An occult investigation of Talent; whence it comes, its right and wrong use, and where it leads
Guest article by John Temple
In the ninth of his articles on the Search for Truth, John Temple continues his investigation of the hidden wisdom in the Bible by examining the Parable of the Talents in the New Testament
Introduction
This further investigation of the hidden wisdom in the Bible will examine the metaphysical meaning of the Parable of the Talents. This can be found in Matthew, chapter 25, verses 14 to 30 and Luke chapter 19, verses 12 to 28. If you have not read my previous articles on this subject, you should do so, to familiarise yourself with the basic principles of occult symbolism, allegory and mythology discussed and explained in them. As with all my previous investigations, I would like to assure any devout Christians who may have stumbled upon this article that they will lose nothing of value by reading it and may gain more than they imagine. I tender the same assurance to mystics and 'pagans', many of whom have told me over the years that they "don't read the Bible." This is an opportunity for both sorts of readers to amend their oversight. It is the purpose of this article to discover what talent really is, whence it comes and how we may best use and develop our gifts for the greatest good of humanity as well as ourselves. In my customary afterword I discuss the right and wrong use of talent and where such usage may lead us.
What Talent really is and where it comes from
It has been said by many great philosophers that talents constitute our very essence, but what is the inner meaning of this saying? Wikipedia tells us that "a talent (or gift, or aptitude) is the skill that someone naturally has to do something that is hard. It is an ability that someone is born with." This is our first clue to what talent really is: something we are born with. The Oxford English Dictionary defines talent as "power or ability of mind or body viewed as something divinely entrusted to a person for use and improvement." This is our second clue: talent is a Divine Power, given to us to use and improve. Being Divine it must come from God, however we may regard that Holy Being, First Principle, Cosmic Law, or Universal Essence, for all the great philosophers agree that every thing that exists has arisen from One, Divine Source and all that we can Know and Be is contained within it.
We have now answered our first two questions. Talent is a gift we are born with given to us by God to help us to improve our Selves; to benefit us and others. But what of the word itself? The dictionary also tells us that the figurative use of the word 'talent' is derived from the Parable of the Talents in Matthew and Luke whilst the primary and ancient meaning is balance, weight, sum of money, etc., from the Greek and Roman roots 'tal' and 'tala' meaning to bear or carry. All these definitions are significant and replete with hidden meaning, as we shall see as I develop my theme.
As I said in my introduction, the Parable of the Talents appears in two gospels in the Bible: Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:12-28. There is also a third variant in the Gospel of the Hebrews, which is thought to have been composed between 80-150 A.D. This text was lost some time during the seventh century, probably during the Muslim invasions of Egypt, and all that remains of it are a few fragments preserved in the writings of the early Church Fathers. Consequently, I have chosen to analyse Matthew's version of the parable because it preserves the esoteric sense better than Luke, which in many places displays all the grubby finger marks of priestly interpolation and distortion. But before we study it, it is necessary to consider what the word 'talent' generally means today, the better to understand the hidden meaning of the parable itself.
Misconceptions about Talent
Nowadays we hear the word talent bandied about in a variety of contexts. It's used constantly in reference to celebrities. In show business, performers are often referred to as "talent"; sports analysts talk about an outstanding athlete's "raw talent." Children impress audiences of proud parents at talent shows, while the existence of talent agencies and talent scouts implies that talent is simply a commodity to be bought and sold for a profit! This process has culminated in TV shows such as Britain's got talent which capitalise on the hunger for fame and celebrity. All this debases the esoteric meaning of the word and has made it into a synonym for mere competency, style, or in some cases, eccentricity and exhibitionism. Psychologists tell us that talent is a bundle of personal characteristics that accelerates the acquisition of expertise in one or more areas, or enhances performance in such areas. This is true, but it is not all the truth, nor is it complete, as we shall see.
