The time that precedes the dawning of the future aeon is different from ours. For us as believers, we are and will be saved, whether we are awake or asleep (1 Thess. 5:10). In the period covered by these parables, this is different. Those who live in the day of wrath will have to endure until the end of the aeon in order to be saved (Matt. 24:13). This parable illustrates that in this time a person’s faith will have to be proven by his works (Jas. 2:14). A faith that is not proven in practice by a person’s works is dead (Jas. 2:17,20,24,26).
15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his ability; and he went immediately on his journey.
16 And he who received the five talents went and worked with them, and gained five more.
17 In the same way, he who had the two talents also gained two more.
measure
That God gives to each person according to a certain measure is not only a truth for that time, but also applies to us (Rom.12:6; 2 Cor.10:13; Eph.4:7). What God gives us is tailored to our personal disposition and needs. That is how it will be. The person who receives five talents is no better than the one who receives two. Each person receives what is appropriate for him, God gives ‘to each according to his ability’ (>strength).
18 But he who took the one talent went away and dug in the ground and hid his master’s silver.
talent
This verse shows that the talent concerns a talent of silver. A talent is a unit of weight that we already encounter in the Old Testament (Ex.25:39; 37:24). The meaning of disposition or ability that talent has with us is undoubtedly derived from this parable.
It could also refer to a talent of silver money, because this word is often translated as silver pieces (Matt.26:15; 28:12).
dead faith
The first two slaves increased what their Lord had given them, they worked with it. Of course, we should not think of works of the law here (Gal.2:16), but of what faith works in man. If that is not suppressed, it will always bear fruit (Matt.13:23; Col.1:6,10). This last slave suppresses it by hiding it underground. His faith is not expressed, it remains hidden. James calls this faith without works, a dead faith and those who have such faith will not be saved (Matt.24:13).
James 2
14 For what does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?(…)
17 So it is with faith, if it has no works, it is dead by itself.
(…)
20 But do you want to know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
the letter of James
The letter of James is addressed to the twelve tribes in the dispersion (1:1) and will become topical again in the future when God picks up the thread with Israel again. Right at the beginning we find that believers are encouraged to endure when they fall into all kinds of trials and their faith is tested (1:2). That testing of faith works endurance (1:3), after all, one would endure until the end of the aeon (Matt. 24:13) in order to enter the Kingdom.
James 2
12 Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has been tested, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.