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.’ ”
Gospel Trivia:
Today's gospel is NOT about being industrious, nor about being hardworking, and nor about never playing it safe.
In understanding this parable, we should note the following:
- Jesus was telling this parable to his disciples, but he was targeting the Pharisees and scribes, who were the expert in the numerous laws of Moses (613 totally) and how each should be interpreted. The scribes and Pharisees intentionally made the laws complicated to provide them undue advantage, especially since very few (estimated at less than 5%) of the Jews could read and write.
- The third servant symbolized the scribes and Pharisees, with their narrow and rigid exclusivity, who had kept for themselves the treasure of the Law. Instead of the laws being used to help guide Jews live good lives, it was instead use to provide importance and status to those who can interpret the laws. More seriously, Jesus was against reducing one's faith to merely following the letter of the law and being able to navigate its complexity.
- Matthew, among the four evangelists, is particularly against the scribes and Pharisees. This same parable also appears in the gospel of Luke, but Luke uses "pounds" instead of talents, and the latter are sixty times more valuable than a pound; suggesting that the impact of the offense of the third servant is that more serious.
- the words "demanding person" is a perception of God by the Pharisees, but Jesus' message is that God is like our father; in fact, the master rewards over-generously by inviting them to eat with him (the meaning of "share your master's joy).
This is the message of the gospel: woe to the Pharisees who have taken advantage of their knowledge of the law and misappropriated it only to themselves.
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