In its common or superficial meaning talent is now used to describe anything that allows a person to acquire some material benefit or other, such as enhanced status, wealth or fame, and provide a jolly good income for those who exploit their gifts. It has become a synonym for the useless dross which impresses the foolish but leaves the wise man or woman unmoved. Such know that the pursuit of fame, status and wealth as ends in themselves do not lead to enlightenment and freedom from rebirth but further servitude on earth. Not that there is anything wrong with worldly fame or wealth, provided we use them wisely, which alas, very few do. Moreover, earthly fame must fade in the end, and riches, as we learned in my previous investigation of the Book of Proverbs, "make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven" (Proverbs 23:4-5). Better to be poor and unknown on earth and rich and famous in Heaven, for then we shall acquire lasting wealth and renown that neither God nor man can take away from us! This is one of the truths concealed in the Parable of the Talents, but there are many others, which neither scholar, cleric nor lay reader has ever discovered before. To save you looking it up in your Bible (KJV, as usual!), I quote it in full below. Please pay careful attention, for we shall need to refer to these verses later and even parts of them to extract their full meaning.
The Parable of the Talents
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his Lord's money.
After a long time the Lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
His Lord said unto him, well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
His Lord said unto him, well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
His Lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The first thing we note is the mention of 'the kingdom of heaven' which is described as a 'far country', whose 'goods' are delivered unto men. This affirms the dictionary definition quoted earlier, that talent is something divinely entrusted to use or misuse according to our will and desire. In verse 27 money is mentioned which might lead us to suppose that the 'goods' in question are material and not spiritual. Well, they may be, for the same Occult Laws apply to both. As we saw earlier, it is unfortunate that the word 'talent' now means something quite different from what it meant when the parable was composed. In those times a talent was a measurement of weight, whose value varied with the substance of which it was made. A talent of gold was worth more than a talent of silver or bronze. I have emphasised the words 'weight' and 'substance' deliberately, for talents are not equal, either in their origin or their use. Oratory is a very great talent, but the substance of the rantings of a dictator are inspired from below, whereas the substance of the teachings of a great Master like Jesus, are inspired from Above. In either case, their talent moves multitudes, but for different purposes that lead to very different ends. Nor are all orators equal in the weight their words carry to their listeners. The self-appointed 'expert' who holds forth in the pub on a Saturday night also possesses talent, be it only the talent of boring his audience into somnolence! This affirms that talents are distributed "to every man according to his several ability," as verse 15 tells us, for no two individuals are exactly alike, physically, mentally or spiritually, and all are at different stages in their evolution.
We should also bear in mind that money is first and foremost a medium of exchange, so bringing it into line with the 'exchangers' mentioned in verse 27. By putting our talents into circulation as it were, we not only increase their worth, but exchange them for other 'goods', such as the pleasure an audience derives from listening to great music, or the benefits of good health and prosperity which arise from the talents of the physician and the businessman when such employ them wisely and well. So we have now learned that talents come from two opposite sources—Above or below, or we might say God and the Devil, though it is only fair to say that many talents are of a mixed nature, partaking of good and evil in varying degrees. We have also learned that talents vary in their weight or value, and that they can be exchanged for other good (and evil) things according to the ability and intention of the person who possesses them, and the use or misuse they make of them.
Talent may be material, such as the superior physique that allows an athlete to excel in some area or other, or it may be spiritual, such as we find among the great teachers, messengers and philosophers who have contributed so much to the enlightenment and liberation of mankind. Quite often great talent manifests as a combination of these two principles, such as the material skills and spiritual inspiration exhibited by great artists and musicians. In short, there is no end to the possible combinations of talent nor the ways in which it may express itself. But whatever form our talents take, the technical facility to realise them has to be acquired anew in each incarnation through rigorous training and long practise. Mozart was born a musical genius, having perfected his great gift over many lifetimes, but even he had to learn musical notation and how to play all over again, just like the young lady next door who may drive us mad with her piano practice! In short, great gifts follow us from life to life but the means to express them have to be learned anew each time we are reborn in a new body. And how could it be otherwise, for our body is different in each new incarnation and it takes time and effort to bend it to our will. Now you know why some people are capable of fully appreciating and understanding science, art, music or religion, despite having studied none of these things in their present incarnation. This is also the reason why some people fail to express their innate talents or make a complete hash of them. These gifts are within them all right, but they lack the stamina, courage, opportunities or will to realise and fully develop them. And this is the hidden meaning of verse 25, in which the servant complains: "I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth. . ." There any many such persons and they are greatly to be pitied.
