But he that had received one went and dug in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
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Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
But he that had received one . . . hid his lord"s money; Arab. buried his lord"s silver. To bury a talent Isaiah , through negligence and sloth, not to use or exercise the grace bestowed upon one. Here observe, that this burying of his talent is ascribed to him who only received one talent. This is not because others, who have received more, do not often do the same, but in order that we may understand that if Hebrews , who had only misused his one talent, was thus severely punished by his master, far sharper will be the Lord"s censure and punishment of those who have misused more and greater talents. Wherefore Paul says, "We exhort you, that ye receive not the grace of God in vain" (2Cor. vi11). And again, "His grace in me was not in vain, but I laboured more abundantly than they all" ( 1 Corinthians 15:10); and, "Woe is me, if I preach not the Gospel."
Let those who do not use genius, learning, prudence, or other gifts of God, for their own or others" benefits, on account of sloth, ...
He that had received the one. The man who hid this one talent, represents all those who, having received any good quality, whether mental or corporal, employ it only on earthly things. (St. Gregory)
Origen is also of the same sentiment: if you see any one, says he, who has received from God the gift of teaching and instructing others to salvation, yet will not exercise himself in this function, he buries his talent in the ground, like this unworthy servant, and must expect to receive the like reward.
