Frameworks:
Matthew's Gospel, chapter 25
(The
objective of these ‘Frameworks' is to provide an easy-to-read
layout of the text in order then to use these individual verses
for verse-by-verse study or meditation. To focus each
verse we have also added in italic a description of what is happening)
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
(wise oens 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.
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.'
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.”