Matthew 25:14-30 and the Use of Talents

2.1. INTRODUCTION

The word Talent and its use are found in two places in Matthew’s gospel, namely in 18:23-27 and 25:14-30. As mentioned earlier, it is in Matthew 25:14-30 that Talent is used in the context of the family as a socio-economic organism and as an analogy to the Kingdom of Heaven and its characteristics. This is the reason for taking the latter pericope especially as the basis of the study in this book. The pericope is in the literary context of Jesus’ teaching about eschatology in Matthew’s gospel (cf. Matt. 24:29-44, 25:24-30, 31-46), according to which the believers on earth already live in the Kingdom of Heaven but will know its fullness when Jesus returns. Meanwhile the children of the Kingdom of Heaven actively work out of love and with loyalty as they serve Jesus Christ, using their respective abilities / gifts ( χάρισμα [chárisma]) until He comes (cf. Gen. 2:7-15; 1 Thess. 4:11; 2 Thess. 3:10; also read Matt. 6:23). This characterizes the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, and shows that Christians are children of the Kingdom of Heaven. Working as God’s children results in His blessings being poured out on them, and enables them to do the various diaconal and missional works God expects from them.

The parable in Matthew 25:14-30 teaches the readers the identity of the Kingdom of Heaven: it being a new socio-economic organic family. This will be dealt with in the following paragraphs.

2.2. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN: A NEW SOCIO-ECONOMIC ORGANIC FAMILY

This section will discuss the definition of the new socio-economic organic family aspect of the Kingdom of Heaven according to Matthew’s gospel. Then the place and the value of work within such a Kingdom as a socio-economic organism will be looked at.

2.2.1. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN: A NEW FAMILY

As in the other Synoptic gospels, the main topic in Matthew’s is the Kingdom of Heaven. This passage in Matthew 25:14-30 tells a parable about it. The whole of Matthew’s gospel describes the Kingdom of Heaven as a new family. In several texts, the first Person is called “Father”, Jesus Christ “Lord” and the people of the kingdom “children”. The name “Father” given to the first Person appears 45 times in the gospels (cf. 5:48, 6:911, 25-34; 7:21; 10:32-33; 11:25-27; 12:50; 15:13; 16:27; 18:10, 14, 19, 35; 20:23; 25:34; etc.). Calling Him Father implies that the people in His Kingdom are His children (cf. Deut. 14:1; 32:6). For example, in Matthew 23:9 Jesus admonishes His followers to call no man “Father” on earth except the first Person in God, and calls all His followers “brethren” (23:8). All believers are brethren of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, through the bond of baptism (28:18-20) and by doing the Father’s will (12:50). Calling Him Father also means that all believers are His children; they put everything concerning their lives under His care with total trust (6:9-11, 25-34; 14:13-21). So, God being the Father, Jesus and all believers His children, imply that His kingdom is a new family, in which God is the Head (cf. 13:27, 52; 20:1, 11; 21:33; 24:43). Jesus Christ, who is the firstborn Son, is also called “Lord” (κύριος [kúrios], Eng. Lord, Master)67 (10:21) or the sole “Leader” (ὁκαθηγητής [ho kathēgētis], Eng. teacher, leader, Matt. 23:10).68

Matthew 25:14-30 is one of the passages where Matthew speaks of His Kingdom as a family. In this parable, we find the word “Master” ( Κύριος [Kúrios], Eng. Lord, Ruler, The One who commands, Master) occurring 15 times. The man (ἄνθρωπος , [anthrōpos])69 going on a journey mentioned in verse 14, is none other than Jesus Christ who was taken up into heaven after His resurrection (cf. Mark 16:19). The fact that He is called “Master” ( Κύριος [Kúrios]) here indicates that He is the Head of a family, which is evidenced by the use of “his property” (τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ, [tà upárchonta autoũ ]):70 this indicates that He is a rich Father / Patron and the only owner of the property. The use of the word “slaves” (doúloi, Eng. slaves, servants) is further evidence: the slaves who are responsible for the running of the socio-economic organic family are His property, too. The slaves here are all the disciples or the followers of Jesus Christ.71

In this parable, it is said that the father / patron was going on a journey (verse 14). In the Greco-Roman world there were many reasons for this but the most popular and probable in this case is that he went away, accompanied by some of his slaves, to sell off the products acquired by the family. The fact that he entrusted his property to the three slaves proves their responsibility for the acquisition and multiplication of his wealth together with the promotion of his power and honour.72 All of this clearly shows that the parable illustrates the socio-economic organic aspect of a family in the first century CE, as explained above.

The word “property” (v. 14, tà upárchonta)73 is also related to Talent (τάλαντα , v. 15)74 in the present case, that is to say, Talent here indicates the father / patron’s wealth and property. Talent was a common word for the value of money (cf. Matt. 18:24) which was the equivalent of approximately 34/35 kg. of gold or silver in those days. It is said that in ancient Mesopotamia, that was generally the weight that a soldier could carry as his salary,75 but as time went on, in the Roman period, one Talent (property) was equivalent to the value of 6,000 denarii. One denarius was a labourer’s or a soldier’s daily wage (cf. Matt. 20:1-16). So, the possible equivalent would depend on a labourer’s daily wage in each country. Therefore, it is difficult to define a denarius because it depends on the country and the value of money locally.76

If the calculation is done in Madagascar today, the minimum monthly salary being 200,000 MGA (i.e., Ariary), the daily wage is approximately 6,667 MGA (200,000 / 30). So, one Talent would be the equivalent of 40,002,000 MGA (6,667 MGA x 6,000). If that father’s property value were 8 talents, then the equivalent would be currently 320,016,000 MGA (4,002,000 MGA x 8).

A researcher says that one Talent approximately equaled roughly 800,000 US Dollars in 2019.77 If the rate of one Dollar was around 3,500 to the MGA, then the value of one Talent would be approximately 2,800,000,000 MGA. The parable says that this father / patron’s talent s numbered eight (8), so this father’s property was worth about 22,400,000,000 MGA (twenty-two billion and four hundred million MGA). This shows how rich he was. The above figures illustrate the large amount of wealth owned by the master / patron in this parable.

It is also said that when he was about to go on a journey, he “called” (ἐκάλεσεν [ekálesen, aorist])78 his slaves and “entrusted (παρέδωκεν [ parédōken, aorist]: Eng. handed over, delivered, entrusted )79 such a property to them”. The tense of the Greek verb is aorist, i.e. he fully called and fully entrusted his property to his slaves. 80 The importance of mutual trust between the father / patron and the clients / slaves in making their common business successful has been mentioned earlier. 81 The meaning of the verb (παραδίδωμι [ paradídōmi ]) is “to hand over with trust”. 82 The fact that the father / patron fully called and fully handed over such a great wealth testified to the deep relationship, the bond, and the mutual trust between him and his slaves. It also indicates the high degree of skill of the slaves to whom the wealth was entrusted, as well as the full freedom and power given to them by the father / patron to use and multiply his Talents / property / wealth. The verb παραδίδωμι ( paradídōmi ) means “to appoint to special responsibility” (e.g., Num. 14:4; Isa. 42:6; Acts 13:20; Eph. 4:11; also read Eph. 1:22). 83 Although not explicitly mentioned here, it also means that he appointed them as οἰκονόμος ([oikonómos], Eng. steward, manager, financial administrator, etc.)84 , as explained earlier (cf. Luke 16:1ff).

