  The meaning which you choose to accept shows if you are lost or if you are saved but carnal or if you are saved and led by the holy Spirit.
• While many people accept certain truths in their head, they reject the same truths in their heart.  What you truly believe in your heart is proven by your works for the kingdom of God.  That is why the Bible tells us that our works will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ.  Therefore, it does not matter what you say that you believe but what matters is how well your life backs your claims.
• In addition to warning us about punishment for not producing a spiritual profit for God, these parables also tell us about the people who receive a reward.  However, the reward varies between the servants based upon the profit returned.  This matches what 2Corinthians 5:10 tells us about the judgment seat of Christ when it says: that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done.
• The doctrinal error from devils, which lost people and carnal people believe, is that everyone gets the same reward regardless of what they do for the kingdom of God.  This is communism.  John 14:2 does say In my Father's house are many mansions, which means that some saved people will get a mansion as a result of the judgment seat of Christ.  However, the lie of devils is that everyone will get a mansion while the only thing which is promised is a place.  Bed space in a dorm room qualified as a place and matches what our parables tell us happened to the saved person who made it to heaven but brought no profit to God.
• So, in general we can see that these two parables tell us about the current condition of people in the world from a spiritual perspective.  They both warn about future judgment with devils providing doctrinal error about our future judgment and God's holy Spirit providing the truth but only providing that truth to saved people who truly seek the truth and are willing to act on the truth.
• Finally, we see that how we accept and react to the message of these parables reveals the condition of our own heart.

Now, with the above acknowledged, we can look at the details of these parables in a specific way.  First we will look at Luke 19.

• Parables use symbolic language and, since Jesus  gave this parable because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear,  the people who were there are represented in the parable.  That written, the certain nobleman  certainly symbolically represented Jesus.  We also have saved people, who received rewards, representing the disciples and Zacchaeus.  And, the listening Jews were symbolically represented by the other servants, some of whom went to Hell and some of whom made it to Heaven but were eternal paupers.  Now, with the people identified, we can take an overview of the events.
• Luke 19:13 says: And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.  Thus, they each received one pound  and were commanded what they were to do while the nobleman  (Jesus)  was gone.
• Luke 19:15 says: And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.  (This symbolically represents the judgment seat of Christ  [Romans 14:10; 2Corinthians 5:10]).
• Luke 19:16-19 has the report and reward of two servants.  Both were told Well, thou good servant  and given a crown (made a ruler).
• Luke 19:20-26 has the report and reward of another servant.  (He was told: thou wicked servant,  lost his pound  and was made an eternal pauper.)
• Luke 19:27 says: But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.  Since they died, they symbolically represent the people who go to Hell.  The first three represent people who go to Heaven.
• The first three returned different levels of profit to their lord and received different rewards.  Therefore, the spiritual doctrine is that saved people will receive different rewards based upon how much spiritual profit they return to God.

Next, we will look at Matthew 25.

• Matthew 25:14-15 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. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
• Here we see only three servants while the parable in Luke has 10 servants.
• Here we see that they received different amounts while the parable in Luke has every servant receiving the same amount.
• Matthew 25:16-17 tell us that the two servants, who received the greatest amounts, doubled what they received.  Therefore, they returned a profit equal to what they initially received.
• Matthew 25:18 says: But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
• This is symbolic of someone using their spiritual gifts to enjoy the sins of the flesh.  Elvis Presley is an example of this type of saved, but carnal, person.
• Matthew 25:20-23 has the report and rewards of the two servants who returned a profit to their lord.
• Notice that they received variable rewards based upon the amount of profit they generated.  This is the same as the parable in Luke 19.
• Also like the parable in Luke 19, we have three people representing saved people who go to Heaven.
• In both parables, two servants were called good and received rewards.
• In both parables, one servant was called Thou wicked and slothful servant and lost everything that he had and received punishment.  Thus, the servant who returned no profit represents saved people who are eternal paupers.  They do not receive a mansion but only a place, which can be just bed space in a dorm room.
• In both parables Jesus gives the reason for the judgment as: For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
• In the parable of Matthew 25, Jesus adds: And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
• Now, the lost and carnal people tell you that He went to Hell.  But that is not what these parables teach.  All three servants represent people who go to Heaven.
• However, the unprofitable servant is cast' into outer darkness.  The word outer does not mean outside but means: 'more to the outside of the same group or place'.
• If this servant was sent to Hell then we would be told that he was killed like seven servants were killed in the parable of Luke.  Also, Jesus would have used the phrase outside darkness, to represent the lake of fire instead of using the phrase outer darkness.
• Also, since the rich man saw Lazarus from Hell, Hell is not darkness like the lake of fire is.
• When we see the references in Revelation, we realize that those who are closest to Jesus, in Heaven, will have the most light.  However, those saved people who are far from Jesus, in Heaven, will be in relative darkness because as light gets further from the source it has more area to cover and, therefore, is more dispersed.
• The saved people who are far Jesus, in Heaven, are in relative darkness and that place has weeping and gnashing of teeth because of the punishment received at the judgment seat of Christ.
• Now, God does wipe away all tears from their eyes (Revelation 21:4), but not until after the great white throne judgment (Revelation 20:11-14), which is more than 1,000 years later.
• The last two verses in Isaiah let us know that these saved people will have the cause of their tears an average of almost twice a week until God does wipe away all tears from their eyes.

The warning of these two parables is to not go to Heaven with no spiritual profit for God.  Satan hates all saved people.  He can not get you to be lost but he can get you to lose your everlasting rewards and to suffer tears for almost 1,000 years.  He does this by having his ministers teach lies and doctrines of devils.

• The first lie is that we are going to a Communistic Heaven where everyone gets a mansion regardless of what they do to bring God a spiritual profit.  The message of these two parables proves that to be a lie with variable rewards based upon the level of profit returned to God and with the saved person who returned no profit being an eternal pauper.
• The second lie is that there are no tears in Heaven as soon as we get there.  The truth is that this does not happen until more than 1,000 years after we get there.
• In both parables, the person who returned the single piece of money digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.  This is symbolic of people who use their God given talent for the pleasures of the flesh (earth symbolically represents the flesh because Adam was made from the dust of the ground [Genesis 2:7]).
• Notice the judgment that he received: Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents (Matthew 25:28-30).  He will be an eternal pauper.  He will not receive a mansion.  He will not return to rule and reign with Christ.  And, as I've shown in another place, he will not be part of the bride of Christ and will not participate in the marriage supper of the lamb.
• Next, both parables give us the reason for this judgment when they say: For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
• In addition, Matthew adds: And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  As already explained, he is not sent to Hell but is still in Heaven but far from Jesus and will not have his tears wiped away for more than 1,000 years.  Further, the cause of those tears will be an average of almost twice a week acco0rding to the last two verses of Isaiah.  This obviously teaches that the song No Tears in Heaven is a lie when people apply it to the time before the great white throne judgment.

Revelation 21:23 says:And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Revelation 22:5 says:And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

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