..the 300s..
I thought I would start working on posting something daily in an attempt to get 300 words down each day. I have one more week of language class (Koine Greek), and then serious work commences on my thesis. This means lots of reading, lots of writing, lots of processing and lots of breaks in which to watch friends episodes. Sometimes writing well is something that comes naturally. Other times (i.e. most of the time) its laborious. Yet, like a great many things, it is a craft that can be honed, and I am sensing a pull to do the hard work of becoming better than my current talent level. There is a point at which simply living on talent ends. It can only take one so far. If one writes well and with ease at 19 years of age, but continues to write at that same level at 28 years of age, then that talent is wasted. That person may indeed still be a decent writer, which I am, but they will not be excellent. I want to be excellent, and it takes more than talent to do so.
Speaking of talents, that is precisely the topic of my thesis research. Well, not talents as in abilities, but rather a first century monetary unit. The Parable of the Talents can be found in the book of Matthew in chapter 25. The 300 words of The Dailys may or not have anything at all to do with that topic in particular, but I am certain that many probably will. I do not want to divulge here exactly which part of the parable I am going to scrutinize, but I am willing to type a synopsis up and send an email out to anyone who wants to know.
A couple of questions for curiosity’s sake before I go back to burying myself in Greek:
1) What has been your experience with the parable of the talents?
2) When you read the parable, what questions come to mind?
το τελος,
α.λενορε
so glad you asked
and that your writing.
Have you read Ched Myers commentary on the Parable of the talents? That it’s not about the Kingdom of God but more about the kingdom of the world? That the hero is the subversive one who hid his talent rather then exploit it for profit?
I’d LOVE to hear your take on that one. Some of it seems to make sense, other parents I’m a little skeptical about. Here’s a link to a sojo article related:
http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=magazine.article&issue=soj9807&article=980724
Let me know what you think.
Peace.
I haven’t read the commentary, Ariah. I’m trying to stay clear of that sort of thing until I’ve gathered enough of my own research and conclusions. Thoughts off the top of my head (and based on his article) are as follows:
1. It seems to me that this interpretation is out of literary context. What I mean is that if you read the previous chapter (24) in Matthew, Jesus is speaking to his disciples about the “end of things”. In verses 36-51, Jesus tells his disciples that the day and the hour of these events are unknown. Because of this unknown-ness, the disciples are instructed to “keep watch”, “be ready” and to be like “the faithful and wise servant”. He then tells three parables, each of which contrasts those who are prepared (wise/faithful) with those who are not (the foolish/wicked). The parable of the talents is sandwiched in between the parable of the ten virgins and that of the sheep and goats, both of which have clear demarcations between who the wise/faithful are and who the foolish/wicked are. Why would it be that in between these two parables, where the dividing line between those in the right and those in the wrong is clear, Jesus would tell a parable where the line is blurred?
2. I don’t know Ched Myers, and certainly do not desire to pass any judgments on his character. I do want to offer an observation. It seems as though he my be reading too much of an anti-Capitalist bend into the text that is not there. Before we can say for certain what the text means for us today, we have to know what it meant for its audience then. That is the difficult task of Biblical Studies. Many people probably want Myers’ reading to be the correct reading, so that they can have the Bible on their side. Who doesn’t want the Bible on their side, right? But we have to be careful about having an axe to grind. I say this as much to myself as anyone else.
I will definitely keep you posted on information I find along the way. I’m very open to being wrong. Thanks for traveling alongside.