ISAIAH 6 . KJV . look up
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
9-10 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
Jesus recognised the fulfilment of prophecy when He encountered it and in many instances of course was central to that fulfilment. If not pivotal. Even today cloth headed nitwits miss the point entirely and in this case Jesus has spelled it out rather well concerning yields & returns and what happens to poor people.
PARABLE OF THE TALENTS
MATTHEW 25 . KJV . look up
14 The kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 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.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.A good return here at 100% not quite up to loan shark levels but better than term deposits, in the first two cases, and still out-performing junk bonds in the latter example. It is significant that the third servant was of least ability and so more likely to do the lot on a Ponzi scheme. What lesson does Jesus bring out here?
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20a He that had received five talents came and brought other five talents..
21a His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant..
22-23a 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..
24-25 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.
26 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:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 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.Jesus does not stop there:
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Jesus is not only very clear here He is also quite specific. Usury is better than breaking even and in fact breaking even is so terrible, even for someone not expected to do very well in the first place, that forced bankruptcy is not punishment enough. These wretches also deserve torture.
Just as well he didn't go for the Ponzi scheme then.