It is not merely nuanced – this is what really matters – what we do
with wealth.
As was stated in post #26: it “most strikingly acknowledges Christ’s respect for the work of business.”
And this is how:
In the parable of the talents, Jesus lauds the servant who has multiplied talents – “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Mt 25: 14-30).
Christ certainly praised the wise use of the fundamental right of economic initiative and prudence in this parable.
- “There is the emphasis on the ‘talent’, which is a measure of value.
- “The trading activity of the two stewards is important. Christ praises them for the energy, alertness, and perseverance they demonstrate in making a truly significant profit (they have doubled the original sum). There is a reference to accountability which is crucial to any business.
- “Then the nuanced criticism of fear: ‘I was afraid, and I went off and hid your talent in the ground.’ This fear leads the lazy steward to avoid the risks and obstacles that are a key part of entrepreneurial work.
- “There is the clear reference to the financial system. The lazy steward at least could have placed the ‘money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.’ ”
“We can this affirm unambiguously that Jesus Christ ‘looks with love on upon human work’
and that the work of the merchant – the businessman or the entrepreneur – is one of the ‘different forms’ of work that is affirmed. The parable of the talents makes this clear by its reference to money, trading, risk taking and banking.”
Entrepreneurship in the Catholic Tradition, Fr Anthony G Percy, Lexington Books, 2010, p 48-49].
Free enterprise and entrepreneurship have been lauded first by Christ in the Parables of the Dishonest Steward and The Talents, and by the Fathers of the Church, and by Popes in
Centesimus Annus and
Caritas in Veritate.
Whoa, slow down there.
kingjamesbibleonline.org/book.php?book=Matthew&chapter=25&verse=
biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25&version=NIV
Yes, Matthew 25 has many economic and financial stuff references - investment, interest, inflation, cash-flow, … and partially important, for deeper understanding, is how the economic and financial stuff was back then, i.e. whether there was any or which form/s of
financial debt under which conditions, how did exchangers make or earn money or similar (i.e. how were they able, as described in the parable, to pay interest for deposited money - similary, how did the two servants double what they had), and other things.
Nevertheless, while Matthew 26:1 reiterates that the sayings were by Jesus, in Matthew 25:14-30 it does not explicitly say that the mentioned lord is Jesus, and the mentioned man could be interpreted as a businessman/enterpreneur (and, perhaps not only, his approach).
Talent perhaps is (also) a reference to “(group of) aptitudes”, though it is more likely that here it refers to unit of mass and value, expressed in “money”, albeit there is certainly more to these matters, and interestingly the heavy common talent is 58,9 kilogrames.
Matthew 25:14
“For [the kingdom of heaven is] as a man travelling into a far country, [who] called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.”
A bit funny in itself when you think about who is usually giving who whose goods.
Notice that while one gained five more talents, and one gained two more talents, both are cherished the same in 21 and 23, as they basically achieved the same.
“His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
which, by the way, sounds as promotion, partnership, and/or having them marry his daughters.
25-27, i agree that there is nuanced criticism of being afraid, and there is arguably also a case for not hamstering, though your conclusion there seems as an overgeneralization.
Matthew 25:28
“Take therefore the talent from him, and give [it] unto him which hath ten talents.”
in the view of that the one with eleven talents is more likely to double it again than the one who hid it.
Matthew 25:29
“For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.”
Probably simply reference to interest and inflation.
Matthew 25:30
“And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Sound and common sense advice considering e.g. when a craftman has to work also during night due to his own business situation and/or market/s situation, and can’t afford “employees” which don’t bring in profit, with “inner darkness” as reference to lack of money even for oil in lamps (in itself it may also be due to lack of oil, but i guess night shifts weren’t really usual), albeit in time of plenty it may also just be reference of common reasoning (e.g. only three spots for “employess” of a craftsman with others looking for work) with “outer darkness” perhaps as reference to “not knowing in world” and “inner darkness” as “not knowing within”.
So yeah, while there certainly is many about enterpreneurship, importance thereof, and in particular values thereof, there is also a bigger picture and details to it. And yeah, what happens with wealth, how it is used, has a role.
