Pentecost Season · Year A
Proper 28
November 15, 2026
Overview & Insights
“Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21)
Chapter 24 concludes and chapter 25 begins with a call to be prepared, since there will be no precursor signs for Jesus’ reappearing (24:36–51). Matthew 25:14–46 continues with this theme of readiness by narrating two more parables of Jesus, one focusing on faithfulness as the way to continually stay prepared (25:14–30), and one on actions of mercy and justice as the way to live out covenant faithfulness (25:31–46). Themes of faithfulness, mercy, and justice have already been introduced as hallmarks of Torah adherence (23:23), which are to typify Jesus’ followers. Chapter 25 concludes the fifth and final Matthean discourse of Jesus’ teachings (chaps. 24–25). The final words of Matthew’s Gospel will make clear that Jesus expects his followers to obey all his teachings (28:20; see 26:1).
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Commentary
Commentary on Matthew 25:14-30 Working Preacher
The Lutheran home commentary on this Year A Gospel by a named seminary scholar.
Matthew 25 - The Parable of the Talents Enduring Word · David Guzik
A verse-by-verse evangelical study of the servants, the talents, and faithful stewardship.
Matthew 25:14-30 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching
A Reformed preaching commentary on the vast treasure entrusted to us and the fear that buries it.
Matthew 25:14 Commentaries BibleHub
Classic commentaries gathered verse by verse on the talents and the reckoning.
Matthew 25:14 Verse-by-Verse Commentary StudyLight
A large library of expositors stacked verse by verse for a further preaching voice.
Matthew 25 Commentary Precept Austin
An inductive study page collecting word studies and cross references on the chapter.
Background & Word Study
Matthew 25 (Matthew Henry Complete) Bible Study Tools
Matthew Henry's full exposition of the chapter for a classic devotional reading.
Matthew 25:14 Interlinear BibleHub
The Greek of the passage word by word with parsing and Strong's numbers, including the word for talent.
Enter the Bible: Matthew Enter the Bible
Luther Seminary's book introduction to Matthew for the setting of the parables of the end.
Gospel of Matthew Overview BibleProject
An animated overview of Matthew that frames its teaching on the coming kingdom.
The Church Fathers
Questions preachers ask
What is a “talent” in this parable?
A talent was a large sum, years of a laborer’s wages. A master entrusts five, two, and one to his servants; the first two trade and double them, the third buries his out of fear (Matthew 25:14–30). The parable is about faithful stewardship of what God entrusts, not about natural abilities in the modern sense.
Where does this fall in the lectionary?
Proper 28 (Ordinary 33) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary, the Sunday whose date falls between November 13 and 19.
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