During Holy Week, Jesus taught the disciples on the Mount of Olives. It was hard teaching, full of warning to be watchful, to pray, and to put what he’s given us to work. He ended with three parables, including the parable of the talents.
John Chrysostom, 5th-century archbishop of Constantinople, offers these insights on how to live in light of these teachings in his ancient commentary:
“‘Let us, therefore, knowing these things, contribute whatever we have – wealth, diligence, or caregiving – for our neighbor’s advantage. For the talents here are each person’s abilities, whether in the way of protection, or in money, or in teaching, or in whatever thing you have been given. Let no one say, ‘I have but one talent and can do nothing with it.’ You are not poorer than the widow. You are not more uninstructed than Peter and John, who were both ‘unlearned and ignorant men.’”
“For this end God gave us speech, and hands, and feet, and strength of body and mind and understanding, that we might use all these things both for our own salvation and for our neighbor’s advantage. Our speech is not only useful for hymns and thanksgiving, but it is profitable also for instruction and admonition. And if indeed we use it to this end, we should be imitating our Master; but if for the opposite ends, the devil.”
The faithful and unfaithful stewards
In the parable of the talents, Jesus says plainly that faithful stewards demonstrate that they come to know the Master by putting the Master’s resources to work. In so doing, they enter the joy of the Lord. Meanwhile, the unfaithful steward shows what he (wrongly) believes about the Master by how he fails to act. He seals his own doom and is banished to the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.
What is our Master trying to teach us? Chrysostom nails it. As we obey our Master, we both work out our own salvation (Philippians 2:12-15) and serve as conduits of blessing to those around us, namely, our neighbors. In plain terms, “we figure it out as we live it out,” and there’s no excuse not to practice this, because even unlearned blokes like Peter and John could do this – not by their brilliance, but rather, by humble obedience.
What about you? Are you using your talents for your own salvation and your neighbor’s advantage? If not, Chrysostom and I would urge you to assess which Master you are serving. Why? Chrysostom concludes with these words highlighting the eternal implications of our response: “As we have opportunity, let us work to cooperate with our salvation. Let us get oil for our lamps. Let us labor to add to our talent. For if we are backward and spend our time in sloth here, no one will pity us any more hereafter, though we should wail ten thousand times….”
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