72 deSilva, “Patronage and Reciprocity,” 95-117.

73 BDAG, 2000 ed., s.v. “ὑπάρχοντα”.

74 Ibid., s.v. “τάλαντον”.

75 Ibid.

76 Robert H. Gundry, Commentary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker House Publishing, 2011), 589-597.

77 Grant R. Osborne, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: Matthew, Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 2010), 924.

78 BDAG, 2000 ed., s.v. “καλω”.

79 Ibid., s.v. “παραδίδωμι”.

80 Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament (Grand Rapids Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996), 557.

This pericope is a parable about the way of life in and the characteristics of the Kingdom of Heaven. Thus, the Kingdom of Heaven is a new socio-economic organic family (cf. Matt. 23:26, also read 6:9-34). As previously stated, in Matthew’s gospel the “Father in Heaven” is the Patron of such a family / Kingdom (cf. Matt. 5:48; 6:9ff., 25-34; etc.). But the Master (Kúrios) / Patron in this parable is Christ Jesus. 85 The parable illustrates the period when He ascended to heaven after completing His Ministry on earth, He summoned His disciples or followers and gave them the responsibility to extend His Kingdom until He comes again (cf. Matt. 28:16-20; Mark 16:14-20; Acts 1:5-8). He is the Firstborn in the Kingdom of Heaven (cf. Rom. 8:29; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:6; Rev. 1:5), so the name “Master” given to Him here implies that, as the Patron in the Kingdom, He shares the same glory and power that the Father has.

The slaves symbolize all the children of the Kingdom of Heaven; His disciples or followers. In fact, as mentioned before, they are not only slaves but also Christ Jesus’ fellow heirs (also read Rom 8:29; Gal. 3:26-4:8; etc.). This is also why Christ Jesus called and gave them authority and freedom to maximize his Talents / property / wealth. 86

As briefly mentioned before, the eight talents in the parable indicate all the possessions / property entrusted by God / Jesus to human beings on this earth, that is all of creation (cf. Gen 1:1-2; 4a + 2:4bff). Taking care of Talents (property / wealth) entails work. Work and its place in the Kingdom of God as a socio-economic organism will be discussed next.

81 deSilva, “Patronage and Reciprocity,” 95-120.

82 Wallace, Greek Grammar beyond the Basics, 557.

83 BDAG, 2000 ed., s.v. “παραδίδωμι”.

84 Ibid., s.v. “οἰκονόμος”.

85 Cf. Crosby, House of Disciples, 100.

86 Cf. Crosby, House of Disciples, 100; see also Kee and Young, Understanding the New Testament, 117.

2.2.2. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN: A KINGDOM OF WORK

The Kingdom of Heaven, being a family, is also a new socio-economic organism. The Father / Lord Jesus is the Patron, Lord of all power, glory, and authority (cf. Matt. 28:18; also read 11:27; Luke 1:32; Acts 2:36; Rom. 14:9; Eph. 1:10, 21; Phil. 2:9-10; Heb. 1:2; 1 Pet. 3:22). He is also the owner of all Talents (property / wealth). The number 8 (4 x 2) in this parable represents “the earth and all that is in it” (Ps. 24:1; 50:12; also read 1 Cor. 10:26; etc.) which, according to the Holy Scriptures, belong to YHWH / Jesus: He has created them (Gen. 1-2; John 1:1-5). 87 It also represents all sorts of blessings and gifts from God to human beings.

Thus, the parable illustrates that the Kingdom of Heaven is a Kingdom of Work God / Christ Jesus is the Owner of all the Talents (wealth / property), the children of the Kingdom are the slaves who own the work (cf. Gen. 2:1-5). Being God / Jesus’ slaves implies that they are His property, working under the authority and the will of Him, their Master / Patron. As stated before, His handing the Talents (property / wealth) over with trust to His slaves implies giving them power and complete freedom to use and manage them (cf. Gen. 1:26-30; 2:15; Matt. 28:16-20). 88

Furthermore, being children implies that not only do they have rights and status in the Kingdom but also that they are owners who take care of it and develop it; therefore, as owners they whole-heartedly and lovingly take their responsibility for developing and increasing the wealth entrusted to them by God (cf. Matt. 6:21). As children, they have full authority and freedom while fulfilling such responsibility. 89

According to the whole Bible, work constitutes the essence of a human’s life as God created them. God made humankind in His image (Gen. 1:26-29; cf. Gal. 3:26-28; Col. 1:15-20) to represent Him by looking after, improving, managing, and using His creation / property in accordance with His will. By creating humans in His image, He adopted them to be His children (cf. Gal. 3:26-4:8; Col. 1:15-20) so that they are His ambassadors in looking after and caring for His creation (cf. Eph. 2:10). As God’s children, believers take part in His Ministry on earth (cf. Matt. 28:18-20; etc.); i.e., Jesus’ Ministry constitutes the basis and foundation of their work (cf. Matt. 20:20ff; Mark 10:41-45). However, it is said in Mark 16:20 that Jesus works with them through His Spirit (also read John 14-17).90

In the Kingdom of Heaven as a socio-economic organism, working characterizes its people91 (cf. 1 Thess. 4:11; 2 Thess. 3:10-12). As explained earlier, God has created humankind in His image in order to work; to let them have dominion over the creation (Gen.

87 Cf. Kee and Young, 120.

88 Mahály Kránitz, “The Concept of Work in the Teaching of Saint Paul and in the Life of the Early Church,” in The Bible and Economics (Szeged, Hungary: Jate Press, 2013), 213-220.

89 Cf. Crosby, House of Disciples, 189.

90 Kránitz, “The Concept of Work in the Teaching of Saint Paul and in the Life of the Early Church”, 213-220.

91 Cf. TDNT, 1964 ed., s.v. “ἔργον”.

1:26-29; also read 2:15). In other words, to use God’s creation with authority and skill given them by the Owner’s will, but not to destroy it. Genesis 2:7-15 explains that their responsibility, as God intended, is to cultivate and preserve (Heb. avad, Eng. to work, cultivate, to minister, to serve + Heb. shamar, Eng. to take care, to protect, to guard ) His creation in order to nurture God’s property (cf. Eph. 2:10). The improvement of the quantity and the quality of God’s creation is a continuation of the creation He has started but also aims at improving the living conditions of all people, even as God has given the blessing to multiply. The Holy Scriptures emphasize the use and management of the wealth / property gained from work to care for the poor and needy in society (cf. Matt. 25:31ff; Luke 3:10; 1 Tim. 6:17-18; cf. Prov. 3:28; also read Tob 12:8).92

Furthermore, according to the Holy Scriptures, the improvement and the development of people’s living conditions depend on their work for which God has created man (cf. Prov 10:4; 14:33; 28:19). For example, the OT emphasizes that each man should have his field, meaning they should work (1 Kings 5:5; Mic. 4:4; Zech. 3:10). Therefore, the nurture of the creation / property handed over by God is indeed humankind’s responsibility. In other words, to work is a responsibility which shows a person’s identity and his likeness to God who has created Him in His image (Eph. 2:10; cf. 1 Thess. 3:10-12). Work is a way of continuing God’s creation and through their work God blesses people so that they improve their own living conditions and assist those in need as well as others (Eph. 4:28). Thus, all people on earth should earn their living by the outcome of their works (2 Tim. 2:6; 2 Thess. 3:12), but such works are good works carried out by children of the Kingdom of Heaven. Since work and living are bound together, nonpayment of workers’ wages according to God’s will is a crime (Lev. 19:13; Deut. 24:14-15; Mal. 3:5; Jas 5:4). This is in relation to the commandment “Do not steal” because not paying workers’ wages effectively means stealing the product of their work.93

