Perhaps like me you come away from this parable with mixed feelings. Here we have a master who is portrayed on the one hand as goodhearted and generous, rewarding equally each of the two who invested and doubled their talents: "Well done good and trustworthy "slave"(that doesn’t sit so well either), you have done well with a few things, so I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share in your master’s joy." On the other hand, we have a harsh and cruel absentee landlord condemning the third slave who had been given less to begin with, and who buried it for safekeeping: "You lazy slave, what you have will be taken away from you and given to the one who had the most to begin with. For all those who have, more will be given (sounds like the tax cuts), but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. Cast this slave into the outer darkness." This seems like flagrant injustice and a reflection of the ways of this world of the haves and have-nots, with the rich getting richer. And the portrayal of such a master would suggest that all of the slaves have been motivated by fear in order to avoid his wrath. Some biblical scholars wonder if that wasn’t in fact what Jesus was alluding to in this parable – the cruel realities of the world as it is. It’s also important to remember that this passage was written by Matthew 50 or 60 years after Jesus’ death, at a time when this community of followers was expecting and waiting for his return and God’s rescuing them from the oppression and difficulties they were facing. The challenge was to keep the faith and continue to spread the gospel. Or perhaps this reflects some of Matthew’s hostility to a Judaism that he felt had become self-protective and not expansive in its faith. In any case, this rather apocalyptic vision of Matthew is not a very comforting portrayal of a returning Jesus, or of the realm of God. But, let’s find a message in this parable for us Christians. By the way, this has traditionally been a favorite passage for church stewardship campaigns. Something tells me that this would not work for us here! Back to the parable: A "talent" was originally a measure of weight, and later an amount of silver or gold. What’s interesting is that in antiquity money was often hidden or buried for safekeeping, because there were no banks. And, actually in Jesus’ day, charging interest was against Jewish law. And then over time, the word "talent" has become a synonym for personal abilities and gifts. This is not really a parable about money, or the importance of capital gains. Which is a good thing, because in today’s economic climate it could be rather confusing. Would one have been better off playing it safe and pulling money out of those investments and burying it under a mattress, or in a very low-interest money market account (which I should have done !)? I was like the bad steward of money who did nothing, by sitting on it, fearful about making the wrong move. And now many of us feel like were in that outer darkness about such things. But what if this is really a story about being faithful with the gifts and talents and all with which we have been entrusted? Is it rather a story about moving beyond our fears, beyond those safe places and those things that would hold us back? Matthew reflects a Jesus challenging the disciples to get busy with the work of the realm of God, and not to simply sit on the eternal truths they have received, merely holding on and guarding them in fear. The point of the parable is that talents are given to be used. We are not all given the same, but none is without. And all who make use of their gifts experience the blessings of growth. But, if we don’t use them they atrophy and we lose them. The reason the one-talent slave played it safe was because of his fear. We live in difficult and uncertain times. Many are fearful. And hopes and expectations for a better world are being tested, even fading. And the focus then becomes security and protecting what we have, and what we have become accustomed to. In the aftermath of this past election Democrats find themselves disappointed, disillusioned and rationalizing and spinning their losses.It is said that they put forth no clear message, and that they played it safe by timidly going along. Now, I’m not under any illusion that the Democrats or the Republicans are going to bring in the Kingdom – the realm of God. But this is not to say that particular policies do not matter in that regard. The point of today’s lessons, however, is that in spite of the way things are, as Christians, as followers of Jesus, we do have a clear message, a message about love and justice and community. And we’re called to live this out courageously extending ourselves and using our gifts for that realm of God. Jesus dared to present a different alternative to the existing empire. He spoke of a new way of seeing, of living, and of ordering life, with a concern for the good of all the people. This is the realm of God, and he challenged his followers to live into this vision, because it only becomes a reality as persons live it out. The parable’s message for us is about not being content with things as they are. It’s about risking and investing ourselves and what we have been given in speaking out and challenging the oppressive and dominating influences in our world; it’s about justice and compassion and caring for the earth; it’s about being faithful in our own time, and keeping hope alive. Paul, in this morning’s passage from Thessalonians, urges those Christians to maintain hope as they wait for Jesus’ return and the realm of God. He says, "You are children of the light, because upon you the light and truth of the gospel has shined. And as you live in the light and grow in courage and hope and love, so will the community as well. The return of Christ comes not as some apocalyptic event, but as God’s love is made flesh in us, and as we live out our calling as the body of Christ in the world. The responsibility for the future is ours. May our love for one another, our life together, and the
expansiveness of our love speak a word of hope and inspiration in a
broken world. Amen. |
