FRAMEWORKS:
Matthew, chapter 25
v.1-13
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
v.14-30
The Parable of the Bags of Gold
v.31-46
The Sheep and the Goats
v.1-13
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
v.1
([continuing from previous
chapter] near the end it will be like waiting for a wedding)
“At that time
the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their
lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
v.2
([our equivalent] ten
bridesmaids were waiting for the bridegroom to arrive) Five
of them were foolish and five were wise.
v.3
(foolish ones carried
lamps but without oil) The
foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.
v.4
(the wise ones made sure
their lamps had oil) The
wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.
v.5
(the bridegroom was delayed)
The bridegroom was a long time in
coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
v.6
(eventually he arrived)
“At midnight
the cry rang out: ‘Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'
v.7
(each girl got her lamp
ready) “Then
all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.
v.8
(the lights of the foolish
ones kept going out) The
foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our
lamps are going out.'
v.9
(the wise couldn't help
them) “‘No,'
they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead,
go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'
v.10
(so they missed the bridegroom
coming when they went to get oil) “But
while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived.
The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet.
And the door was shut.
v.11
(thus they were shut
out from the celebration) “Later
the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,' they said, ‘open the door
for us!'
v.12
(he denies knowing such
unprepared people) “But
he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don't know you.'
v.13
(the call is, therefore,
to be alert and ready) “Therefore
keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
[Comment:
Jesus tells a parable of a group waiting for the bridegroom
to arrive at the wedding celebration – the lesson is be prepared
and ready for Jesus to return.
v.14-30
The Parable of the Bags of Gold
v.14
(also nearing the
end will be like a man leaving home for a while) “Again,
it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants
and entrusted his wealth to them.
v.15
(to one servant
he gave five resources, to another two and another one – according
to their ability/need) To
one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another
one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
v.16
(the one with five made
five more) The
man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his
money to work and gained five bags more.
v.17
(the one with two made
two more) So
also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more.
v.18
(the one with one hid
it and did nothing with it) But
the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground
and hid his master's money.
v.19
(the master returned with expectations) “After
a long time the master of those servants returned and settled
accounts with them.
v.20
(the five-man reported)
The man who
had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,'
he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have
gained five more.'
v.21
(.. and was praised and
rewarded) “His
master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have
been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many
things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
v.22
(the two-man similarly reported)
“The man with
two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,' he said, ‘you entrusted
me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.'
v.23
(he too was praised and
rewarded) “His
master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have
been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many
things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
v.24
(the one-man made excuses
for doing nothing, blaming the master) “Then
the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,' he said,
‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not
sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
v.25
(so handed back the one
resource untouched) So
I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See,
here is what belongs to you.'
v.26
(the master berated him,
you should know me better) “His
master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I
harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered
seed?
v.27
(you should have earned
some interest at least on it) Well
then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers,
so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
v.28
(take it away from
him) “‘So
take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten
bags.
v.29
(he who has will be given
more and more [I expect them to use it) For
whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance.
Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from
them.
v.30
(the self-concerned one
will be thrown out) And
throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where
there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
[Comment:
Older versions know this as the parable of the talents,
about using what Jesus has given us in God's kingdom when he returns.]
v.31-46
The Sheep and the Goats
v.31
(when I return it will
be to reign publicly) “When
the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him,
he will sit on his glorious throne.
v.32
(everyone will appear
before me [to answer to me] and be judged) All
the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate
the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep
from the goats.
v.33
(he will put the sheep
on one side, the goats on the other) He
will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
v.34
(the sheep will thus
be rewarded with their inheritance) “Then
the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed
by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for
you since the creation of the world.
v.35,36 (rewarded
for blessing Jesus in the way they lived) For
I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and
you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited
me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you
looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
v.37-39
(they may wonder how
they did that) “Then
the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry
and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When
did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes
and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to
visit you?'
v.40
(you did it to me as
you did it to the poor and needy) “The
King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of
the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'
v.41
(the goats will
be consigned to destruction) “Then
he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are
cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
v.42,43
(… for you didn't bless me
when I looked for it) For
I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and
you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not
invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was
sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
v.44
(how come, they will
ask) “They
also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did
not help you?'
v.45
(by the way you ignored
the weak and needy) “He
will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one
of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
v.46
(they will go to total
exclusion, the sheep to total blessing that lasts for ever)
“Then they
will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal
life.”
[Comment:
A further parable that Jesus told about when he returns
and holds everyone to account for how they dealt with other people
in need.]
Continue
to Chapter 26