This coming Sunday is the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our gospel is the Parable of the Talents.14 “It will be as when a man who was going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one—to each according to his ability. Then he went away.”

If Matthew had used a copy editor, I am sure they would be discussing the use of “it.” What will be as…? Curiously, most Matthean parables are explicit when it comes to the kingdom of heaven. The previous parable (Wise and Foolish Maidens) begins, “the kingdom of heaven will be like.” (25:1). Here Matthew begins hōsper gar, literally “for just as”, indicating that the same subject is under discussion.

The setting is similar to that of the sayings about Faithful and Unfaithful Servants (24:45–51), focusing on the responsibility of servants in their master’s absence, but in the parable of Talents the stakes are higher. This is not about domestic management, but about high-level commercial responsibility with an extraordinarily large capital sum to trade with. The principle of different levels of responsibility depending on the servants’ individual ability hints at the parable’s intended application. The kingdom of heaven is not a “one-size-fits-all” economy. Consider the different yields produced by the good seed in 13:8 (Parable of the Sower). God’s people are different, and he treats them differently; “much will be expected of those to whom much has been given” (Luke 12:48) – or “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” (Mt 25:29).  In the Lucan version of this parable the point is made by the different trading results of servants who are given the same initial capital; In Matthew the principle of individuality is built into the initial distribution. It will be the servants’ responsibility not to look with envy at the different hand which has been dealt to their colleagues, but to make the most of what they have, and it will be important to note that the first two servants will receive identical commendations in vv. 21 and 23 even though the sums they have gained differ, since each has succeeded in proportion to his initial endowment.

Image credit: The Parable of the Talents by Willem de Porter, 17th century, National Gallery of Prague, PD-US

This coming Sunday is the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our gospel is the Parable of the Talents. Warren Carter has a different take on the parable. He views the parable as criticism of “the perspective of the wealthy elite” who punishes “the one who subverts the system:”  He writes “On the basis of Jesus’ teaching in 19:16–22 [the Rich Young Man], the master and the first two servants could rightly be rebuked for their greedy and acquisitive actions. The third servant should be commended for not adding to the master’s wealth by not depriving others!” Similarly, Barbara Reid (CBQ 66) notes: “The third servant is the honorable one because he unmasks the wickedness of the master”—though Reid herself mentions this exegesis only as a “possibility” which she does not in fact adopt. 

Bruce Malina and Richard Rohrbaugh (Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels) suggest that there was a “limited good” understanding in the first-century Mediterranean world. This is quite a different perspective than our western, 20th century, capitalistic world, where we operated with a sense that goods are in an “unlimited supply.” They write concerning this parable: “Because the pie was “limited” and already distributed, an increase in the share of one person automatically meant a loss for someone else. Honorable people, therefore, did not try to get more, and those who did were automatically considered thieves. Noblemen avoided such accusations of getting rich at the expense of others by having their affairs handled by slaves. Such behavior could be condoned in slaves, since slaves were without honor anyway.” The third servant buried his master’s money to ensure that it remained intact. This, of course, was the honorable thing for a freeman to do; was it honorable behavior for a servant? They have further thoughts on the “limited good” in an earlier section: “An honorable man would thus be interested only in what was rightfully his and would have no desire to gain anything more, that is, to take what was another’s. Acquisition was, by its very nature, understood as stealing. The ancient Mediterranean attitude was that every rich person is either unjust or the heir of an unjust person (Jerome, In Heiremiam 2.5.2). Profit making and the acquisition of wealth were automatically assumed to be the result of extortion or fraud. The notion of an honest rich man was a first-century oxymoron.”

I primarily offer these voices to again point to the nature of parables.  There is much room for interpretation. Still, one can critique Carter and the others since this is not the only parable which assumes the validity of acquiring wealth and of private ownership. Even in the end of our parable of the talents, the two servants acquire a great deal of wealth in private ownership. Yet there is the question of what one does while being ready.

