33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A - Hearts Burning Within

The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time

Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31

The book of Proverbs is wisdom literature. The goal of wisdom in this genre is to live the good life here and now, marked by length of days, prestige and prosperity. Jewish tradition attributes the book to Solomon. Tradition says he wrote the Song of Songs when he was young, the wisdom of Proverbs in mid life (when he thought he knew everything), and the disillusioned complaints of Ecclesiastes when he was old.

In actuality, this is a collective work holding up the wisdom of anonymous wise men and women from many walks of life and different time periods. It’s rather like someone’s compilation of good quotes to live by.

Because the wisdom is timeless, it’s very hard to date, but most scholars see it as written during the 6th or 5th century BC, around the time of the exile. We can imagine a person in exile, who has lost everything, going back to wisdom of the previous generations to find their way forward in a new situation.

Chapter 31 give instructions for a king. It’s unusual in that these come from the king’s mother (v1-9). Preparing future rulers for their duties was often a concern of wisdom literature.

Verses 10-31 are an acrostic poem – each line begins with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The poem paints a picture of someone who is a paragon of ideal female virtues. Interestingly, most of what’s mentioned is not about religiosity or piety but, rather, actions. Proverbs as a whole talks about Wisdom personified, and this poem images a person who is a human reflection of Wisdom.

In some Hebrew canons, this book is followed by the book of Ruth as an example of this woman of worth. She is a model for us of daily faithfulness and sanctity – the kind of people we are to be as we await the last days.

We often equate the Holy Spirit with the Old Testament figure of Wisdom. Perhaps we might also read this passage as a description of the Holy Spirit.

Verse 10 says “who can find such a woman.” The sense of this is not so much that it’s hard to find; but, rather, if you do find such a person, pay attention!

This reading speaks to a person of worth, one who is industrious and trustworthy. What traits in this person appeal to you? What traits do you desire for yourself?

Matthew 25:14-30

During Ordinary Time, I’ll cover the Old Testament and then the Gospel readings as a pair so that we can better see the connections.

Today’s reading is an interesting and challenging parable! One commentary says “This parable is a favorite with American capitalists and fundamentalist guidance counselors.” In other words, those who say that turning a profit and putting your innate skills to work is what God expects of us. This view is especially evident if you use the shorter form of the reading which cuts the gospel off at verse 21, where the first servant is being lauded for his ingenuity.

The first thing I want to address is this idea of “talents.” We sometimes call this “the parable of the talents” because in the story, the man gives his servants talents. The word talent in the Greek is a measure of money. A talent weighed close to a hundred pounds and was worth 20 years of an ordinary laborer’s time. Historically this parable has been interpreted as talents being skills and gifts and this is the origin of the meaning of our English word talent. The meaning stems directly from this parable.

Following are some different interpretations offered for this parable.

Most Common: talents = skills and gifts
In this line of thinking, the “talents” refer to our God-given gifts and skills, and we are urged by the parable to put them to use in the kingdom, doing God’s work. Not doing so earns God’s ire. This view fits very much in line with our cultural, individualistic thinking.

This approach, however, doesn’t take into account the eschatological character of the passage: it doesn’t seem to adequately consider the fact that this parable comes in a line of parables talking to us about the last days.

Rage against the system
Eusebius was a church historian writing around 300AD. He documents an ancient collection of parables that he knew about, written in Hebrew. In that document, this parable has the opposite outcome: the first two are punished and the third is rewarded.

One line of interpretation sees Eusebius’ version as the one Jesus actually told. In this version, the master is corrupt and the first two servants are participating in that corruption. The third one stands up against the system and refuses to participate. In this line of thinking, Jesus encourages honesty and uprightness in all dealings. Exposing corrupt systems was a common teaching of Jesus.

But by 80AD, Jesus still hadn’t returned and the church was grappling with this delay. Now it becomes more important to be steadfast and productive in the time of waiting. And so the story is adapted for new questions. And that adaptation actually becomes closer to the previous interpretation of using one’s skills and gifts wisely. Here, Matthew seeks to encourage his readers to be clever in the use of material goods as they await Jesus’ coming.

Interpretation in Context
Chapters 23-25 are about the coming of the kingdom. In chapter 24 Jesus talks about how the day and hour of his return are unknown, but it will happen. Chapter 25 begins with the parable of the ten virgins with an emphasis on being ready at all times. The parable following today’s is about the criteria of judgment, where Jesus says “what you did for the least of these, you did for me.” So, in context, we can assume this parable has something to say about the coming of the kingdom.

