Jesus told his disciples:

14 “For it is like a man, going into another country, who called his own servants, and entrusted his goods to them. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two. 18 But he who received the one talent went away and dug in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

19 “Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reconciled accounts with them. 20 He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents besides them.’

21 “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

22 “He also who got the two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents besides them.’

23 “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

24 “He also who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter. 25 I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.’

26 “But his lord answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn’t sow, and gather where I didn’t scatter. 27 You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest. 28 Take away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away. 30 Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

Matthew 2514-30 - World English Bible

The final discourse of Jesus in Matthew's gospel ended with three parables. The first (15:1-13) addressed spiritual preparation. The second (above) addressed the results of evangelization; how many people could the missionaries gather into the Church before the Second Coming? The third spoke to the Final Judgment (25:31-46).

Here, Jesus taught the necessity of winning souls with an unlikely scenario. A rich foreigner (Gentile) entrusted his fortune to three servants (traitorous Jews?) for “investment.” Since ancient culture assumed that wealth was static, thus could not grow, and the distribution of wealth was divinely ordained, the servants could only increase the size of their master's estate at the expense of others. The eight talents listed in 25:15 had a value of $3 million at the time and could only be doubled in short order by loaning it at exorbitant rates (30-50%). Despite the power of the state to jail a delinquent debtor, such loans were risky. No wonder the third servant buried his single talent (considered a safe option by many wise men at the time). Yet, unlike his fellow servants, the conservative servant was punished for his lack of initiative; the master ordered him ejected from the household.

The message was clear. Time was short and the “harvest” was great. Every Christian had a responsibility to spread the Good News. The Lord would eject those who held back out of fear.

How have you evangelized this week?