Matthew 25

1 "The Kingdom of Heaven at that time will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom.

2 Five of them were foolish and five were sensible.

3 The foolish ones took lamps with them but no oil,

4 whereas the others took flasks of oil with their lamps.

5 Now the bridegroom was late, so they all went to sleep.

6 It was the middle of the night when the cry rang out, `The bridegroom is here! Go out to meet him!'

7 The girls all woke up and prepared their lamps for lighting.

8 The foolish ones said to the sensible ones, `Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.'

9 `No,' they replied, `there may not be enough for both you and us. Go to the oil dealers and buy some for yourselves.'

10 But as they were going off to buy, the bridegroom came. Those who were ready went with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut.

11 Later, the other bridesmaids came. `Sir! Sir!' they cried, `Let us in!'

12 But he answered, `Indeed! I tell you, I don't know you!'

13 So stay alert, because you know neither the day nor the hour.

14 "For it will be like a man about to leave home for awhile, who entrusted his possessions to his servants.

15 To one he gave five talents [equivalent to a hundred years' wages]; to another, two talents; and to another, one talent -- to each according to his ability. Then he left.

16 The one who had received five talents immediately went out, invested it and earned another five.

17 Similarly, the one given two earned another two.

18 But the one given one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

19 "After a long time, the master of those servants returned to settle accounts with them.

20 The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the other five and said, `Sir, you gave me five talents; here, I have made five more.'

21 His master said to him, `Excellent! You are a good and trustworthy servant. You have been faithful with a small amount, so I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and join in your master's happiness!'

22 Also the one who had received two came forward and said, `Sir, you gave me two talents; here, I have made two more.'

23 His master said to him, `Excellent! you are a good and trustworthy servant. You have been faithful with a small amount, so I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and join in your master's happiness!'

24 "Now the one who had received one talent came forward and said, `I knew you were a hard man. You harvest where you didn't plant and gather where you didn't sow seed.

25 I was afraid, so I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here! Take what belongs to you!'

26 `You wicked, lazy servant!' said his master, `So you knew, did you, that I harvest where I haven't planted? and that I gather where I didn't sow seed?

27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, so that when I returned, I would at least have gotten back interest with my capital!

28 Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten.

29 For everyone who has something will be given more, so that he will have more than enough; but from anyone who has nothing, even what he does have will be taken away.

30 As for this worthless servant, throw him out in the dark, where people will wail and grind their teeth!'

31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, accompanied by all the angels, he will sit on his glorious throne.

32 All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates sheep from goats.

33 The `sheep' he will place at his right hand and the `goats' at his left.

34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world.

35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you made me your guest,

36 I needed clothes and you provided them, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.'

37 Then the people who have done what God wants will reply, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?

38 When did we see you a stranger and make you our guest, or needing clothes and provide them?

39 When did we see you sick or in prison, and visit you?'

40 The King will say to them, `Yes! I tell you that whenever you did these things for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did them for me!'

41 "Then he will also speak to those on his left, saying, `Get away from me, you who are cursed! Go off into the fire prepared for the Adversary and his angels!

42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,

43 a stranger and you did not welcome me, needing clothes and you did not give them to me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'

44 Then they too will reply, `Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, a stranger, needing clothes, sick or in prison, and not take care of you?'

45 And he will answer them, `Yes! I tell you that whenever you refused to do it for the least important of these people, you refused to do it for me!'

46 They will go off to eternal punishment, but those who have done what God wants will go to eternal life."

Matthew 25 Commentary

Chapter 25

The parable of the ten virgins. (1-13) The parable of the talents. (14-30) The judgment. (31-46)