Not only was the foolish servant afraid, he was bone idle too. For it is not the talent that does the work, whether it be some special ability or simply money, but the worker himself. When we set aside all the foolish servant's excuses, it is self-evident that he is too lazy to do any work. He reminds us of the miserable misers in The Golden Star who hid their talents in bags under the floorboards, whereas if they had put them in the hands of bankers their wealth would have increased. Some of you may object that a banker's grubby paws are the last place anyone with any sense would wish to place their assets, but remember we are discussing a parable set in times long ago when there may have been honest bankers. Perhaps there are today too, but as I have no 'assets' worth investing, whether in a hedge or anywhere else, I would not like to say!
You will have noted that one man receives five talents, another two, and the last, only one. Is this significant? Very probably. Five is the number of the senses of man, and each is capable of attuning to the Light or the darkness, and of expressing the best or worst qualities associated with it. We might, for instance, associate the sense of sight with the visual arts and artists, hearing with music and musicians, smell with perfumers, taste with wise discrimination and cooking, and touch with healing and healers. You will be easily able to extend and develop these correspondences yourself. Lest you should object that the humble cook is not to be compared with a great musician, artist or writer, I would ask you to think again and study the achievements of famous chefs such as Carême, the founder of Haute cuisine, Escoffier, and even our own Heston Blumental, whose astonishing culinary inventions are indicative of a very great talent. An equally valid interpretation of the numerical symbolism of the parable is that some people possess more than one talent. Leonardo da Vinci springs to mind in this connection, and it is not uncommon for great writers to be accomplished artists or musicians and vice versa. An actor can even become a President!
It is also noteworthy that the servants who received five and two talents both increased their wealth, or as we might say nowadays, obtained an excellent return on their investment! This too is significant, for if we have perfected one or more talents wisely in previous lives, the likelihood is that we shall be given the opportunity to develop others in future lives. And this is what is meant in verse 21 and repeated in verse 23, in which it is said: "I will make thee ruler over many things." The authors of this website discuss this in their occult studies course article on Evolution in which we may read: "when an individual has learnt all there is to learn about a subject and has become what we call a genius, or an adept, or a master of that subject, is it not possible that in their next cycle of incarnations they will have to follow another path? In that way, the reincarnating Ego or Higher Self would gather all knowledge gradually, instead of developing in a one-sided manner." This seems very reasonable to me. Once we have fully perfected one gift others are given to us, or we become aware that we possess them, which amounts to the same thing. Such are the polymaths and child prodigies we read about who astonish the world with their many talents.
Another important truth and Occult Law is concealed in verse 16: "Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents." This is recapitulated in verses 29 and 30. "For unto every one that hath shall be given. . .but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." This Law is mentioned in the afterword to the story about Meditation; or the way of escape, written by the authors of this website. On the surface this Law appears very unfair and seems to justify the oppression of the poor and needy. But if we look a little deeper we find that this is not the case at all. Even material science acknowledges that all bodies attract in proportion to their magnitude and power, the smaller or weaker submitting to the larger or stronger. The rich literally draw riches toward them like a magnet draws iron. Whereas the poor, having nothing, are in a state of repulsion, and lose even the little they have. Unpalatable as this truth may be to some of my readers, it is a Law that applies to any thing, material or spiritual, such as health, strength, wisdom, truth or knowledge. Like attracts like in the mental and spiritual sphere, whilst the unlike repels, thus contradicting the material law that opposites attract. Actually both laws are correct but work out in different ways, depending upon the principles they apply to and the plane of their activity. To say any more would take us beyond the scope of this article.