It is perhaps less about the “what” and more about readiness and responsibility. It is not about natural endowment, though the degree of responsibility given to each depends on their individual ability (v. 15). The “talents,” however, do not represent that individual ability but are allocated on the basis of it. They represent not the natural gifts and aptitudes which everyone has, but the specific privileges and opportunities of the kingdom of heaven and the responsibilities they entail. St. Paul notes this same distinction in “gifts.” The parable thus teaches that each disciple has God-given gifts and opportunities to be of service to the Lord, and that these are not the same for everyone, but it is left to the reader to discern just what those gifts and opportunities are. This is appropriate to the open-ended nature of parables, and different readers may rightly place the emphasis on different aspects of their discipleship. What matters is that, however precisely the “talents” are interpreted, each disciple should live and work in such a boldly enterprising way that the returning master will say “Well done, you good, trustworthy slave.”

Image credit: The Parable of the Talents by Willem de Porter, 17th century, National Gallery of Prague, PD-US

This coming Sunday is the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our gospel is the Parable of the Talents.  It is very easy to conflate the Lukan and Matthean versions of this parable. Below I offer a side by side comparison. Surprisingly, the Lukan version is not a Sunday Gospel, not even in Lectionary Cycle C, so I will touch lightly upon the Lukan gospel as we move through the commentary.

In the Lukan version of the parable, a man entrusts each of three servants with an amount of money – actually there are ten servants, but in the end only three play a part in the last scene. Upon his return, the first two have worked with the capital and greatly increased it. Attention focuses on the third, who has acted with caution not to lose what was entrusted to him and is able to return it whole to the master. It is unclear how this last servant was perceived by the original hearers of the parable. There is good evidence that they would have considered burying the money a responsible act, but not necessarily keeping it stored in a handkerchief. The third servant in the Lukan version would be seen to have acted irresponsibly and is thus merely lucky to still have it at the master’s return. When the Lukan third servant is challenged as to why he has not increased the money entrusted to him, he responds with a characterization of the master as a harsh and unjust man who inspires only fear and caution. 

This perhaps gives the original hearers a bit of a pause. On the one hand, the hearers have just seen proof of the master’s generosity to the first two servants. On the other hand, the story has led them to be sympathetic to the action of the one-talent man in carefully hiding the money. To his (and the hearers’) surprise, the one-talent man is condemned for fearful inactivity, and his money is given to the first servant, who already has ten talents. The hearers must decide which characterization of the master to accept. The parable has led them in both directions, and it creates a dilemma rather than resolving one.

The careful listener should now be asking whether the original grant of money was entrusted to the servants to manage or was it given to them as their own. Perhaps only the third servant continues to regard the money as his master’s. If true, then the whole parable must be understood in terms of grace and the response to it, rather than stewardship of property that remains another’s.

Luke has positioned this parable between the story of Zacchaeus and Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. Matthew has positioned the parable (with different details) between his “Little Apocalypse” and a scene of the final judgment. It may well point to a different intention and understanding. But then parables always have such leeway. As mentioned above, “readiness” seems to be the point of Matthew’s use of the parable – but then, we shall see.

Matthew’s Thought. A comparison with other Matthean parables is useful. (1) In 18:23–35, a servant is entrusted with the great wealth of another, and an accounting is called for (only place in the NT this expression is used). The servant is forgiven a fabulous debt incurred by his mismanagement of his master’s money. In our parable, a servant is condemned, although he had lost nothing of his master’s money. (2) In both parables the servant is called “wicked.” (3) But, earlier, the judgment is a matter of actively and profligately abusing his authority, while in the later parable the “wicked” servant is cautiously circumspect. (4) the final judgments in each case are severe: “Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt.” (18:34) – and – “And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” (25:30). It is worth noting that the differences are in what lead to judgment: abuse and profligate waste, as well as, lack of action.

