SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #459
As they were hearing these things, he added and spoke a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately be manifested. He said therefore: "a certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. And calling his ten servants, he gave them ten pounds and said to them: 'Trade till I come.' But his citizens hated him and they sent an embassage after him, saying: 'We will not have this man to reign over us.'
"And it came to pass that he returned, having received the kingdom: and he commanded his servants to be called, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading, And the first came saying: 'Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.' And he said to him: 'Well done, thou good servant, because thou hast been faithful in a little, thou shalt have power over ten cities.' And the second came, saying: 'Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.' And he said to him: 'Be thou also over five cities.' And another came, saying: 'Lord, behold here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin. For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up what thou didst not lay down: and thou reapest that which thou didst not sow.' He saith to him: 'Out of thy own mouth I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up what I laid not down and reaping that which I did not sow. And why then didst thou not give my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have exacted it with usury?' And he said to them that stood by: 'Take the pound away from him and give it to him that hath ten pounds.' And they said to him: 'Lord, he hath ten pounds.'
'But I say to you that to every one that hath shall be given, and he shall abound: and from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken from him. But as for those my enemies, who would not have me reign over them, bring them hither and kill them before me.' "
And having said these things, he went before, going up to Jerusalem. (Luke 19: 11-28)
IN THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS, the man who delivered his goods to his servants is our Lord Jesus Christ. His goods are the gifts bestowed on us by Him as our Creator, and all those graces which he as our Redeemer left with us when He returned to His Father and "went into a far country." The talents, therefore, signify life, health, memory, understanding, fortune etc., as well as faith, sanctifying and actual grace, and all means of grace, especially His own Body and Blood in the Most Blessed Sacrament. All these gifts, natural as well as supernatural, are talents given to us, of which we are to make good use. We can "trade with them" by using them for the glory of God and the salvation of our own souls.
"And it came to pass that he returned, having received the kingdom: and he commanded his servants to be called, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading, And the first came saying: 'Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.' And he said to him: 'Well done, thou good servant, because thou hast been faithful in a little, thou shalt have power over ten cities.' And the second came, saying: 'Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.' And he said to him: 'Be thou also over five cities.' And another came, saying: 'Lord, behold here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin. For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up what thou didst not lay down: and thou reapest that which thou didst not sow.' He saith to him: 'Out of thy own mouth I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up what I laid not down and reaping that which I did not sow. And why then didst thou not give my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have exacted it with usury?' And he said to them that stood by: 'Take the pound away from him and give it to him that hath ten pounds.' And they said to him: 'Lord, he hath ten pounds.'
'But I say to you that to every one that hath shall be given, and he shall abound: and from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken from him. But as for those my enemies, who would not have me reign over them, bring them hither and kill them before me.' "
And having said these things, he went before, going up to Jerusalem. (Luke 19: 11-28)
IN THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS, the man who delivered his goods to his servants is our Lord Jesus Christ. His goods are the gifts bestowed on us by Him as our Creator, and all those graces which he as our Redeemer left with us when He returned to His Father and "went into a far country." The talents, therefore, signify life, health, memory, understanding, fortune etc., as well as faith, sanctifying and actual grace, and all means of grace, especially His own Body and Blood in the Most Blessed Sacrament. All these gifts, natural as well as supernatural, are talents given to us, of which we are to make good use. We can "trade with them" by using them for the glory of God and the salvation of our own souls.
[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)
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