The foolish servant was afraid, so he hedged his bets as we would say today, and hid his single talent in the earth as a miser hides his gold, thinking in that way to preserve it and appease his Master. But the Bible also tells that "moth and rust doth corrupt" (Matthew 6:19), and so his plan backfired, and his talent was taken away and given to the servant who had doubled his assets. His excuse was that he believed that the 'Lord' was a "hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed," as verse 24 tells us. Now, what do these and the subsequent verses really mean? The word 'hard' is something of a blind, implying that the 'Lord' is both harsh, cruel and wicked. I suspect that in the original teaching from which this parable has been taken, the word now rendered 'hard' was 'just', by derivation from the ancient Egyptian 'Maat', meaning justice, right, truth, etc. For this parable bears all the hallmarks of the Wisdom literature of ancient Egypt I discussed in the seventh of these articles. Justice, if it be worthy of the name, and oftimes even when it is not, such as in our courts of law, puts the fear of God into the minds of the guilty. Such know deep within that they have done wrong, but will not admit it even to themselves, preferring, like our foolish servant, to regard the law as 'unfair' and the judge who administers it, as a 'hard man.' If our servant were alive today, he might well excuse his idleness and cowardice with the words "I knew you were an unreasonable, hard-hearted tyrant, and that there was no way I was ever going to please you, so I didn't even bother trying."
Despite appearances to the contrary and the follies of men, the Universe IS ruled by strict justice. Although every thing that comes up must have been sown at some time in some way, not every thing that is sown comes up. Some things fail to germinate, whether in the soil or in the mental and moral spheres. The 'Lord' of the parable, whom we should regard as a personification of Divine Providence rather than an individual agent of it, harvests good deeds and thoughts wherever and whenever they may arise, regardless of who sowed them. The foolish servant thought it was sufficient to return unto God what is God's, not realising in his blindness that God dispenses His gifts to men that they might be multiplied and bear much fruit. Hence, he is cast into the "outer darkness" where "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." That is the proper place for those who, for whatever reason, fail to make use of the talents their Creator has endowed them with. In the degree that we use the gifts of God wisely for the greatest good, so shall we be given even greater gifts and rise to even greater heights, and this is what is meant by entering into "the joy of thy Lord" in verses 21 and 23. For that 'Lord' is our very own Soul, who gives unto us the gifts it has received from God. These are great truths, which will be unpalatable to the lazy and inept who in their unwisdom think they can outwit God, but they will be as a spur to the wise who know that it is by the right use we make of our talents that we rise or fall in our evolution.
Thus do I read the hidden meaning of this parable. Now you have a try, for there is much more concealed within it than Time and Space—those two great illusions—allow me to discuss further. But before I conclude this investigation—which you will remember is about the Metaphysics of Talent—I would like to say a few more words in my afterword for the benefit of my talented readers. That is to say, ALL of you! For no one is without talent of some kind and let none persuade you otherwise. If it were not so, we would not be made in the image of our Father in Heaven, who is all-talented. Even the man who sweeps the streets or collects our rubbish, if he enjoys the work and is truly fitted for it, possesses a gift, for without such talented men and women conditions in this world would be a great deal worse than they are. Let all remember this at all times and not sneer at those who are employed in seemingly humble occupations, lest the Lords of Destiny hear their foolish words and place them in still lower positions in their next incarnation. If you have ever been guilty of this (and who of us has not?) now is the time to learn that the Gods find no difficulty in placing each one of us in the situation which provides that experience we have shown ourselves to be lacking!"
The Search for Truth
In this unique series of twelve articles, the author explores and investigates the many links between Religion and the Occult, focusing especially on the hidden meaning concealed within the Bible and its many correspondences with the Wisdom Teachings of ancient Egypt.
