You are on the first  Matthew 25-28  Study Page of  

  ReadBibleAlive.com

INTRODUCTION

The Ongoing Growing Tension in Matthew's Gospel:

     In the previous six sets of Studies in Matthew's Gospel, Arrival Announced (Ch.1-4), Sermon on the Mount (Ch.5-7), Authorised Activity (Ch.8-11), Arriving Awareness (Ch.12-15), Awful Announcements (Ch.16-20) and Approaching Antagonism (Ch.21-24), we have watched a gradual building up of hostility from the Pharisees and other religious leaders of the day. Awful Achievement (Ch.25-28) takes us on to the final built up of the conflict whereby the religious leaders plot against Jesus, arrest him, falsely try him and end up being the cause of his death. The good news is that that is not the end of the story – the final part is the resurrection. Death cannot hold the Son of God!

 

The King in Charge

     We've said in these Studies that Matthew shows Jesus as the coming king. If that is so, then these chapters show us the king who is in charge of the circumstances. Again and again he indicates his awareness of what is taking place and, even more, he is promoting and even controlling it. Watch for this aspect throughout the readings and catch the wonder of the One who knows, the One who controls.

 

The Breakdown of this set of Studies:

     We will consider each chapter under the following headings:

  Chapter 25             - Final Parables

  Chapter 26:1-35   - Plots & the Passover meal

  Chapter 26:35-75 - Arrest, trial & denial

  Chapter 27             - Trial, death & burial

  Chapter 28             - Resurrection

 

 

PART 1 : “Final Parables”

    In this first Part of this set of Studies we pick up Jesus' discourse in response to the disciples, outside the Temple , asking about the End Times. He first of all spoke about the signs of the times but at the start of our studies he moves on to give two parables about being ready when he returns and a warning about the last judgement. This is his last ‘public' teaching about the world (the Last Supper discourse in John 14 onwards is really all for the church)

Study No.1 : Setting the Scene : Mt 25:1-6

A. Find Out:

      

1. What is Jesus now illustrating? v.1a

2. Who, in the story, did what? v.1b

3. What did the 5 foolish ones do? v.3

4. How did the 5 wise ones differ from them? v.4

5. What then happened? v.5

6. What happened when? v.6

 

B. Think:

1. What had Jesus just been speaking about in chapter 24?

2. Who then will be the bridegroom of verse 6?

3. Who then are the ten virgins?

 

C. Comment:

     This is a good story to start of a new set of studies for it is all about being prepared. Yet we must see it in context and realise that is part of Jesus teaching that started in chapter 24 and continues on here, which is all about being ready when he returns again.

     Because of that we can say without hesitation that the bridegroom in verse 6 is Jesus himself when he returns. Thereafter the details may not be quite to easy to assume. The story is about a group of girls who are expecting to the bridegroom at a wedding to arrive (at what stage of a Jewish wedding isn't made clear and there we must assume it is not of importance). Yet they knowing he is going to come so they go to wait for him. The problem is that he doesn't come immediately and so they all fall asleep. There seems to be no problem about that and half way through the story no problem is revealed.

     However we are given clues about an impending difficulty. 5 are called foolish because they took means of providing light in the dark but no oil to keep their lights going through the night, contrasted by the 5 wise girls who took oil to keep their lamps going. So, not only is Jesus saying “be prepared for me to return” but “make sure you are in a state to be accepted by me when I return”!

 

D. Application:

1. It's not enough simply to expect Jesus to return.

2. We must be in a fit state to receive him when he comes.

  

Study No.2 : Shut Out!  : Mt 25:7-13

A. Find Out:    

1. What first took place? v.7

2. What did the foolish ask the wise and with what answer? v. 8,9

3. So what did they do and what happened? v.10

4. What then happened? v.11,12

5. So what again does Jesus tell his followers to do? v.13

 

B. Think:

1. Why did the foolish girls have to leave?

2. What took place after they left?

3. What followed? What is the message of this parable?

 

C. Comment:

     First let's recap the story to be clear. The call has come that the bridegroom is coming. The girls all wake up and prepare to meet him. It's dark so they adjust their lamps to give as much light as possible. Some of the girls realise their lamps are virtually out of oil, ask the others for oil, are refused and go to find some more. While they are away, the bridegroom comes, the wise girls go into the banquet with him and when the others come they are shut out.

     In it's simplicity it is obvious: ensure your spiritual resources are sufficient for the day when Jesus returns otherwise you may not be in the right place doing what you should be doing when he comes, and therefore you will not be taken to heaven with him. The crucial point was that the foolish girls were not where they should be because they did not have the resources to be there. When Jesus returns he expects each of us to be in a specific place doing what he's given us to do (the previous parable - 24:45-51 - shows that).

