Sunday Meditation: The Parable of the Talents

This week Jesus continues his fifth discourse in Matthew’s Gospel, now with the Parable of the Talents.  This is certainly a difficult one, but remember the parables have a twist to them that is outside logic.

Jesus told his disciples this parable:

"A man going on a journey

called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.

To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--

to each according to his ability.

Then he went away.

Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five.

Likewise, the one who received two made another two.

But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master's money.

 

"After a long time

the master of those servants came back

and settled accounts with them.

The one who had received five talents came forward

bringing the additional five.

He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.

See, I have made five more.'

His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.

Since you were faithful in small matters,

I will give you great responsibilities.

Come, share your master's joy.'

Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, 'Master, you gave me two talents.

See, I have made two more.'

His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.

Since you were faithful in small matters,

I will give you great responsibilities.

Come, share your master's joy.'

Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, 'Master, I knew you were a demanding person,

harvesting where you did not plant

and gathering where you did not scatter;

so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.

Here it is back.'

His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!

So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant

and gather where I did not scatter?

Should you not then have put my money in the bank

so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?

Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.

For to everyone who has,

more will be given and he will grow rich;

but from the one who has not,

even what he has will be taken away.

And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,

where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"

~Mt 25:14-30

One thought I always have every time I read this parable is, ‘did they have banks back then?”  I don’t really know.  The third servant justifies his in action “out of fear.”  But the master doesn’t accept that.  He calls him “lazy” and more importantly “wicked.”  He certainly was lazy but why wicked?  Dr. Brant Pitre explains the best again.

 

Dr. Pitre is the best!  So the third servant calls the master a thief.  That’s not smart.  I had never picked up on that before.  I wonder how many others have.  Have you?

Meditation: "Come, share your master's joy."