Verses 1-13 The circumstances of the parable of the ten virgins were taken from the marriage customs among the Jews, and explain the great day of Christ's coming. See the nature of Christianity. As Christians we profess to attend upon Christ, to honour him, also to be waiting for his coming. Sincere Christians are the wise virgins, and hypocrites the foolish ones. Those are the truly wise or foolish that are so in the affairs of their souls. Many have a lamp of profession in their hands, but have not, in their hearts, sound knowledge and settled resolution, which are needed to carry them through the services and trials of the present state. Their hearts are not stored with holy dispositions, by the new-creating Spirit of God. Our light must shine before men in good works; but this is not likely to be long done, unless there is a fixed, active principle in the heart, of faith in Christ, and love to God and our brethren. They all slumbered and slept. The delay represents the space between the real or apparent conversion of these professors, and the coming of Christ, to take them away by death, or to judge the world. But though Christ tarry past our time, he will not tarry past the due time. The wise virgins kept their lamps burning, but they did not keep themselves awake. Too many real Christians grow remiss, and one degree of carelessness makes way for another. Those that allow themselves to slumber, will scarcely keep from sleeping; therefore dread the beginning of spiritual decays. A startling summons was given. Go ye forth to meet Him, is a call to those prepared. The notice of Christ's approach, and the call to meet him, will awaken. Even those best prepared for death ( 2 Peter. 3:14 ) day of search and inquiry; and it concerns us to think how we shall then be found. Some wanted oil to supply their lamps when going out. Those that take up short of true grace, will certainly find the want of it one time or other. An outward profession may light a man along this world, but the damps of the valley of the shadow of death will put out such a light. Those who care not to live the life, yet would die the death of the righteous. But those that would be saved, must have grace of their own; and those that have most grace, have none to spare. The best need more from Christ. And while the poor alarmed soul addresses itself, upon a sick-bed, to repentance and prayer, in awful confusion, death comes, judgment comes, the work is undone, and the poor sinner is undone for ever. This comes of having oil to buy when we should burn it, grace to get when we should use it. Those, and those only, shall go to heaven hereafter, that are made ready for heaven here. The suddenness of death and of Christ's coming to us then, will not hinder our happiness, if we have been prepared. The door was shut. Many will seek admission into heaven when it is too late. The vain confidence of hypocrites will carry them far in expectations of happiness. The unexpected summons of death may alarm the Christian; but, proceeding without delay to trim his lamp, his graces often shine more bright; while the mere professor's conduct shows that his lamp is going out. Watch therefore, attend to the business of your souls. Be in the fear of the Lord all the day long.

Verses 14-30 Christ keeps no servants to be idle: they have received their all from him, and have nothing they can call their own but sin. Our receiving from Christ is in order to our working for him. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. The day of account comes at last. We must all be reckoned with as to what good we have got to our own souls, and have done to others, by the advantages we have enjoyed. It is not meant that the improving of natural powers can entitle a man to Divine grace. It is the real Christian's liberty and privilege to be employed as his Redeemer's servant, in promoting his glory, and the good of his people: the love of Christ constrains him to live no longer to himself, but to Him that died for him, and rose again. Those who think it impossible to please God, and in vain to serve him, will do nothing to purpose in religion. They complain that He requires of them more than they are capable of, and punishes them for what they cannot help. Whatever they may pretend, the fact is, they dislike the character and work of the Lord. The slothful servant is sentenced to be deprived of his talent. This may be applied to the blessings of this life; but rather to the means of grace. Those who know not the day of their visitation, shall have the things that belong to their peace hid from their eyes. His doom is, to be cast into outer darkness. It is a usual way of expressing the miseries of the damned in hell. Here, as in what was said to the faithful servants, our Saviour goes out of the parable into the thing intended by it, and this serves as a key to the whole. Let us not envy sinners, or covet any of their perishing possessions.

Verses 31-46 This is a description of the last judgment. It is as an explanation of the former parables. There is a judgment to come, in which every man shall be sentenced to a state of everlasting happiness, or misery. Christ shall come, not only in the glory of his Father, but in his own glory, as Mediator. The wicked and godly here dwell together, in the same cities, churches, families, and are not always to be known the one from the other; such are the weaknesses of saints, such the hypocrisies of sinners; and death takes both: but in that day they will be parted for ever. Jesus Christ is the great Shepherd; he will shortly distinguish between those that are his, and those that are not. All other distinctions will be done away; but the great one between saints and sinners, holy and unholy, will remain for ever. The happiness the saints shall possess is very great. It is a kingdom; the most valuable possession on earth; yet this is but a faint resemblance of the blessed state of the saints in heaven. It is a kingdom prepared. The Father provided it for them in the greatness of his wisdom and power; the Son purchased it for them; and the blessed Spirit, in preparing them for the kingdom, is preparing it for them. It is prepared for them: it is in all points adapted to the new nature of a sanctified soul. It is prepared from the foundation of the world. This happiness was for the saints, and they for it, from all eternity. They shall come and inherit it. What we inherit is not got by ourselves. It is God that makes heirs of heaven. We are not to suppose that acts of bounty will entitle to eternal happiness. Good works done for God's sake, through Jesus Christ, are here noticed as marking the character of believers made holy by the Spirit of Christ, and as the effects of grace bestowed on those who do them. The wicked in this world were often called to come to Christ for life and rest, but they turned from his calls; and justly are those bid to depart from Christ, that would not come to him. Condemned sinners will in vain offer excuses. The punishment of the wicked will be an everlasting punishment; their state cannot be altered. Thus life and death, good and evil, the blessing and the curse, are set before us, that we may choose our way, and as our way so shall our end be.