Matthew:25:14-30
rwp@Matthew:25:14 @{Going into another country} (\apodmn\). About to go away from one's people (\dmos\), on the point of going abroad. This word in ancient use in this sense. There is an ellipse here that has to be supplied, {It is as when} or {The kingdom of heaven is as when}. This Parable of the Talents is quite similar to the Parable of the Pounds in strkjv@Luke:19:11-28|, but they are not variations of the same story. Some scholars credit Jesus with very little versatility. {His goods} (\ta huparchonta autou\). His belongings, neuter participle used as a substantive.
rwp@Matthew:25:15 @{To one} (\hi men, hi de, hi de\). Demonstrative \hos\, not the relative. Neat Greek idiom. {According to his several ability} (\kata tn idian dunamin\). According to his own ability. Each had all that he was capable of handling. The use that one makes of his opportunities is the measure of his capacity for more. One talent represented a considerable amount of money at that time when a \denarius\ was a day's wage. See on ¯18:24| for the value of a talent.
rwp@Matthew:25:16 @{Straightway} (\euthes\). Beginning of verse 16, not the end of verse 15|. The business temper of this slave is shown by his promptness. {With them} (\en autois\). Instrumental use of \en\. He worked (\rgasato\), did business, traded with them. "The virgins wait, the servants work" (Vincent). {Made} (\epoisen\). But Westcott and Hort read \ekerdsen\, gained, as in verse 17|. \Kerdos\ means interest. This gain was a hundred per cent.
rwp@Matthew:25:19 @{Maketh a reckoning} (\sunairei logon\). As in strkjv@18:23|. Deissmann (_Light from the Ancient East_, p. 117) gives two papyri quotations with this very business idiom and one Nubian ostracon with it. The ancient Greek writers do not show it.
rwp@Matthew:25:21 @{The joy of thy lord} (\tn charin tou kuriou sou\). The word \chara\ or joy may refer to the feast on the master's return. Songs:in verse 23|.
rwp@Matthew:25:24 @{That had received the one talent} (\ho to talenton eilphs\). Note the perfect active participle to emphasize the fact that he still had it. In verse 20| we have \ho--labn\ (aorist active participle). {I knew thee} (\egnn se\). Second aorist active indicative. Experimental knowledge (\ginsk\) and proleptical use of \se\. {A hard man} (\sklros\). Harsh, stern, rough man, worse than \austros\ in strkjv@Luke:19:21|, grasping and ungenerous. {Where thou didst not scatter} (\hothen ou dieskorpisas\). But this scattering was the chaff from which wheat was winnowed, not the scattering of seed.
rwp@Matthew:25:26 @{Thou wicked and slothful servant} (\ponre doule kai oknre\). From \ponos\ (work, annoyance, disturbance, evil) and \okne\ (to be slow, "poky," slothful). Westcott and Hort make a question out of this reply to the end of verse 26|. It is sarcasm.
rwp@Matthew:25:27 @{Thou oughtest therefore} (\edsi se oun\). His very words of excuse convict him. It was a necessity (\edei\) that he did not see. {The bankers} (\tois trapezeitais\). The benchers, money-changers, brokers, who exchanged money for a fee and who paid interest on money. Word common in late Greek. {I should have received back} (\eg ekomisamn an\). Conclusion of a condition of the second class (determined as unfulfilled). The condition is not expressed, but it is implied. "If you had done that." {With interest} (\sun toki\). Not with "usury" in the sense of extortion or oppression. Usury only means "use" in itself. The word is from \tikt\, to bring forth. Compound interest at six per cent doubles the principal every twenty years. It is amazing how rapidly that piles up if one carries it on for centuries and millenniums. "In the early Roman Empire legal interest was eight per cent, but in usurious transactions it was lent at twelve, twenty-four, and even forty-eight" (Vincent). Such practices exist today in our cities. The Mosaic law did not allow interest in dealings between Hebrews, but only with strangers (Deuteronomy:23:19,20; strkjv@Psalms:15:5|).
rwp@Matthew:25:30 @{The unprofitable} (\ton achreion\). Useless (\a\ privative and \chreios\, useful) and so unprofitable, injurious. Doing nothing is doing harm.
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