25th Sunday after Pentecost
Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18; Psalm 90:1-12; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Matthew 25:14-30
The second of the three November parables in Matthew about the return of Jesus as the Son of Man – or the one like a human being – is not less enigmatic than the one of the ten bridesmaids last Sunday (see https://wp.me/p9drFo-q5).
Here, in the “parable of the talents,” the language of slavery might be a little off-putting. It is worth considering that in the Israelite society of the time, there was no salary and benefits, no compensation package, and almost no regulation of labor. Often, a person would be given food and housing in exchange for their labor and, therefore, be in bondage to their master. Slaves theoretically would be free to go if they had satisfied the initial terms of the agreement. It would be common for slaves to stay working for an honest and fair lord if that meant a dignified life. Therefore, we will instead refer to them as laborers.
Talents here are not something someone may be good at. A talent was a measure of precious metals. One talent would sustain a family for a lifetime. Therefore, this incredibly generous – some may say crazy – lord is placing very precious things in the care of the laborers. Theoretically, the more the lord trusts the laborer with these treasures, the more they risk wasting the lord’s generosity.
The theme of readiness flows from chapter 24 and the parable of the bridesmaids (25:1-2), even if the necessity of keeping watch is not literally mentioned here. Regardless of it, the lord returns, and he is a powerful one who can reap even where he does not seed. The laborers with multiple talents risked a lot but multiplied the treasures they received and, therefore, shared in the joy of their lord. The one that received only one small fortune didn’t do anything wrong by securing it against any possible loss. However, what was expected from the lord was not done either.
Zephaniah prophesied about the weeping and gnashing of teeth waiting for the ones who take the “Day of the Lord” lightly (1:12) and disregard the mandate to love God above all things and the neighbor as themselves, that is, sin against God (17). No amount of riches will satisfy God’s disappointment (18).
Paul warns about any false sense of security to the spiritually strong church in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 1:2-10). The thief can come anytime in the shadows (verse 2), but the baptized were created for brightness (5, 9).
The Psalmist confesses:
“7 For we are consumed by your anger;
we are afraid because of your wrath.
8 Our iniquities you have set before you,
and our secret sins in the light of your countenance.”
Bridging Faith 