If the Parable of the Talents is being Jesus’ version of The Apprentice for a first-century audience. It’s an initiative test given to young business hopefuls, to see what they can do with the resources entrusted to them. It’s a tough test, and the man in charge is the hardest sort of boss imaginable. You can easily see the Alan Sugar or the Donald Trump in him. This Parable of the Ruthless Businessman is very uncomfortable reading for those who want to draw parallels between the businessman and God, as many do. But what if Jesus intended it to be received as a parable about leadership, a story which is in the bible to help us contemplate the nature of leadership today?

A talk for The Second Sunday before Advent, 15 November 2020.

Find the text to this and all my talks at bit.ly/johndavies-talks.