Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord

 

 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.  And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground.  Look, there you have what is yours.'  But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest." 

 

- Matthew 25:14–30 

 

In our recent readings, Christ has been discoursing on the "end times" to His disciples.  In yesterday's reading, He told the parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, to illustrate how we need to remain prepared for this time:   "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.  And at midnight a cry was heard:  'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!"  Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'  But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.  Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'  But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'  Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."

 

 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.  And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Ener into the joy of your lord.'  He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground.  Look, there you have what is yours.'  But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest."  On today's parable of the Talents, my study Bible comments that this parable illustrates the use of gifts given by God.  It's hard to overestimate the indicated value of the talents named here; my study Bible comments that even one talent was a great sum of money.  In today's money, one gold talent (a measure of weight) would be estimated at approximately $2,270,000.00.  In the parable, a talent represents the goodness which God has bestowed upon each person.  My study Bible comments that the amount each receives is based on that person's abilities (Romans 12:4-7).  There is no partiality shown by God in the ultimate reward; here in the parable, all are invited to share the same joy.  The wicked and lazy servant, it notes, could not evade responsibility for ignoring his talent, as idleness is as much a rejection of God as clear wickedness.  To bury the talent in the ground is a way to symbolize using a God-given gift for earthly pursuits.  The bankers are representative of other faithful people to whom one can turn to help use talents wisely -- since help was available to this man in the parable, my study Bible says, he has no excuse.  

As we consider the parable of the Talents, we might be inclined to ask ourselves what a talent means in context.  Certainly the modern use of the word "talent" comes from this parable; the original word is a Greek term, τάλαντον/talanton.  So, given the parable's meaning, we can think of talents in all kinds of ways to indicate the resources available to us and given by God.  Our intelligence becomes in this understanding a "talent," our capacity for hard work, even our capacity for prayer.  Whatever God-given resources we have become talents in this scope of the parable, for all that we have is given to us by God.  This parable lends to us also an understanding of the sacramental, in which what God gives to us is returned to God for God's blessing -- and so that it might be used in the ways that God deems most profitable.  In the elevation of the Eucharistic gifts in the Orthodox Church, the priest prays, "Thine own of Thine own, we offer to Thee, O Lord, in behalf of all, and for all."  In this sense, all the world becomes sacrament, becomes even "talents" given to us as good to be used, cultivated, nurtured, cared for as good stewards who are meant to understand what they are about.  In fact, everything available to us becomes a part of God's goodness given to us.  If we take into account this statement from St. Paul, that "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28), then, in fact, all things -- even every event in our lives, nominally "good" or "bad" -- become part of the supply of talents we're given to do with what we can, to make profitable as we can.  In counting up our resources and gifts, let us not neglect the gift of time, which is such a part and parcel of our world, and gives us also the benefit of the possibility of repentance.  Time is what we have, albeit in a limited quantity, and a great part of Christ's warnings go to the effect that we must use it wisely.  The ultimate fairness involved in the eventual judgment of these servants and what they do becomes not a question of how much they produce, but how much effort they put into being profitable with what they're given in the first place, no matter the size or the amount.  It's not a question of having, therefore, but of doing.  Even when we look at the stories of Christ's encounters with people in the Gospels, we can see His emphasis not on what they have, but what they do, what they put into this spiritual struggle and journey.  In Matthew's Gospel, He encounters the woman of Canaan, a Gentile, who -- even though He wants to remain hidden -- continues to pester Him to heal her daughter of a demon.  He even hands her what seems an insult ("It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs"); but she responds in a way that manages to be humble and witty at the same time ("It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs").   Christ tells her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire" (see Matthew 15:21-28).  In St. Mark's Gospel, Jesus comes down from the Mount of Transfiguration with Peter and John, and encounters the rest of the disciples, surrounded by a crowd, with scribes disputing with His disciples over the healing of a young boy.  His father has brought the boy to the disciples, but they could do nothing.  Christ responds with a chastisement over the lack of faith evident in this failure:  "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me."  When Jesus tells the father he must have faith, the man pleads, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"   Jesus responds by healing the boy as the crowd comes running together again.  (See Mark 9:14-29.)  But both the Gentile woman, and the man whose son needed healing, even though they seemed "short" on resources, show evidence of making an effort even with what meager resources of faith they have -- and they are rewarded.   So let us take the parable of the talents in the context of Christ's prophesy of end times, and that we must always be ready for His return.  It's our efforts that count, and that's what He makes clear here.  He asks us to try with the earnestness we possess, with whatever we're given.  Let us be faithful, even over the "few things" we have.