In late November 2024, a slightly different collection of these twelve articles approved and edited by the author was published by Aula Lucis in a limited edition hardcover book. See the brief review in the sidebar or our Occult Books page for more information. While each article can be read on its own, they form an ascending scale of revelation, the full import of which will only become clear when they are studied in their proper sequence, in the order of publication listed below.
Searching for Truth. The moving and true story of one seeker's troubled and eventful journey of spiritual discovery as related to the author.
Who are the REAL illuminati? The author dispels the many misconceptions surrounding the mysterious 'illuminati' and attempts to discover who the occult masters who are said to 'rule our lives' really are and what they do.
Esotericism in the Nativity. An investigation of the Bible story of the birth of Jesus, revealing the many layers of hidden meaning it contains, and the historical parallels between Jesus and the many saviours of other religions.
If God is good why does he allow evil?. An investigation of the problem of Good and Evil from the perspective of Occult Science and some important extracts from the Oera Linda Book which shed light on this age-old question.
Hidden Wisdom in the Bible. Why and how it was concealed, and the tools the sincere seeker needs to dig it out. In his afterword the author examines the hidden meanings within the Biblical parable of the prodigal son
Esoteric meaning of Easter. An investigation of the true significance and esoteric meaning of Easter, the resurrection of Jesus, and the parallels between the Christian and ancient Egyptian religions.
Hidden meaning in the Book of Proverbs. An investigation of the origins of the Biblical Book of Proverbs and the hidden meaning in it, and their close similarity to the maxims found in the ancient Egyptian Teaching of Ptah-Hetep
The sayings of the Saviour analysed. An occult investigation and analysis of some parables from the NT gospels, the real origins of Christianity and its close connection with the wisdom teachings of ancient Egypt.
The metaphysics of Talent (this article). An analysis of the hidden meaning in the parable of the talents in the New Testament, what talent is; whence it comes, where it leads, and its right and wrong use.
The power of Prayer. An investigation of the nature, purpose and power of prayer, the many misconceptions surrounding it, and an analysis of the occult truths contained in the Lord's Prayer.
Facts and fictions of the Church. An investigation of the origins of the Christian Church, some of its doctrines and dogmas, and the so-called 'heresies' which threatened its survival in the early centuries of our era.
The Mystery of Jesus. An investigation of the evidence for the existence of the historical figure of Jesus and the many occult truths concealed in the Sermon on the Mount.
'John' (no relation)
About the author
John Temple is the pen-name of a writer who has studied and practised the occult sciences for more than 60 years. He graduated from Cambridge University with a first in Theology and Religious Studies and was ordained as a Minister in the Anglican Church in 1957. He left the Church in 1972 and has since lectured to students around the world on a wide variety of occult, religious and mystical subjects.
John retired in 2002 and now lives quietly in London with his wife, two Yorkshire terriers and a talkative African Grey Parrot called John, shown in typically meditative mood at left.
In his afterword John Temple considers the right and wrong use of the Gifts of God and where such talents may lead us.
Many people possess only one talent. Such as the man or woman who is all mouth! They talk incessantly, but there is never the slightest sign of a single thought within such speakers' minds. Perhaps they repeat one single concept over and over again, whatever it might be, such as the sound-bites spouted by politicians. But does that giant mouth discern the meaning of such oft repeated words? There is no trace of God within that loud-speaking orifice, and its surrounding countenance is like a wall of blank and dull despair. Such mouths chew a sentence as the jackal chews the mouldering bone, and the harsh sound of their circumlocutious crunching is an offence to the ears of the Wise.
What of him or her who is all ear? Imagine the man who is All Ear, and nothing else! He is a fit companion for that Mouth, but does that make him a wise listener? How could that be, since only the simple in heart and mind hear Wisdom wisely and with understanding. The great ear hears everything but does not catch the meaning of anything. It even hears the words that are whispered behind closed doors, for the only talent of the Ear is to take in all noises.
