GOSPEL READING
THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
The Talents: Mt 25,14-30
Following our reading of the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, we can see how verse 13 acts as a bridge into this next parable. What are we doing with our waiting time (other than sleeping) will now be the question.
Who might the man, 24,14, be?
A talent is a huge sum of money, for the purposes of this parable we could say a million pounds/dollars/euros. The man is giving his slaves considerable responsibility. (Many slaves in the Roman Empire did fulfil important positions from the imperial household down, as in the parable at the end of chapter 24.)
The word "talent" has entered modern languages from this parable to describe skills and abilities. See verse 25,15.
We note therefore how the story is set up in verses 14-15 and how the slaves do their business in verses 16-18. What is the significance of the length of time in verse 19?
Note too the parallel response and reward for the first two slaves in verses 20-23. What do we learn from them?
That leaves 25,24-30, the one talent slave's report, as the longest part of the parable. What can we learn from his actions and from the man's response?
There is a strong conclusion in verse 30; the expression is typical of Matthew. See 8,12; 13,42.50; 22,13; 24;51.
How does this parable form a bridge from the parable of the virgins to the great final scene which now follows? A look at the Sunday Gospel may help before we have our response.
The Sunday Gospel
The parable of the talents, Mt 25,14-30, is read on the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.
The OT reading is part of the last poem of the book of Proverbs, chapter 31,10-31. It provides a very definite understanding of the talent "each according to his ability".
Time now for my response.
We can now come to the grand finale of the chapter and of the ministry of Jesus, the coming of the Son of Man, 25,31-46.