Such contrasts in Matthew’s pictures of the judgment and the ultimate judge serve to guard the reader from too readily objectifying the meanings presented allegorically and to frustrate our efforts to summarize the way God works into neat coherent systems. The pictures point beyond themselves and resist systematization, while still speaking of the reality of judgment and the necessity for decision and responsible action – in other words, “readiness.”

Keep in mind that in our parable, the servants are not surprised at their master’s coming, so “readiness” is more attuned to whether the servants will be dependable in the use of the resources. We should note that the master entrusted his resources to the servants “to each according to his ability” (25:15). The third one received only one talent, likely indicating that the master understands that he has less ability than the others. The master does not overburden the third servant who nonetheless fails – not in any loss of money, but in returning it without increase. It was not that he did something wrong—he simply did nothing. This helps focus the parable, narrowing the focus to maximizing opportunities, not wasting them. To be “ready” for the master’s return means to use the intervening time to “maximum gain”; it is again about continuing life and work rather than about calculating the date and being alert for his actual arrival.

Image credit: The Parable of the Talents by Willem de Porter, 17th century, National Gallery of Prague, PD-US

This coming Sunday is the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our gospel is the Parable of the Talents. Over the years I have added additional background materials. As a result, this week there will be days with more than one post – such as today! I hope you find it interesting and not too arcane.

Parallels. This parable has parallels in Mark and Luke. The version in Mark (13:34 ff) sticks to the basic storyline but lacks the detail present in Matthew’s version. The version in Luke (19:11-27) is slightly more rich in details than Matthew, but there are differences: an explicit explanatory introduction (Luke 19:11), the added motif of the journey “to receive kingship,” rebellious subjects, and their punishment (Luke 19:14, 27).  Moreover, the details of the story in Luke differ significantly: ten slaves, each given the same amount although much smaller sums of money (mina vs. talent) than in Matthew.  Also there is the resulting authority over cities as the reward for good trading.

The essential pattern of the story of trading in the master’s absence is the same, with three servants singled out, similar commendation of the successful slaves, the same excuses by the third servant and the same response from the master, the one talent/mina given to the servant with ten, and even the same apparently editorial comment in Luke 19:26 as in Matt 25:29: “ 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.”.

There is one version of the parable that appears in the apocryphal “Gospel of the Nazarenes” (likely written late 2nd century in Alexandria). There one servant multiplies the capital, one hides it, and one squanders it with harlots and flute girls. The first is rewarded, the second rebuked, the third cast into prison. This version focuses on the end judgment with little attention to preparedness or vigilance.

The preceding parables have been about readiness, and this one is particularly about faithful stewardship which readiness produces. The third in the series of parables about being ready returns to a setting similar to that of the first, a master dealing with his servants. But this time there is a more specific focus on their commercial responsibility in their master’s absence. Each is left with a very large sum of money, with no instructions on what to do with it, and the story turns on their different ways of exercising this responsibility. There is again a division between good and bad, between success and failure. Yet the “failure” of the last servant consists not in any loss of money, but in returning it without increase. It was not that he did something wrong—he simply did nothing. This is, then, apparently, a parable about maximizing opportunities, not wasting them. To be “ready” for the master’s return means to use the intervening time to maximum gain; it is again about continuing life and work rather than about calculating the date and being alert for his actual arrival. This third parable is thus essentially making the same point about readiness as the two preceding ones (Mt 24:45-51 and Mt 25:1-13).

Eschatological Application. “Eschatology” refers to the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind. With the parable set between Matthew’s “little apocalypse” and verses regarding the judgment upon the nations, one is rightly prepared to be concerned with things eschatological. This very setting affects the way the parable is told. The repeated invitation, “Come, share your master’s joy” (vv. 21, 23), sounds more like the language of heaven than of commerce; and the ultimate fate of the unsuccessful servant is described in v. 30 in the eschatological terms which have become familiar from other judgment sayings and parables (8:12; 22:13; cf. 13:42, 50; 24:51).

