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Learn From the Illustration of the TalentsThe Watchtower—2015 | March 15
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12, 13. (a) How does the master respond to the first two slaves, and why? (b) When do anointed ones receive their final sealing? (See the box “Rendering an Account at Death.”) (c) What reward will those judged as sheep receive?
12 According to the parable, when the master comes, he finds that the first two slaves—the one given five talents and the one given two—have proved faithful, each doubling his talents. The master says the same thing to both slaves: “Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things.” (Matt. 25:21, 23) What, then, may we expect when the Master, the glorified Jesus, comes for judgment in the future?
13 Those represented by the first two slaves—his hardworking anointed disciples—will already have received their final sealing before the great tribulation breaks out. (Rev. 7:1-3) Before Armageddon, Jesus will give them their promised heavenly reward. Those with the earthly hope who supported Christ’s brothers in the preaching work will have been judged as sheep and will be granted the privilege of living in the earthly realm of the Kingdom.—Matt. 25:34.
A WICKED AND SLUGGISH SLAVE
14, 15. Was Jesus indicating that a large number of his anointed brothers would prove to be wicked and sluggish? Explain.
14 In the parable, the last slave buried his talent instead of doing business with it or even depositing it with the bankers. This slave showed a bad spirit, for he deliberately worked against the master’s interests. The master rightly pronounced him “wicked and sluggish.” The master took the talent away from him and gave it to the one who had ten. The wicked slave was then thrown “out into the darkness outside.” “There is where his weeping and the gnashing of his teeth” would be.—Matt. 25:24-30; Luke 19:22, 23.
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