Introduction:
Today, I offer my own version of the famous biblical Parable of the Talents. After this intro will appear my version, and after that – the original text (verses 14-30, Matthew, chapter 25). This I do for your convenience as a basis of comparison.
Steven Searle’s version of
The Parable of the Eight Talents
Once upon a time was a master who had to travel, on short notice, to a far-away country. He called his servants and delivered unto them his goods, but gave no instructions as to their disposition. And he very quickly departed.
The first servant, a man of extreme talents, was given five talents of money – so here he shall be called Five Talents.
The second servant, a man of middling talents, was given two talents of money – so here he shall be called Two Talents.
The third was a man of few talents, who was given one talent of money – so here he shall be called One Talent.
After the master had departed, these three servants found questions arising in their minds and pondered the following:
- Our master did not give us any instructions as to how we should handle his money or, for that matter, any clue as to how long he would be gone.
- They wondered if their master had entrusted them with the vast majority of his wealth or only a small portion. If these 8 talents represented but a small portion of the master’s wealth, losing them would not be a disaster. Perhaps we three servants are being tested? For our initiative? For our trustworthiness? For what?
- Even if master was hoping we’d invest his money, should we try to decide what types of investments master might find morally repugnant? Or just seek the highest rate of return?
- Even one talent of money is a considerable amount – being equal to the value of twenty years of work by an ordinary person*. That being so, such a loss would not be a trifling matter.
- Should we concern ourselves with why it is the master had to leave so quickly and, more urgently, why it is he had such a vast sum so readily at hand?
Five Talents and Two Talents were indeed talented, but also possessed of a desire to impress their master. So they took it upon themselves – again, with no instruction to do so by the master – to invest their master’s talents. And it was no small gain they sought – seeking instead to actually double their master’s money. Under even the most favorable of circumstances, no small undertaking.
Leaving their master’s dwelling and entering a locale habited by speculators and fast-dealers, they showed their fortune and were flattered. Eight talents is a lot to bring to the table, so their newfound investment advisers cooed. And the kind of men to possess such wealth – wonderful and wise men they must be. And so Five Talents and Two Talents were flattered.
Alas, being well out of their element, they were relieved of their fortune – every last grain. To be sure, their advisers too had been financially devastated by the cruel and unpredictable turns of the marketplace.
One Talent, however, did indeed have talent enough to be cautious. He was amazed by the turn in behavior, the acquired haughtiness of his two fellow servants. That is, until they all learned of the total loss of the seven talents. That’s when One Talent spoke up and admitted he did not invest his master’s money, considering it not his place to be so presumptuous. He, instead, had simply buried his portion.
However, the master had not yet returned. And much more time was to pass before he would. During which time, Talents Five and Two indulged in bemoaning their losses and neglecting their other duties. The master’s household was becoming unkempt and disorderly. However, One Talent exerted himself heroically trying to make up the difference.
Five Talents and Two Talents didn’t even notice this effort, since they were too much in mourning and concerned with how to present news of this loss to their master.
One day, when Five and Two Talents were in the master’s house drinking, hoping to conjure up a solution to their dilemma, One Talent was on the outer boundary of the estate trying to mend his master’s fences. Looking up, he saw his master approaching from a distance. He beheld him, thinking, “From afar on that little donkey, master looks pitifully small. This is not the first time I’ve started really thinking about my master and his true nature, wishing I could fathom him precisely. To think: His distance from us inspires us to think of him more objectively.”
So One Talent determined to test his master.
“Hail, master! Long it’s been since your departure. Welcome home!”
Master, being tired, stepped down from his donkey and took a ladle of water offered by One Talent. Mustering his courage, One Talent spoke:
“Master, with your permission, may I be the first to offer news concerning your Talents?”
“Ah, most certainly. Take advantage of the moment and proceed with your account; though hold your tongue in the presence of the others, lest you spoil their renderings.”
“Master, Five Talents was able to double your money by means of prudent investment. As was Two Talents able to also double his entrusted amount.”
“And what of you, who – as usual – describes himself last and perhaps too modestly?”
“Master, I did not invest your money, thus I have only the original amount to return to you. It currently resides in its original source, buried in the earth.”
“What? My other servants double my amounts and you return only the original, unincreased?”
“Master, I was afraid of loss. I could not stop thinking of one talent being equal to the value of 20 years of work by an ordinary man. If I were to lose even part of that, I would somehow be diminishing the value of 20 years of a human life. From the earth your fortune came, to the earth I returned it for safety’s sake until your return.”
“Did it not occur to you that even cautious and conservative investing would have almost certainly yielded a return?”
“Aye, it did occur to me, as it did to the others. But should we, as servants, be expected to know of the intricacies of the world of money? If we were so savvy, we would not be servants. And, besides, it is as you yourself just said – ‘conservative investing would have almost certainly yielded a return.’ The word almost loomed large before me.
“Besides, harken Lord, for think of the speculated earnings awaiting you, cleverly deduced by Talents Five and Two.” And One Talent proceeded to describe piles of glittering coins and what they could obtain. And One Talent keenly yet undetectably observed his master’s countenance as he proceeded more deeply into his description. And he liked not what he saw on his master’s face.
Before long, the master arrived at his dwelling, side-by-side with One Talent, and summoned the other two Talents. He was as eager to hear their accounting as he was surprised when he soon saw their woeful appearance before him.
“Tell! Do tell of your wondrous exploitations on my behalf!”
Soon enough, the entire truth spilled out and the master was disturbed – but for other reasons: Seven talents had been lost and One Talent had lied to him.
“What say you, liar?”
“Yes, I lied to you. But how severely did I lie when it was obvious the lie would soon be untold?”
“Is that all you have to say?”
“Oh, perhaps you mean I should apologize. I will not do that, but I will say this: I quit. I am your servant and not your slave. I don’t know how you will deal with the loss of seven talents or with those who lost it. But I will hope you at least be merciful to them – forgetting what should be forgotten and teaching what should be taught. I hope the one talent I will dig up for you will prove to be talent enough. Though when I beheld the greed from within show itself upon your face, I must doubt that one will be talent enough.”
“Very well, then. Dig up my one talent, present it to me and be gone. Tell me, do you think you have talent enough to survive outside my realm?”
“I will be at least happy to try. But suppose I am overcome by bad circumstances. Others have died before me, so can death itself be so bad? Methinks you are too consumed by money to see much past its glitter. Transcend that, oh my former master. There are so many ways the beautiful world outside your fences glitters. Behold them before it is too late. It really takes no talent at all to at least try that.”
The original Parable of the Talents
14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Steven Searle for US President in 2012
Founder of The Independent Contractors’ Party
“In verse 26 of the original, above, I think the Lord was a bit over the top in calling him a ‘wicked and slothful servant.’ After all, the servant admitted he was afraid” – Steve.
* “a talent was roughly the value of twenty years of work by an ordinary person” – source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_talents_or_minas#Parable_of_the_Talents
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