Talents

In exploring my own presuppositions about the Bible I've discovered a few things.

1. I tend to read the Bible according to what it has to say TO ME, or the Church.
2. I've interepreted much of what I've read with very little understanding of the history of Israel or the Jewish people.
3. Because I have not understood the history of Israel, or the 1st Century Jewish worldview, I have tended to remove the NT writings from their original setting and tended toward "over-spiritualized" interpretations.
   
4. I have totally misunderstood some of the narratives and teachings of Jesus because of numbers 1 and 2.
5. If I've misunderstood the narratives and teachings of Jesus, there is a good chance I've misunderstood Jesus.
   

Let's take the Parable of the Talents for instance. The way I've typically interpreted I could sum up the story like this:

Jesus is going to be gone a long time. He gave us all resources to use for His glory. We better use them wisely, for His glory, or we will be judged when He comes back.

This sounds like the typical interpretation I've heard around most churches. Sounds reasonable, and it's a good way to manipulate people into "kingdom work". The trouble is that it is totally wrong!

Instead of asking what these stories tell me, first I'm going to ask: How would the 1st Century Jew hear these stories? THEN I can ask what the story tells me and the Church.

The context: Jesus is leaving the Temple and talking to the disciples about the coming judgement that will fall on the Temple and it's system (Math. 24).

Historical Background: Israel has been under occupation for a long time. They are waiting for the Messiah who will restore the land, and redeem them from the captivity of the pagans. There is a general belief that the time is ripe for the Messiah to free Israel. Messianic fervor is common.

The important part of interpreting this text is that Jesus is Yahweh! Jesus is God. He has come to Israel in a time that they didn't expect and He is judging the religious system. The kingdom of Israel has failed it's mission : To be light to the world (Math 5:15-16), and bless all the families of the earth (Gen. 12:1-3). He is initiating His kingdom, which will be one of love, grace, justice, healing. . . A kingdom full of people who "turn the other cheek", "walk the extra mile", feed the hungry, comfort the stranger, accept the outcast, heal the sick, will be inclusive of all people. . . What has Israel done? Instead of blessing the world, they got hypnotized looking at their own bellybuttons. They turned inward. They kept the light for themselves. They turned what was meant for the world rules for entrance into a club.

Mat 21:43 Therefore I say to you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing out its fruits.

In this background Jesus tells the disciples the Parable of the Talents. Did he tell it to the Church? No. Did He tell it to me? No. He told it to a band of 1st Century Jewish followers who thought they were riding the coat-tails of the next Messiah. A group of guys who had no clue they were following Yahweh.

In this context, the parable takes on a different meaning. It was not about being faithful while Jesus was away, but that Israel was being judged. Israel was the third servant who had done nothing with what he had been given, and was now being judged by Yahweh in the flesh.

Does this parable have any meaning for the Church, or individuals within the Church? Yes. Can the Church, or the individuals who comprise the Church, be guilty of the same thing today? I would say that much of organized religion especially is guilty of looking at their own bellybutton instead of living in the Kingdom. I would say it is just as tempting to relegate the Kingdom to a "just God and me" mentality that also shuts out the world.

This is not as "pretty" of an interpretation as you might get elsewhere. It is not so applicable to "our circumstances". It is not about being ready for the return of Christ. It is not about living in fear that we have done enough. But, it is about judgement. The judgement of a religious system that was being judged by God in the flesh.

I challenge you to read Jesus' Parables with this context in mind. I believe they will begin to make more sense. . .