Talents Anonymous

AM Psalm 26, 28 • PM Psalm 36, 39
Joshua 2:15-24 • Rom. 11:13-24 • Matt. 25:14-30

I was drawn to today’s reading from Matthew not because of insight or inspiration. It’s a parable that has always been murky to me — the story of the master who gives three servants varying amounts of money and then leaves on a journey. My first toe-stub: the master doesn’t give them directives; he doesn’t tell them if/when he’s returning. He’s given them each a literal fortune.

[Since I love history: In the Old Testament the word “talent” appears when describing how much gold the Israelites used to build their tabernacle. It was a unit of measurement for weighing precious metals like silver and gold (both of equal value then) and weighed about 73 pounds. The Israelites used 29 talents of gold in the construction of their tabernacle.

In the New Testament the word meant something different. From the Greek word tálanton, it was a large monetary measurement equal to 6,000 drachmas or denarii, the Greek and Roman coins. Figuring one talent of gold weighs approximately 33 kg/73 lbs, and in June 2022, gold is $58 per gram/$58,103 per kilo. Multiply that by 33kg = $1,917,399 for one talent, the amount given to servant #3. Servant #2 = $3,834,798 and servant #1 is given $9,586,995. Given those amounts, I would think the master wasn’t coming back!]

Second toe-stub: my research found many commentators who view the master as representing God, and that we are not to waste what gifts we are given. If so and God throws the third servant out to weep and gnash his teeth, the master confirms he’s the merciless boss the servant perceived him to be in the first place and explains his fear. Problematic for me.

Others interpreted the parable alternatively, saying it is a parable of critique rather than commendation. The master, rather than a stand in for God, is a member of the unjust elite whose wealth came from oppressing others. The servant who buries the talent, rather than being a fearful and lazy slave, is one who refuses to be complicit in the exploitation carried out by his master, critiquing the unfruitfulness of money which bares nothing when planted (unlike the wealth of creation). He is cast into the outer darkness, ostracized for not accepting an economy in which the poor will only get poorer while the rich get richer. In this, he is not unlike Jesus who will be cast out, spit upon, and crucified. (Ragan Sutterfield, Radical Discipleship.)

Hmmm.

After days of reading other people’s interpretations, I happened upon a short play written for bible study by Michele Pitman.** I laughed out loud! — a humorous skit immediately cleared my doubt and brought into sharp focus the point I think Jesus was aiming for! I’ll give an abbreviated version.

The skit’s setting is a meeting of Talents Anonymous; a leader comes in and leads several people in a pledge: Cause me not the inconvenience of being Talented so that I may forever live in comfortable mediocrity.

The group commiserates with one person who is having a difficult time: We’ve had Talent too, and it caused us no end of inconvenience. Some more than others! But! We are here to help each other to remain as unsuccessful and as tiresomely mediocre as possible. Having Talent is an overwhelming responsibility isn’t it, folks?

The leader grows more impassioned and the group starts getting rowdy, yelling out in agreement: Talent is for those who can handle the commitment, the energy and the time as well as the relationships that it seems to inspire. Using a Talent is for those who aren’t selfish, or who don’t care if they’re being imposed upon. It’s only for those who can enjoy the thrill of changing people’s lives for the better. It is not for the majority of us who want to keep the status quo at all costs! And — who can’t tolerate large amounts of work that isn’t tedious, boring or unnecessary.

With the speech over, the group socializes. Before bidding adieu, the leader reminds them: And remember! A Talent used is a Talent doubled. You have to make the choice, what’s it gonna be? Double or nothing!

I don’t pretend to know what Jesus was thinking when he told this story. And I can’t explain the details. But I do understand the risk of trying to use what you’ve been given for good, the risk of discomfort and vulnerability; the risk in cruciform love — imitating the unselfish, sacrificial, self-offering love that Jesus lived.

** http://www.dramatix.org/archive/Walk/talents_anonymous.html

Written by Bernadette Reda

Never living a dull life, I continue to amuse myself while striving to love as Jesus did. Isn’t humor a wonderful gift?!