Parable of Talents | Knowable Word

Last week I observed a few things and asked a few questions about whether the parable of the ten minas (Luke 19:11-27) might have a different point than the parable of the talents (Matt 25:14-30). I’ve already discussed how Matthew’s parable fits into the context of the author’s larger argument. This week, I’ll walk through Luke’s train of thought to show how different his point is from Matthew’s.

I’ve already written on the main point of Luke’s gospel as a whole and on how to navigate its middle chapters (Luke 9:51-19:27). To save space here, I won’t repeat what I wrote there, but will assume you have caught up on that background.

By Andrey Mironov – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

Placement

The first thing I’ll point out is that the parable of the ten minas is the very last thing in Luke’s travel narrative. The very next episode has Jesus going up into Jerusalem on the back of a colt. So this parable concludes not only the fourth sub-section, which focuses on the timing of the kingdom—when will these things regarding the kingdom take place? It also concludes the entire travelogue. This parable is the capstone and climax of Luke’s meandering description of life in Jesus’ new kingdom.

The Question on the Table

In this fourth division of the travel narrative, the presenting question is “When will the kingdom of God come?” (Luke 17:20). And Jesus clearly responded that it “is in the midst of you” (Luke 17:21). I understand that the translation of that last phrase is hotly debated, but regardless of the variety of options, all suggest that the kingdom is here and now. It is tangible and present. Jesus goes on to suggest that, if you can’t see it now, you will not be able to see it in the future either (Luke 17:22). Though there are signs and suggestions for then (Luke 17:23-24), make absolutely sure you don’t miss the significance of what is taking place now (Luke 17:25).

So Jesus tells them how to prepare for it (Luke 18:1-8). He executes the admission and dismissal of its citizens (Luke 18:9-17). He paints a picture of the current behaviors of those who look ahead to eternal life (Luke 18:18-30).

So in short, Jesus acknowledges that there is surely something yet to come. But in this section of Luke, he resists the impulse to direct people’s gaze to the horizon. He’s redrawing their attention to the here and now.

A View of What’s Happening Today

Then in Luke 18:31, Jesus claims, on the way to Jerusalem, that “everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.” This includes being delivered to the Gentiles, mocked, treated shamefully, spit upon, flogged, killed, and resurrected. The disciples simply can’t see it, however (Luke 18:34).

But a blind man can see it. Though his eyes cannot yet see, the eyes of his heart can see the Son of David (heir to the throne) passing by right in front of him (Luke 18:35-43). And astonishingly, Jericho’s chief tax collector wants to see it (Luke 19:3).

The sight of Jesus changes Zacchaeus forever. One greeting, a meal at his home, and a modicum of reflection was all he needed to turn his life around (Luke 19:8). This demonstration of repentance (compare with Luke 3:12-13) provokes Jesus to make a shocking declaration: “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:9-10).

Jesus spoke all about feasting with Abraham in the kingdom (Luke 13:28-30). Those who cannot recognize the master of the house of Israel will likewise go unrecognized by him (Luke 13:24-27). And here he is, in flesh and blood. He grants sight to the blind and calls Zacchaeus by name.

Here now is the “salvation” he’s been talking about through the entire book. That “salvation” is the fruit of the kingdom, which is currently present among them. The Son of Man seeks the lost, just like a shepherd with a lost sheep, a woman with a lost coin, and a father with a lost son (Luke 15:1-32). Now that salvation has come today on the unlikeliest of candidates. That fact is what spurs the people’s anticipation that the kingdom of God will appear when Jesus gets to Jerusalem (Luke 19:11).

The air is electric, and energy is at an all-time high. They wonder if this is it, if this is what they’ve been waiting for. If salvation is really present, right in front of them, embodied as a rabbi from Nazareth who has an awful lot to say about the way things ought to be.

The Prophets

And let’s not forget what the prophets had to say about this moment in history. Jesus said the prophets would be fulfilled as he came to Jerusalem (Luke 18:31).

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap…
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.”
Malachi 3:1-5

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey…
“My anger is hot against the shepherds,
and I will punish the leaders;
for the Lord of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah,
and will make them like his majestic steed in battle.
“I will strengthen the house of Judah,
and I will save the house of Joseph.
I will bring them back because I have compassion on them,
and they shall be as though I had not rejected them,
for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them.
Zechariah 9:9-10:12

So when Luke brings the travel narrative to an end by having Jesus tell a parable about a God, the divine King, returning to inspect his people and temple to bring judgment on the shepherds of Israel—the words are loaded with centuries of anticipation. Who can stand before him when he appears?

It is no coincidence that the first thing Jesus does in Jerusalem is inspect the temple (Luke 19:45-46).

Judgment Falls on This Generation

Luke has spared no expense to tell Theophilus that Jesus sat in judgment over his contemporary generation of Jewish leadership. He pronounces judgment on them time and again. This judgment is something in the future, yet to come. But it will not be long. It will take place within the current generation’s lifetime (Luke 11:49-51; 12:42-48; 13:3, 5, 9, 28, 34-35).

Subsequent to the parable of the minas, Jesus will continue presenting himself in the spirit and power of the prophets, proclaiming condemnation on the corrupt shepherds of Israel (Luke 19:41-44; 21:32). Like Jeremiah, he weeps over the fate of his generation. Like Isaiah, he describes political and social upheaval by means of apocalyptic language and cosmic metaphors.

