Many of the parables that Jesus told have been interpreted in various ways. One such parable is the parable of the talents. Before a master goes on a long journey, he divides his entire wealth among his three servants. He does not divide it equally. He divides the total wealth into 9 parts and gives 5 parts to one, 3 parts to the second, and 1 part to the third. In the parable, the word that is used is talent.

A talent is the huge weight block. Today, it weighs about 26 kg. That much weight in gold or silver would be one share of the property. After a long time, the master returns. He summons the servants. Then the one who was given 5 parts had it got doubled. The one who was given 3 parts also had doubled what was given. The master receives them equally into his joy. In other words, he changes their status from being servants to his heirs. In other words, he makes them his children. However, the third servant had done nothing. The 1 share of the property entrusted to him -as said earlier it must be 75 pounds of silver - he dug a pit in the ground and buried it. When summoned, he openly accused his master, digs up the treasure and returns it to the master. The master takes the talent from him and oust him.

Most people interpret this parable in the way that talents are the abilities that have been given to us. There is nothing wrong with that.

However, in a general pattern of all the teachings and parables of Jesus, that does not look coherent. The reversal of the Kingdom of God - the first becoming last and the last becoming first does not fit into this parable. It looks just the opposite. For this reason, I, like some others, suspect that this parable must be a parable told in reverse. The asset of God is mercy- rich in mercy. Therefore what the master distributed must have been his mercy.

The one who received 5 shares of mercy must have been a terrible sinner who needed mercy the most. The one who received such great mercy doubled what was given to him by showing mercy to others. The one who received 3 shares of mercy - he also should be a terrible sinner. Similarly, he also shared the mercy that he received with others and got it multiplied. The one who received one portion of mercy must be one who lived without committing too many sins -who considered himself a saint. Therefore, he may not have shown mercy to others, but have behaved harshly to others. In short, he buried the wealth he received.

Then he will be cast out.

That was always the message of Jesus!