All the above derive from the parable in Matthew 25:14-30. The Kingdom of Heaven, as a socio-economic organic family, is a Kingdom of work, a Kingdom in which God calls His children to work by using their skills to improve the various Talents / property / wealth He has entrusted to them. In the parable, the way the first slave made more Talents / property / wealth is clearly stated. After his master called him and handed over to him his property (cf. παρέδωκεν [ parédōken], aorist active indicative of παραδίδωμι [ paradídōmi ]), he willingly received it (cf. λαβὼν [labōn], participle aorist nominative of λαμβάνω [lambánō]) (Matt. 25:15).94 He was known for his ability to trade, so he multiplied the talents handed over to him by trading with them. It is worth noting that the verb ἐργάζομαι (ergázomai ) means “to engage in activity which involves all strength or great effort” (Matt. 25:15). This was practiced in doing business (ἐργάζομαι : Eng. to do business, to trade with property) and this is its meaning in this pericope.95 The aorist tense (ἠργάσατο [ērgásato]) here emphasizes that he carried out his responsibility fully and faithfully.96

It is to be pointed out that in Matthew’s gospel the accent is on the Kingdom’s people being Jesus’ brethren because they are His disciples (μαθητς [mathētés], Eng. disciple, adherent)97 (cf. Matt. 12:46-50). Jesus’ disciples are those who hear and obey His teaching (7:24), so, He is in them and with them (cf. 1:23; 17:17; 26:18-36; 28:20), and lives among them (cf. 3:12: 12:30; 13:2, 17: 18:20; 22:10; 23:37; 24:31). Such a family is different from the ones they came from (cf. 4:22; 8:21-22).98 Therefore, the use of the aorist tense (ἠργάσατο [ērgásato])99 in Matthew 25:15 indicates that good works carried out by the children of the Kingdom of Heaven show that they are Jesus’ disciples (cf. 5:13-16; Jas. 2:14-26).100 Their success results from their commitment to the responsibility given to them as true disciples, which prompts them to enhance the property entrusted to them by making much effort and by faithfully using their skills, until the coming of the Son of Man. Hence their complete obedience to Christ Jesus as their Lord (Head of the family / King of the Kingdom of Heaven). What the second slave did to augment his master’s property is not explicit here, but one can perceive that he committed himself, made all effort, and used his skills to do so.101

Clearly, the 100% increase of the Talents entrusted to the first and the second slaves is the result of their work by making good use of their skills, with faithfulness and punctuality. This takes us back to Genesis 1:26-29 and 2:7-15: God created human beings in His image so that they would nurture the wealth / nature He had created and entrusted to them. In doing so they received His blessings (cf. Prov. 10:4; 14:33; 28:19; also read Lev. 26:3-5, 9-10; Deut. 11:13-15; Isa. 54:11-12; Prov. 8:18; 10:22; 13:21; Ps. 37:25; Eph. 4:28).102

As said above, the augmentation of God’s property matches the increasing number of people and their needs (Gen 2:7-15 + 1:26-28); that is to say, the property is increased to enable them to improve their own living conditions as well as others’. This prevents the destruction and the spoilage of God’s Creation and property that He has handed over to people. If God’s creation does not increase whereas the number of people does, then the consequences are the destruction and the spoilage of their environment, which would negatively affect their living conditions and lead to poverty. That is why it is important to work as God planned. Although verses 14-40 in Matthew 25 do not precisely tell how the increasing Talents (property / wealth) are to be used and managed, verses 31-46 do: for taking care of the least of God’s family members. More detail will be given later on. The third slave did work, but not to increase the Talents (property / wealth) entrusted to him according to his ability as his master expected (read Matt. 25:18). The sentence “then the one who had received (εἰληφὼς [eilēphōs], participle perfect active nominative of λαμβάνω [lambánō])103 the one talent also came forward…” (v. 24), reminds and points to the responsibility which his Patron had given him. But he did not fulfil his responsibility.104 The common name “Master” ( Κύριος [Kúrios]), by which he called his Patron, indicates that he showed much respect but did not make more of the talent (property) entrusted to him, as the other two slaves did (cf. vv. 20 and 22). This proved that he did not care for the property entrusted to him, nor for the responsibility given him and for his Master. Such an attitude from clients and slaves was regarded by the Greco-Roman society as a crime.105 Considering the meaning of the verb ὤρυξεν ([ōruxen]) and its aorist tense (aorist indicative active of ὀρύσσω ([orússō], Eng to dig)106 ; what he did was to dig a hole in order to completely hide the Talent (compare ἔκρυψεν [ekrupsen], aorist indicative active of κρύπτω (krúpto), Eng. to keep from being seen, to hide) (Matt. 25:18).107 Although hiding wealth under the ground was a way of protecting it from thieves / enemies in those days (cf. Matt. 13:44), that was not what his Master expected when he handed over the Talent (property) to him; instead, he expected the slave to make more talents (Matt. 25:24-30). In Matthew 25:26, the patron called him “wicked and lazy slave…” (πονηρός δοῦλος καὶ ὀκνηρός). The preposition καὶ linking the two adjectives πονηρός ([ ponērós], Eng. evil, wicked )108 and ὀκνηρός (oknērós, Eng. lazy, idle, indolent)109 makes them synonyms. In other words, he is wicked because he is lazy and he is lazy because he is wicked. The use of such words to describe him reveals the whole identity of this third slave. One can say that the main reason for him not to fulfil his responsibility is his wickedness and laziness. The children of the Kingdom of Heaven are active in the Lord’s service, and not lazy and wicked like that slave.110 Otherwise, they are false followers or false disciples in the Kingdom of Heaven.111

95 BDAG, 2000 ed., s.v. “ἐργάζομαι”.

96 Wallace, Greek Grammar beyond the Basics, 557.

97 BDAG, 2000 ed., s.v. “μαθητής”.

98 Crosby, House of Disciples, 57.

99 Wallace, Grammar beyond the Basics, 557.

100 Cf. Robert H. Gundry, Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Publishing Group, 2000), 589-597.

101 Cf. Gundry, Commentary on the New Testament, 589-597.

102 Osborne, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: Matthew, 923; W. Hendriksen and. S. J. Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Gospel according to Matthew, Vol. 9 (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2001), 879-910.

