The Parable of Jesus
The Parable of the Talents
Matthew 25:14-30
August 30, 2009
This week is the parable of the talents. We’ll be looking at Matthew’s parable of the talents specifically. Luke has a very similar version. However, the details have been changed (such as talents become minas) and they are placed at different points in Jesus ministry. Although we cannot be certain, most likely the differences are the result of Jesus telling a parable in multiple situations probably altering the details for the specific context.
Matthew places this parable in the end-times discourse after Jesus’ triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, the overturning of the tables in the Temple, and the questions to entrap Jesus. The passion events immediately flow this discourse. As always, context is important to ascertaining the intent of Jesus.
Most the time, sermons and teachings have focused on stewardship issues within the text. While this is a part of the text, stewardship is more of an application of focusing on our abilities (i.e our talents). Jesus’ intent seems to be a different kind of stewardship than this. Speaking of stewardship of our abilities…
A young boy was called to the principle’s office. Waiting for him was his teacher. “Son, you are in big trouble. You cheated on this reading test and we have to punish. Cheating will not be tolerated,” said the principle. The boy was being a very good steward.
“Nuh uhh. I didn’t cheat,” replied the boy.
“Yes you did. The proof is right here on the test. You copied off Johnny’s test. You put the same answers down as him,” responded his teacher.
Thinking as fast as he could the boy said, “Johnny cheated off me.”
“No, the proof that you copied off Johnny is right here on the test,” she said as she pulled out two tests and put them in front of little Richie.
“On Question four which asked what Sally did at the park, Johnny wrote down, ‘I have no idea.’”
“And on question four you wrote, ‘neither do I,’”
"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ’Master,’ he said, ’you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’
"His master replied, ’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
"The man with the two talents also came. ’Master,’ he said, ’you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’
"His master replied, ’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
"Then the man who had received the one talent came. ’Master,’ he said, ’I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
"His master replied, ’You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
" ’Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Here we have three doulos which can be translated as slave or servants. Most likely, Jesus was using the term here as a slave specifically a managerial slave. This would be a trusted slave that would act as the master’s agent. He would act on behalf of the master.
A talent has nothing to do with human ability at least in 1st Century Palestine. Our meaning of talent as human ability is at the very least distracting and potentially misleading for us. A talent in the ancient world was a monetary weight. Depending on the type of metal, a talent would equal about 6000 days’ wages, which is about 20 years of work. The enormous sum of money whether it is the first servant with 10 talents or the last with only one indicates the great value of what they have been entrusted with, their inability to earn it on their own, and the level of trust that the master has placed on each of the servants.
Unfortunately, an emphasis on stewardship without the context of the end times themes can mislead us into thinking that reward is gained only through effort, faithfulness leads to success, and the lack of faithfulness leads to loss. Faithfully following Jesus often leads not to success and gain in this life but to loss based on sacrifice.
So what are the teachings of Jesus here?
More Than This
• Judgment on the last day
We have spoken before of how Jesus has included in many of his parables the theme of judgment. This is another one. Many of us hope and wish that there will not be a judgment at least not for us. If there is we assume that being a good person means things will turn out favorably for us. After all, how could a loving God truly judge otherwise?
This is very common in our culture. For example, there is a very popular book out entitled, The Shack. It is artfully written and paints a beautiful picture of our need to forgive especially in the most horrendous situations. However, I was struck with overt theme that God would not judge any of us since we are God’s children. It then implies that everyone, even the most vile and evil among us, will eventually come around.
Yet the Bible reveals a different portrait of God and Jesus. If judgment is not forthcoming then issues of stewardship are meaningless. In other words, it doesn’t matter what you do with what God has given you because God loves you anyway. God does love you anyway but God has a purpose and a mission to fulfill and that is bringing all of us who have chosen our own will and our own way back into God’s abundant kingdom life. This kingdom life is the way that we were created to live.
• Faithfulness in the meantime
There is a delay. We do not know when the master will return. We do not know the day nor the hour. This means that we need to do the master’s business in the meantime. We need to be faithful stewards of all that the master has entrusted to us. It means living a lifestyle of preparedness and readiness. It means being watchful and not giving up.
Have you ever watched a cat hunt? I saw a neighborhood cat creep up on a rabbit. When the cat was about 20’ away, the rabbit saw the cat. They both froze not moving a muscle. The rabbit’s heart was probably beating 200mph waiting to see if this thing was a threat. They actually sat there for a good five minutes. The cat tensed up and watched. Both ready for a sudden movement. The cat eventually relaxed as it waited for the rabbit to lower its guard. I could see the muscles relax even though it was watching and waiting.
Faithfulness means watching and doing kingdom work. It doesn’t mean getting all worked up over this prediction and that forecast worrying whether this will come true or not. It means watching, waiting, and doing what God last called us to be doing.
• Stewardship of the Kingdom
The talents are basically the kingdom work. If we are to properly remember the context of judgment as well as the end times, then we must remember that we have been entrusted with something of great value. Something more valuable than we could ever earn or imagine. It is the pearl of great price. It is the treasure in the field. We have been entrusted with the kingdom.
Jesus is addressing all of his disciples, us included. Yes, we have been blessed with so much. We have been entrusted with enormous wealth as Americans. But the value in this parable is more than we have. We have been entrusted with phenomenal abilities and skills. But the treasure of God’s kingdom is much greater than anything we could work for. We have been entrusted with time to be used for God but as the time is short and we do not know when Jesus will come again, time really isn’t the issue. All time is in God’s hands.
Jesus is talking about the kingdom here. I believe that in the context of the end times discourse and the parables of the ten virgins and the goat and sheep that stewardship of the kingdom lies with two things. Two applications you might say
o Message of the Kingdom
o Ministry of the Kingdom
Simply put we are to be about the master’s business. What is the master’s business? It is kingdom business. It is spreading the message that God’s kingdom is present and real. That Jesus has come and will come again. It is the message that some day all of the suffering of those who try to do right in God’s eyes will end. No more struggles trying to survive. It is this message that God reigns supreme and that God’s way of life is supreme.
It is the ministry of the kingdom as well. Serving others! Loving others! Showing people Jesus through loving actions and kindness. Putting into practice the teachings of Jesus. This is the investment of God’s kingdom placed in our hearts. This is how we are to do our master’s business. Not hoard it for that last day. Not do our own thing until the master comes again. We do God’s will.
The ministry and the message of the kingdom go hand in hand. They run together. You cannot separate them. Just as we cannot separate the Spirit of God from those who have faithfully received the Spirit. We are either one or we are not. The master in the parable recognized that the servant with one talent did not really know his master. “You’re hard and you reap where you do not sow.” Really, he was doing what we all do at times. The servant was projecting his own selfishness onto God. We project our own defects onto God all the time. We create God or at least “a god” in our own image.
Jesus challenges his disciples to carefully consider who they are supposed to be. We are called to consider this as well. In light of God’s perfect judgment, will God find us faithful? Are we about our master’s business? Think about your day yesterday. Think about your week. Picture your week in your mind. Let God replay the events. Were you a faithful servant? Or were you serving yourself or your agenda? Were you in constant connection with your master about his desires and will? Or were you mostly on auto-pilot?
My suggestion is very simple. Pray continually. Pray continually for God’s will and the power to carry it out. This seems to me to encapsulate the two faithful servants approach. Knowing the master’s will and the power to carry it out. The resources were always available to all three. Two of them were faithful trusting in the resources that the master provided, while the third did not carry out his master’s wishes. We pray only for God’s will for us and the power to carry it out.
