THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS. Closely joined to the preceding one. Its leading idea is the readiness of the Church for the coming of the Lord. See the closing exhortation (Matthew 25:13). The last parable applies mainly to rulers, this to the whole Church. Interpreters differ as to the exact time... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:1. THEN. At the period spoken of in the last chapter. The judgment upon those in office, having a more direct application to the Apostles, is mentioned before the judgment upon the people. But it is not necessarily prior in time. TEN. The number of completion among the Jews; this number... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:2. AND FIVE OF THEM WERE FOOLISH, etc. This equal division may have a meaning. The correct order is transposed in the common version.... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:3-4. FOR THE FOOLISH. The insertion of ‘for' introduces this as an evidence of their folly. BUT THE WISE, provided themselves with oil in the proper vessels. Explanations: (1.) The lamps refer to the outward Christian appearance, the oil to inward spiritual life, the grace of God in the... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:5. NOW WHILE THE BRIDEGROOM TARRIED; as they were waiting for him ; an allusion to the delay of the Lord. ALL SLUMBERED AND SLEPT. Sleep overcame them, even while trying to keep awake. This probably refers to a gradual forgetfulness of, or ceasing to expect at once, the coming of Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:6. BUT AT MIDNIGHT. At a late, dark season, the most unsuitable too for the foolish virgins to make good their lack. A CRY IS MADE, BEHOLD THE BRIDEGROOM! This was usual. A sign of the coming of Christ (chap. Matthew 24:30). For the individual, that cry may come at any time.... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:7. AROSE, AND TRIMMED THEIR LAMPS, _i.e._, trimmed the wick and put on fresh oil, so as to make a brilliant flame. ‘All' did this; the foolish virgins were not lacking in effort. But mere trimming does little good, if there is no oil.... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:8. FOR OUR LAMPS ARE GOING OUT, not ‘have gone out' The trimming of the wick made this apparent. Merely outward Christian appearance will show its insufficiency in the midnight when the Bridegroom comes, yet even then be only ‘going out.' This natural request represents what will occur in... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:9. PERADVENTURE. This was a refusal, though not in form. ‘Not so' is a correct paraphrase. The reply is not selfish, even in the figure, for it is affirmed: THERE WILL NOT BE ENOUGH. To have divided the oil would have entirely defeated the purpose of the procession. In that hour each must... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:10. AND WHILE THEY WENT AWAY TO BUY. They kept up their endeavor to the very last (see Matthew 25:11), but probably did not get a supply of oil at that late hour. THEY THAT WERE READY (_i.e.,_ the wise virgins) WENT IN WITH HIM TO THE MARRIAGE FEAST; comp. Revelation 19:7-9; Revelation... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:11. AFTERWARD COME ALSO THE OTHER VIRGINS. The story is carried to its conclusion; the foolish virgins did not lack persistent effort. We may understand the verse as a mere carrying out of the story, or as showing the persistent appeals of the self-deceived, without regard to time. Comp.... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:12. I KNOW YOU NOT. Comp. chap. Matthew 7:23. The refusal is definite and apparently final, and is the basis for the exhortation which follows. Some of the advocates of the pre-millenial view suppose that this refusal excludes only from the millenium, not from the ultimate kingdom of glor... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:13. WATCH THEREFORE. The same admonition as in chap. Matthew 24:42; Matthew 24:44. ‘Wherein the Son of man cometh' is omitted by the best authorities. This makes the exhortation more general. The coming of our Lord, in so far as individuals are concerned, is the day of death. Then the doo... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:14. FOR IT IS. The events illustrated in the previous parable, ‘The kingdom of heaven' is not specific enough. The omission of ‘the Son of man,' etc. (Matthew 25:13) forbids our supplying ‘he is.' AS WHEN A MAN GOING INTO ANOTHER COUNTRY, ‘going abroad.' Here Christ is represented as a... [ Continue Reading ]
The close connection of this parable with the last is indicated by its opening words. The time is the same, but the two can readily be distinguished: ‘The virgins were represented as _waiting_ for the Lord, we have here the servants _working_ for Him. There the inward spiritual rest of the Christian... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:15. FIVE TALENTS TWO ONE. In Luke the trust is the same for each servant. So great a sum as even a single ‘talent' (comp. chap. 18 constituted a very valuable trust. The ‘pound' (of much smaller value) is an official gift; the ‘talents,' gifts of the Spirit in different degrees. The great... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:16-17. The Lord's absence represents in general the period between the Ascension and the second coming of the Lord; in the case of individuals, the day of death terminates the period of activity. STRAIGHTWAY (see Matthew 25:15). Each faithful servant began his activity at once; and each... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:18. WENT AWAY, in carelessness. DIGGED IN THE EARTH AND HID HIS LORD'S MONEY. Not an active ill-doer, like the wicked servant of Matthew 24:48, but simply neglectful of the blessing given him. He buried his spiritual gift in what is earthly, fleshly; ‘the napkin' in the other parable me... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:19. NOW AFTER A LONG TIME. Long in the history of the whole Church, and long enough in the case of individuals, to allow them to make good use of the trust. BECKONETH WITH THEM. The pre-millenial view places this reckoning at the Second Advent, the general judgment occurring later. Noth... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:20. I HAVE GAINED. In addition to and through the talents entrusted. Spiritual gifts are the means of increasing spirituality, yet human effort and responsibility enters.... [ Continue Reading ]