     If we do not have a living relationship with Jesus we will not have a proper supply of the Holy Spirit who is supposed to live within us, and we will fall away (24:10) and thus we will not be in the will of God. Jesus constant teaching seems to be that it is only those who do the will of his Father who will be saved (see also Mt 7:24 -27)

 

D. Application:

1. A living relationship with Jesus is our only guarantee.

2. Jesus wants to find us doing his will when he comes.

  

   

Study No.3 : Entrusted!  : Mt 25:14-18

A. Find Out:

      

1. What is the next story Jesus told about? v.14

2. How much did the master apportion to his servants? v.15a

3. On what basis did he apportion it? v.15b

4. What did the first man do? v.16

5. What did the second man do? v.17

6. What did the third man do? v.18

 

B. Think:

1. What is the man I the story doing?

2. How do you think this follows on what Jesus has been saying?

3. What can we learn from the way the master acts?

 

C. Comment:

     Jesus, you will remember has been speaking about being ready when he returns, so now he tells another short story to illustrate his teaching. In this one he portrays an owner going away for a time. In this he must be conveying the thought of himself going away - but he will be back! As he goes he entrust money to three of his servants. Now in Roman Law it was quite common for the master to entrust money to his slaves for them to use. Both the money and whatever they did with it still remained the property of the master - an important point to remember! So, in the story, we see the master giving 5 coins to one, two to another and one to the other.

      Now the interesting thing to note is that he gave to “each according to his ability”. In Rom 12:3,6 we find Paul speaking of faith as a gift from God and our gifting being according to the grace given us . The clear teaching is that the talents and abilities we have are gifts from God, and they are different for each person. There is, in one sense, no such thing as “natural” abilities, everything we have is a gift from God. The other point here is that God expects us to USE what He has given us.

 

D. Application:

1. The abilities I have are God given. No room for pride!

2. God expects me to use what he has given me.

   

Study No.4 : Reward! : Mt 25:19-30

A. Find Out:

      

1. What happened with the man with 5 talents? v.19-21

2. What happened to the man with 2 talents? v.22,23

3. What did the last man feel about his master? v.24

4. So what had he done? v.25

5. What did he master expect he should have done & why? v.26,27

6. What was to be done to him? v.28,30

7. Why? What principle does Jesus operate on? v.29

 

B. Think:

1. Why were the first two servants praised?

2. What 3 courses of action were open to the last servant?

3. Why had he taken the course he had taken?

C. Comment:

     We said yesterday that the master obviously expected his servants to USE the money entrusted to them. The first two had done and they were rewarded for the use they had made of it.

    The last man held onto the talent. he could have invested it or he could have used it like the other, but he was locked up in fear, he saw his master as a fearful man. Perhaps because he is a slave there is also a sense of resentfulness in what he says - you harvest when you've contributed nothing towards it. He is unable to see that that the very act of entrusting him with something was an act of grace. The master didn't have to do that but he wanted to bless the servant. The man shows he has no sort of relationship with his master and for this he is severely dealt with. The spiritual implications are obvious!

    God gives us abilities and possessions. He expects us to use them. in the affluent West we hang on to them for our own pleasure, caring little for what the master thinks or for the needs of others. For this we are being judged. The lack of action indicates a wrong perception of the Master, and a lack of relationship with the Master. the result s inactivity and judgement. May we be forgiven.

 

D. Application:

1. God gives by grace and mercy. We must understand that.

2. He gives to bless and expects us to multiply His blessings.

 

    

Study No.5 : Separated : Mt 25:31-33

A. Find Out:

      

1. How will Jesus come? v.31a

2. What will he do afterwards? v.31b

3. Who will be gathered before him? v.32a

4. What will he then do? v.32b

5. Who will he put where? v.33

 

B. Think:

1. How does Jesus describe his coming here?

2. What function does he then describe here?

3. What is made clear in respect of the human race?

C. Comment:

     Yet again we must emphasise that Jesus is still speaking about his return. We note first in these few information packed verses that he will come “in his glory”. Previously we've seen that when he comes everyone will see him (24:27,30). In this passage he indicates that he will not come in the quiet humble way that he came before, but that he will come in great splendour with all his angels in attendance. This time there will be absolutely no mistaking who he is!

    Second we note his function when he comes. Previously it was to convey the good news of the love of God and the coming of the kingdom of God on earth. This time it will be to judge. Within this we see in these verses that he will sit upon a throne, as a ruler! In this place of supreme authority, he will call every human being to stand before him. He comes therefore, as a ruler who is also judge.

     In the following verses we'll see tomorrow what he says to the two groups before him but for now let's simply observe the important fact that there is going to be a dividing out, there is going to be a separating. Jesus who sees all things and knows all men, will separate out good from bad, righteous from unrighteous, godly from ungodly. These verses totally shatter the argument of those who would say that God would accept all men. He won't! He will judge and separate!

