The Parable of the Three Servants | Stories of the Bible

Summary

In this parable, Jesus shares a story about three servants entrusted with their master's money. The first two invest wisely, doubling their amounts, while the third hides his in fear. Upon returning, the master praises the faithful servants, rewarding them with greater responsibility. The third servant, however, is rebuked for his laziness and fear, and his money is taken away. The parable teaches that those who wisely use their resources will be rewarded, while those who do nothing will lose what they have.

Takeaways

• 😀 Jesus, the Son of God and the savior of the world, taught about God's love and performed miracles like walking on water and raising people from the dead.
• 😀 Jesus was teaching his disciples at the Mount of Olives about the Kingdom of God when he told the Parable of the Three Servants.
• 😀 In the parable, a man gives three servants different amounts of money, according to their abilities: five bags to one, two bags to another, and one bag to the third.
• 😀 The servant with five bags of money invested it and doubled the amount, gaining five more bags.
• 😀 The servant with two bags of money also invested it and doubled the amount, gaining two more bags.
• 😀 The servant with one bag of money, however, hid it in a hole out of fear, instead of investing it.
• 😀 After a long time, the master returned and checked in with his servants about what they had done with his money.
• 😀 The master praised the two servants who invested their money, saying 'Well done, good and faithful servant.' He rewarded them with greater responsibilities.
• 😀 The servant who hid his money was rebuked for being lazy and wicked. The master said he should have at least put the money in the bank to earn interest.
• 😀 The master took the money from the unproductive servant and gave it to the servant who had ten bags, saying that those who use their resources wisely will receive more.
• 😀 The parable teaches that using what you have wisely will result in greater blessings, while neglecting or hiding what you’ve been given will lead to losing it.

Q & A

What is the main message of the parable of the three servants?

The main message is that people should be faithful and responsible with what they are entrusted with, using their resources wisely to grow them, rather than hiding or wasting them.

What does the man in the parable represent?

The man in the parable represents God or Jesus, who entrusts people with resources and expects them to use them wisely and responsibly.

Why did the third servant hide his bag of money?

The third servant hid his bag of money because he was afraid and did not want to risk losing it. He was described as being lazy and fearful.

What did the first and second servants do with the money they were given?

The first servant used his five bags of money to invest and earned five more, while the second servant did the same with his two bags, gaining two more bags of money.

How did the master react to the first and second servants' actions?

The master praised the first and second servants for being responsible and faithful with what they were given. He said, 'Well done, good and faithful servant,' and rewarded them with greater responsibility.

What was the master's response to the third servant?

The master rebuked the third servant for being lazy and fearful. He called him a 'wicked, lazy servant' and took away his money, giving it to the servant who had ten bags.

What does the master's decision to give the third servant's money to the servant with ten bags teach us?

It teaches that those who use what they are given wisely and diligently will be rewarded with more, while those who do not will lose what they have.

What can we learn about God's expectations from this parable?

God expects people to use their talents, abilities, and resources responsibly and to multiply them. Those who are faithful in small things will be entrusted with greater responsibilities.

What does the phrase 'everyone who uses what he has will get more' mean?

It means that those who actively use and invest the resources, skills, and opportunities they have will gain more in return, whether in terms of material wealth or spiritual growth.

Why is the third servant's fear an important part of the parable?

The third servant's fear highlights the negative impact of inaction. His fear prevented him from using his talent wisely, which led to his failure to meet the expectations of the master.