Answer
Matthew 13:12 conveys a spiritual principle: “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.” In context, the disciples had questioned Jesus about His increased use of parables. The same idea is reiterated in Matthew 25:29 at the conclusion of the parable about the talents. Some might take this to be a general life principle, as we observe the rich getting richer. However, in this context, Jesus is not discussing financial prosperity but the fact of judgment on unbelief.
In Matthew 13:12, Jesus explained that He used parables so the disciples could grasp the secrets of the kingdom while others could not. The “secrets” here are simply the facts of the kingdom just then being brought to light through Jesus’ teaching. The disciples were committed to Jesus as Messiah, which resulted in their receiving more knowledge of the kingdom. In contrast, the Jews who rejected the Messiah received progressively less information. The truth was being hidden from them, and Jesus’ use of parables without explanations underscored this point. Parables served a two-pronged purpose as teaching tools and as obscuring screens, much like riddles. Those who rejected Christ did not have the privilege of understanding the secrets of the kingdom, but the disciples were granted that privilege.
Matthew 25:29 comes at the end of the Parable of the Talents. The master in the parable did not distribute an equal amount of money to each servant but expected them all to be productive. The first two servants were faithful and productive for the kingdom. The third servant, through his inaction, proved to be unfaithful and wicked; he should have at least put forth a minimal effort (Matthew 25:27). At the end of the story, the master says, “Take the bag of gold from [the wicked servant] and give it to the one who has ten bags” (verse 28). So, the servant with the most talents receives even more.
So, what does it mean that to those who have more will be given? John MacArthur explains it this way: “The recipients of divine grace inherit immeasurable blessings in addition to eternal life and the favor of God (cf. Rom. 8:32). But those who despise the riches of God’s goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering (Rom. 2:4), burying them in the ground and clinging instead to the paltry and transient goods of the world, will ultimately lose everything they have (cf. Matt. 6:19; John 12:25)” (The MacArthur Study Bible, ESV, Crossway, 2010, p. 1,407). God multiplies His blessings on those who believe in Christ.