Matthew 25:14-30 highlights the identity of the Kingdom of Heaven as a new family. The use of the word Talent (property) in this pericope indicates the importance and the worth of God’s creation, from His point of view, which He entrusts to the children of His Kingdom: it is of great value to Him (cf. “good” in Gen. 1:1ff; also read Gen. 2:7-15). Behind the importance and the value of His property, as explained above, is the preciousness of His calling as well as that of the work and stewardship which He entrusts to the children of His Kingdom.112 Thus, the use of the word Talent (property) for God / Jesus’ property in Matthew 25:14-30 indicates the great value of the responsibility which God / Jesus has called the children of His Kingdom to.113 Maturity, prudence, wisdom, and trust according to God are required when carrying out such responsibility. It shows the preciousness of knowledge / ability / skill / gift ( χάρισμα) given to fulfil the responsibility. It also implies that His children / servants are precious to God and that He loves them.114

The Kingdom of Heaven being a new family, God’s act of calling the believers to work in order to increase His property in quantity and in quality is complete and perfect. Love, resulting from a deep heart relationship between God the Employer / Patron and the believers as Workers, plays an important role in the undertaking of the work. The depth of such relationship was exemplified in the relationship between Jesus Christ and His disciples, creating complete intimacy and mutual trust between Him and His children / servants whom He called to work. According to the four gospels, Jesus and His disciples lived together, shared common property and work, like one family until Jesus was taken up to heaven. John 20:19-30 describes how He united the disciples / followers with His resurrected body and breathed on them the Holy Spirit before He summoned them and gave them such responsibility (cf. John 21:1-25; Acts 1:5-8; Gal 5:22ff. etc.). By receiving breath from Jesus, His followers become children of God (cf. Rom 8:14-17), not just servants, for it is the Holy Spirit who binds Jesus and His followers / disciples in the Kingdom of Heaven. In this way, they are “good and faithful servants” and not money or reward-driven, not selfish because they are children – and therefore heirs – so, as owners they are compelled by love. In other words, the children of the Kingdom of Heaven carry out the responsibility for which Jesus has called and given them out of love because of their ownership. This is why they do good works (cf. Eph. 2:10).115

To sum up, the people of the Kingdom of Heaven are God’s new creatures whom He / Jesus called to work in and take care of His Kingdom with trust and love (cf. Gen. 2:7-15). That is to say, God / Jesus Christ trusts the children of His Kingdom to take care and increase it out of love. The responsibility and work involved are of great value to the Lord who calls, as well as to the children of the Kingdom who have been called, because of the deep relationship between them, and also because they are not just servants but also heirs of God’s property in His Kingdom. All of these define the identity of the children of the Kingdom of Heaven.

112 Osborne, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: Matthew, 923.

113 Donald A. Hagner, Word Biblical Commentary: Matthew 21-28, Vol. 33A (Dallas, Texas: Word Books Publisher, 1993), 734; Hendriksen and Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Gospel according to Matthew, 879–910.

114 Ulrich Luz, Matthew 21–28 (Minnesota: Fortress Press, 2005), 260; Hendriksen and Kistemaker, 879-910.

115 Kránitz, “The Concept of Work in the Teaching of Saint Paul and in the Life of the Early Church,” 221-224; Hendriksen and Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Gospel according to Matthew, 879-910.

According to Matthew 25:14-30, the number of Talents entrusted by the Lord / Patron to each of his servants depends on the latter’s degree of ability. As the parable is about the Kingdom of Heaven, what are the implications of the Master’s actions for the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of work? This question is answered next.

2.3. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AND HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (HRM)116

This section shows how God Himself gives responsibility to people according to who they are and the level of ability He has given them. The Church, which is Christ’s body, should do the same. The consequences of good human resource management, or of the distribution of responsibility to suit people’s level and type of ability, are highlighted here.

2.3.1. GOD / JESUS CHRIST AND HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

As recounted in Genesis 1:26-30, God created humankind differently from all the other creatures: not only did He create man last but also in His image in order to be in charge of looking after all the other creatures before him. Creating man in His image implies giving him knowledge / ability and authority to represent God amid His creation by managing, taking good care of, and using it (cf. Gen. 2:7-15). God has created man in His image and has given him responsibility, which means that man’s ability to deal with such responsibility is precious to Him. Made in the image of God, means that ability is in Him. He created people “male and female” (Gen. 1:27) suggests that God created them with different abilities, and of various levels. Their collaboration within such diversity will make them succeed in the responsibility that God expects from them as His representatives. Putting this in one sentence: the responsibility God gives people matches the level and kind of ability He has given them. The reason is for the benefit of the work and for obtaining the good results He expects (cf. Eph. 2:10; also read 2 Cor. 5:17).117 This is clearly stated in Matthew 25:14-30.

Matthew 25:15 tells us about three different slaves whom the Master / Patron called and to whom he fully entrusted his Talents / property. The parable indicates that this

116 Human Resource Management (HRM).

117 Shawn Hussey, “Created in God’s Image,” in The Missing Link in the Discussion of Human Resources Management Ethics (November 8, 2013): n.p.

Master / Patron did not show partiality when calling and giving responsibility to his slaves. The number three expresses fullness, i.e., he gave all his slaves or all the children of his kingdom the responsibility to increase his property.118 However, the number of Talents he handed over to them was not the same: to the first slave he gave five Talents, to the second two, and to the last one. Why did the Master / Patron give different quantities to these three different slaves?

The answer to this question lies in the phrase “according to his ability” (κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν δύναμιν, [kata tēn idían dúnamin], v. 15; cf. Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:7, 11, 29; Eph. 4:11). As stated earlier, the slaves and the clients were commonly called δοῦλος ([doũlos], slave,)119 or διάκονος ([diákonos], servant, deacon).120 They were also called with names describing their respective skills and responsibilities in the family, such as θεράπων ([therápōn], Eng. healer, attendant, aide, servant), ἐπιτρόπος ([epitrópos],Eng.manager, foreman, steward ), παιδαγωγός ([ paidagōgós], Eng. one who has responsibility for someone who needs guidance, guardian, leader, guide, teacher) or παιδευτής ([ paideutēs], Eng. instructor, teacher), οἰκονόμος ([oikonómos], Eng. manager, steward, etc.), ἀκολούθος ([akoloúthos], Eng. follower), ἀμφίπολος ([amphípolos], Eng. attendant), πρόσπολος ([ próspolos], Eng. helper), etc. The word δύναμις ([dúnamis], Eng. potential for functioning in some way, power, might, strength, force, ability, capability, etc.) also expresses the level and the measure of their abilities.121

In this pericope, the Master / Patron gave each slave / child of the Kingdom of Heaven a responsibility which suited the type and measure of their abilities, of their experience, or of their skills. This pericope teaches that God/Jesus deals with people according to each one’s ability and gives His disciples responsibility in accord with the level and particular ability given in the management of the Kingdom of Heaven, as a socio- economic organism (Human Resource Management, HRM).122 He knows His servants and their abilities very well before calling and giving them responsibility. In Romans 12 and 1Corinthians 12, abilities and gifts are even seen as coming from God, through His Holy Spirit ( χάρισμα [chárisma], Eng. that which is freely and graciously given, favor bestowed, gift).123

Since the Kingdom of Heaven is a Kingdom of righteousness, the parable also shows that God / Jesus Christ does not discriminate or show favouritism. When calling and giving responsibility for increasing His property and for expanding His Kingdom and the Church, He calls all the children of His Kingdom according to the knowledge / gift / skill given to each one of them. He assigns responsibility to the children of His Kingdom according to the type and measure of their abilities, of their experience, or of their skills124 which, when put together despite their differences, lead to the accomplishment of God’s work in its fullness and in accord with His plans (Rom. 12 and 1 Cor. 12). Therefore, whoever is in charge of a work should be aware himself of the type, level, and measure of ability or gift given him by God. He should not be jealous of others’ positions or responsibilities compared to his but humbly accept and carry out his responsibility with love. The Master / Patron’s assignment of work to the appropriate persons ensures its success and expansion, giving the results He expects.

