But he that received one
Talent, or the least degree of gifts, for the ministry of the
word:
went and digged in the earth, and hid his Lord's
money.
The Syriac and Arabic versions read, "silver", and the Ethiopic,
"gold"; but whether these talents were silver or gold, is not
certain. Where he buried it; that is, he neglected the gift that
was in him, he made no use of it, either to his own advantage, or
to the good of others, and the interest of his Lord; he either
never went into the ministry, or if he did, he left it as Demas
did, having too great affection for the world, and the things of
it: he minded earth and earthly things, and employed himself in
them, and not in his master's work and service. The phrase seems
to point out the earthly mindedness of the man, his worldly
disposition, and his eager pursuit after the things of life;
which were the reason why he disregarded his talent, and made no
use of his ministerial gifts: he could not deny worldly self, nor
leave all to follow Christ; but rather than drop the world, he
chose to bury his talent in it: it was his Lord's money and not
his own, and he was accountable to him for it, and should have
used it in another manner.