As an aside, the excellent scripture scholar N. T. Wright [Victory 632–639] argues that the parable is not about Jesus’ parousia (2nd coming) but about the OT hope of “YHWH’s return to Zion,” symbolized and embodied in Jesus’ own coming to Jerusalem. Wright argues for a “realized eschatology” that is completely fulfilled in the person of Jesus. He has a point although this proposal fits much better with the introduction in Luke 19:11 than with the Matthean context, unless one is prepared to argue, as Wright does, that there is no idea of Jesus’ parousia anywhere in this discourse. It should be noted that Wright is of the considered view there is no idea of the parousia anywhere in the gospels.

Image credit: The Parable of the Talents by Willem de Porter, 17th century, National Gallery of Prague, PD-US

This coming Sunday is the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lectionary Cycle A. Our gospel is the Parable of the Talents. The gospel readings for the 29th through 31st Sundays in Lectionary Cycle A all describe a series of confrontations between Jesus and religious authorities of Jerusalem, namely the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 22 and 23). While not a part of Ordinary Time readings, Chapter 24 continues this theme of imminent destruction and coming tribulation (Mt 24:1-28). It is at this point that we turn the page to Matthew 25. It is here in Matthew 25 that we will finish the final three Sundays of this cycle of Ordinary Time:

• 32nd Sunday: The Wise and Foolish Maidens (vv. 1-13)
• 33rd Sunday: The Parable of the Talents (also “of the Three Servants; vv. 14-30) ~ our gospel
• Christ the King: The Great Judgment (vv. 31-46)

What is the Focus? One question which can be asked of the gospels for the 32nd and 33rd Sundays is about the focus. Some scholars hold that it concentrates on the judgment scenes which conclude the parables.  Others hold that its focus is rightly a theme of ‘being ready’, which continues the theme that dominated the preceding parable and is still at the center of our gospel parable for this week. One scholar (Lambrecht) offers that this whole section should be labeled as an “Exhortation to Vigilance” for its portrayal of a ‘coming’ and its consequences for those who should have been preparing for it.

The parable of the talents takes up the question which that of the bridesmaids left unanswered: what is ‘readiness’? While the bridesmaids might be said to be passively waiting, here in this parable, it is not a matter of passively ‘waiting’, but of responsible activity, producing results which the coming ‘master’ can see and approve. The period of waiting was not intended to be an empty, meaningless ‘delay’, but a period of opportunity to put to good use the ‘talents’ entrusted to his ‘slaves’. It is a theme that is clearly present in the account of the Faithful and Unfaithful Servant.

Talents. The Greek word used in the parable, talanton, has no metaphorical meaning. It is simply a weight measure of a precious metal such as gold or silver. Our English use of the word to mean an aptitude or ability really only dates to the late 13th century when it appeared in a metaphorical musing on the parable. Prior to that time, even the middle French and Latin equivalent to the Greek talanton meant “weight.” We point this out to remind us all that before one moves to a metaphorical sense of Scripture, one should consider the literal sense.

Image credit: The Parable of the Talents by Willem de Porter, 17th century, National Gallery of Prague, PD-US

This coming Sunday is the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our gospel is the Parable of the Talents: 28 Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. 29 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. 30 And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Continue reading →

This coming Sunday is the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our gospel is the Parable of the Talents: 24 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; 25 so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’ 26 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? 27 Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?  Continue reading →

This coming Sunday is the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our gospel is the Parable of the Talents: Immediately 16 the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. 17 Likewise, the one who received two made another two. 18 But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. 19 After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. Continue reading →

This coming Sunday is the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our gospel is the Parable of the Talents.14 “It will be as when a man who was going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one—to each according to his ability. Then he went away.”

If Matthew had used a copy editor, I am sure they would be discussing the use of “it.” What will be as…? Curiously, most Matthean parables are explicit when it comes to the kingdom of heaven. The previous parable (Wise and Foolish Maidens) begins, “the kingdom of heaven will be like.” (25:1). Here Matthew begins hōsper gar, literally “for just as”, indicating that the same subject is under discussion. Continue reading →