Was The Man With One Talent The Most Honorable?
Good Morning Friends,
A decade ago One by One Leadership Foundation brought Lina Thompson to Immokalee as part of a Targeting Hope Youth and Community Development Conference. Lina Thompson is a Presbyterian Minister and was the World Vision’s National Director for Training and Capacity Building for U.S. Programs. She recently blogged on today’s scripture and explored a different perspective than you might at first consider. Her comments reminded me of the economic challenges for migrant farmworkers and the challenges for my friends in Haiti. She said that when people preach on this parable, they often focus on the concept of stewardship…how we use our time, treasure and talents. But then she points out that the passage has much more going on from the perspective of the man given one talent. She was suggesting that we look at the passage considering that the role of the man with one talent was Jesus who challenged a corrupt religious institution played by the Master doling out bribes. This resonates with the story that follows in the same chapter referencing the least of these. So, Was The Man With One Talent The Most Honorable?
Scripture: No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
Matthew 6:24 (NRSV)
For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 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. After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 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.” 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.” 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.” 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.” 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; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” 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? 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. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. 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. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 25:14-30 (NRSV)
Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels;
Matthew 25:37-41 (NRSV)
Message: The evening news seems to be filled with stories of whistle blowers trying to shame people into better behavior in a culture that is wealth based not honor based. We are divided as a nation in how we interpret these things financially and morally. It is a sickness. We live in a society where the lack of money is the greatest of all sins. It reminds me of the story of a man who thought he would be of no use in the world because he had only one talent… and I am not talking about money here but skill. When he discussed this with his pastor the pastor responded that he need not be discouraged. But the pastor was curious what that talent was. When he was told it was the talent of criticism he advised the man of one talent that he bury it. So too the man with one talent in today’s scripture buries the talent but in this case, we are talking about money and perhaps more. And before you rush to say how this is a bad thing to bury it, remember that usury in the Jewish culture was frowned upon and it was typical to bury money. In fact, it may have been the most honorable behavior. The problem I have with the passage is that the Master in the scripture seems to be a bit of a scoundrel. And the context of the scripture to follow and the historical events surrounding its telling help us to see the passage in a different way. Still we can gain from both understandings of the passage. For, I am not sure if the man with one talent was resentful and a God blamer or if the accusation of reaping where the Master did not sow was directed at the corrupt economic and religious institutions and people of the day. Maybe he was not a lazy slave. So, there are lots of ways of reading this parable. After all it is a parable. Buy why has this newer understanding been suppressed for such a long time? Reading this parable as a wonderful support for the capitalistic system of big business might be a serious problem. Perhaps we are trying to serve two masters.
Pray we understand the value of money and are not afraid. Pray we gain wisdom through a relationship with God. Pray we realize that the placement of God in the story of the talents as the character having power and privilege may be the wrong interpretation. Pray we contemplate today’s passages with clarity. Pray we use the money and resources we have but also pray that we do so ethically. Pray we lose our sense of certainty on exactly what the parables in the Bible mean and instead realize that there can be many truths discovered within them. Pray we not try to serve two masters. Pray we are not double minded.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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