### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word τραπεζίτης (trapezítēs, `{{G5133}}`) is a substantive derived from τράπεζα (trápeza, `{{G5132}}`), which literally means "table." In ancient contexts, tables were central to financial transactions, serving as platforms for money-changers and merchants. Thus, τραπεζίτης semantically denotes "one who sits at a table" for the purpose of financial dealings. Its primary semantic range encompasses the roles of a "money-broker" or "banker." This individual or institution would be involved in exchanging different currencies, accepting deposits, and lending money, often charging a fee or paying interest. The term captures the essence of early banking practices, where individuals facilitated commerce and managed funds for others.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term τραπεζίτης appears only twice in the New Testament, both instances occurring within the Parable of the Talents/Minas, a parable focused on stewardship and accountability.
1. **[[Matthew 25:27]]**: "You ought therefore to have put my money with the bankers (τραπεζίτης), and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest."
* **Context:** This verse is part of the master's rebuke to the "wicked and slothful servant" who buried his single talent instead of investing it. The master points out that even if the servant was afraid to take risks, a minimal action would have been to deposit the money with τραπεζίτης.
* **Implication:** Here, τραπεζίτης refers to individuals or institutions that accept deposits and pay interest. The master's statement highlights a fundamental expectation of productivity: even a low-risk, passive investment would have yielded a return, demonstrating some level of faithfulness in managing entrusted resources.
2. **[[Luke 19:23]]**: "Then why did you not put my money in the bank (τραπεζίτης), and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?"
* **Context:** This is the parallel account in the Parable of the Minas, where the servant with the single mina is similarly condemned for his inaction.
* **Implication:** The usage in Luke mirrors that in Matthew, reinforcing the role of the τραπεζίτης as a financial agent who facilitates growth through interest-bearing deposits. In both parables, the τραπεζίτης serves as a practical, accessible means by which even a cautious individual could have demonstrated responsible management of the master's assets, thereby avoiding condemnation for idleness.
### Related Words & Concepts
The concept of τραπεζίτης is interwoven with several other biblical terms and ideas:
* **τράπεζα (trápeza, `{{G5132}}`)**: As the root word, τράπεζα signifies the "table" itself. In the New Testament, this table can be a dining table (e.g., [[Luke 16:21]]), or specifically a money-changer's table, as seen when Jesus overturns the tables (τράπεζαι) of the money-changers in the Temple (e.g., [[Matthew 21:12]], [[John 2:15]]). This connection underscores the physical setting of the τραπεζίτης's operations.
* **κολλυβιστής (kollubistēs, `{{G2855}}`)**: This term refers specifically to a "money-changer," often associated with exchanging foreign currency for temple coinage. While a τραπεζίτης might perform currency exchange, their role, as implied by the parables, is broader, encompassing the banking functions of accepting deposits and generating interest, distinguishing them from mere currency changers.
* **τόκος (tokos, `{{G5110}}`)**: Meaning "interest" or "gain," this word is directly linked to the function of the τραπεζίτης. The master expects to receive his money "with interest" (σὺν τόκῳ), highlighting the expected return on investment facilitated by the banker. While the Old Testament often prohibits usury among Israelites (e.g., [[Exodus 22:25]]), the New Testament parables describe the commercial practice of earning interest as a normal and expected part of the secular financial world, which the master expected his servants to utilize.
* **Stewardship (οἰκονομία, oikonomia, `{{G3622}}`)**: The parables in which τραπεζίτης appears are foundational teachings on stewardship. The τραπεζίτης symbolizes a practical means by which a steward could demonstrate faithfulness and diligence in managing entrusted resources, even if passively. This concept extends beyond financial matters to spiritual gifts, time, and opportunities.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of τραπεζίτης is profound, primarily informing our understanding of divine expectations regarding stewardship and accountability.
1. **Divine Expectation of Productivity:** The master's rebuke of the idle servant underscores God's expectation that His gifts and resources are not to be hoarded or neglected but actively utilized for His purposes. The τραπεζίτης represents a readily available, low-risk avenue for growth, symbolizing that even minimal engagement or passive investment in God's kingdom is preferable to complete inaction.
2. **Accountability for Entrusted Resources:** The parables highlight the principle of future accountability. Every believer will give an account for how they have managed the "talents" or "minas"—gifts, abilities, opportunities, and time—entrusted to them by God. The τραπεζίτης serves as an indictment of the servant's negligence, demonstrating that even a modest return was achievable, making his idleness inexcusable.
3. **Overcoming Fear and Inaction:** The servant's fear, particularly in Matthew's account, led to his unproductive behavior. The master's mention of the τραπεζίτης challenges this fear, suggesting that even a conventional, low-risk approach would have been better than burying the talent. Theologically, this encourages believers to overcome fear and paralysis, to utilize their spiritual gifts and resources, even if in seemingly small or conventional ways, rather than allowing them to lie dormant.
4. **Kingdom Investment:** While the parables use a worldly financial example, their ultimate aim is to teach spiritual truths. The "interest" gained from the τραπεζίτης can be understood metaphorically as spiritual fruit, the expansion of the Kingdom, or the growth of one's spiritual capacity and influence. It underscores that our lives and resources are meant to be invested for eternal returns.
### Summary
The Greek term τραπεζίτης (trapezítēs, `{{G5133}}`), meaning "money-broker" or "banker," is derived from τράπεζα (trápeza, `{{G5132}}`), "table," signifying a place of financial transaction. Its two New Testament occurrences, found in the Parables of the Talents ([[Matthew 25:27]]) and Minas ([[Luke 19:23]]), are pivotal. In these contexts, the τραπεζίτης represents a conventional financial means by which entrusted funds could be deposited to yield interest. Theologically, the inclusion of the τραπεζίτης powerfully illustrates the divine expectation of faithful stewardship and accountability for the resources, gifts, and opportunities God bestows upon believers. It highlights that even a low-risk, passive engagement in advancing God's purposes is preferred over fearful inaction or neglect, underscoring the principle that all entrusted resources are meant to be utilized for growth and fruitfulness in the Kingdom of God.
TRV