Matthew 25:27

Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and [then] at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

Thou {G4571} oughtest {G1163} therefore {G3767} to have put {G906} my {G3450} money {G694} to the exchangers {G5133}, and {G2532} then at my coming {G2064} I {G1473} should {G302} have received {G2865} mine own {G1699} with {G4862} usury {G5110}.

Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, so that when I returned, I would at least have gotten back interest with my capital!

Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest.

thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back mine own with interest.

Context of Matthew 25:27

Matthew 25:27 is part of the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), a significant teaching of Jesus concerning stewardship, accountability, and readiness for His return. In this parable, a master entrusts different sums of money (talents) to three servants before traveling. Two servants invest their talents wisely and double them, earning praise and greater responsibility (Matthew 25:21, 23). However, the third servant, out of fear, simply buries his talent, yielding no return. Verse 27 captures the master's direct rebuke to this unprofitable servant, highlighting his failure to even take the most minimal, risk-free action to generate a return on the entrusted wealth.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Accountability and Stewardship: The verse powerfully underscores the principle that God expects us to be productive with the resources, gifts, and opportunities He entrusts to us. It's not enough to simply preserve what we've been given; we are called to grow it.
  • Responsibility and Initiative: The master's words reveal that even a minimal effort, like depositing money with "exchangers" (bankers), was expected. The servant's inaction, driven by fear and laziness, was deemed unacceptable.
  • Consequences of Inaction: This verse, leading to the servant's condemnation (Matthew 25:30), illustrates that spiritual and practical idleness can have severe consequences, not just for what is lost, but for what could have been gained.
  • Divine Expectation of Return: God, as our Master, has a rightful expectation of "usury" or increase from the "talents" He gives us—be it time, spiritual gifts, material wealth, or influence.

Linguistic Insights

The word "usury" (Greek: tokos) in this context simply means "interest" or "gain." Unlike the Old Testament prohibitions against charging excessive interest to fellow Israelites in need (e.g., Exodus 22:25, Leviticus 25:36), here it refers to the legitimate and expected return on an investment made through a financial institution. The master implies that even the most risk-averse method would have yielded some profit, demonstrating the servant's complete lack of effort.

Practical Application

Matthew 25:27 serves as a potent reminder for believers today. We are all entrusted with "talents"—whether they are spiritual gifts, natural abilities, financial resources, time, or opportunities to serve. This verse challenges us to:

  • Examine Our Stewardship: Are we actively investing what God has given us for His kingdom, or are we burying our potential out of fear, apathy, or procrastination?
  • Embrace Initiative: Even small, consistent efforts can yield significant results over time. God expects us to be proactive and resourceful with what we have.
  • Overcome Fear: The unprofitable servant's fear led to paralysis. We are called to act in faith, trusting that God will bless our efforts even if they seem small, rather than letting fear prevent us from serving Him.
  • Anticipate Accountability: Just as the master returned, Christ will return, and we will all give an account of our stewardship (Romans 14:12). This verse encourages us to live with an eternal perspective, maximizing our impact for His glory.

Ultimately, this verse is a call to faithful and fruitful living, using all that God has blessed us with to advance His purposes until His glorious coming.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Deuteronomy 23:19

    Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury:

  • Deuteronomy 23:20

    Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

  • Romans 3:19

    ¶ Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

  • Luke 19:22

    And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, [thou] wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

  • Luke 19:23

    Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?

  • Jude 1:15

    ¶ To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard [speeches] which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

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