TEN VIRGINS (δεκα παρθενοις). No special point in the number ten. The scene is apparently centered round the house of the bride to which the bridegroom is coming for the wedding festivities. But Plummer places the scene near the house of the bridegroom who has gone to bring the bride home. It is... [ Continue Reading ]
TOOK NO OIL WITH THEM (ουκ ελαβον μεθ' εαυτων ελαιον). Probably none at all, not realizing their lack of oil till they lit the torches on the arrival of the bridegroom and his party.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THEIR VESSELS (εν τοις αγγειοις). Here alone in the N.T., through αγγη in Matthew 13:48. Extra supply in these receptacles besides the oil in the dish on top of the staff.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ALL SLUMBERED AND SLEPT (ενυσταξαν πασα κα εκαθευδον). They dropped off to sleep, nodded (ingressive aorist) and then went on sleeping (imperfect, linear action), a vivid picture drawn by the difference in the two tenses. Many a preacher has seen this happen while he is preaching.... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS A CRY (κραυγη γεγονεν). A cry has come. Dramatic use of the present perfect (second perfect active) indicative, not the perfect for the aorist. It is not εστιν, but γεγονεν which emphasizes the sudden outcry which has rent the air. The very memory of it is preserved by this tense with al... [ Continue Reading ]
TRIMMED (εκοσμησαν). Put in order, made ready. The wicks were trimmed, the lights being out while they slept, fresh oil put in the dish, and lit again. A marriage ceremony in India is described by Ward (_View of the Hindoos_) in Trench's _Parables_: "After waiting two or three hours, at length ne... [ Continue Reading ]
ARE GOING OUT (σβεννυντα). Present middle indicative of linear action, not punctiliar or aoristic. When the five foolish virgins lit their lamps, they discovered the lack of oil. The sputtering, flickering, smoking wicks were a sad revelation. "And _perhaps_ we are to understand that there is som... [ Continue Reading ]
PERADVENTURE THERE WILL NOT BE ENOUGH FOR US AND YOU (μηποτε ου μη αρκεσε ημιν κα υμιν). There is an elliptical construction here that is not easy of explanation. Some MSS. Aleph A L Z have ουκ instead of ου μη. But even so μη ποτε has to be explained either by supplying an imperative like γινεσθ... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHILE THEY WENT AWAY (απερχομενων δε αυτων). Present middle participle, genitive absolute, while they were going away, descriptive linear action. Picture of their inevitable folly.WAS SHUT (εκλεισθη). Effective aorist passive indicative, shut to stay shut.... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTERWARD (υστερον). And find the door shut in their faces.LORD, LORD, OPEN TO US (Κυριε, Κυριε, ανοιξον ημιν). They appeal to the bridegroom who is now master whether he is at the bride's house or his own.... [ Continue Reading ]
I KNOW YOU NOT (ουκ οιδα υμας). Hence there was no reason for special or unusual favours to be granted them. They must abide the consequences of their own negligence.... [ Continue Reading ]
WATCH THEREFORE (γρηγορειτε ουν). This is the refrain with all the parables. Lack of foresight is inexcusable. Ignorance of the time of the second coming is not an excuse for neglect, but a reason for readiness. Every preacher goes up against this trait in human nature, putting off till another t... [ Continue Reading ]
GOING INTO ANOTHER COUNTRY (αποδημων). About to go away from one's people (δημος), on the point of going abroad. This word in ancient use in this sense. There is an ellipse here that has to be supplied,IT IS AS WHEN orTHE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AS WHEN . This Parable of the Talents is quite sim... [ Continue Reading ]
TO ONE (ω μεν, ω δε, ω δε). Demonstrative ος, not the relative. Neat Greek idiom.ACCORDING TO HIS SEVERAL ABILITY (κατα την ιδιαν δυναμιν). According to his own ability. Each had all that he was capable of handling. The use that one makes of his opportunities is the measure of his capacity for... [ Continue Reading ]
STRAIGHTWAY (ευθεως). Beginning of verse 16, not the end of verse Matthew 25:15. The business temper of this slave is shown by his promptness.WITH THEM (εν αυτοις). Instrumental use of εν. He worked (ηργασατο), did business, traded with them. "The virgins wait, the servants work" (Vincent).MADE... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKETH A RECKONING (συναιρε λογον). As in Matthew 18:23. Deissmann (_Light from the Ancient East_, p. 117) gives two papyri quotations with this very business idiom and one Nubian ostracon with it. The ancient Greek writers do not show it.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE JOY OF THY LORD (την χαριν του κυριου σου). The word χαρα or joy may refer to the feast on the master's return. So in verse Matthew 25:23.... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT HAD RECEIVED THE ONE TALENT (ο το ταλεντον ειληφως). Note the perfect active participle to emphasize the fact that he still had it. In verse Matthew 25:20 we have ο--λαβων (aorist active participle).I KNEW THEE (εγνων σε). Second aorist active indicative. Experimental knowledge (γινωσκω) a... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU WICKED AND SLOTHFUL SERVANT (πονηρε δουλε κα οκνηρε). From πονος (work, annoyance, disturbance, evil) and οκνεω (to be slow, "poky," slothful). Westcott and Hort make a question out of this reply to the end of verse Matthew 25:26. It is sarcasm.... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU OUGHTEST THEREFORE (εδσ σε ουν). His very words of excuse convict him. It was a necessity (εδε) that he did not see.THE BANKERS (τοις τραπεζειταις). The benchers, money-changers, brokers, who exchanged money for a fee and who paid interest on money. Word common in late Greek.I SHOULD HAVE... [ Continue Reading ]
THE UNPROFITABLE (τον αχρειον). Useless (α privative and χρειος, useful) and so unprofitable, injurious. Doing nothing is doing harm.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE NATIONS (panta ta ethn). Not just Gentiles, but Jews also. Christians and non-Christians. This program for the general judgment has been challenged by some scholars who regard it as a composition by the evangelist to exalt Christ. But why should not Christ say this if he is the Son of Man... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD (απο καταβολης κοσμου). The eternal purpose of the Father for his elect in all the nations. The Son of Man in verse Matthew 25:31 is the King here seated on the throne in judgment.... [ Continue Reading ]
CLOTHED ME (περιεβαλετε με). Second aorist middle indicative, cast something around me.VISITED ME (επεσκεψασθε με). Looked after, came to see. Our "visit" is from Latin _viso, video_. Cf. our English "go to see.... [ Continue Reading ]
YE DID IT UNTO ME (εμο εποιησατε). Dative of personal interest. Christ identifies himself with the needy and the suffering. This conduct is proof of possession of love for Christ and likeness to him.... [ Continue Reading ]
NO MEAT (ουκ εδωκατε μο φαγειν). You did not give me anything to eat. The repetition of the negative ου in Matthew 25:42 and Matthew 25:43 is like the falling of clods on the coffin or the tomb. It is curious the surprise here shown both by the sheep and the goats. Some sheep will think that they... [ Continue Reading ]
ETERNAL PUNISHMENT (κολασιν αιωνιον). The word κολασιν comes from κολαζω, to mutilate or prune. Hence those who cling to the larger hope use this phrase to mean age-long pruning that ultimately leads to salvation of the goats, as disciplinary rather than penal. There is such a distinction as Arist... [ Continue Reading ]