The parable of the Stewards: Report and Judgment of the good stewards (Matt. 25:20-23)

As a reminder to us of what the stewards did, we should look briefly at verses 16-19.  These good stewards traded with the talents they had.  Risky and hard work, both stewards did the job at hand and doubled that which they were stewards over.

What is a steward?  One might call him a manager of sorts.  He is in charge of certain affairs of his master.  An example of a steward in the Old Testament would be Joseph.  He was set over Potiphar’s household, and later over the whole of Egypt!  A steward is not the owner but is the responsible party over what he was set. 

Etymologically we see a link to our key verse, 15, to each according to his ability.  A steward has the response - ability, or responsibility to handle the affairs.

Lastly - let's look at the reward.  Proportionately the two stewards were given equal success over the work.  No one would say that the work of stewardship over 5 talents (perhaps $250,000) would be the same as that of 2 talents, yet the reward was equal.

"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.’" (Matt 25:21 & 23)

Why might they have been given the same reward?  Verse 15 states, "And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability" While the work of managing the affairs of his lord over 5 talents would have been greater than that of two or even 1 talent, the steward did it, as easily as the steward over two talent managed his stewardship.

Tomorrow I plan to consider how the last steward was missing the mark.  Amen