The order is chronological (comp. Mark 7:24 to Mark 8:10; especially the miracle peculiar to that Gospel). This visit of our Lord to Gentile regions followed an attack from the Pharisees. (Comp, the course of Paul; Acts 13:46.) The interview with the heathen woman is striking and prophetic. The Jews... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:21. I WILL SET THEE OVER MANY THINGS. In the kingdom of glory; or on the other theory, during the millenium. INTO THE JOY OF THY LORD. In Luke the official position is recognized in the rule over ‘ten cities,' etc.; here the reward has a reference to the personal spiritual life. ‘The jo... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:23. WELL DONE. The same commendation for the same faithfulness; the amount was smaller, but the trust was smaller, the reward was the same also. In spiritual things faithfulness is success.... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:24. LORD, I KNEW THEE THAT THOU ART A HARD MAN. A common excuse: the master is hard and selfish. Men represent God as demanding from them what they cannot perform. In the parable, and in reality, the excuse is inconsistent and self-convicting. REAPING WHERE THOU DIDST NOT SOW. ‘ _This i... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:25. I WAS AFRAID. Both true and false. He had a fear of his lord's punishment, but that did not make him idle. Being afraid of God, is an excuse not a reason, for men's misimprovement of His gifts. The insolent speech shows that the servant did not really regard his master as ‘hard.' TH... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:26. WICKED because SLOTHFUL. Neglect is also wickedness. KNEWEST THOU. A question. Granting that this were the case; comp. Luke 19:22: ‘Out of thine own mouth will I condemn thee.'... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:27. THOU OUGHTEST THEREFORE TO HAVE PUT. Lit. ‘thrown,' _i.e.,_ thrown on the money-table, which required no exertion. MY MONEY. The trust demanded this. TO THE BANKERS; the Greek word has the same etymology as the English one. These probably represent stronger spiritual characters wh... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:28. TAKE YE AWAY THEREFORE THE TALENT FROM HIM. This command will be given, whether the latter be a spiritual or temporal gift. GIVE IT UNTO HIM THAT HATH THE TEN TALENTS. Comp. Luke 19:25, where this command is questioned. This act of judgment on the slothful servant becomes an act of... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:29. FOR UNTO EVERY ONE THAT HATH SHALL BE GIVEN. The expression is well-nigh proverbial. Comp. chap. Matthew 13:12, where it is applied to spiritual knowledge (through parables); here it refers to the whole spiritual life. It is not a law for conduct between man and man, but of God's deal... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:30. Comp. chap. Matthew 8:12; Matthew 22:13. An obvious allusion to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, so that this and the preceding parable must refer to the same point in the future. In Luke, the nobleman becomes a king, who punishes his rebellious servants; here the parable closes with... [ Continue Reading ]
We have here a picture of the final judgment, ‘the end of the world;' not a parable, though containing the figure of a shepherd dividing the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:32-33). The pre-millenial theory places this after the millenium, referring it only to those who were not Christians; ‘all the... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:31. NOW WHEN THE SON OF MAN SHALL COME. An interval is hinted at, but not asserted. IN HIS GLORY. Comp. chap. Matthew 24:30. The ‘great glory' culminates in ‘His glory' (comp. John 17:5). AND ALL THE ANGELS WITH HIM. ‘All the angels,' ‘all the nations;' the former interested and active... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:32. SHALL BE GATHERED. Whether voluntarily or involuntarily is not stated; but all submit (Philippians 2:10). All the nations, all mankind. The pre-millenial view excepts ‘the elect,' but of this exception there is here no hint. Even if gathered before (chap. Matthew 24:31), they may appe... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:33. THE SHEEP ON HIS RIGHT HAND, the place of preference. The pre-millenial view refers ‘the sheep' to the unconscious Christians among the heathen, hinted at in Romans 2:7; Romans 2:10, including the ‘other sheep,' ‘not of this fold.' But how unlikely that, in this great picture, believe... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:34. THE KING. Christ Himself. From this point there is no figure. It is the only time that our Lord thus calls Himself, though He acknowledges the title before Pilate (chap. Matthew 27:11). He is the judge; comp. Luke 19:38, and many other passages. YE BLESSED OF MY FATHER. Not ‘blessed... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:35. FOR. The evidence that they are the ‘blessed of my Father;' since the proceedings are judicial. The real ground lies deeper than the good deeds themselves (see Matthew 25:40). Those addressed had been prepared for the kingdom prepared for them. Such works are the fruit of Divine grace... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:36. NAKED, or, poorly clothed. SICK IN PRISON. Healing and release are not mentioned, these could be rendered by a few only; but visitation, sympathy, care, which all can give.... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:37-38. LORD, WHEN SAW WE THEE, etc. The language of humility rather than of ignorance. Care for Christ's brethren, as such, would not be shown by those ignorant of Him. There is nothing in this description, which makes the judgment a terror to Christians.... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:40. UNTO ONE OF THESE LEAST (or, these the least') OF MY BRETHREN, YE DID IT UNTO ME. This principle is the basis of Christian charity, as of all Christian morality. The prominence given to it shows that real faith in Christ must manifest itself in such Christian charity. The early Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:41. ACCURSED. ‘Of my Father' (Matthew 25:34) is omitted, for though the curse comes from God, it is through their own fault WHICH IS PREPARED; ‘from the foundation of the world' is not added, BUT FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS, prepared for him as a devil (his personal existence being evid... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:44. WHEN SAW WE THEE, etc. A self - righteous plea of ignorance, implying that they would have done such good works, had they seen Him. The answer of the Lord in Matthew 25:45, repeats the principle of Matthew 25:40. Many fancy they would do good to Christ, who fail to see Him in the pers... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 25:46. INTO ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. The opposite is ETERNAL LIFE, both never ending, the Greek word being the same. In the New Testament it is used fifty-nine times of the happiness of the righteous, of God's existence, or of the Church and the Messiah's kingdom, in seven of the future punishmen... [ Continue Reading ]