Matthew 25

      21. I will make thee ruler over many things. (1) Observe here that it is God's talents that have made the ten talents. The fruitfulness of our work depends on what God has given us. (2) In God's government, promotion depends on fidelity. This is in a measure true, here and how; fulfillment of duty in a lower and lesser station is rewarded by the providence which bids us to go up higher. (3) Present duties are trials of character; God gives the talents that he may test and see who is worthy of a trust. (4) The trusts given here below, by our use of which we are to show ourselves capable of receiving the crown above, Jesus calls a few things. This is in contrast with the trusts we will enjoy in the heavenly kingdom.

      22, 23. He also that had received two talents, etc. His fidelity and reward are indicated, acknowledged and rewarded in exactly the same terms as in the case of the first servant. The final reward depends on faithfulness, not greatness.

      24. I knew thee that thou art a hard man. The charge against the lord is insulting. The term hard, and the charge in the next clause, "of reaping where thou hast not sown," affirm that the lord was harsh, unfeeling, grasping, and unscrupulous about his methods of acquisition. It states the position of many of our fellow-men. Many refuse to employ their talents in Christ's service because they think it a hard, exacting service, making unreasonable demands of self-denial, self-control and self-sacrifice.

      26. Thou wicked and slothful servant. The wickedness of the servant is demonstrated, not only his unfaithfulness, but by his false and slanderous excuses.

      27. Thou oughtest to have put my money to the exchangers. To the bankers. If the lord was so exacting as he supposed, he ought at least to have put his money to use with the money brokers that it might have earned something. Usury. Interest. The Jews were forbidden to take it from their brethren, but were allowed to take it from aliens.

      28. Take therefore the talent from him. He had shown himself unworthy of the trust. He had enjoyed opportunity to serve the lord, but had utterly neglected it; therefore the opportunity was taken away. The application is easy. Give it to him which hath ten. Because he has shown himself worthy of great trusts.

      29. To every one that hath shall be given. Every attainment of honor, wealth, knowledge, or spiritual grace helps to render further attainment more easy and more assured; while it is spiritually as well as materially true that "the destruction of the poor is their poverty" ( Prov. 10:15 ). Shall be taken away even that which he hath. For every hath there is a richer hath; and in every hath not a deeper, poorer hath not.

      30. Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness. A state of banishment from the presence of the Lord. Have you a trust from the Lord? Are you useful to him according to your ability?

      31. When the Son of man shall come in his glory. Compare 1 Thess. 4:14-18 Rev. 20:11-15 . The glorious coming at the end of the world is meant. See Matt. 24:30 . The throne of his glory. See Rev. 20:11 , for an account of the great white throne upon which sat the divine Judge from whose face heaven and earth fled away. An earthly judge was wont, in pronouncing judgment, to take his place on the "judgment seat," a kind of judicial throne ( John 19:13 ).

      32. Before him shall be gathered all nations. It will be the day of the final account of all the world. He shall separate them. Now for the first time the separation takes place. The two classes have been mingled on the earth; every nation, country, town and city has had its wicked as well as righteous; nay, even into the church the bad have crept, but now they are separated forever.

      33. He shall set the sheep at his right hand. The sheep, who represent the righteous, are placed at the right hand, the place of honor. See Heb. 12:2 .

      34. Then shall the King say to them on his right hand. The King is Christ. This is the only time, save in parabolic language, that he applies the title to himself, though he speaks of his kingdom and declares he came into the world to be a king. At judgment his kingly majesty will be acknowledged by all the universe. Come, ye blessed of my Father. Observe that his invitation on earth to mortals is to come: "Come ye to the waters and drink;" "Let him that is athirst come and partake of the waters of life freely." To all who have heeded his earthly invitation he gives a heavenly invitation. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you. The blessed are now to enter on an inheritance. On earth they were heirs and joint-heirs with Christ.

      35, 36. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat. The reason why those on the right hand are given the kingdom is now shown. They had ministered unto the Savior. The deeds of loving kindness that the truly benevolent do his needy disciples are named as having been done to Christ. It should be noted (1) that the duties named are such duties as every one can perform. Chrysostom says: "He said not I was sick and ye healed me; or in prison and ye set me free; but ye visited me and came unto me." (2) A real, personal service of Christ is implied, one involving some sacrifice of ease, time and property.

      37, 38, 39. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee, etc. The saints in all ages, in lands unknown when Christ was on earth, saints who had never seen him when he was in the flesh, he commends for feeding, visiting and entertaining him whom they had never seen in person. What more natural than for them to exclaim: "When saw we thee? When did we entertain thee?" etc.

      40. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. The righteous understood well that they had often, in the name and from the love of Christ, ministered to his brethren, the poor and suffering saints, but they had never understood that their Lord accepted this as a personal service to himself. It should be distinctly noted, (1) that the saved are the righteous, or those whose sins have been washed away by Christ; (2) they are those who have lived and acted in the name of Christ, or have been obedient to his will; (3) they have been full of the love of Christ and have faithfully ministered to the distressed, especially to those of the household of faith. The love of Christ implies love of the brethren, and of all mankind.

      41. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire. Those that have sought the Lord on earth shall be with him forever ( 1 Thess. 4:17 ). Those who have turned away from him shall be turned away from him forever. The punishment is everlasting banishment from his presence ( 2 Thess. 1:9 ). Ye cursed. Under the Jewish law, anything irretrievably condemned and devoted to death was called "accursed" ( Deut. 13:17 ). The same term applied to the wicked is a sentence of eternal death. Into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Fire is probably used, as in many other places in the Scripture, as symbol of the bitter punishment of the wicked. Note, (1) it is everlasting; (2) prepared, not for man, but for the devil and his angels. Those who choose his service will have his portion.

      42, 43. For I was an hungered, etc. The reasons of this awful fate are given. The judgment of the wicked is pronounced, not for what they have done, but what they neglected to do.

      44. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee? etc. These, too, inquire if this is possible. If they had seen him in his splendor they certainly would have denied him nothing.

      45. Then shall he answer them. The answer is exactly the same as that given to the righteous, save that it introduces not.

      46. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. We shall not enter into the discussions that have arisen over this controverted passage. These things are certain: (1) A separation between the righteous and the wicked takes place at judgment. (2) The righteous inherit the kingdom; the wicked "depart into everlasting fire." (3) The state of the righteous is "life eternal;" the state of the wicked is "everlasting punishment." (4) The duration of these two states is the same, exactly the same Greek word being used in each case (aionios). Then if the state of punishment has an end, so has the life.