118 Gundry, Commentary of the New Testament, 589-590.

119 BDAG, 2000 ed., s.v. “δοῦλος”.

120 Ibid., s.v. “διάκονος”.

121 Cf. Luz, Matthew 21-28, 256; Hendriksen and Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Gospel according to Matthew, 879-910.

122 Cf. Gundry, Commentary on the New Testament, 589.

123 Michael J. Wilkins, Matthew: The NIV Application Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2004), 819; see also T. R. Schreiner, Romans: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Vol. 6 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1998), 649-720; see also D.E. Garland, 1 Corinthians: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2003), 574-600.

2.3.2. THE CHURCH AND HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (HRM)

God has given the Church, which is Christ’s body, authority in human resource management, so, she should be able to do so in accordance with each person’s ability / gift when assigning various responsibilities to them. For example, Moses who represented the Church of Israel in ancient times, was in charge of appointing his fellow workers to their respective work depending on each one’s strength / knowledge / skill / experience (Exd. 18:21-22). He himself responsibly carried out what YHWH had assigned to him, that is to represent YHWH as the leader of the Church of Israel, and he appointed his fellow workers to their correct positions, taking into account their abilities. The method and criteria he used in the first place was to look for able men (v. 21), i.e., he carefully observed and enquired about them before assigning a responsibility to each one. He did so with integrity and without discrimination or corruption, and in an honest, clear, and transparent way.125 He gave serious consideration to each person before appointing him to a specific task: who is capable, what type of work and which position would suit him (v. 21)? He considered each candidate’s ability, competence, performance, and aptitude to accomplish the work. He took account of the candidate’s faithful character, implying that he also observed and enquired about the person’s character and behaviour to find a person worthy and suitable for the given responsibility; who would respect it. Moses sought one who would value himself and his responsibility, who would honour and respect those who had appointed him to his position, who was trustworthy (v. 21), i.e., trusted, mature, responsible, sociable, faithful, and who neither gave nor took bribes.126 It also needed to be one who feared God, his true Patron, i.e. who was not driven by his own will or by what he thought was good and appropriate, but always relied on God and obeyed Him, lived in a close relationship with Him and loved, honoured, and glorified Him while fulfilling his responsibility. Only after considering all of this did Moses appoint the people to the positions suitable to them (v. 25).127 The aim was to have the person’s work done properly in order to improve his own and his neighbours’ living conditions.128

In Acts 6:1-7 the first Christian church also acted as Moses did when choosing and appointing the seven men to perform the duties of a deacon. The Greek verb ἐπισκέπτομαι ([episképtomai ], Eng. to make a careful inspection, look at, examine, inspect)129 indicates that the Church prudently and carefully enquired about the seven men before appointing them.130 The criteria for selection were: good standing, full of the Spirit, and full of wisdom. Being full of the Spirit makes one become of good standing and full of wisdom or fear of and obedience to God. Diakonia (διακονία , [diakonía]) is an important responsibility, which encompasses service to God with love by looking after His little ones; waiting on tables consists in using the wealth God has given the Church to take care of or to serve the poor and the vulnerable.131

Paul’s teaching on the believers’ spiritual gifts in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 (also Eph. 4:11-16; etc.) emphasizes this calling and the appointing of people to positions in accordance with their abilities. In other words, God gives authority and responsibility to the Church to choose and appoint people to positions that match their abilities. Therefore, before assigning a responsibility to someone in the Church, and also in society, and in the nation, enquiries concerning the person are to be made carefully and with maturity and wisdom in order to find out whether he is a true child of God. The work / responsibility assigned to him should suit the type and measure of his skill / ability. Holding a responsibility that is not in accordance with the quality and the level of his skill / ability is out of the question, as are dishonesty and corruption in various aspects, as well as jealousy and hatred. Good organization and management ensure a smooth running of the work and good results. However, all this should be under the guidance of the Holy Spirit in order to have “good and faithful servants” do the work.132

Management of people according to the level and type of their ability is important for the fulfilment of the responsibility God has called the Church and the believers to. This is one facet of humankind created in His image as explained above. The Church should have good knowledge of each person and his ability before giving him a responsibility. In the same way, each person should know himself and the level and type of his ability before taking on a suitable responsibility; he should accept to carry out the re - sponsibility assigned to him faithfully. In so doing, his responsibility will be in line with the Lord’s will.

127 W. Janzen, Exodus: Believers’ Church Bible Commentary (Waterloo, Ont. and Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 2000), 228235; A. Clarke, Clarke’s Commentary: Exodus (Albany, USA: 1999), Exodus 18:20-21.

128 Janzen, Exodus, 228-235; Clarke, Clarke’s Commentary, Exodus 18:20-21.

129 BDAG, 2000 ed., s.v. “ἐπισκέπτομαι”.

130 Wallace, Greek Grammar beyond the Basics, 557.

131 Cf. S.J. Kistemaker and W. Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles, Vol. 17 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Publishing House, 2001), 221-230.

132 Cf. Schreiner, Romans, 649-720; Garland, 1 Corinthians, 574-600.

A person’s ethos cannot be separated from his acceptance of a responsibility that suits the level and type of his ability, because it is also a factor in the success of the business his Lord aims at. The question is, the Kingdom of Heaven being a socio-economic organism, and God / Jesus Christ having assigned responsibility and work to its children, what is their ethos like? The following section will answer this question.

2.4. THE ETHOS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN’S CHILDREN: “GOOD, FAITHFUL AND RIGHTEOUS SERVANTS”

The ethos (ἔθος [éthos], Eng. a usual or customary manner of behaviour, habit, usage, long-established usage or practice common to a group, custom)133 discussed here is the practical way of life of Jesus’ disciples / Christian church members including feelings, mindset, behaviour, relationships, interactions, social life, work, etc. Here, in Matthew 25:14-30, it is about people’s behaviour and moral principles while carrying out their duties as God’s children; in other words, Christian ethics (cf. Fr. éthique, déontologie) while doing the work and duties God has called them to.134

As noted earlier, mutual trust (gr. πίστις [ pístis], faith, faithfulness, etc.) played an important role in the relationship and bond between the father / patron and the slaves / clients / children in the family as a socio-economic organism.135 It was a key factor to success in society and the family’s business. Moreover, the verb παρέδωκεν ( parédōken, aorist active indicative of παραδίδωμι [ paradídōmi ], Eng. to entrust)136 in this pericope means “to hand over with complete trust” (Matt. 25:14).137 This indicates the mutual trust between the patron and the clients / slaves in the Greco-Roman world. God / Jesus’ trust in the children of the Kingdom of Heaven is far greater when He calls them and assigns them responsibility on this earth. One can see in this parable in Matthew 25:14-30 how the patron praises the slaves as being “good and faithful” (δοῦλοςἀγαθός καὶ πιστός , [doulos agathós kai pistós]), which expresses the ethos of the clients /slaves who did their work well, using their abilities out of love and in the permitted time (as opposed to “wicked and lazy” ones). Both adjectives ἀγαθός ([agathós], Eng. pertain to meeting a relatively high standard of quality, good, Mg. tsara)138 , and πιστός ([ pistós], Eng. faithful, just, righteous, Mg. mahatoky, marina)139 describe the slaves. Grammatically, since there is no article before ἀγαθός (agathós) and πιστός ( pistós), yet they are joined by the conjunction καὶ (kai ), it can be deduced that they are two different words but used as synonyms. The slaves are good because they are faithful, and they are faithful because they are good. The parable illustrates the characters, the characteristics, and the ethos of the children of the Kingdom of Heaven. In the Kingdom of Heaven, they are good because they are God’s children or because of God’s work in them, and this is also why they are faithful (cf. John 3:3-8).140

133 BDAG, 2000 ed., s.v. “ἔθος”.

134 A. Clarke, Clarke’s Commentary: Matthew (Albany, OR: Ages Software, 1999), n.d.; see also Gundry, Commentary of the New Testament, 590.

