Sunday 15th November 2020 - The parable of the Talents and the third slave's power of passive resistance
Let the
words of my mouth and meditations of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, my
lord, God, and redeemer.
The parable of the talents is one which I’ve always struggled with. We often hear sermons which interpret this to be about good money management and tithing to the church, or about our own individual talents and skills, or perhaps on the abundance of God’s love. And while there is merit in these, it is a story and when Jesus tells it, he offers no interpretation at all.
The concern I have is for the fate of third slave, being cast into the darkness.
So when we identify the slave owner as God in this parable, are we risking a toxic representation of the Divine?
Now this is a strong statement to make but one of commentaries I read, recorded a conversation between the writer and her son. She stated her misgivings to which he said, “It sums up everything Christianity is about. I love it!” Baffled, she asked him what he "loved." “Oh, isn’t it obvious? I love how the third slave is the hero of the story!”
Before I explain, it’s important to know something about society at the time.
Firstly, what is a talent? A talent is a unit of measure equivalent to about 33 kilos in weight and was usually silver or gold. Last week, £45 would have bought a gram of gold, so one talent would be worth £1.5m, so that 5 talents would be something like £7.5m.
Secondly, one has to ask, how does someone gather so much wealth? A man like this would be one of today’s billionaires, one of the top 1% who own almost all wealth in the world.
In those days wealth like this was made by lending money to the farming poor at high interest rates, and systematically stripping those debtors of their ancestral land, which had been offered as collateral to save their livelihoods. At the first drought, unable to pay, farmers would lose their land and become day labourers, unable to make ends meet.
So, to interpret the wealthy slave master as a metaphor for God just doesn’t feel right, it doesn’t align with the gracious and justice-oriented God, Jesus describes throughout the Gospels — a God who privileges the poor, blesses the meek, frees the prisoner, feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, liberates the slave, and protects the orphan.
How can we reconcile God and Jesus as being among the peasant multitudes but also as a greedy estate owner.
And surely the kingdom of God isn’t one where those who have plenty receive more, while those who have close to nothing lose that, and then face God’s wrath on top of those losses.
This is where we welcome the third slave as a hero, he offers passive resistance, refuses to participate in a system which takes advantage of the vulnerable. He buries the wealth he is given, so it can do no more harm, and he is not a thief, so he returns the valuable talent and with courage he says, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed.”
He then accepts the ostracism and poverty that must follow from his choice, but this is no divine hell he is cast into, but one belonging to his heartless owner.[1] [2]
This kind of interpretation is credited to the theologian, William Herzog, he argues that the parables are part of Jesus the subversive, a teacher to the oppressed, and that his message is one of liberation.
This is quite radical, we are used to hearing a message like this as being obedient to the master, doing God’s will, but what if instead, this is a parable about the world we occupy right now. A parable about what faithfulness looks like in hard, hidden places.
A parable about opting out of systems of oppression and exploitation, especially when we are accustomed to benefiting from such systems. A parable about interrupting "business as usual" for the sake of justice and mercy.
A parable about turning reality upside down in the name of love. A parable about saying, “Enough is enough,” when it comes to the abuse and marginalization of the world's most vulnerable people. A parable about the rejection, impoverishment, and loneliness we might suffer if we take seriously the call of God.
Perhaps this is too much, too risky? Does this interpretation of the parable — provoke too much? Perhaps?
But consider this: Jesus asks nothing of us that he has not done himself. Just days after telling this parable, he was “cast into the outer darkness” of crucifixion, torment, and death. Like the third slave, he was deemed "worthless" and expendable by the people who wielded power and influence in his day. Like the third slave’s costly talent, he was buried in a rock-hewn tomb, ready to rise and become a message of hope another day.
Apparently, there is a good kind of "worthless" in the economy of God. May we find the courage to embody it and be people of faith who dare to be heroes who stand against all that is wrong in the world.
Let us pray for the eyes to see, ears to hear and wisdom to decide what is right and then pray and act accordingly, let us be bold in faith, take risks and be ready to speak for those without a voice. As Paul says today, let us put on the breastplate of faith and love, and a helmet of hope for God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation.
Amen
[1] William Herzog. 1994, Parables as Subversive Speech: Jesus as Pedagogue of the Oppressed.
The parable of the talents is one which I’ve always struggled with. We often hear sermons which interpret this to be about good money management and tithing to the church, or about our own individual talents and skills, or perhaps on the abundance of God’s love. And while there is merit in these, it is a story and when Jesus tells it, he offers no interpretation at all.