 

 

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

 

 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants ad delivered his goods to them.  And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained give more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground.  Look, there you have what is yours.'  But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.  Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.  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.  And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"

 

- Matthew 25:14-30 

 

In our recent readings, Jesus has been teaching the disciples about the end times (beginning with the reading of Saturday the 11th).  In yesterday's reading, He gave them the parable of the Ten Virgins:  "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.  And at midnight a cry was heard:  'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'  Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'  But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.  Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'  But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'  Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."

 

  "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants ad delivered his goods to them.  And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained give more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground.  Look, there you have what is yours.'  But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.  Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.  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.  And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"  My study Bible comments on this parable that it illustrates the use of gifts given by God.  It is from this parable that the modern sense of the word "talent" in English gets its definition, but in the ancient world, a talent was a huge sum of money.  It was actually the Greek term (τάλαντον) for a certain measure of weight in pure precious metal such as silver or gold.  Even one talent, my study Bible says, was a great sum of money.  But here, Jesus uses it to represent teh goodness which God has bestowed on each person.  The amount each receives is based on that person's abilities (Romans 12:4-7).  God does not show partiality in the ultimate reward, it notes, for all are invited to share the same joy.  The wicked and lazy servant could not evade responsibility for ignoring the talent he was given; idleness, therefore, is as much a rejection of God as outright wickedness.  To bury the talent in the ground is considered an illustration of using one's God-given gifts for earthly pursuits; we might also notice that it is a simulation of burial, of death.  The bankers, my study Bible says, represent other faithful people to whom the man could have turned to help him use his talents wisely.  Since help was available to him in the Church, it says, the man has no excuse.

What is a talent?  As noted above, in Jesus' time, a talent was a great sum of money.  Let's keep in mind that at that time there was widespread international trade, especially through shipping across the Mediterranean, therefore established measurement equivalents, country by country, for exchange.  In Jesus' parable, we might consider the talent a metaphor for life itself, but that would neglect to notice the differences in amounts given to the various people.  Instead, we can understand this parable through the talents representing abilities, not limited to what we commonly call talents such as for artistic skill or other abilities.  A talent, therefore, is something precious, which we can use to exchange for other things, to make a living, to invest, to develop, to use our efforts to magnify into something else.  In this case, a talent can be something we consider spiritual, such as a talent for prayer, a capacity for faith, and an ability to put to use our energy and intelligence for various works in our own lives.  It's as if God has invested something in us, and then we are responsible through our lives for what we do with God's gifts.  Do we have a capacity to be charitable toward others?  Can we be creative in terms of how we take in Christ's teachings and learn to apply them in our own lives and our own circumstances?  What spiritual gifts does God give us and how do we use them?  The only thing that is truly deadly in this parable is the failure to apply oneself, the failure to try, or even -- in some sense -- the failure to understand God, or "what manner of spirit we are of" (Luke 9:54-56).  The wicked and lazy servant says, "'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  And I was afraid . . .."  He speaks to the Lord as if the Lord is simply a kind of warlord, a corrupt and aggressive worldly conqueror pillaging territory for graft.  He does not know God at all; He does not understand God even as Creator who has sown everything in this world, scattered seed everywhere.  His overwhelming fear of God tells us that He does not know God at all; he is both wicked and lazy because his impulse is false and his laziness means he has made no effort at communion and prayer, at loving God or even coming to know God with heart, soul, spirit,and mind. See John 1:4:8.  Let us also keep in mind that Jesus speaks of "servants" and that He is teaching to the disciples -- and through them to us, who consider ourselves His followers.  Our duty as servants is to work the works of faith; in other words, to live a faithful life (John 6:27-29).  It's not enough to say "I believe" but our faith must be embodied through our lives; we seek God's guidance in how to do so through a prayerful life.  Above all, let us note that a talent, in monetary terms, was a means of exchange.  Therefore so we should consider Christ's life above all as teaching us that the world is to be transfigured.  Are we given hard things in life?  Do we have hardship, or strikes against us?  Perhaps we have special challenges, or "wicked and lazy" people who have given us misery.  Through the Cross, Christ teaches us not simply to cast off anything as simply 'bad' but to transform our lives by seeking Him, through repentance and with God's help.  Everything in this model is exchange, making one thing into another, transforming even what is bad or causes us suffering into occasion for prayer, transcendence, or repentance, for with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).  Therefore, the one really "bad" thing in this parable is not to try, not to know God, not to find what is  possible for us with Gods' help and mercy and compassion and grace, and all the assistance of saints and angels and fellow faithful.  This is the only way God judges, it seems to me, if we but look really closely at what Jesus is teaching us here.  Therefore we will not be judged on what we produce in a worldly sense, on a material sense of "success," but rather we will be measured in terms of our spiritual lives, our love for the things of God and the extravagance of that love with which we invest (Luke 21:1-4, John 12:1-8).