By their nature it is difficult to know exactly what Jesus meant through his parables. He used their local scenery, culture, and every day acts to explain deep theological concepts in ways that uneducated people of His time could understand. This makes it somewhat difficult for us in the 21st century to understand, as we may not know some of their local customs and practices. The parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) is one that appears easy, but the meaning may not be as obvious.