Articles
A Hard Master
Jesus’ Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) is a well-know story about the judgment. In fact, it is on the basis of this story that the word talent refers to one’s ability. Originally a talent was a weight, then a measure of money.
In the story a master entrusted his possessions to his slaves before going on a journey. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to a third, one. When the master returned he settled accounts. The five-talent slave had gained five more, and the two-talent slave had gained two more. The one-talent slave did not work with his; instead, he buried it. He explained that he knew the master to be “a hard man,” and out of fear he had hidden his talent, but at least now he could return it.
The one-talent slave accused his “hard” master of reaping where he did not sow and gathering where he did not scatter. The word translated scatter can refer either to scattering in a general sense or to winnowing, the process of separating grain at the harvest. Whether this is a reference to winnowing (KJV, RSV) or a parallel reference to sowing seed (NASB, NKJV, ESV) makes no difference. Either way, the slave accused his master of unduly profiting from others’ labor. In this slave’s mind, his own failure was the master’s fault!
The one-talent slave epitomizes excuse-makers at the judgment. “I didn’t know.” “I was deceived.” “I was afraid.” “I intended to.” “Your way was too hard.” “There were too many obstacles.” “I did some of what You asked.” “I did a lot of things in Your name” (Matthew 7:22). “I didn’t think You really meant it.”
The parable itself reveals the absurdity of the one-talent slave’s charge. The master generously gave everyone a significant sum to work with. He evidently apportioned the money to each one’s ability so as not to be overburdensome. At the end he graciously welcomed his slaves into his joy, promising them a greater position. As for the extra talents he “gathered” from the other slaves, these were the result of his seed that he had entrusted to them.
The master completely rejected the one-talent slave’s rationale. He called him wicked and lazy: wicked, for misrepresenting the master and himself, and lazy, for not working in the master’s absence. Accepting for the moment the slave’s description of him, he said at the very least the slave should have put his money in the bank so it would draw interest. That would have been the easiest thing to do to make at least a little gain, but the slave did not even do that! His verdict? "Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (vv. 28-30).
Jesus is the master. We are the slaves. He has entrusted much to us. What are we doing in His service in preparation for His return?
