yeah, i would just expand the point about interest, interest on full reserve loans is not usury. the whole construct of issuing currrency through lending is usury, as the lender is not making any kind of genuine sacrifice.

also it should be pointed out also that the principles of Equity law, a system of law practiced by the early monarchs of britain (prior to 1000AD) is completely based on understanding the Law that was described by Jesus. one of the more famous maxims of equity is "sacrifice is the measure of credibility". this is why full reserve lending is a good thing, and why fiat currency is a bad thing. the issuers of the currency have an asymmetric advantage being able to issue money more or less at will, whereas in a hard currency system, lenders can not risk bad debts and will charge higher rates of interest depending on how much control they get in the contract - investors, for example, can have a contract where they get a vote that is in proportion with their stake on important decisions of an enterprise.

fiat currency destroys the balance and creates a never-ending boom-bust cycle created by the nepotism and favoritism of people in the money printing clud and those who are not.

I would argue for a different interpretation of the parable of the talents, not as allegory to spiritual gifts, but as a critique of the ruling class. The talent was an amount of silver worth about 25 years labour.

I think this interpretation fits better because:

1. The Parable Sits in Jesus’ Final Judgment Discourse

The parable is part of a triad of parables in Matthew 25, all framed by Jesus’ teaching on the coming judgment:

1. The Parable of the Ten Virgins (25:1–13) – A warning to stay vigilant

2. The Parable of the Talents (25:14–30) – A caution about aligning with unjust systems

3. The Sheep and the Goats (25:31–46) – The climax: judgment based on care for “the least of these”

In this progression, the Talents parable prepares the reader for the idea that what seems profitable to the world may be rejected by God—while what the world casts aside (the poor, the cautious, the non-compliant) is ultimately vindicated.

The one who resists the harsh master (v.24) stands closer to the “least of these” than to the investors. This is a subtle but powerful transition in the narrative: the values of empire are about to be reversed.

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2. Jesus Is Days Away from His Crucifixion by the Ruling Class

Chapters 21–26 of Matthew describe the escalating conflict between Jesus and the powerful:

Matthew 21: Triumphal entry and cleansing of the temple – a direct challenge to the economic and religious elite

Matthew 22–23: Public confrontations with Pharisees and Sadducees – he condemns their hypocrisy and injustice

Matthew 24–25: Apocalyptic teaching – warnings about the collapse of the current order

Matthew 26: Plot to kill Jesus begins, and he is betrayed and arrested

In this context, Jesus is not affirming the values of the powerful—he is exposing them. The Parable of the Talents is part of this crescendo: a story that mirrors the logic of empire just before Jesus is crucified by that very empire.

The “worthless servant” is cast out into darkness, just as Jesus will be cast out and executed, not for failure, but for telling the truth and refusing to conform.

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3. The Master’s Language Echoes the Voice of the Empire, Not of Christ

The master in the parable:

Reaps where he didn’t sow (v.24) – a predatory practice, not a divine one

Calls the servant “wicked and lazy” (v.26) – language of domination

Orders him cast into “outer darkness” (v.30) – a judicial punishment

Contrast this with Jesus:

“Come to me… for I am gentle and humble in heart.” (Matthew 11:28–29)

“Blessed are the meek… the merciful… the peacemakers” (Matthew 5)

“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them… Not so with you.” (Matthew 20:25–26)

Jesus warns against lording power over others, yet the master does exactly that. This contrast invites readers to recognise the master's character as deliberately un-Christlike.

The master is described as “reaping where he has not sown and gathering where he has not scattered seed” (v. 24), which is the language of extraction and exploitation. This stands in stark contrast to God, who is consistently depicted in Scripture as the source of life, blessing, and justice, never one who takes what does not belong to him.

Further, in verse 27, the master rebukes the third servant for failing to place the money with the bankers to earn interest. Yet, usury (interest-taking) was explicitly forbidden in the Law of Moses:

“Do not charge a fellow Israelite interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest” (Deuteronomy 23:19).

“Do not take interest or any profit from them, but fear your God, so that they may continue to live among you” (Leviticus 25:36).

If the master symbolised God, this would imply that God praises behaviour prohibited in His own law, which is theologically inconsistent. Instead, Jesus may be ironically illustrating the harsh logic of the wealthy elite, who disregard God’s commands in their pursuit of profit.

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4. The Next Scene Is Judgment Based on Mercy, Not Productivity

Immediately after the Parable of the Talents comes the judgment of the nations (Matthew 25:31–46), in which the criteria for salvation are not how much someone multiplied resources but:

Feeding the hungry

Welcoming the stranger

Visiting the prisoner

Clothing the naked

This sudden shift—from a parable about investment returns to a judgment about mercy—is jarring unless the previous parable was meant to be cautionary.

In this light, the Parable of the Talents represents the values of the system Jesus is rejecting, not the one he’s proclaiming. Those who align with it may appear successful now, but they will be judged not by their profit, but by their compassion.

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5. The Arc of Matthew Leads to a Reversal of Power

The entire Gospel of Matthew tells the story of:

A humble king (born in obscurity)

Who preaches a kingdom not of domination but of justice

Is rejected by the elite

Crucified outside the city as a criminal

And vindicated by God through resurrection

In this narrative, Jesus does not resemble the master of the talents—he resembles the truthful servant who is punished.

By situating the parable within this arc, it reads not as a lesson in divine capitalism, but as a mirror held up to corrupt power—warning disciples not to emulate its logic or mistake worldly success for divine favour.

Why did Jesus flip tables?

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I think trade is legit , put interest and taxes is not 😎