Rt. Rev. Timothy Ravinder, Bishop in Coimbatore.

REWARD AND PUNISHMENT

Our Understanding of God as in the Parable of Talents

5th Sunday after Pentecost

 

A brief reflection on Matt 25, 14-30

 

If our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is forgiving and gracious, then why punish? If so, it undermines our understanding of God.  The faithful are rewarded and the unfaithful are punished. Here the third servant captures our attention. What did he do? Indeed the first one RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY to do business with their talents and gained a 100 percent profit, but the third servant… digs a hole in the ground to hide his master’s talent. Why?  I shall come to that in a minute. Just as there were no instructions in Matt. 25:15, there is no mention here of what business enterprise yielded the first two servants their respective profits. Let me now try to unpack a bundle of three arguments for better clarity:

 

INQUIRY…  Good Steward: Wise investment

The master arrives after a long absence, and the servants are called to give account for their resources which they had received. This actually portrays the final judgment and most importantly, we are alerted, of our ‘eschatological awareness’ (DT) Each of the first two servants demonstrate activity of their hard work and is described by the master as ‘good and faithful’. The MASTER REWARDS for their faithfulness and INVITES them to his joy. The greatest joy of a follower of Jesus is to share in that joy. Both servants receive the same reward even though the first accomplished quantitatively more than the second. This only shows that the ‘characteristic of fidelity... is rewarded, not merely by numerical success’. (T Frank)

 

IDLENESS… Choosing Security over Risk

One might anticipate that the third servant is handled differently or treated badly. As per our understanding from the parable in discussion, there is no indication of fraud committed or a scandal on his part and this servant has no intention to misappropriate the resource. His PROHIBITION and DISCRETION lead him to fearfulness. He preferred security over risk (DT). He is not ready to take this liability and therefore is hesitant, to use his resources and decides to preserve it by hiding them. He states that he did this because; he fears his master’s mind. The servant attempts to persuade the master that his caution is commendable. Despite calling his master “Master”, he has earned nothing. His estimate of the master’s harshness appears to be correct. The master is angry that this servant, whom he describes as WICKED AND LAZY, has not even deposited the money with bankers - to the least, where it could have earned some interest. He did not use his capabilities but rather criticised. But we all know, that... love demands risk: in our life situations. He did not take that risk.

 

INABILITY… Preserving the Master’s Resources 

Keeping to ourselves our resources is as senseless and useless as hiding one’s lamp under a basket (Matt. 5:15 ESV). INABILITY in this case IS NOT PRUDENCE but - unwilling to make an effort. The single talent will be taken from the third servant and given to the first servant. He has earned nothing for the master, since he freely admitted that he knew the master’s disposition. He was hesitant to struggle with the implications of risk-taking. He has made an unwise investment and hence, is now forfeited from receiving more responsibilities and resources; particularly he is UNABLE to be in the Lord’s joyous presence. Though the master’s action may seem harsh, it is balanced by the generosity of the abundant reward given to the first two servants.

 

The first two servants took a wise decision by READILY FACING UNCERTAINTY OF OPPORTUNITY and taking the risk and responsibility. They did well. They took the master seriously and invested their time and resources appropriately. As a result, they are now GIVEN MORE RESPONSIBILITIES and MORE RESOURCES at their disposal, for them to move on in life. They were INVITED INTO THE JOY of the master’s presence. The third servant demonstrates a lack of trust-worthiness that leads to removal of the original blessing. There is no excuse for inactivity, since it arises out of fear and misunderstanding. Take God and his Word seriously, being faithful in whatever we do. It is something of a daring kind of discipleship. Trustworthiness and the correct understanding of our God lead to even greater blessing. The followers of Jesus have been EQUIPPED TO SERVE GOD FAITHFULLY and are obligated to use their resources responsibly and diligently: be it duties and responsibilities or capabilities or even the gospel… GOD BEING OUR HELPER! God will call us to account for the stewardship of our individual abilities, gifts and resources -  nothing more and nothing less for “God gives and forgives; Humans get and forget”. God grants us abounding grace and plenty of mercy for us to use them wisely. AMEN

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Rt. Rev. Timothy Ravinder, Bishop in Coimbatore.

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