135 BDAG, 2000 ed., s.v. “πίστις”.

136 Ibid., s.v. “παραδίδωμι”.

137 Wallace, Greek Grammar beyod the Basics, 557.

138 BDAG, 2000 ed., s.v. “ἀγαθός”.

139 Ibid., s.v. “πιστός”.

In Luke 16:1-13, Jesus called the client / slave who was squandering the patron’s property an “unrighteous steward”. The adjective ἄδικος (ádikos, Mlg. tsy marina; Eng. unjust, unrighteous)141 is the opposite of δίκαιος (díkaios, Mlg. marina; Eng. just, righteous). In 1 John 1:9, the author puts the two adjectives “faithful” and “just” in one sentence ( πιστόςἐστιν καὶ δίκαιος …, [ pistos estin kai dikaios…]). In the Greek grammar, ‘faithful” and “just” are again two different words but synonyms, here in 1 John 1:9. According to Romans 6:19ff., whoever has been justified by God in Jesus Christ and His cross becomes righteous (cf. Rom. 1:16-17; 3:23-26; 5:1-11) and hence a slave to righteousness in all his life and his work. Whoever is righteous in his work, or a slave to righteousness because he has been justified, is faithful, and whoever is faithful is righteous (cf. Paul’s use of these two Geek words simultaneously in Rom. 1:17). For these reasons the words “good”, “faithful”, and “righteous” are synonyms, bound to one another and complemented by one another; they cannot be separated one from the other. All of this indicates the ethos of God’s children or the deontology of the work God gives them to do.142

Who are good, faithful, and righteous servants / children of God? How do they prove they are so? Matthew 25:14-30 describes them as follows.

Firstly, “good, faithful and righteous servants” are new creatures who willingly accept the call and the responsibility handed over to them by God / Jesus, as a testimony of love for their Lord and for the responsibility they have been given. “Good, faithful and righteous” servants zealously and actively perform the duties assigned to them by God / Jesus according to the level, quality, and type of their skills and abilities (cf. vv. 15, 26). They were not disloyal, nor did they misuse the authority and freedom given them to perform their duties (cf. Luke 16:1ff.). The third servant is said to be wicked (πονηρός [ ponērós], Eng. being morally or socially worthless, wicked, evil, bad, base, worthless, vicious, degenerate)143 because he was lazy (ὀκνηρός [oknērós], Eng. lazy, idle, indolent).144 He was disloyal and used the authority and freedom given him in a way that was not in line with his master’s plan. He did not have the character of a child of God.145

140 Gundry, Commentary of the New Testament, 591.

141 BDAG, 2000 ed., s.v. “ἄδικος”.

142 W. Hendriksen and S.J. Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Gospel according to Matthew, Vol. 9 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Publishing House, 2001), 880.

143 BDAG, 2000 ed., s.v. “πονηρός”.

144 Ibid., s.v. “ὀκνηρός”.

145 Hendriksen and Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary, 880.

Furthermore, “good, faithful and righteous servants” fully used their skills, abilities, and experience to carry out their responsibilities. In other words, they did not withhold or boast about the kind or measure of abilities they had but used them fully and with love to obtain good results as their Master intended. To know and to accept that abilities / gifts / skills (cf. Rom. 12 and 1 Cor. 12) are from God produce faithfulness and righteousness in using them. The third slave did not use his ability at all (Matt. 25:27); he did not use God’s gift and became disloyal; such servants are wicked and lazy.146

Secondly, those who use the time allotted by the patron to do the work until he comes back (v. 16-18) are “good, faithful and honest servants” too. The parable says “…at once” (adverb εὐθέως [euthéōs], Eng. immediately)147, meaning as soon as they received the call and the responsibility, the first two slaves started working (v. 16). It does not mention the time allotted to these slaves to do the work. The pericope is about the eschatological Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ declared that no one knows the time when He is coming to establish His kingdom in its fullness; He will come unexpectedly like a thief (cf. Matt. 24:42-44; 25:13). This means that all the days of life on earth are to be spent working and living in a way worthy of the children of God’s Kingdom. So, delaying, wasting time, reckoning the time of Lord’s coming, etc. are out of the question. Time is a precious gift from God to His children. Therefore, they should spend time wisely fulfilling the duties He has called them to perform.

Faithfulness in the use of time is connected with readiness for the Lord’s coming and being able to give Him a true account of the results of the work, or readiness for His judgement (cf. Matt. 24:36-51). That is to say, such faithful people will not fear to face their master when the time comes to give an account / evaluation because they do so with righteousness resulting from their fear of God / Christ Jesus. Paul wrote that such an ethos in God’s children is the fruit of the Spirit (cf. the Malagasy Bible’s translation of [πίστις [ pístis], Eng. faithfulness, Nestle Aland 27/28] is “fahamarinana” = righteousness); in other words, it is the Holy Spirit in God’s children who leads them to be faithful / righteous (cf. Rom. 8:14-17).148

By calling such faithful and righteous servants and assigning responsibility to them, God expects 100% success of their work (cf. 25:19-23). This is what development is about. In contrast “one who is slack in work is close kin to a vandal” (Prov. 18:9; 28:24). So are those who “squander God’s property/ wealth” and make Him angry (Luke 16:1ff), for they do not make God’s work progress but cause it to regress or even be destroyed. What the third slave in Matthew 25:14ff did is equivalent to destroying God’s property because it did not correspond to God’s will concerning the Talents (property /wealth) entrusted to him. Such is the behaviour of those who pretend to be God’s children but, in fact, they are not.149

Thirdly, “good / faithful and righteous” servants are those who increase the knowledge / skills / abilities given them (vv. 20, 22). The Master gave the first two slaves the produce of their work together with what He had already entrusted them: “… you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things”. This implies the one who received five (Talents) and made five more was put in charge of ten; in the same way, the one who received two and made two more was put in charge of four. The original verb translated “put in charge” (gr. καθίστημι [kathístēmi ])150 here means to be in charge of making more of the Talents (property / wealth) which have already been increased to ten and four. However, as said earlier, the responsibility assigned to a person depends on the level, the measure, and the kind of ability and experience he has. It is then clear that since they were in charge of ten and four respectively, their abilities and experience increased accordingly. Being faithful and righteous servants is a way to show love for the work and for the Master, as well as to honour Him and the Kingdom / holy family of which one is a member.

