Question: You know the Parable of the Talents? (if you don't, it is in Mt 25 along with a couple of other parables - Sheep and Goats and Wise and Foolish Maidens I think). Well, I have it written down that it is an "M" parable. However, it seems remarkably similar to Luke's Parable of the 10 pounds (Chapter 19 for those not familiar). My hazy memory suggests that Dodd may have commented on this, but I have only managed to find a sentence saying "Dodd comments on poss. link with Lk 11" - I think I meant to write down Lk 19!
Basically, the point of this email is to ask whether anyone can throw any more light on this. Is it derived from a Q source? Are they completely different? Is there anything to be learnt from the comparison/existence of the two? Are these ultimately pointless questions?
The Webmistress replies:
J Fenton (Pelican commentary on Mt) comments 'This parable is preserved in 3 forms: Matthew's version, Lukes (Luke 19 v 12ff) and the version in the later non-canonical Gospel of hte Hebrews (Jeremias calls it the Gospel of the Nazarenes). Matthew's is probably nearest to the original (Fenton doesn't explain this comment, although Jeremias does - I may do something on this on the relevant section) though Luke may contain some less-developed features than Matthew's, together with some elaborations of his own. (presumably referring to the Matthaen 'and cast him into the outer darkness, etc etc.) This suggests a Q source, rather than M.
The context is peculiarly Matthaen, however, as it is (as our cyberpet helpfully points out) placed between 2 genuinely 'M' parables which deal with judgement at the parousia. Many scholars will interpret the judgement as the Judgement on the Household, that is, the judgement of the Church. I'm not so sure. The Wise and Foolish Virgins MAY refer to factions within the Church, some who keep the Law and are 'ready' for the parousia, and some who don't, but COULD also refer to Jews and Christians, both of whom were looking for the coming of the Messiah, but one group recognised the identity of the Messiah/Bridegroom and were therefore ready for Him, and one group didn't. Likewise, I've always maintained that the Sheep and the Goats dealt with groups of people (very large groups in Matthew's time, of course) who had never had the opportunity to hear the kerygma of Israel's salvation history, and the story of Jesus' ministry, death and resurrection within this context.
The parable of the talents, then, COULD have a similar message to that of the Matthean version of the Great Feast - that there are some within the Church who simply have never been part of the purpose of its Master - tares sown amongst wheat, as it were.