in all generations.
From everlasting to everlasting
you are God.
Psalm 90:1-2
Matthew 25:14-30
14 "For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; 15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
16 The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. 17 In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. 18 But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19 After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, "Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.' 21 His master said to him, "Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'
22 And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, "Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.' 23 His master said to him, "Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'
24 Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, "Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' 26 But his master replied, "You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. 29 For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 30 As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
This Week
The next to last Sunday of this year of grace, and here's the Parable of the Talents, beloved of stewardship committees! Although parables in the gospels often begin with, "The reign of God is like, the kingdom of heaven will be like," this one doesn't mention the reign of heaven/kingdom of God. Today's good news comes between wise and foolish virgins waiting for the bridegroom and Jesus separating sheep from goats on the last day by assessing who had faithfully fed, clothed, welcomed, and visited needy people.
Jesus told this story shortly before his arrest and crucifixion. Is it about managing finances? About overall stewardship? Is it about characteristics of the reign of heaven on earth? The reading seems to start out with a cash infusion. It goes on to tell us two of the servants increased the value of the huge sum they'd been entrusted with.
Torah forbids charging interest on a loan. Not only charging excessive interest (usury—think of payday loans)—but any amount of interest whatsoever. So our contemporary practice of "investing" money in securities, commodities, derivatives, or another market would have been against Torah. (Two millennia later, if money is making money, someone still is being exploited.)
Some commentaries in-your-face point out a talent isn't an ability or tendency to do a particular thing well, yet we derive our concept of talent as a special way to gift the community from the instrument of financial exchange called talent. One source said a talent was about twenty years' wages. Although it would vary depending upon the person's job and skill, in that case, five talents would be 100 years' pay!
Stewardship
We need to contextualize scripture into our own social and economic setting. Stewardship committees love this parable. Is it about using God-given resources of talent, treasure, and time in ways that multiply the presence of the reign of God in the world?
This passage isn't about entrepreneurship; it ain't Max Weber's Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism; it's not investment banking or municipal bonds. On its own, money is neutral, and to keep afloat, we absolutely need ways to get what we need, with dollars, pesos, or euros; with baking for baby-sitting, or another type of exchange. Individuals, churches, governments, and other organizations need money to survive and do their things. Tracking cash flow and reserves is an important aspect of trusting God in areas of receiving and giving.
When we contribute to the church's ministry and the world's future, both giver and gifted enter into the joy that results from faithful use (stewardship) of monetary and other gifts. But what is this parable really about?
• The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. 25:16-18
• The master chides, "Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest." 25:27
Torah forbids charging interest on loans, so "investing" in stocks, bonds, cryptocurrency (or likely even your neighbor's startup) not only would have been risky; it would have been morally suspect. But at least on paper, would growth of the original sum offset any apparent decrease in financial holdings of any party?
Then and Now
In Jesus' time and place, people believed all resources were finite, so everyone assumed a zero-sum existence. If the rich got richer, the poor must have gotten poorer. If someone's social status increased, someone else's had to have decreased, and so any changes the third slave experienced would have been negative ones. Given that expectation, he logically pursued the then common practice of burying the money so his assets wouldn't decrease. However, a slave was bound to do the master's grunt work, that in this case meant growing his wealth, which explains the master's anger.
• The master chides, "Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest." 25:27
Despite the master telling the guy he could have invested that money, Torah forbids charging interest on loans.
What do you make of this parable? In his first act of public ministry recorded by Luke, Jesus announces the time of Jubilee when debts will be canceled, when all creation will thrive in shalom-filled "enough." When that time arrives, saving, investing, and stockpiling won't be considerations. But given the size and diversity of this planet, will that ever happen? Can it happen? Besides, some inflation is necessary to maintain a healthy market economy.
Textual note: New Testament words for slave and servant get translated into English almost randomly as either servant or slave; the Greek here is "slave," so these weren't voluntary at-will or contracted workers.
Into God's Future
"Well done, good and trustworthy one, enter into the joy…" The master promises faithful servants will be in charge of (steward of) many things, "more will be given." But what is this parable really about?
During formal stewardship drives the church asks for pledges of money, abilities, and linear time people will contribute to the church's ministry and the world's future.
• Rather than identifying with one of the servants/slaves or imagining Jesus as the master, what does this passage reveal about the gifts of God?
• God already has been to our future and waits for us there; we've received talents/gifts to contribute.
• Does this scripture promise or imply anything about trusting God with our future?
• Would you call this a parable of grace or a parable of judgment?
• Jesus announces Jubilee when all debts will be canceled, and all creation will thrive in shalom-filled "enough" so saving, investing, and stockpiling won't be considerations.
• What do you imagine God is doing at your future, at the church's future, and for the world's future?
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