The Social Principles of JesusRauschenbusch, Walter
Religion
The Social Principles of Jesus
Rauschenbusch, Walter
Christian ethics; Christian sociology; Jesus Christ -- Teachings
For it is as when a man, going into another country, called his
own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he
gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each
according to his several ability; and he went on his journey.
Straightway he that received the five talents went and traded with
them, and made other five talents. In like manner he also that
received the two gained other two. But he that received the one
went away and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. Now
after a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and maketh a
reckoning with them. And he that received the five talents came
and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst
unto me five talents: lo, I have gained other five talents. His
lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou
hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many
things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. And he also that
received the two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst
unto me two talents: lo, I have gained other two talents. His lord
said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast
been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things;
enter thou into the joy of thy lord. And he also that had received
the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a
hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where
thou didst not scatter; and I was afraid, and went away and hid
thy talent in the earth: lo, thou hast thine own. But his lord
answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou
knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not
scatter; thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the
bankers, and at my coming I should have received back mine own
with interest. Take ye away therefore the talent from him, and
give it unto him that hath the ten talents. For unto every one
that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from
him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away.
And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness:
there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.—Matt.
25:14-30.
Evidently the sympathy of Jesus was with the two men who hustled, and not
with the fellow who took it out in growling and blaming the boss. Jesus
would have agreed to the proposition that to live an unproductive life is
one of the cardinal sins. Evolution and Christianity agree on that. This
exhortation to do good work was given when Jesus was looking forward to
his death and his absence. He would leave the Kingdom of God as an
unfinished task. He wanted his disciples to carry forward their Master’s
business under their own initiative when he was not there to direct them.
The new conditions would throw even heavier responsibilities on them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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