Overview

Diocese of East Tennessee: Weekly Lectionary: "Today's readings celebrate Christ, our compassionate King. Ezekiel pictures God as our Shepherd, who rescues and watches over us. In both his letter to the Corinthians (BCP) and his letter to the Ephesians (RCL), Paul pictures Christ reigning triumphantly over creation, over his enemies, over the Church and even over death. Jesus presents a vision of final judgement, in which the Son of Man welcomes into God's kingdom those who have treated others with compassion and mercy."

Fear of responsibility

“The third slave was responsible for less, but he did not have less responsibility…. He went off by himself, dug a hole and buried what his master had given him. He was treating it the way people treated money that was stolen. Actually he did this because he looked at the talent with fear instead of faith.  He saw it as a burden instead of an opportunity….  So believers are not free to receive gifts from God and fail to use them for His glory.” – Stanley Horton

Second slave

Second slave didn’t apologize for having made less. A couple weeks ago,  I took up the offering by having the people give their offering to someone else  to take up.  I wanted them to recognize that when we give it is to each other, but perhaps you see the problem I did not.  People were weary about others knowing what they gave.  May we never be ashamed before men.

One talent

A talent based on my income would amount to $400,635.62  I can imagine myself that one talent guy.  How could I feel slighted simply because I’m not a millionaire?  This is a huge gift, the kind of thing that will actually get me to eat at McDonald’s for the opportunity of pulling off a monopoly sticker.  Oh God of gifts, teach me that you have showered gifts on me.  Teach me how to use it for your glory!

Online Etymology Dictionary

I've always tried to be careful to seperate the idea of our talents and giftings from the money in the parable. Then I had a thougth, and this confirms it. The english meaning of talent, as in talent show, developed directly from this parable! That is very interesting...

talent

1292, "inclination, disposition, will, desire," from O.Fr. talent, from M.L. talenta, pl. of talentum "inclination, leaning, will, desire" (1098), in classical L. "balance, weight, sum of money," from Gk. talanton "balance, weight, sum," from PIE *tel-, *tol- "to bear, carry" (see extol). Originally an ancient unit of weight or money (varying greatly and attested in O.E. as talente), the M.L. and common Romanic sense developed from fig. use of the word in the sense of "money." Meaning "special natural ability, aptitude," developed c.1430, from the parable of the talents in Matt. xxv:14-30.

Overview

Diocese of East Tennessee: Weekly Lectionary: "In today's readings, God asks us to make appropriate use of our gifts and talents. Zephaniah announces God's coming judgment against the self-indulgent and complacent. Paul urges his readers to quit worrying about the time of Jesus' return, and instead to live fully, now, as children of light. In Jesus' parable, two slaves wisely invest the talents entrusted to them, while a third slave cowers in fear."

Preparation

"Who then is this party of ten virgins? And where is the bride? There seems to be a puzzling omission here in this parable. The bride herself is not featured. The parable focusses on a bridal party, here termed virgins or bridesmaids. Bridesmaids typically are closely associated with the bride. But isn't a bridesmaid one who is preparing for her own future role as a bride? Is she not readying herself for her own wedding? This is a picture of the divine romance is it not? If that is so, then might the issue of bridal preparation be the main theme in this parable of the 10 virgins? "