Matthew 25:29 Meaning of for Whoever Has Will Be given More

Matthew 25:29
“For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

Explanation and Commentary of Matthew 25:29

This is the fundamental biblical principle of stewardship that runs from the beginning to the end of the written Word of God. “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Cor 4:2). The meaning of the life in Christ of an image-bearer of God is found in making the most use of what we have been given. It is a fruitless waste of time to compare what you have with others or to worry about what you do not have. The power of a fruitful life is in making the most of everything we have. This is a powerful principle and applies to the believer, and even to the nonbeliever in a certain sense. Responsibility and diligence, in general, are rewarded in this world, and for the believer, these rewards extend into the next life.

The opposite is also true. When God entrusts us with certain things, he will demand an account for how we managed them. The rewards apply to the final judgment, but they also apply to the entirety of a life. Every minute of every day we are given the opportunity to make the most of the time and resources we are given. To squander those opportunities is to show God that we are not ready for them. He is wise and will lessen our load until we show that we can be trusted with more.

This applies to health, money, knowledge, social connections, gifts, and talents, but it should also, and perhaps primarily be applied to spiritual maturity. Training in godliness has a compounding effect and will have an impact on all the other areas of life.

Breaking Down the Key Parts of Matthew 25:29

#1 “For whoever has…”
This applies to those who have managed to make the most of what they have been given and have been entrusted with an increase as a result of faithfulness.

#2 “will be given more,”
In general, with what a man or woman proves to be faithful, they will receive more of.

#3 “and they will have an abundance.”
This principle has a compounding effect as sure as a positive interest rate would have on an eternal investment. Throughout the life of a Christian, and then into the eternity beyond, there will be an ever-increasing abundance of fruit of various kinds.

#4 “Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”
Consider a principle opposite of compound interest, debt. Debt will work just as powerfully in a negative direction as interest does in a positive direction. This is similar to the effect of unfaithfulness with what God has entrusted to us. Even the poorest people usually have some possession. Jesus says, even this will be taken away from the faithless.

Expert Overview of Matthew Ch. 14-28

Biblical Translations of Matthew 25:29

NIV
“For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

NLT
“To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.”

ESV
“For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

KJV
“For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.”

NKJV
“For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.”