What a strange a sight it would be should Ear and Mouth meet in ridiculous consultation! The mouth rages like a windy day; the Ear hears the storm but not its meaning. For of true meaning there is none within the Mouth and the Ear only receives the senseless echoes of its verbiage; yet—both are satisfied!
Now let us add the man who is all Eye in which the beauties of nature are reflected but never enter within. For the All-seeing Eye, which has no sense of beauty, looks upon the flowers, trees and the sky and stars indiscriminatingly, but the inner Spirit of all these manifestations of God escape its comprehension.
There are many men and women with undeveloped single talents, such as the man who consists of one great belly! But some talents are like sewers, whilst others resemble the sparkling fountain—manifold in lovely colours as the sun plays upon its million drops that go dancing in the air. Most men with single talents are therefore odd; fragments of humanity as it were, never the whole man created by God.
Beware of these Ears, or Mouths, or Eyes, or even Bellies! They promise much but never deliver. They start many things but never finish any thing. They are like single atoms which never join with other atoms and so become a molecule. The only use for such single-talent atoms is the sort of fission which produces the atomic bomb, which is the instrument of destruction instead of creation. Each man or woman comes to Earth with many talents, ripe or unripe, latent or manifest, but the talents are there, and only need to be properly cultivated. Then, there is a chance that talent ripens into genius, but the one-sided man displays neither talent nor genius, and resembles nothing so much as a one-legged person without his crutches or his artificial leg.
Occult Science teaches that according to our talents, or the lack of them, do we proceed to the place where our talents can be of the greatest use, or else to the place where our talents may be polished, and groomed and unfolded. Now in this there is concealed a great lesson and a great Truth. For you should know that our talents follow us from life to life and in between lives too, when, after so-called 'death' we dwell for a time in one of the finer or coarser realms which surround our earth, which to some are Heaven indeed and to others, veritable hells, as you can read in The Book of Sa-Heti, where these realms are described.
But wherever our talents may lead us after death, this does not mean we need to be idle. For work is a Universal Law at all levels of being. Observe the bee or the ant, which never has a tea-break or takes a holiday! Each has to earn his living, so to say, both on earth and in the higher and lower realms. After death there are all sorts of tasks awaiting us, the same as on Earth. And if there is any task we have wilfully, or by some fault, neglected to complete on earth, then we have to finish it there, in that realm, until we have earned our liberation in one way or another—which is reincarnation on Earth for most.
So we may spend the time very profitably between incarnations, or the reverse, for we have the same free-will we had on earth. In other words, we will be given the chance to develop our talents, or gifts, during this period, and when we return to Earth again we are placed in the position, or family, and country, where our talents will be of the greatest service to others and of the best service for our own advancement too, even if our work is of the humblest. This is a Just Occult Law!
The same Law holds good in every case and in every Realm of being in God's Universe. According to our talents, we will receive our reward. But it is one thing to have a talent, or many talents, and another thing to make the best use of it or them, as we learned earlier when I talked about the man or woman who is all mouth, or all eye, or belly! To strive after rapid development is useless; it can only result in mediocrity, and even in a possible loss of the talent, or talents.
To improve our talents in such a way that grace, and ease, and proficiency is added to them is the work of a lifetime, or many such, and only the fool will strive after quick success. Such hasty ones may possess a modicum of the talents of a very Angel, but act like utter fools in their undue haste.
Nor is one talent sufficient to become an efficient man, or woman, worthy of advancement to a Higher Realm. A cat has a talent for catching mice and birds, but that does not make it comparable to an Angel!
One needs many talents; and it takes many lives, both on Earth and elsewhere, to develop, mature, and perfect each single talent, so that in the end they complement and complete one another, and crown the man or woman who, through hard work and patient endeavour, is at last worthy of joining the blessed in the Realm of the Astral Fire described so truly and beautifully by J Michaud PhD in The Golden Star. There further work and study await the newcomer.
