Parable of talents for children. Parable of Talents: Interpretation

What is talent? When we use this word in relation to a person, we mean its extraordinary, vivid, noticeable abilities in a certain matter. In this article, we will talk about two parables about talents: one biblical, and the other (less well-known, but no less wise) authorship of Leonardo da Vinci, also known as the Parable of the Razor.

Such different talents

There is a talent for sports, music, drawing, languages, writing poetry or prose. It is tasty to cook, beautifully sew, masterfully repair broken objects. It is easy to make money, to make discoveries in science and technology, to invent something new. Have people around them, cheer them up, inspire and do better themselves or their living conditions for them.

We are accustomed to understand the word "talent" as something completely intangible, granted by nature or by some forces from above. Probably, even there are many people who are convinced that they do not possess any talents. Is this belief correct? Is this gift really only given to the chosen ones? Perhaps, the parable about talents will help to understand this.

What does "talent" mean?

Probably, you will be surprised, but two millennia ago this word was understood not at all what we know now.

Talent (τάλαντον, "talent") - in translation from the Greek "scales" or "load." This was the name of the measure of weight, which in ancient times was actively used in ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Babylon, Persia and other countries. During the Roman Empire, talent equaled the volume of one amphora, filled to the brim.

In addition to measuring weight, talent was also used as a monetary unit in trade. Gradually it became the largest in the ancient world.

Talent of the person

Over time, talents began to be measured - and, accordingly, to call - not the quantity of goods for sale and not the money earned for it, but the special qualities of a person, allowing him to deal with something with love, ease and surprising results that are not similar.

About whether you have talent or not, you can judge by the fruits of your work in any area: creativity, communication with people, sports, housekeeping, science, technology. If you like doing something, and this interest does not fade, even when you meet with difficulties, then you can talk about unusual abilities. And if what you do turns out to be new, interesting, like not only you, but also to other people, this could well mean your talent in this field. There are no people without talents at all. But there are those who he still sleeps or remains unnoticed by the person himself, who at this time "is not engaged in his own business."

Perhaps the parable of talents will help you understand yourself. Interpretation of it can be carried out both from religious positions, and from the point of view of psychology. And you already choose the approach that you like best.

Parable of talents: wisdom from the depths of centuries

Some important things are difficult to comprehend through direct explanation or edification, but much easier through a wise, allegorical form, prompting to reflect in search of an answer. So there were parables. Many of them were built centuries and millennia ago, went through many minds and retellings, eventually surviving to the present day. Some stories have authors, some have come down to us as part of sacred texts. Widely known biblical parables. With one of them we will get acquainted more closely.

The parable of talent was told by Jesus Christ to his disciples. This brief but instructive narrative is contained in the Gospel of Matthew. Curiously, there is not only a parable about talent. The Gospel of Luke, for example, contains a slightly different version of this story. In addition, instead of the monetary unit "talent", a "mine" is used, which was considered a smaller coin. As for the main character, this version of the parable hints not at Jesus, but on the ancient ruler of Herod Archelaus. From this, all history acquires a somewhat different meaning. But we will dwell on the classical version of the parable and consider its meaning from two aspects: theological and psychological.

Talent distribution

According to the story, a wealthy gentleman goes to a distant country and leaves his slaves to cope without him. Before leaving, the lord distributes coins to the slaves - talents, and divides them not evenly. So, one slave got as many as five talents, another - two, and the third - only one. After distributing the gifts, the lord ordered the slaves to use them and multiply them. Then he left, and the slaves stayed with the money.

A long time passed, and the gentleman returned from a distant country. First of all, he summoned all three slaves and demanded a strict report from them: how and to what they used the state given to them.

Disposal of talents

The first slave, who had five talents, multiplied them twice - they were ten. The gentleman praised him.

The second, who was given two talents, also ordered them wisely - now he has them twice as many. This slave was also praised by the master.

The third step has come to keep the answer. And he brought with him only one talent - the one that the owner gave him before leaving. The slave explained this as follows: "Sir, I was frightened by your anger and decided not to do anything at all. Instead, he buried his talent in the ground, where he lay for many years, and only now I got it. "

Hearing these words, the gentleman was extremely angry: he called the slave lazy and crafty, took away his only talent and drove the worthless away. Then he gave this coin to the first slave, the one who turned ten talents into ten. The owner explained his choice by having a lot always get more, and not having the one losing the latter.

This is the story of the parable of talent. The Bible contains many short instructive narratives that can be adapted to the realities of today.

Theological interpretation

Preachers and theologians explain that under the "lord" in this story one must understand the Lord God, Jesus Christ. By "far country" is meant the Kingdom of Heaven, where Jesus ascended, and the return of the master is an allegorical depiction of the Second Coming. As for the "slaves", they are disciples of Jesus, as well as all Christians, slaves of God. It is to them that the parable of talents is drawn, whose interpretation from the point of view of theology reflects the most important biblical truths.

So, the Lord returns from heaven, and the time of the Last Judgment comes. People have to answer, how they used God's gifts. In the parable, "talents" means money, but in a figurative sense they represent different skills, abilities, qualities of character, favorable opportunities - in a word, spiritual and material benefits. This is what the parable of talents narrates about. The meaning of it is much clearer with the help of interpretations.

It is noteworthy that everyone gets different talents in different numbers. This is because the Lord knows the strengths and weaknesses of any person. And also it is done for people to unite and help each other. In any case, no one is left without a talent - each is given at least one. He who will manage to use for himself and others God's given will be rewarded by Him, and whoever does not or will not want to lose everything.

Psychological interpretation

The biblical parable of talent became the source of the winged expression of "burying one's talent in the earth", which appeared a century ago and is actively used up to now. What does this mean now? What is the meaning of this expression and the parable itself from the point of view of psychology?

What is important is not what a person has (talents, knowledge, skills, resources), but how he uses it. You can have great opportunities, but do not use them, and then they will be lost. And if a person bury his talent, refuses attempts at self-realization, then he often begins to shift responsibility from himself to external circumstances or other people, which was done by the "crafty and lazy" slave from the parable. And only those who do not seek excuses for their inaction deserve happiness.

Another parable of talent

It turns out that there is not only a parable about buried talent. Another philosophical and didactic story, belonging to the pen of Leonardo da Vinci, tells of a barber who had in his arsenal a razor - so beautiful and sharp that it was not equal to everything in the world. Once she became proud and decided that she could not serve as a working tool. Hiding in a secluded corner, she lay for so many months, and when she wanted to straighten her shining blade, she found that it was all covered with rust.

So a person who has many talents and merits can lose them if he indulges in idleness and stops developing.

Having become acquainted with the original text and its interpretations, you can see the power of the parable of talents. For children, you can also use this story (in literary retelling) for home reading and discussion or for school lessons. Like any parable, this story deserves thoughtful reading and reflection.