The concern I have is for the fate of third slave, being cast into the darkness.
So when we identify the slave owner as God in this parable, are we risking a toxic representation of the Divine?
Now this is a strong statement to make but one of commentaries I read, recorded a conversation between the writer and her son. She stated her misgivings to which he said, “It sums up everything Christianity is about. I love it!” Baffled, she asked him what he "loved." “Oh, isn’t it obvious? I love how the third slave is the hero of the story!”
Before I explain, it’s important to know something about society at the time.
Firstly, what is a talent? A talent is a unit of measure equivalent to about 33 kilos in weight and was usually silver or gold. Last week, £45 would have bought a gram of gold, so one talent would be worth £1.5m, so that 5 talents would be something like £7.5m.
Secondly, one has to ask, how does someone gather so much wealth? A man like this would be one of today’s billionaires, one of the top 1% who own almost all wealth in the world.
In those days wealth like this was made by lending money to the farming poor at high interest rates, and systematically stripping those debtors of their ancestral land, which had been offered as collateral to save their livelihoods. At the first drought, unable to pay, farmers would lose their land and become day labourers, unable to make ends meet.
So, to interpret the wealthy slave master as a metaphor for God just doesn’t feel right, it doesn’t align with the gracious and justice-oriented God, Jesus describes throughout the Gospels — a God who privileges the poor, blesses the meek, frees the prisoner, feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, liberates the slave, and protects the orphan.
How can we reconcile God and Jesus as being among the peasant multitudes but also as a greedy estate owner.
And surely the kingdom of God isn’t one where those who have plenty receive more, while those who have close to nothing lose that, and then face God’s wrath on top of those losses.
This is where we welcome the third slave as a hero, he offers passive resistance, refuses to participate in a system which takes advantage of the vulnerable. He buries the wealth he is given, so it can do no more harm, and he is not a thief, so he returns the valuable talent and with courage he says, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed.”
He then accepts the ostracism and poverty that must follow from his choice, but this is no divine hell he is cast into, but one belonging to his heartless owner.[1] [2]
This kind of interpretation is credited to the theologian, William Herzog, he argues that the parables are part of Jesus the subversive, a teacher to the oppressed, and that his message is one of liberation.
This is quite radical, we are used to hearing a message like this as being obedient to the master, doing God’s will, but what if instead, this is a parable about the world we occupy right now. A parable about what faithfulness looks like in hard, hidden places.
A parable about opting out of systems of oppression and exploitation, especially when we are accustomed to benefiting from such systems. A parable about interrupting "business as usual" for the sake of justice and mercy.
A parable about turning reality upside down in the name of love. A parable about saying, “Enough is enough,” when it comes to the abuse and marginalization of the world's most vulnerable people. A parable about the rejection, impoverishment, and loneliness we might suffer if we take seriously the call of God.
Perhaps this is too much, too risky? Does this interpretation of the parable — provoke too much? Perhaps?
But consider this: Jesus asks nothing of us that he has not done himself. Just days after telling this parable, he was “cast into the outer darkness” of crucifixion, torment, and death. Like the third slave, he was deemed "worthless" and expendable by the people who wielded power and influence in his day. Like the third slave’s costly talent, he was buried in a rock-hewn tomb, ready to rise and become a message of hope another day.
Apparently, there is a good kind of "worthless" in the economy of God. May we find the courage to embody it and be people of faith who dare to be heroes who stand against all that is wrong in the world.
Let us pray for the eyes to see, ears to hear and wisdom to decide what is right and then pray and act accordingly, let us be bold in faith, take risks and be ready to speak for those without a voice. As Paul says today, let us put on the breastplate of faith and love, and a helmet of hope for God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation.
Amen
[1] William Herzog. 1994, Parables as Subversive Speech: Jesus as Pedagogue of the Oppressed.
Special thanks to Debie Thomas, author of this essay:
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
5 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters,[a] you do not need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 When they say, ‘There is peace and security’, then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labour pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! 4 But you, beloved,[b] are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; 5 for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. 6 So then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; 7 for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.
Matthew 25:14-30
The Parable of the Talents
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,[a] 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.”
* A talent was worth more than fifteen years’ wages of a labourer
5 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters,[a] you do not need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 When they say, ‘There is peace and security’, then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labour pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! 4 But you, beloved,[b] are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; 5 for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. 6 So then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; 7 for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.
Matthew 25:14-30
The Parable of the Talents
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,[a] 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.”
* A talent was worth more than fifteen years’ wages of a labourer
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