Such is the quality of true children of God’s ethos for His Kingdom. Such is the deontology of the responsibility or work God calls His children / servants to do. These ensure a successful work, i.e., ensure the development and expansion of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth in line with God’s plans.151

Faithfulness and righteousness relate to refusal of bribery and any form of corruption, which the following section deals with.

2.5. GOD’S CHILDREN AND THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION

The Kingdom of Heaven is according to Matthew a Kingdom of righteousness (Matt. 6:33). As mentioned earlier, God / Christ Jesus, as a righteous Patron, calls and assigns responsibility to the people of His Kingdom with righteousness: He does neither discriminate nor consider their performance (25:14-15) so that they carry out their responsibilities with such righteousness, too.152

The prayer Jesus taught His disciples, which also indicates that the Kingdom of Heaven is a socio-economic organism, says “your will be done” (Matt. 6:9-11): as a Kingdom of righteousness, the Kingdom of Heaven is a Kingdom / family where the Father / Patron’s will is done. The children in the Kingdom of Heaven work and serve their Master by doing His will.153 This is often found in Matthew’s gospel (e.g., Matt. 6:10; 7:21; 9:13; 11:25-26; 12:7, 50; 18:14; 20:14-15; 21:31; 26:42). In Matthew 7:21-23, the heavenly Father’s will is the same as the Law (Heb. Torah, Gr. νόμος [nómos]).154 According to Jesus, love is the essence of the Law and the motive for doing His will (cf. Matt. 22:34-40; 24:12).155 Not doing the Patron’s will is linked with the ethos discussed earlier; in other words, the righteous live according to the standards of God’s children, they work and bear fruit as expected by the Patron (cf. Matt. 3:8, 10; 5:13-17, 45; 6:1; 7:16-17, 18-20; 12:34-35; 19:16-20).

149 Gundry, Commentary of the New Testament, 593-594.

150 BDAG, 2000 ed., s.v. “καθίστημι”.

151 Gundry, Commentary of the New Testament, 590-592.

152 Hendriksen and Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary, 880.

In Matthew’s gospel, doing the Father / Patron’s will (cf. 6:33) is connected with righteousness (δικαιοσύνη [dikaoisúnē], Eng. (1) quality or state of juridical correctness with focus on redemptive action, righteousness; (2) the quality, state, or practice of judicial responsibility with focus on fairness, justice, equitableness, fairness, justice).156 Regarding righteousness, the use of δικαιοσύνη and words belonging to the same family in the NT indicates its use by the LXX as seen in the translation of the Hebrew word צֶדֶק (ṣḏq) (Mg. marina, Eng. righteous, just). In the OT, words belonging to the same family as צֶדֶק (ṣḏq) express people’s behaviour required by God in their relationship with Him in the Covenant; they also express His requirement for them to live as His people in their dealings with one another as well as in their way of life and behaviour at work. In short, justice in the OT often expresses the way of life and behaviour that conform to God’s standard or norms He expects from His people.157

Jesus Himself defines justice as the way of life and behaviour which conform to God’s will as told in the OT but He gives further explanation in His teaching: justice is in accordance with Jesus’ teaching (cf. Matt 5:6 together with Luke 6:21; Matt. 5:20-48; 6:33 together with Luke 12:31). Jesus’ teaching on people’s just way of life and behaviour is based on the way of life and behaviour of people in the Kingdom of Heaven; He Himself set an example by His life and in His Ministry (Luke 7:18-23; 11:20). Since the Kingdom of Heaven is one of justice / righteousness (Pss. 97-99; Isa. 11:1-5; 1 Eunoch 62:1-16), Jesus brought such righteousness in its fullness, established it, and taught His disciples / followers, as people of His Kingdom, to demonstrate it by their lives. Thus, the children of the Kingdom of Heaven are righteous and do the will of God their Father according to Jesus’ teaching (cf. Mark 1:15). The entire Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) is Jesus’ teaching about this righteousness; He explains and answers the question “what does doing God’s will and good works involve for righteous people such as his followers or the children of his kingdom (Matt. 5:6, 16, 17-20, 21-48; 6:1-18, 33; 7:12, 13-14, 16-21, 23-27)?”

Such righteousness has two aspects according to Matthew (cf. definition above): 1) righteousness as a gift and God’s work to save people (cf. 5:6), and 2) righteousness indicating the ethics of justified people (5:20). The righteousness of the children of the Kingdom of Heaven exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees because they have been justified by their Father in heaven whom they imitate (5:48; cf. Rom. 1:16-17; 3:23-26; 6:19ff); it also shows that they are heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Therefore, justice, too, has an important place in the expansion of the Kingdom of Heaven as a socio-economic organic family. As already explained, it has the same meaning as “righteousness” (cf. Matt. 25:14-30; Luke 16:1ff; Gal. 5:22ff.; Rom. 1:16-17; 1 John 1:9).

It has also been explained earlier that, what the Patron / Father / Christ Jesus expects from the children of His Kingdom is to improve and multiply his Talents / property / wealth, or to earn more from the Talents in their charge. There are many ways of doing so: stealing, defrauding, bribery, from which a lot of profit may be made (cf. Luke 16:1ff; 19:110; etc.), but, as children of God’s Kingdom, Jesus’ followers should always work according to their Father’s / Patron’s will and with righteousness. The first two servants worked and gained more Talents with righteousness and faithfulness, so they were praised by their Father / Patron as “good and faithful / righteous slaves” (cf. Prov. 21:21). In Matthew 6:33, Jesus urged His disciples to strive for God’s Kingdom and His righteousness and they will receive all things from the produce and profit of their work. That is to say, by working as true children of the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus’ followers bear good fruit in accordance with His will and receive overflowing blessing (cf. Mark 10:29-30; Luke 12:31; 1Tim. 4:8).158

The third slave acted in a corrupt manner that his excuses and the Father / Patron’s condemnation (Matt. 25:24-25) evidenced. This indicated his refusal to do the Father’s / Patron’s will. The Master / Patron’s words revealed that this slave did neither obey him nor do his will (vv. 26-27); in other words, what he did was unrighteous. According to Jesus, “the way of righteousness” (21:32) is open to believers and leads the righteous / faithful into “eternal life” (19:21-24; 25:46). The reason why the Master / Patron did not let the third slave enter into his joy (heaven) and expelled him from the righteous family (Matt. 25:29-30) (to hell) is because he was not a righteous man (cf. Prov. 21:25).

