Parables
The word “parable” comes from the Greek word παραβολη parabolee. In the Greek para means beside, and ballo means to cast or throw. So parable, in a very basic sense,means to cast beside. The word “parable”, in its more developed sense, still retains that underlying meaning. [source]
We know parables as stories Jesus would use to illustrate a point – a plausible story that could involve us as a character or participant. Typically we know a point of the story will involve some conclusion leading to a change in our thinking, a sort of paradigm shift (to borrow a 20th c. perspective of such an illustrative story).
Talents
One story of some familiarity may be Jesus’ parable of the talents. Before we hear it once more I ask you if you could define a talent. (No, it’s nothing like the show, ‘Britain’s Got Talent.’) If you guessed money, you get half-credit. (That was all I knew.) Let’s talk shekels first.
A shekel is a Hebrew coin. It’s used as a measure of weight and money; coin-sized weighing 11.4 grams (.4 oz. US). A handful of shekels might be 30 pieces of silver (but Roman coins as pictured were likely worth more, like a US dollar in another country with unstable currency).
A talent is much more than a handful of shekels: The shekel, in turn, was a 50th part of the maneh, and the maneh was a 60th part of the talent. The talent was, of course, equal to 3,000 shekels. [source] A talent in not the precise weight of commerce, but rather the larger calculation of accounting income over time.
By weight 3000 shekels [one talent] would equal about 75 pounds [20-40kg averaging 33kg].
Parable of Talents
Matthew 25:
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
To be continued…
Before we read further, take a look at the map above. Understand that Shinar is in a familiar place at the northern ports of the Persian Gulf, Iraq. Elam would be in southwest modern Iran. Goiim to the north would be in modern day Turkey. Elasar may have spanned from ancient Haran in the east to modern Aleppo, Syria in the west. The Salt Sea (Dead Sea) is clearly visible west of Shaveh-Kiriathaim, Israel.
8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim 9 with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five…
2 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord. 5 And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, 6 so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, 7 and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land.