Matthew 25:14-30
1- Read the parable. re-read it until it is clear what it is about. Pay attention to what it is about and details. Summarize the facts.\
A master went on a journey. He gave talents to three servants-the amount based on the ability of the servant. One servant got 5 talents, one got 2, and one got 1. The servant who recieved 5 talents doubled the amount to 10. The servant who got 2 talents doubled the amount to 4. The servant who got 1 talent buried it, and made no profit. The master returned and called the servants in to settle. The first two servants showed the master their profit and he told both that they would be rewarded with much responsibility. The servant who made no profit told the master he buried it and said that the master took what wasn't his. He was thrown out and the master told him that he was lazy and selfish. The master aslo said that he should have put the talent into the bank so he would gain interest.
2- Put it into context based on what in known about ancient Israel.
Ancient Israel was made up of 3 systems. The household, the city, and the kingdom-in that order. The master was master of 1 system, the household and therefore had power over the three servants. He left on a long journey, most likely one of importance because he expected to be gone long-handing out responsibilities. The talents he handed out were part of his distribution of responsibility. Firstly what is a talent? A talent is worth thousands of dollars, and he left hundreds of thousands of dollars in the hands of his servants. It can be assumed then, that he was not testing the servant's loyalty or honesty because it is too great of a sum of money to risk. At the end of the parable we learn that the master exploits other people around him, his neighbors-taking what they planted and planting in their land. Before we find that two of the servants doubled their amount of talents. How did they do this? Did they exploit others as their master did. If so, their motives were surely to gain more power, because on the master's return they received more responsibly. The third servant, the one who called the master out in his exploitive actions buried his talent. In ancient Israel if a man buries money, they are not responsible if it is stolen. The servant, maybe a just and conscience man washed his hands of the "dirty money." Dirty because of the ways in which it was obtained.
3- Who is the audience? Why did Jesus tell this parable to certain people at this certain time?
We know that Jesus told this parable with the intent of teaching about the Kingdom of God because the parable before this one is explaining that, and this one opens with also it is like a master... We also know that Jesus is telling this parable from a Temple to both the rich and the poor. The audience that Jesus' message is directed to are the people being exploited like the master's neighbors and the people doing the exploiting, like tax collectors and soldiers.
We know that Jesus told this parable with the intent of teaching about the Kingdom of God because the parable before this one is explaining that, and this one opens with also it is like a master... We also know that Jesus is telling this parable from a Temple to both the rich and the poor. The audience that Jesus' message is directed to are the people being exploited like the master's neighbors and the people doing the exploiting, like tax collectors and soldiers.
4- Determine who is the main character and analyze his actions. Why did he do this? Character sketch.
The main character is the third servant who buries the talent. He is a round character who changes. We only see him post change, but with the knowledge that he worked for the master before tells us that a change happened. The change is that previously, before the master's journey, he worked for the master and helped in the exploitation of the master's neighbors. But in burying the money he rebels against the master by doing nothing. He does this because he knows that the terrorizing of the master's neighbors is wrong and stands up against it. His actions are the basis of Jesus' message and the conflict occurs because of his actions.
The main character is the third servant who buries the talent. He is a round character who changes. We only see him post change, but with the knowledge that he worked for the master before tells us that a change happened. The change is that previously, before the master's journey, he worked for the master and helped in the exploitation of the master's neighbors. But in burying the money he rebels against the master by doing nothing. He does this because he knows that the terrorizing of the master's neighbors is wrong and stands up against it. His actions are the basis of Jesus' message and the conflict occurs because of his actions.
5- What is the main focus, purpose, theme. What is the is he trying to convey to his audience?
The main focus or purpose of the parable is to show the exploited or the morally conscience people that they can stand up to what they think is wrong. The third servant believed that his master's means of success was wrong and therefore when offered to become apart of it, refused-burying the money. Although the third servant was low in power and position and was vulnerable to exploitation himself he took a stand and buried the money. But because he acted alone and did not band together with either the other servants or the neighbors he was exploited and thrown out. Jesus' message is to have the power to stand up but have the smarts to gain power in numbers.
The main focus or purpose of the parable is to show the exploited or the morally conscience people that they can stand up to what they think is wrong. The third servant believed that his master's means of success was wrong and therefore when offered to become apart of it, refused-burying the money. Although the third servant was low in power and position and was vulnerable to exploitation himself he took a stand and buried the money. But because he acted alone and did not band together with either the other servants or the neighbors he was exploited and thrown out. Jesus' message is to have the power to stand up but have the smarts to gain power in numbers.
6- What is the moral of this parable? Write conclusion.
The moral of this parable is to stand up against what you see as wrong, as the third servant did. And to do it with a support system.
The moral of this parable is to stand up against what you see as wrong, as the third servant did. And to do it with a support system.
7- Relate to current events.
The main point in the journal: Social Class as an Analytic and Hermeneutical Category in Biblical Studies was that to understand any parable to our best abilities is to know which social class we belong to. Gottwald says this is a difficult thing to do because once we become associated and belong to a social class we take responsibility for that social class and it's actions. Gottwald also says there are two social classes the exploited and the exploiter and in the Parable of the Talents the master and his three servants were the exploiter, taking advantage of their neighbors, the exploited. Then the third servant puts himself into the class of exploited by calling out his master.
The main point in the journal: Social Class as an Analytic and Hermeneutical Category in Biblical Studies was that to understand any parable to our best abilities is to know which social class we belong to. Gottwald says this is a difficult thing to do because once we become associated and belong to a social class we take responsibility for that social class and it's actions. Gottwald also says there are two social classes the exploited and the exploiter and in the Parable of the Talents the master and his three servants were the exploiter, taking advantage of their neighbors, the exploited. Then the third servant puts himself into the class of exploited by calling out his master.
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