PARABLE OF THE TALENTS / MINAS.
Jesus said these two parables on different occasions, with a change in the characters of the story, but with the same storyline! If we superimpose the two parables, we get the bigger story! "Again, the kingdom of heaven will be like a man (of noble birth) going on a journey (to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return). So he called ( ten of his servants and gave them ten minas / his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents and to another one talent, each according to his ability. ) 'Put this money to work,' he said, 'untilI I come back. Then he went on his journey. But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.' He was made king, however, and (after a longtime, the master of those servants) returned home and settled accounts with them. He sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. (The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more'/ The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, ... 'See, I have gained five more.') His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been ( faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things' / trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.') 'Come share your master's hapiness!' ... Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina. I ( kept it laid away in a piece of cloth / hid your talent in the ground.) I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.' His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant!' ... Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina / talent from him and give it to the one who has ten minas / talents. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them - bring them here and kill them in front of me.'" (Matthew 25:14-30/Luke 19:12-27) The Parable of the minas was told 'because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once.' ( Luke 19:11) The parable is a testimony against the Jews because the one they rejected as their king, however, is going to return as their King, whether they want him or not! Whereas, the parable of the talents was told when his disciples came to him privately and said, "Tell us, when will this happen and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" ( Matthew 24:3) The parable is an exhortation to all disciples to be faithful till the end. "It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions." ( Luke 12:43-44) 'For it is time for judgement to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?' ( 1 Peter 4:17) We will be judged for the quality of our work and not for the quantity of our work because that was decided by the Lord as he apportioned the talents to us according to our ability. That is why the servant who had gained two talents was rewarded, just like the one who had gained five talents, since both of them were found faithful in putting to work the mina / talent that was entrusted to them. 'Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.' (1 Corinthians 4:2) Many want to hold positions of authority but want no accountability! Not so in the kingdom of God! "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted much , much will be asked." (Luke 12:48) Those who are found faithful will have an abundance, while those who are unfaithful will lose everything they have. "For everyone who has will be given more and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." ( Matthew 25:29) Let's find out what has been entrusted to us and go about the Lord's business for the day is coming when 'each of us will give an account of himself to God.' (Romans 14:12) Amen.
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