Methodist Bishop

Luke 19.12-27 There’s an interesting variation on Luke’s Parable of the Talents among the Rabbinic parables in the Babylonian Talmud , which was compiled about five hundred years after the time of Jesus.  The Talmud says, ‘Our rabbis taught: “...the spirit returns to the God who gave it", [which] means, “Give it to him pure as he gave it to you.”  ‘This may be compared to a king of flesh and blood who distributed royal garments to his servants. The attentive among them folded them and deposited them in a chest. The foolish among them went and did their work in them. ‘Days later the king asked for his garments. The attentive among them returned them to him all sparkling; the foolish among them returned them to him all soiled. ‘The king was pleased with the attentive, but angry with the foolish. Regarding the attentive he said: "Give the garments to the treasurer and let them go to their homes in peace." Regarding the foolish he said: "Give the garments to the tr