Conclusion

So where does this data lead? I believe we have good reason to read the parable of the talents primarily as a description of the judgment that will take place at Jesus’ second coming (“That day”: Matt 24:36-25:46). The parable of the talents seems to direct our attention to “that day,” when humanity will be sorted for either eternal punishment or eternal life (Matt 25:46).

But the parable of the ten minas hits much closer. In context, it appears that Jesus speaks primarily of his first coming and what is about to happen to and through him at Jerusalem. The reckoning has come for the Jewish nation and its leaders. Those who have been serving faithfully, and who recognize their master, will be rewarded with cities (Luke 19:17-18). Those who have not, and who do not, will either have their deposit taken from them (Luke 19:24) or face the executioner’s sword (Luke 19:27).

For those reading this who are immigrants to the covenants of promise (Gentiles) and not natural-born citizens (Jews): Do not become proud. For if God was willing to wipe out a generation to make room for the Gentiles to enter, will he not do the same thing with another generation who presumes upon his kindness and drifts from loyalty to him (Rom 11:17-24)? Though the parable speaks primarily about something that’s already occurred (Jesus’ first coming), it still has serious and sobering ramifications for those who would serve the King in any generation.

Perhaps you’ve heard that your talents are a gift from God, and that he wants you to dedicate them to his service. Maybe you can sing or teach. You might be good at volleyball. Perhaps you enjoy setting up chairs or planning baby showers. I can play the trombone, and I’m pretty good with numbers and accounting. But in Jesus’ parable in Matthew 25:14-30, all these things are beside the point.

Context matters. If we learn to read the Bible for what it is—and not as a collection of independently assembled inspirational stories—we’ll discover that some of our most familiar passages don’t actually mean what we’ve always assumed.

Lars Hammar (2012), Creative Commons

Part of a Single Speech

When we come to the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14, we ought to look closely enough to ask an obvious question:

For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.

You see it, don’t you? I mean this literally: You see “it,” don’t you? “For it will be like a man going on a journey…” Perhaps, to understand this parable, we first need to grapple with what “it” is. What is it, exactly, that will be like a man going on a journey?

In studying this parable, we should see that it’s only one small part of a long lecture given by Jesus on a single occasion. This lecture, starting in Matthew 24:4 and continuing to Matt 25:46, is his answer to his disciples’ questions in Matt 24:3. When will the temple be destroyed? What is the sign of your coming? What is the sign of the end of the age?

We could even probably include Matthew 23 as a part of this discourse, as it provides the setup for the the judgment pronounced in Matt 24:1-2. But even if we consider only chapters 24 and 25 as making up this speech, we’ll be off to a great start.

So, now that we’ve realized this parable is merely one point in a longer speech, what help can we get from the rest of the speech about what “it” is?

Working Backwards

The immediately preceding paragraph tells another parable, also about two groups of subordinates, one faithful and the other unfaithful—just like the parable of the talents. And this preceding parable begins like this:

Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. (Matt 25:1)

So we have the same set up, except there is no “it.” The subject, the thing which “will be like” the story that follows, is: the kingdom of heaven. So far, so good. But what does he mean by “the kingdom of heaven,” and how it will be like a man going on a journey?

Backing up further, the next paragraph speaks of a faithful and wise servant who receives a reward (Matt 24:45-47) in contrast to a wicked servant relegated to a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt 24:48-51). This is very closely connected to what happens in the parable of the talents. And Matt 24:45-51 uses more straightforward language than what we find in the parable of the talents. The difference between the faithful servant and the foolish servant lies in how they each treat their Master’s household. For the one who treats the Master’s people and other servants well, there is a reward of greater responsibility over “all his possessions.” For the one who beats his fellow servants and abandons his duties, there is an assurance of removal, destruction, and torment.

Backing up even further, the next earlier paragraph highlights the fact that the Son of Man will return at an hour his own followers do not expect. Because of this uncertainty, they must always be ready for him (Matt 24:44).

So we can draw a few conclusions:

The IT in Matt 25:14 is the kingdom of heaven.
The parable continues the theme of the Master’s return at an unexpected time.
The Master’s judgment of his servants is based on how his servants treat his people.

So What are My Talents?

So when Jesus tells a story about a man going on a journey, calling his servants, and entrusting to them his property, we must understand that his property, the “talents” he leaves with them, is the people of his kingdom. In Jesus’ day, a “talent” was a very large sum of money. The NIV translators had good reason to translate the Greek term “talents” as “bags of gold” (Matt 25:15, NIV). These people are valuable to the Master.

These “talents” are a metaphor of the people of God. The members of God’s household. Our fellow servants and co-heirs in the kingdom.

In telling this parable, Jesus is not primarily concerned with whether you use your personality traits and unique skill sets to help the Christian community. He is much more concerned with how you treat the people themselves. Are you investing in them or burying them? Are you putting them to good use? Are you putting them to work so they can help recruit even more people into the kingdom, or are you making decisions from fear of losing the people you already have? Are you multiplying their efforts for the sake of his glorious kingdom?

Do this, and great will be your reward when your Master returns and calls for accounting. Fail to do this, and your fears will find you out.

If you see yourself more in the latter class than the former, what is your way out? Remember who your Master is. He is not hard and demanding (Matt 25:24-25), but gentle and lowly in heart, showing you the narrow way of rest (Matt 11:29, 7:13-14).

Confirmation From the Following Context

And lest you think I’m completely crazy in reading the parable of the talents in this way, consider where Jesus goes next, in the conclusion to his speech. What is the only observable difference between the sheep and the goats, between those who find eternal life and those sent to eternal death?