Excerpt: The parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30 provides continued instruction for believers living in the interim between first and second comings of the Son of Man (chaps. 24- 25). As one of several parables Matthew adds to Mark\u27s apocalyptic discourse (Mark 13 ), the second of three parables in Matthew 25 bears the closest parallels with Luke (Luke 19:11-27). It also coheres with the master-servant parables and references elsewhere in Matthew: pray to the lord of the harvest so send forth laborers, 9:37-38; a servant will suffer as did his master, 10:25; laborers need not uproot the tares, as such will be gathered and burned before the harvest, 13:24-30; the servant receiving mercy from the master should have shown mercy to his lesser debtors, 18:23-35; the vineyard owner pays the same daily wage to early and late-corning workers, 20:1 - 16; the wicked tenants refuse to pay their dues and even kill the vineyard owner\u27s son, 21:33- 42; the wise servant is faithful and just, versus one who is slothful and cruel, 24:45-51. Similarities and differences are intriguing
