Parable of the Talents

[Wieland]

Hi everyone! I’m new here. I’m looking for some insight on a Bible passage I discussed with a coworker: the Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25 (I think another version is somewhere else in the Gospels). We were wondering about the person of the Master in the story; whom does he represent? I have always assumed the Master refers to God, but the passage has a seemingly unflattering description of him: “a hard man, harvesting where [he has] not sown and gathering where [he has] not scattered seed”, a description that the Master seems to confirm in verse 26. Is the master a metaphor for God? and if so, what does this description say about him?
Thank you for your comments!

 

[Huiou_Theou]

Parables are examples which were close to the very people being taught. The event described in the parable is close to everyone in the audience, and the audience may have known
many such masters and stewards.

The parable ends in an argument where the steward lodges a complaint against the Master. And that is the key point –
even though the master grants the complaint, there is still no
justification for the steward’s inaction.

But, think about it! the master obviously did sow something.
The investment itself. He isn’t bothering to defend himself
on that ground.

It is a mistake to focus on the Master’s actions, as that
puts one in the same place as the bad steward
who allowed the grudge he bore against the Master to affect
how he did his own duty.

Many people of Jesus’ day would have taken the examples
of human masters and compared God to them. This is a
mistake and a human tendency. The argument then is this:
Even if you have this complaint, what good is it?

The problem is that many people have complaints with God – unjustified if they knew the whole truth – but none the less, these complaints can lead individuals to become fascinated with the accusations rather than fascinated with doing good.

Consider the complaint of many evil characters in the book
of Revelation. What shows forth is that when a just
punishment finally descends upon them – they do not repent,
but curse God all the more. Why enter an argument that
can’t be won?

 

[Wieland]

Huiou,
That’s very helpful, thank you. So could you say the master represents not God, but also any human person who has placed a trust in us? The fact that we have complaints against them does not excuse our shirking the duty we have towards them. Is this a possible interpretation? I am still uncomfortable with the servant’s description of his master being applied directly to God.

 

[Huiou_Theou]

Wieland,

The parable is supposed to make one uncomfortable.
God is fully good, and just – not exactly like a human master.
God in his justice will punish the wicked – or equivalently
the wicked will be unable to face God because of their
hatred.

I would say that the Master represents anyone with a
lawful expectation of return – that can be God also,
but not exclusively. The problem is the accusation –
in the case of God, it would be fiction.

On the day of judgment, I expect many false accusations
will be leveled at Jesus by the accusations aimed at “the
least of my people”. I don’t have the wisdom to know
how Jesus will respond on their behalf, but I do know that
there is often nothing more fitting than showing an opponent
that even their perverted arguments and lies are insufficient
to justify themselves.

 

[John_Hiner]

Hi everyone! I’m new here. I’m looking for some insight on a Bible passage I discussed with a coworker: the Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25 (I think another version is somewhere else in the Gospels). We were wondering about the person of the Master in the story; whom does he represent? I have always assumed the Master refers to God, but the passage has a seemingly unflattering description of him: “a hard man, harvesting where [he has] not sown and gathering where [he has] not scattered seed”, a description that the Master seems to confirm in verse 26. Is the master a metaphor for God? and if so, what does this description say about him?
Thank you for your comments!

It seems to me that the Master does represent Christ. In the story before, the Bridegroom is Christ, and the passage immediately after is about the Son of Man coming in judgment. It seems untenable to hold that the Master in the middle story does not represent Christ in judgment.

I do not take the line you mention to be unflattering. Rather, I think this is an important image of the respect that God has for men. This parable shows that we are co-actors with God. We are not mere tools in His hands. Rather we are co-workers in a common effort to sanctify and save the world. This parable firmly makes the point that we are not expected just to have faith and rely on Jesus to do everything. Rather, we are expected to help Him in His work. He looks to reap were He has left us to sow, till, and harvest.

This parable is an image of the Catholic view of merit. God’s investment precedes our ability to act at all. Without the master’s money, none of the servants could make a profit. However, once God has given us the grace we need to act – in the form of our life, our continued existence, the entire material world, our capacities, etc. – He entrusts those gifts to our care and use. He expects us to make them pay. We must work to merit a return for Him on what He has given us. We are co-workers, not mere tools.

What the lazy servant interprets as “hardness” in the Master is in fact the respect which the Master gives to the servant. The Master does not coddle the servant – which to the lazy servant seems harsh. However, to a son, who willingly joins in the family’s work and who wants to bring it to fruition, this is not harsh, rather it is an honor to be trusted and to be treated as a (junior) partner in the Master’s affairs. This is part of what it means to be treated like sons rather than slaves. (Cf. John 15:15.) It is an image of relating to God “man to Man,” if one can put it that way.

Note the reward which is promised to those who take up the challenge and give the Master a harvest which He has not sown: “His lord said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant, because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matt 25:23 (DRA))

Note the punishment for the lazy servant: “And the unprofitable servant cast ye out into the exterior darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt 25:30 (DRA))

The punishment is hell. The reward is more responsibility in furthering the Master’s work. This is joy. This is “reigning with Christ.” (See, Apocalypse 20.)

Gaudium Domini nobiscum.

John Hiner