The parable of The Talents

Matthew 25:14-30

I did some ciphering on the "Talent"....
1 talent of gold was about 80 pounds....
In today's market - nominally worth about $1,500,000.00 USD. 1.5 MILLION dollars.

I don't know about you guys - but $1.5 MILLION dollars isn't small change you throw around or lay into the hands of somebody unproven... That's BIG money... There's no way anybody in their right mind would leave that sort of money into the hands of someone who isn't Trained, fully capable, AND has a proven track record of success.... It's not like putting 20 bucks into the hands of your kid or somebody off the street....

So, now, let's think about the fellow who got the ONE talent.... $1.5 MILLION dollars!
He had the correct training to achieve success.
He had a proven track record of being Capable of handling the responsibility of dealing with that sort of investment in the past.
He was TRUSTED by his master to DO SO....
AND his fellow servants had no trouble gaining significant increase.... so it's not like the Market was down.....

Then, he comes back with an excuse.... Oh, I was so fearful of you... You reap where you do not sow and you gather where you do not plant..... So fearful that I hid it and didn't do ANYTHING with it....

Really?

I don't know about you... but if I was TRULY FEARFUL of a master who reaps where he does not sow and gathers where he does not plant - I am going to be DARNED sure I bring him increase at ANY and ALL costs!

And notice how the Master calls him on this exact point - if you REALLY thought that about me - that I truly was a Harsh Master, and that you TRULY were incapable - you would have taken it to the bankers so I would have gotten interest.....

But... You DON'T think that of me - so you bring me back my money and NO increase!
 
What's really going on here? Why would a trusted, trained, proven capable INVESTMENT MANAGER bring back your money with no increase in a GOOD market that everybody's making money in? Fear? Nope....

Laziness - NOPE... If he was just Lazy, he would have put it with the bankers....

Fraud....

That guy took the Master's money and invested it for HIMSELF... He made increase and is trying to keep it all for himself under the pretenses of "I was afraid - here's your money back"

Now, the master's response makes more sense doesn't it.... He sniffed this out... He KNOWS the guy is lying to him....

The master's response of taking away the remaining investment and casting out that servant makes PERFECT SENSE doesn't it - He's now seen the Servant's true colors and isn't going to let him defraud him further....

This isn't a harsh and capricious master who holds people to unreasonable standards that they are not prepared or capable of meeting. Rather a Wise, Fair, and Trustworthy master who trains, prepares, selects, and proves out his servants BEFORE putting them into situations where they are in over their heads.....
 
So, then - HOW is this like the kingdom of Heaven?

Is God a harsh, capricious, untrustworthy master, plunging untested and incapable servants into situations where they have no chance of succeeding - and THEN punishing them for failure?

NO! Not at all!

What does Jesus say "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt 11:29-30)

He says "Learn from Me" - HE will teach us and prepare us.
He says "I am gentle and lowly in heart" - he will not DRIVE us past what we can handle
He says "My yoke is easy and my burden is light" - He will not task us with things we cannot successfully ACHIEVE through the exertion that we can sustain....

BUT.. There is one lesson from this parable.... If we try to keep HIS increase for ourselves - there is a heavy price to pay....
 
So, an interesting parallel between the Parable of the Talents in Matt 25 to the Parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22...

So.. There's this "Great ruler" who is hosting the wedding of his son.....
He sends out the "Invitation Reminder Crew" out to tell everybody it's time...

And one after one - they TURN HIM DOWN... Huh?

This should lead us to think.... WHY would they turn a "Great Ruler" down.....
Think for a minute...
If they LOVED this ruler - they would go out of love - even if they didn't want to...
If they FEARED this ruler - they would go out of Fear - even if they didn't want to...
If they RESPECTED him - they would go - even if they didn't want to.. (Think of business associates invited to a wedding.. They go out of respect for you)

and last - if they didn't feel ANY of the above - but thought simply that it would be a real good time - they would go for the fun of it....

So they beg out... There's obviously no Love, Fear, Respect, OR desire simply for enjoyment.... A statement that YOU have nothing I desire....

but, then - the next thing that happens is a total mystery.... Begging out is one thing... KILLING the servants sent to remind the guests takes it to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL.... Now, it's not just narcissism, disdain, or laziness - This is a sign of Open Aggression, not just disrespect and disdain...

So.. I gotta ask... WHY would you treat a "Great Ruler" this way? A declaration of WAR against the fellow over an invitation to A WEDDING?...

What makes someone turn the corner and think they are powerful enough to be "Untouchable".... These people believe that they are SO powerful and their resources are so large and that the cards in their hands are so great that they are in effect "Untouchable"...
 
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