And cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
All Commentaries on Matthew 25:30 Go To Matthew 25
Gregory The Dialogist
AD 604
Hom. in Ev., ix, i: The man in travelling into a far country is our Redeemer, who ascended into heaven in that flesh which He had taken upon Him. For the proper home of the flesh is the earth, and it, as it were, travels into aforeign country, when it is placed by the Redeemer in heaven.
Otherwise; The five talents denote the gift of the five senses, that is, the knowledge of things without; the two signify understanding and action, the one talent understanding only.
There are also some who though they cannot pierce to things inward and mystical, yet for their measure of view of their heavenly country they teach rightly such things as they can, what they have gathered from things without, and while they keep themselves from wantonness of the flesh, and from ambition of earthly things, and from the delights of the things that are seen, they restrain others also from the same by their admonitions.
Again, there are some who by their understanding and their actions preach toothers, and thence gain as it were a twofold profit in such merchandize. This their preaching bestowed upon both sexes is thus a talent doubled.
To hide one’s talent in the earth is to devote the ability we have received to worldly business.
This lesson from this Gospel warns us to consider whether those who seem to have received more in this world than others shall not be more severely judged by the Author of the world; the greater the gifts, the greater the reckoning for them. Therefore should every one be humble concerning his talents in proportion as he sees himself tied up with a greater responsibility.
Hom. in Ev., ix, 2: And bringing his talents doubled, he is commended by his Lord, and is sent into eternal happiness.
The faithful servant is set over many things, when having overcome the afflictions of corruption, he joys with eternal joy in that heavenly seat. Heis then fully admitted to the joy of his Lord, when taken in to that abiding country, and numbered among the companies of Angels, he has such inward joy for this gift, that there is no room for outward sorrow at his corruption.
Hom. in Ev., ix: The servant who would not trade with his talent returns to his Lord with words of excuse.
But there are many within the Church of whom this servant is a type, who fear to set out on the path of a better life, and yet are not afraid to continue in carnal indolence; they esteem themselves sinners, and therefore tremble to takeup the paths of holiness, but fearlessly remain in their own iniquities.
Hom. in Ev., ix, 4: So then we see as well the peril of the teachers if they withhold the Lord’s money, as that of the hearers from whom is exacted with usury that they have heard, namely, that from what they have heard they should strive to understand that they have not heard.
Let us hear now the sentence by which the Lord condemns the slothful servant, "Take away from him the talent, and give it to him that hath ten talents.”.
Hom. in Ev., ix, 5: It might seem more seasonable to have given it rather to him who had two, than to him who had five. But as the five talents denote the knowledge of things without, the two understanding and action, he who had the two had more than he who had the five talents; this man with his five talents merited the administration of things without, but was yet without any understanding of things eternal. The one talent therefore, which we say signifies the intellect, ought to be given to him who had administered well the things without which he had received; the same we see happen every day in the Holy Church, that they who administer faithfully things without, are also mighty in the inward understanding.
Or, Whoso has not charity, loses even those things which he seems to have received.
And thus for punishment he shall be cast into outer darkness who has of his own free will fallen into inward darkness.
Hom. in Ev., lx, 7: Let him then who has understanding look that he hold not his peace; let him who has affluence not be dead to mercy; let him who has theart of guiding life communicate its use with his neighbour; and him who has the faculty of eloquence intercede with the rich for the poor. For the very least endowment will be reckoned as a talent entrusted for use.