Therefore, the children of the Kingdom of Heaven are not lazy, idle, greedy, or corrupt in any aspect of their lives, in their activities and at work. They do not make exaggerated profit due to an exaggerated love of money (cf. Luke 19:1-10) for that is the root of all kinds of evil around them: forsaking God the Patron and even taking His role in a dishonest way. Such attitudes are not worthy of God’s children but destroy them. Thus, the use of Talents / property / wealth in Matthew 25:14-30 teaches us that there should be no room for injustice among those who are called by God to make His Kingdom grow. Injustice may be seen in various aspects, such as corruption or bribery. Bribery (Heb. שֹׁחד , [Shachad ] , Gr. δῶρον [dōron], Eng. gift)159 literally means a deceitful way of persuading someone to be on one’s side by giving him a gift or money or something else, or by exhortation, etc. (cf. Matt. 26:14-16; 27:3-9; 28:12-15; Mark 14:1; Luke 22:5; Acts 8:1823).160 A bribe can be defined as a gift to someone in order to make him accept the giver’s opinion or request (read Matt. 28:12-15; Acts 24:26).161 According to the Bible, to accept or to give a bribe is to commit a wrongdoing. “The wicked accept a concealed bribe to pervert the ways of justice” (Prov 17:23; 1Sam 8:3). Putting it another way, giving bribes to pervert justice into injustice is evil and people should not live with it. In some cases, the Bible says that giving a bribe is equivalent to giving a salary to a murderer, i.e., taking a bribe is a crime (Deut. 27:25; Ezek. 22:12). So, bribery was forbidden by the OT Law (Exd. 23:8; Deut. 16:19) and condemned by the prophets (Isa. 1:23; Amos 5:12; Mic. 3:11) because it is injustice and should not be practiced by the people of the Kingdom of Heaven.162

Since the words faithful and righteous are used in such a way that they have similar meanings and complement each other as explained earlier, and since bribery and corruption are connected to each other, it can be said that the first two slaves in Matthew 25:14-30 did their work and were accountable to their Master without corruption. The third slave’s unrighteousness and unfaithfulness, and the effort to persuade his master by blaming him can be considered as corruption, which made his master angry. One cannot deceive God / Jesus with corruption. A Malagasy word: fahalovana, has two meanings:

1) corruption (such as what the third slave did), and 2) perishability of a dead corpse; both cases involve digging a hole and hiding something, namely Talent / property in the former case, and a dead corpse in the latter. They have fahalovana in common.163

God blesses or rewards his servants who work in a trustworthy and righteous way, as seen in this pericope. The following section gives detail on blessings and rewards.

159 BDB, 1907 ed., s.v. “שֹׁחד ”.

160 Cf. Richard L. Langston, Bribery and the Bible (Singapore: Campus Crusade Asia Limited, 1991), 47.

161 Cf. Langston, Bribery and the Bible, 12-17.

162 Langston, Bribery and the Bible, 47.

163 Cf. Ibid., 62-63.

2.6. THE CHILDREN OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AND WORK, AND REWARD/BLESSING

As stated previously, the χάρις ([cháris], Eng. grace, gift, gratitude, etc.) played an important role in the relationship and interaction between the patron and the clients / slaves.164 The earth and all the creatures in it were gifts / wealth fully given by God to human beings (Gen 1:26-29), and the reason for creating the latter in His image was to represent Him in caring for, developing, and multiplying them (Gen. 2:7-15). In doing so, they will receive His blessing (cf. Prov. 10:4; 14:33; 28:19; also read Lev. 26:3-5, 9-10; Deut. 11:13-15; Isa. 54:11-12; Prov. 8:18; 10:22; 13:21; Ps. 37:25; Eph. 4:28; etc.). Jesus clearly explained in Matthew 6:33ff that the same applies to people in the Kingdom of Heaven. More detail about this follow.

Matthew 6:33 is included in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7), in which Jesus taught about people’s attitudes and way of life in the Kingdom of God, in relation to social life, individual behaviour, work, etc. One aspect of people’s way of life in the Kingdom of Heaven consists in living in a righteous way. Matthew 6:33 is part of a pericope which starts at verse 19 and ends at verse 34, where Jesus draws people away from thinking, working, and living under the curse mentioned in Genesis 3:17-19. Such a curse completely separated people and their way of life from God: struggling on their own in life with death as their enemy, not knowing anything else but their own efforts to obtain earthly things, on which they rely, and facing death’s daily attacks. The Kingdom of Heaven frees people from such a life full of anxiety.

Firstly, God is their Father / Patron in the Kingdom, i.e., He is the owner of everything (Ps. 24:1ff) and all people / believers are His children with the right to inherit and to equally benefit from His property (cf. Acts 4:32-36; Gal. 3:26-4:8; etc.).165

Secondly, God has called the people of the Kingdom of Heaven to be in charge of expanding it with righteousness and justice (Matt. 25:14-30; also read Gen. 2:15). Therefore, the people of the Kingdom of Heaven are not idle, waiting for their daily needs like manna from heaven, but they take the responsibility God assigned to them in the beginning, that is to cultivate and maintain His property (Gen. 2:15; cf. Matt. 25:14-30; Eph. 2:10; also read 1 Thess. 4:11; 2 Thess. 3:10). They not only pray but also work under God’s guidance. As people of God’s Kingdom, they perform their duties with righteousness / faithfulness, and consequently receive His blessing (1 Thess. 4:11; 2 Thess. 3:10; etc.).166

In Matthew 25:14-30, the Master did not take the 5 extra Talents gained by the first slave from the 5 Talents entrusted to him, as the other patrons usually did in the Greco-

Roman society of those days; instead, the Master gave all of them back to the slave. He did the same with the second slave. Since this pericope is a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven, it illustrates the way in which God blesses the children of His Kingdom who work faithfully and righteously. When God’s children serve their Father / Jesus with love, faithfulness, and righteousness, they – and not God / Jesus/ Patron – fully benefit from the result of their work in His Kingdom (cf. Matt. 6:33).167

He gives them fully, not only earthly blessings but also heavenly ones: “Enter into the joy of your master” (vv. 21-23). The place of gift ( χάρις , cháris) in the relationship between the patron and the clients / slaves in the Greco-Roman world has been cited previously. However, no text mentions that they dined together as an expression of gift / reward (cháris). In the Kingdom of Heaven, however, since Christ Jesus’ followers are His fellow heirs, God the Father / Jesus Christ fully shares in life with them for eternity in heaven. His pouring out blessings upon His servants / people of His Kingdom on earth is one aspect of this life sharing with them. This emphasizes that God / Jesus and all believers form one holy Family.168

The third slave who represents false children / servants of God did not get any blessing or such gift (cháris) from God. In addition, God had the Talent / property / wealth taken away from him, expelled him from his family and imprisoned him in hell for eternity. Pretending to be God’s child / servant, showing laziness, unrighteousness, bribery and corruption, hatred, disobedience to God, leads people on earth into poverty (Matt. 25:1430; cf. Luke 16:1ff.).

2.7. CONCLUSION

Christian believers are God’s children and heirs, Christ’s fellow heirs and servants. Their inheritance is “the earth and all that is in it”, which is illustrated here by the Talent / property, and “heaven” (including themselves and their families, etc.). Being children implies they are also owners of their Father’s / Jesus’ property or wealth. Being servants implies being actively and responsibly in charge of multiplying and developing such property with faithfulness and love, and according to the level / kind / measure of abilities / skills / gifts (charisma) given them by God. As children, they carry out the responsibility God has called and assigned them to, with love.

In other words, the children of the Kingdom of Heaven are new creatures, which they prove by working according to God’s will (Eph 2:10); they accept God’s / Jesus’ call- ing; commit themselves to the work and responsibility with love, faithfulness / righteousness and with fear of Him – the Patron who has put them in charge of such responsibility. They seek nothing else than to develop, increase and use the talents entrusted to them by God. That is how they honour and give glory to God / Jesus, who is the Patron. Working is a characteristic of the children of God’s Kingdom. The trustworthy and righteous children / servants receive His overwhelming blessings, His grace (cháris) even while on this earth. Such rewards are the first fruit of the life they will inherit in heaven for eternity.

CHAPTER THREE: