by Ptr. Art Calaguas
Shalom.
After briefly studying the 1 Thessalonians 4-5 parallels with the Olivet Discourse, we now continue with Matthew 25:14-30 (Parable of the Talents) and the 3 eschatological themes we are tracking.
As an integral part of the Olivet Discourse, this parable must be viewed in its proper eschatological context; it is for the end times. In Matthew 25, it is “sandwiched” between the Parable of the Ten Virgins and the narrative about the Last Judgment when the Lord Jesus has returned.
In broad strokes, the parable in Matthew 25:14-30 tells the story of a master who goes on a journey and leaves some investible/tradeable money (τάλαντον “talanton” meaning talent; a monetary unit) to 3 of his bondservants, each according to his ability. The first was entrusted with 5 talents; the second with 2 talents and the third with only 1 talent. The journey turns out to be quite a long time but then the master finally returns and calls for an accounting. The master quite rightly expects the talents he left each of his bondservants to have been put to good use. The first with 5 talents was able to get the money to produce 5 additional talents. The second with 2 was able to get the money to yield 2 additional talents. The third bondservant did not invest the talent at all; he just buried it and gave it back to his master. The 2 bondservants who made their entrusted talents grow were praised by their master. The third one who did nothing was condemned.
Aside from context, we need to pay attention early on, to some hints and nuances in the grammar and choice of words. The SBL GNT text is followed by my formal translation:
14Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος ἀποδημῶν ἐκάλεσεν τοὺς ἰδίους δούλους καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτοῖς τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ,
For just like a man going on a journey, he called (his) personal bondservants and entrusted to them his possessions,
Matthew 25:14 connects to the previous verse 13 with the use of the conjunction γὰρ (“gar” meaning for/because/indeed) and serves as a form of inferential continuation to the admonition to keep watch as the day or the hour of the Lord’s return is not known.
The phrase “(his) personal bondservants” (τοὺς ἰδίους δούλους) comes from the use of ἰδίους (from ἴδιος “idios”), an emphatic adjective that is “stronger than the simple possessive pronoun (‘own’).” This means that these servants were distinct in the master’s eyes; they were his very own, chosen, personal, private servants. As an analogy, think of close-in or personal or executive assistants or confidential staff in today’s business world. These were well-trusted associates. Likewise, in the teacher-disciple model of their time, these would be the master’s closest disciples.
The verb παρέδωκεν (from παραδίδωμι “paradidómi”) means to deliver or hand over with a sense of close (personal) involvement. Hence, very many English Bibles translate this word in this context as “to entrust” the master’s possessions to his most trusted bondservants.
The Lord then uses hyperbole with the τάλαντον (“talanton”) in Matthew 25:15. As a monetary unit of weight (around 33-34 kg.), a single talent is equivalent to 3000 shekels or 6000 denarii of silver; but 30x more if gold denarii is referred to (https://biblehub.com/greek/5007.htm). But it is probably of silver because of the word ἀργύριον (“argurion” referring to silvery) used in verse 18.
Since an ordinary laborer during that time would be paid a denarius (plural: denarii) for a day’s work, the amount entrusted to the 3 bondservants was immense. A single (silver) talent would be enough to pay for nearly 20 years of a laborer’s wages, assuming he worked about 300 days/year. Thus, as I’ve written before, given 5 talents, the first bondservant would have nearly 100 years-worth of wages. The next one was given 2 talents, or about 40 years-worth of wages while the last one was given just one talent, or about 20 years-worth of wages. It is totally exaggerated. But as the parable goes, it gives one a feel of the master’s great wealth; the level of trust for these 3 bondservants; and also the length of time he was going to be away. With this kind of wealth, the master could very well afford to have many more bondservants. And certainly, there would be more than enough time for the bondservants to make productive use of the talents entrusted to them (each according to his ability).
In the next verses, Matthew 25:16-17, the first and second bondservants traded/put to work their entrusted talents to earn more. This is described by the verb ἠργάσατο from ἐργάζομαι (“ergazomai” meaning to work for, earn by working, to acquire, to trade, to make gains by trading). It seems these 2 bondservants understood their duty to their master meant not only faithfully waiting for his return but also making his money grow while he was absent. These 2 earned exactly 100% of what they worked with; they doubled their lord’s money. Perhaps another exaggeration but it highlights the contrast with the third bondservant’s inaction.
Matthew 25:18 narrates that the third bondservant literally dug a hole in the ground and hid his ἀργύριον (“argurion”) talent. In those days, this was probably the usual safe way of hiding a valuable possession for preservation.
Then Matthew 25:19 says: “But after much time, the master of those bondservants comes …” This verse uses the familiar Greek noun χρόνος (“chronos”), meaning ordinary time (in contrast to καιρός “kairos” meaning the right, fitting or opportune moment/time or season). Χρόνος is a cognate of the verb χρονίζω (“chronizo”) which was used in the 2 previous parables of the wicked bondservant (in Matthew 24:45-51) and the Ten Virgins (in Matthew 25:1-13). The phrase “much time” (πολὺν χρόνον) in verse 19 therefore connotes a delay or an unexpected long period of time. This much/long time is a consistent counterpart to the huge amount of talents entrusted to the bondservants.
Here in this verse, the 3 eschatological themes we have been tracking are again seen to converge. Note that the word used for lord/Lord and master is the same: κύριος “kurios.” Hence, when the lord/master is returning is unknown; the bondservants are expected to keep watch and do what is proper; and the lord/master tarries/delays or comes after an extended period of time. The first theme is pointed to by the fact that the master does not give a timeframe for his return; he simply leaves immediately (see verse 15). The second theme is expounded in verses 14-15, 19 and the succeeding verses. The third theme is found here in verse 19.
We will continue next week.
God bless us all.