During His earthly ministry, Jesus spoke to His disciples more than once about the relationships of the Kingdom. The parable of the talents is devoted to the same theme. At first glance, it may seem rather harsh. Indeed...
During His earthly ministry, Jesus spoke to His disciples more than once about the relationships of the Kingdom. The parable of the talents is devoted to the same theme. At first glance, it may seem rather harsh. Indeed, the money was given to the servants merely for safekeeping, and so it would appear that the servant who returned to his master exactly as much as he had received fulfilled his charge precisely, to the letter. The other servants, of course, took a risk by investing the money, as every businessman does.
But they were fortunate, and the master was pleased; one can only guess what his reaction would have been otherwise. One thing is clear: one can act as the servants who put the money into circulation did only where there is mutual trust. Evidently, the master fully trusts the servants, and they trust him if they are not afraid to risk the money entrusted to them.
The exception is the servant who returned the money to his master without a profit. Judging by the story, he did not dare put it into circulation precisely because he feared losses: this is how we should understand his words to the master that he “reaps where he did not sow and gathers where he did not scatter.” Evidently, the servant fears that if things go badly, the master will require him to make good the losses. But here he miscalculated: returning everything intact but without a profit proved insufficient.
And here it becomes clear what the Kingdom is in relation to each of its inhabitants: it is always an advance received wholly undeservedly and, at the same time, a loan that will have to be repaid with interest. This is not surprising, for the Kingdom presupposes a spiritual dynamic, the dynamic of the relationships linking its inhabitants with God, with Christ, and with one another.
Nothing here can be kept for oneself: what has been received must, figuratively speaking, be put into circulation. Just as money can be preserved only while remaining in circulation, so the life of the Kingdom can exist only in the constant movement of mutual exchange. Any attempt to separate one's own share from this whole stream of life in order to keep it for oneself leads to spiritual failure and the loss of the Kingdom. Risk is present in the life of the Kingdom; it is justified by the tasks facing its inhabitants and, provided there is complete mutual trust, it is acceptable.
25 This chapter contains the last public discourse which our Lord uttered before he was offered up. He had before frequently declared what would be the portion of all the workers of iniquity. But what will become of those who do no harm? Honest, inoffensive, good sort of people? We have here a clear and full answer to this important question.
25:14 Our Lord proceeds by a parable still plainer (if that can be) to declare the final reward of a harmless man. May God give all such in this their day, ears to hear and hearts to understand it! The kingdom of heaven - That is, the King of heaven, Christ. Mar 13:34; Luk 19:12.
25:15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one - And who knows whether (all circumstances considered) there be a greater disproportion than this, in the talents of those who have received the most, and those who have received the fewest? According to his own ability - The words may be translated more literally, according to his own mighty power.And immediately took his journey - To heaven.
25:18 He that had received one - Made his having fewer talents than others a pretence for not improving any. Went and hid his master's money - Reader, art thou doing the same? Art thou hiding the talent God hath lent thee?
25:24 I knew thou art a hard man - No. Thou knowest him not. He never knew God, who thinks him a hard master. Reaping where thou hast not sown - That is, requiring more of us than thou hast given us power to perform. So does every obstinate sinner, in one kind or other, lay the blame of his own sins on God.
25:25 And I was afraid - Lest if I had improved my talent, I should have had the more to answer for. So from this fear, one will not learn to read, another will not hear sermons!
25:26 Thou knewest - That I require impossibilities! This is not an allowing, but a strong denial of the charge.
25:27 Thou oughtest therefore - On that very account, on thy own supposition, to have improved my talent, as far as was possible.
25:29 To every one that hath shall he given - So close does God keep to this stated rule, from the beginning to the end of the world. Mat 13:12.
25:30 Cast ye the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness - For what? what had he done? It is true he had not done good. But neither is he charged with doing any harm. Why, for this reason, for barely doing no harm, he is consigned to outer darkness.He is pronounced a wicked, because he was a slothful, an unprofitable servant. So mere harmlessness, on which many build their hope of salvation, was the cause of his damnation!There shall be the weeping - Of the careless thoughtless sinner; and the gnashing of teeth - Of the proud and stubborn. The same great truth, that there is no such thing as negativegoodness, is in this chapter shown three times: