Noah Brown: What is the True Meaning of the 'Talents' in the Parable of Matthew 25?

On 15th March 2021, Cheonji Ilbo (Cheonji Daily) published an article, in Korean, entitled, “What is the True Meaning of the 'Talents' in the Parable of Matthew 25?” This is a translation of that report.

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📰The Bible is one of the best-selling and most widely distributed books in history, yet it is also considered to be among the least understood. The Bible, which is referred to as the New Covenant and Promise of God, in which 'the way to heaven and salvation' is presented, differs in theologians' interpretations that make it difficult to understand. These differing interpretations have been the cause of the rise of denominations with each one establishing their own doctrine. With the increase in online church services and gatherings resulting from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, there has been growing interest in the comparison of various church doctrine. This paper, therefore, attempts to provide readers with the opportunity to compare differing Biblical teachings without interpretation. Among a host of online sermons and Bible-based teachings, the contrasting doctrine between the established Church and Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which has drawn public interest throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, is hereby compared and summarised. Best efforts have been made to provide a summary of Shincheonji Church of Jesus' understanding of the Bible. Judgment as to what is right or wrong is left to the reader’s discernment.

"A 'talent' was a measurement of gold. People who have this gold possess the word of truth'"

Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony

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Matthew 22 and Matthew 25 contain information about a wedding banquet in heaven. The purpose of our faith is to find this wedding banquet between God and Jesus, meaning to find heaven and greet the bridegroom there. Just as the protagonists of a literal wedding banquet prepare many things, those who participate in this spiritual wedding banquet need to be equipped. Matthew 25 emphasises the importance of preparing one's lamp and oil, knowing how to put one's talents to work and becoming a sheep-like believer.

Among these parables, the Parable of the Talents (also known as the Parable of the Bags of Gold) records a person entrusting his possessions to his servants, going away to another country, and returning after a long time to settle accounts. Jesus is this person who goes to another country, and his servants are the chosen people who take their seats at the wedding banquet. It is a warning for believers who will be divided between those who enter heaven and those who enter hell.

Then, what is the 'gold' that Jesus gives here? If you look at the characteristics of gold, it is unchanging and precious. In Proverbs 16:16, the characteristics of gold are likened to God's word - wisdom and understanding. Moreover, in 1 Peter 2:4-5, Jesus was called a precious living stone, and is written that people, like living stones, will be built into a spiritual house, meaning that Jesus and his disciples were also treasure. Therefore, the true meaning of gold, silver, pearls and treasure is the word of truth and a person who possesses this word of truth.

What does it mean to trade with such gold? In Matthew 13:45-46, it is recorded that heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. A fine pearl is the word of truth. Business includes buying and selling precious commodities, which means teaching and listening to the word of truth. In other words, a person who finds a pearl of great value will enter heaven, meeting a pastor who preaches the word of truth, and engraves the word in his heart to become a person with treasure. To 'trade' is to receive the word through a pastor and evangelise others as a citizen of heaven.

Who is the reality of those who trade gold given by Jesus at the Second Coming of the Lord in the Parable of the Talents? The analogy of the servant who received one talent in Matthew 25 is similar to that of the messenger of Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-22, which is a book of prophecy about the Second Coming. Jesus rebukes the messenger of the church of Laodicea for not realising he is poor, blind, and naked, and is counselled to buy gold refined in the fire to make him rich. This messenger of Jesus, who is one of the seven stars chosen by Jesus in the end times, must evangelise many people with this word of truth and lead them to life. However, Jesus admonishes this messenger for thinking himself rich and proud without actually realising he is poor and lacking the treasure of the true word.

In Shincheonji, where the wedding banquet of heaven is held at the time of the fulfilment of Revelation today, God, Jesus, and the spiritual kingdom of heaven come down to the promised pastor, the one who overcomes, as evidenced in Revelation 3:12. The Promised Pastor is the one who overcomes and the messenger of Jesus who sees, hears, and testifies to the events of the war in Revelation, and is the only pastor who has received the opened scroll in Revelation 10, which is the word of truth.

On the other hand, in Revelation Chapter 18, it is recorded that the treasures of Satan such as gold, silver and pearls are destroyed. The Prostitute is Satan's false pastor who tells lies of gold and silver. The gold and silver are lies which no one can buy any longer because they have all turned out to be lies. Eventually they come to ruin.

In summary, a talent is not literal, but is like gold - the unchanging word of truth - and a person who has the word of truth. Trading one's talent is not trading goods, but evangelism through the word of truth.

"People are born with talents. We receive ability and potential when we are born."

Korean Pastor

"There is no one without talent. This master went to a distant country and returned after a considerable period of time, so the person who received the five talents worked hard with it and made five more. Similarly, four talents were made from two talents. So the owner was very pleased, and asked that his servant share in his joy, saying that the good and faithful servant entrusted with little would be entrusted with much.

However, the person who received one talent came and said that he was afraid because he knew that his master was a hard man, harvesting where he had not sown and gathering where he had not worked. It refers to a person who is born in this world and spends his life just eating and sleeping without putting to use the talents God has given him. The master was very angry, driving out this evil and lazy servant into the darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. This one talent was taken and given to the person who had received the five talents.

The Lord said that he would give more to those who have but take away from those who do not have. This parable from the Lord teaches us that each of us is born with a talent from God when we are born into this world. We are talented people. No one is born without talents. Whatever we may think, the Lord has already given each one of us the talents needed to thrive in life. God does not give everyone the same amount of potential as no two people are the same."

Source: http://www.newscj.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=838114

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