So I grew afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’”​—Matthew 25:24, 25.

17. (a) Did this slave approve of his master’s being like the landowning farmer that he described? (b) Why did the slave think his master had no right to complain at getting no increase?

¹⁷ This slave knew that increase was expected of him. But he lacked the courage to take the risk by ‘doing business’ with his master’s silver talent. He did not have the love for his master so as to act, in spite of his fears, and take the risk and make the efforts to expand the “belongings” of his master.

So, consistent with his professed belief and attitude, he handed back just the one silver talent that his master had entrusted to him. So, as he thought, since his master had suffered no loss, why should he complain? He was receiving back what was his very own. The slave did not appreciate that money is for circulation and is for use in a profit-making way.