In previous parables, Jesus told us that the kingdom is like a pearl of great price or a treasure in a field. In a sense, you can’t buy it because it is priceless; but in another sense, you must give all you have to possess it.

Let’s consider for a moment that the talents in this parable are the kingdom itself. If we look at it through this lens, we have a story of a man going on a journey (let’s call the man Jesus), and while he’s away he entrusts his servants to look after things, in this case, the kingdom. He entrusts bits of the kingdom to everyone; perhaps not equally, but according to some divine plan. But even a small piece of the kingdom is priceless.

As soon as the man (Jesus) goes away, the first two servants get to work. They multiply and expand the kingdom that Jesus has entrusted to them. They enlarge that kingdom by bringing others in.

But then there’s this last servant who is ruled by fear. He knows something valuable has been entrusted, but he has an image of God as demanding and harsh. This God seems more concerned with obeying rules and regulations and exacting his due.

So this servant decides to just hide the kingdom away. He doesn’t share it. He doesn’t expand it. He buries it, perhaps in layers of rules so harsh that only a few can live up to the entrance criteria.

What happens when Jesus returns? The first two servants have done what Jesus asked:
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
Matthew 28:19
They were faithful: they’ve made disciples and expanded the kingdom. They are invited to come share the master’s joy in the enlarged kingdom they helped bring about.

And then there’s that third servant. When Jesus returns he says the least you could have done was…… put the money in the bank. At least don’t deny the gospel. Don’t bar others from entering. Perhaps seek to understand God as more than harsh and demanding and provoking fear.

The response of the master in this parable reminds us yet again that God’s patience is not infinite. The wicked servant is seen as being “thrown out.” Perhaps this is a metaphor for what actually happens: those who want to restrict the kingdom end up living in a hell of their own making. Maybe God says – if that’s what you want, fine – you go live there and see what it’s like.

In the end, I think all these interpretations have something to teach us:

We are given gifts and skills to help build the kingdom and we are called to use those in God’s service.
We are indeed called to stand up against systems of oppression, to not participate in ways of being that enslave others.
There is a necessity of wisely using resources as we await Jesus’ coming.
We are entrusted with building the kingdom in line with God’s vision.

I think the trick is to hold all these in balance. We need to be able to wisely use resources while at the same time standing against systems of oppression. We need to use our gifts and skills in ways that cooperate with others and invite others to help build the kingdom.

What gifts and skills are you using to help build the kingdom? What gifts and skills is God inviting you to tap into further?

What systems of oppression are you aware of?

Are you wisely using resources in a way that cooperates with others and invites them to help build the kingdom?

How are you expanding the kingdom?

Old Testament / Gospel Connection

How are the Old Testament and Gospel readings connected? Each week I will offer my views on this but I encourage you to first read the passages and look for your own connections!

Proverbs speaks of a virtuous person, one who tends their world wisely. The parable also speaks of tending things wisely.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6

See background on this letter here.

Last week Paul addressed the issue of those who had already died before Christ’s return. In today’s passage, he turns his attention to the implications of that coming for those who are still alive.

In verse 1 Paul addresses times and seasons, chronos and kairos, chronological time and God’s time beyond time. He says there’s really no need to write anything about this but, in typical Paul fashion, he will anyway!

How did Paul’s audience know “very well” this metaphor of the thief in the night from verse 2? Remember that Paul spent time with the community, giving oral instructions. This was probably a metaphor he used frequently. We also see this image in the gospels, which were written decades later based on oral teaching. So this image was something that was very likely part of the oral tradition of the church.

“Thief in the night” symbolizes a suddenness and vulnerability – we are most vulnerable when we are asleep.

The prophet Jeremiah preached against the false prophets who said that all was well when, in fact, there was an army bearing down on them who would capture and enslave them all. “Peace and security” in verse 3 was probably a common proverb that expressed far more than the words themselves.

Paul also uses the metaphor of a pregnant woman going into labor. Labor is sudden, precarious, and unpredictable; but inevitable. Such is the day of the Lord, Paul says.

In verses 4-5 Paul talks about the same topic but with a different set of metaphors: light and dark.

He ends in verse 6 with a tie to the gospel: be alert, be ready.

The day of the Lord will come like a thief comes at night – when we are most vulnerable. What’s an area of vulnerability that you’re afraid for Christ to look at? How might you begin to open up and invite Christ in?

How are you living as a child of the light?

Questions to ponder

What do these readings say about how to live day in and day out as Christians?