Parable of the Talents
Apr. 7th, 2006 12:48 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jackhttp://www.discipleship.net/parable/talents.htm (Link chosen at random)
What I never realised when I was told parable of the talents was that a talent was a lot of money. I had the impression of coins, not of nearly someone's weight in gold. Though estimates vary a lot.
Of course, it's hard to establish any kind of comparison because everything would cost different amounts relative to everything else. And gold would be rather differently valued itself.
I hadn't hitherto realise banks were so well established then. Lots of fantasy worlds have some sort of banking, but they generally seem based on english banking as of 17th century.
Apparently you could *lodge* your money somewhere since forever, but I'm not sure when paying interest became the norm. Or how reliable banks were -- from 17th century times there were still "The king takes all your gold" problems :(
What I never realised when I was told parable of the talents was that a talent was a lot of money. I had the impression of coins, not of nearly someone's weight in gold. Though estimates vary a lot.
Of course, it's hard to establish any kind of comparison because everything would cost different amounts relative to everything else. And gold would be rather differently valued itself.
I hadn't hitherto realise banks were so well established then. Lots of fantasy worlds have some sort of banking, but they generally seem based on english banking as of 17th century.
Apparently you could *lodge* your money somewhere since forever, but I'm not sure when paying interest became the norm. Or how reliable banks were -- from 17th century times there were still "The king takes all your gold" problems :(
no subject
Date: 2006-04-26 04:55 pm (UTC)That's what I was asking. Some people despite trying what they think is their best, fail by some people's definition. Are we saying that if you try your best, and try to use your best skills for your and everyone else's benefit, and are satisfied with yourself, but external events ended up screwing you over, God will be ok with that? People hearing the parable might not think of success like that, they might think they have to achieve a lot of good stuff, in which case being told they should be able to succeed can actually be intimidating them out of it.