 

D. Application:

1. When Jesus comes again, you'll know it! Prepare to worship!

2. When Jesus comes it will be to judge. Ensure you're ready!

  

    

Study No.6 : The Righteous Praised : Mt 25:35-40

 

A. Find Out:

      

1. What will the King say to whom? v.34

2. What 6 things will they have done? v.35,36

3. What will they reply to the King? v.37-39

4. What will be the King's answer? v.40

 

B. Think:

1. What will the righteous have been doing?

2. What is the surprising thing about what they do?

3. What will be their reward?

C. Comment:

     Jesus now moves on to speak about the two groups of people; first of all the “sheep” on his right, those who are obviously the righteous. Let's observe first, what they have done, what it is that marks them out. Jesus says that, very simply, they have ministered to him. That is what has blessed him. They will be surprised at this for they will not have been aware that they are doing that, so he explains.

     Every time they ministered to a person in need, it was as if they were doing it to Jesus. Jesus identifies with the needy, for he has come to restore people who are suffering as a result of sin in the world. Therefore when we minister to the needy we minister to Jesus. Who were the needy? Those who hungered, those who were thirsty, those who were lonely, those who were poor and needed clothes, those who were sick, those who were in prison. Those, in other words, who are living lives less than the quality God wanted when He made the world, who are simply described as “the needy”.

     The righteous are therefore, people who have responded to Jesus, who have a relationship with him and who therefore respond to the prompting of his Holy Spirit within them to go and touch the lives of those less well off, with his love. James said that faith without works is dead (Jas 2:14 -17). Here Jesus illustrates a “faith that works”, a faith that blesses the world and in turn will be blessed (rewarded).

 

D. Application:

1. Our faith is to have a practical outworking.

2. Our faith is to ensure that others are blessed in real ways.

  

   

Study No.7 : Those on the Left : Mt 25:41-46

A. Find Out:

      

1. What is the end for those on the left? v.41

2. What 6 things had they not done? v.42,43

3. What will be their question? v.44

4. What will be Jesus' answer? v.45

5. So who will go where? v.46

 

B. Think:

1. How would you summarise the guilt of the unrighteous?

2. What is their end?

C. Comment:

     Now comes the second half of what will happen after Jesus returns. We saw (v.32,33) that he will gather every human being and divide them into two groups. One group he'll put on his right (and we saw yesterday that they are the righteous and will be rewarded for responding to him in the way they lived) and the other group he'll put on his left. It is the left group he now speaks about.

     He first of all describes them as being “cursed” and says he wants to know nothing about them. Their end is to be cast into an eternal fire (v.41) which is described as “eternal punishment” (v.46) which seems to deny any possibility of a quick destruction.

  So what is the cause of this awful punishment. Put in its simplest form it is for rejecting Jesus in practical works. They have not acted as Christ to the needy world. Does this mean that salvation is by good works? No, but it does mean that good works will follow a genuine repentance and a genuine being born again.

    Where there is a genuine relationship with Jesus it WILL result in a care and compassion for other people. Does this mean that we should be going out constantly looking for the needy? Not necessarily. The crucial issue is do we have a living relationship with Jesus whereby he can speak to us, lead and guide us and send us out on his works? These people rejected Jesus and so did nothing. Rejection of Jesus is the key point.

 

D. Application:

1. Do we have a living relationship with Jesus where he guides us?

2. Is he able to guide us to those about us in need?

  

    

RECAP No.1  "Final Parables"  Matthew 25

 

SUMMARY :

  

In this first group of 7 studies we have seen Jesus speaking of :

- the Parable of the Ten Virgins

  - about being prepared for when he comes

- the Parable of the Talents

  - about using what God has given until he comes

- The Final Judgement

  - when people will be seen as sheep or goats

  - sheep will be those who responded to him on

    earth

  - goats will be those who ignored him.

 

COMMENT :

     These stories are Jesus' last teaching out in the open with his disciples on the Mount of Olives . They are a continuation of Jesus' answer to the disciples about what will happen at the end (24:3).

  

    Although quite long, the lessons are very simple: be ready when I return again, ensure you are doing my Father's will and using the gifts that my Father gives you, for there will come an end time accounting and those who do not do this will miss out!!!!

 

LESSONS?

1. We need to keep alert watching for Jesus' second coming.

2. We need to ensure we are constantly filled with the Spirit.

3. We need to ensure we are using the gifts that God gives us.

4. This will be expressed in simple daily expressions of goodness.

 

PRAY :

     Thank the Lord that He is in control, even in the face of impending Crisis. Thank Him that He has given you His word and His Spirit, sufficient for the day. Ask Him to help you remain faithful in the face of others' unfaithfulness, so that you will always be doing His will, even until the time you meet Him face to face.

 

PART 2 : "Plots & Passover Meal"

      In this next Part we will see the increase in the plotting against Jesus, Jesus being anointed at Bethany, Judas agreeing to betray Jesus, and the Last Supper. In the midst of the awful rejection of Jesus that is going on, he simply prepares his disciples for the future.