Nor should we confuse great talents, or genius, with great success on Earth for the true reward of real talent, or genius, consists in an inner satisfaction which no applause from others, nor worldly riches, can ever rival.
There are talents within the Higher Self of every man or woman. But the first effusion of these talents resembles a scattered ray, which has no power, for it is diffused and lost. The ray of each talent must be concentrated in a definite focus-point, so that it burns with a concentrated light and heat of its own—and mankind will feel its inner fire and power.
Ordinary talent, even if it be of high quality, is evidence of some single faculty, unusually developed. Millions have this faculty, but it takes real genius to command all the faculties.
As we learned from the Biblical parable, talents are the gifts of God. It is up to every one to use these talents rightly, thus becoming worthy of the regard of God, who will reward us with further and greater talents. Well developed talents produce the efficient man; but the inefficient man produces only himself, vaingloriously simulating the little talents of his betters, but bereft of any gift himself.
We may compare talent with a bowl, filled with living water; it is contained inert within its hard receptacle, though it may be poured out to refresh the earth or man. But genius is a living Fountain, sparkling in the sun with a thousand colours, and flinging far and wide its jewelled treasures to the amazement and joy of Man.
Talents evaporate and repeat themselves after falling down in the form of mist and rain. But genius is the creation of new things, and thoughts, and marvellous achievements, and it thunders like the roaring cataract with a thousand rainbows shining over its rushing waters. For talent has only acquisitions—but Genius Power; and according to its talents, or its Genius, the Self finds its reward. This then is Talent, where it comes from and whither it leads. Truly, Talent is both a very great gift and an awful responsibility!
Further contributions by John Temple
John Temple has written several further articles and afterwords for us. These are listed in order of publication below, oldest first. All these contributions are well worth reading in their own right as well as extensions to this series of articles on The Search for Truth.
A Modern Easter. In his afterword to this satirical story by Gabrielle Annunziato, John Temple unveils the hidden meaning of the Last Supper.
The Mystery of Love. In his afterword John Temple examines the many references to Love in the Bible.
The Importance of Being Humble. In his afterword to this article by Seán Mac Gréine John Temple examines some known and unknown quotations about humility.
Folly and Wisdom. The wisdom of Folly and the foolishness of Wisdom. Afterword: an analysis of the book of Ecclesiasticus in the Old Testament Apocrypha.
Star Children. An occult analysis and appreciation of a short story by Charles Dickens.
Mr Tilly's Séance. An appreciation and occult analysis of a ghost story by the novelist E. F. Benson.
The anatomy of Sin. An occult investigation of the theological concept of Sin and its origins, and the macabre custom of sin-eating.
An unwritten story unwrapped. An occult appreciation of a short story by Rudyard Kipling and his friendship with Rider Haggard.
NOTE: you can read a brief review of The Book of Sa-Heti referred to in this article below. A complete list of all the books of J Michaud PhD can be found in our occult books section.
An exploration of the many links between religion and the occult by John Temple
The content and arrangement of this new book differs from the series of twelve articles in this series. The main changes are the exclusion of the first two articles in the series and the addition of 'Folly and Wisdom' and 'The anatomy of Sin', which were published separately. John Temple decided, rightly in our view, that these two articles were more relevant to a printed book than the two excluded articles, neither of which fitted into it quite as effectively or harmoniously.
The Search for Truth is a unique investigation in twelve chapters that explores the many links between Religion and the Occult, focusing especially on the hidden meaning within the Bible and its many correspondences with the Wisdom Teachings of ancient Egypt. You can read more about the book and where to obtain it on our main Books page.
This rare occult biography of the life and teachings of the Holy Hindu Saviour, Krishna, reveals the secret teachings of Jesus with glittering power and great beauty. The author has taken the many incidents from the life of Krishna that were later incorporated in the New Testament and developed these episodes to explain and elucidate the hidden laws and principles of man and the universe.
