Matthew 25

1 Then the kingdom of heavens shall be like to ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went out to meet the husband and the wife [+which taking their lamps, went out meeting the spouse, or husband, and the spousess, or wife];

2 and five of them were fools, and five prudent.

3 But the five fools took their lamps, and took not oil with them;

4 but the prudent took oil in their vessels with the lamps.

5 And whiles the husband [the spouse, or husband,] tarried, all they napped and slept.

6 But at midnight a cry was made, Lo! the spouse cometh, go ye out to meet with him [go ye out to meet him].

7 Then all those virgins rose up, and arrayed their lamps [and adorned their lamps].

8 And the fools said to the wise, Give ye to us of your oil, for our lamps be quenched.

9 The prudent answered, and said [saying], Lest peradventure it suffice not to us and to you, go ye rather to men that sell, and buy to you.

10 And while they went to buy, the spouse came; and those that were ready, entered [in] with him to the weddings; and the gate was shut.

11 And at the last the other virgins came, and said, Lord, Lord, open to us. [+Soothly at the last also the other virgins came, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.]

12 And he answered, and said, Truly I say to you, I know you not.

13 Therefore wake ye, for ye know not the day nor the hour.

14 For as a man that goeth in pilgrimage [Soothly as a man going far in pilgrimage], called his servants, and betook to them his goods;

15 and to one he gave five talents, to another twain [and to one he gave five talents, or bezants, forsooth to another two], and to another one, to each after his own virtue; and he went forth at once [and he went forth anon].

16 And he that had five bezants [Forsooth and he that had taken five talents], went forth, and wrought in them, and won other five.

17 Also and he that had taken twain, won other twain. [Also and he that had taken two, won other two.]

18 But he that had taken one, went forth, and delved in the earth, and hid the money of his lord.

19 But after long time, the lord of those servants came, and reckoned with them.

20 And he that had taken five bezants, came, and brought other five, and said, Lord, thou betookest to me five bezants, lo! I have gotten above five others. [+And he that had taken five talents, coming to, offered other five, saying, Lord, thou betookest to me five talents, or bezants, lo! I have gotten over other five.]

21 His lord said to him, Well be thou, good servant and faithful; for on few things thou hast been true [+for upon few things thou hast been faithful], I shall ordain thee on many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

22 And he that had taken two talents, came, and said, Lord, thou betookest to me two bezants; lo! I have won over other twain. [+Forsooth and he that had taken two talents, came to, and said, Lord, thou betookest to me two talents; lo! I have gotten over other two.]

23 His lord said to him, Well be thou, good servant and true; for on few things thou hast been true [+Well be thou, good servant and faithful; for upon few things thou hast been faithful], I shall ordain thee on many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

24 But he that had taken one bezant [Forsooth and he that had taken one talent], came, and said, Lord, I know that thou art an hard man; thou reapest where thou hast not sown, and thou gatherest together where thou hast not spreaded abroad;

25 and I dreading went, and hid thy bezant in the earth [and I dreading went, and hid thy talent in the earth]; lo! thou hast that that is thine.

26 His lord answered, and said to him, Evil servant and slow, knewest thou that I reap where I sowed not, and gather together where I spreaded not abroad?

27 Therefore it behooved thee to betake my money to (ex)changers [Therefore it behooved thee to have sent my money to changers], that when I came, I should have received that that is mine with usuries.

28 Therefore take away from him the bezant, and give [ye it] to him that hath ten bezants. [And so take ye away from him the talent, and give ye it to him that hath ten talents.]

29 For to every man that hath me shall give, and he shall increase [+For to every man having it shall be given, and he shall have plenty, or increase]; but from him that hath not, also that that he seemeth to have, shall be taken away from him.

30 And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into outer-more darknesses; there shall be weeping, and grinding of teeth. [And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into utter-more darknesses; there shall be weeping, and beating together of teeth.]

31 When man's Son shall come in his majesty, and all his angels with him, then he shall sit on the seat of his majesty [then he shall sit on the siege of his majesty];

32 and all folks shall be gathered before him, and he shall separate them atwain, as a shepherd separateth sheep from kids [and he shall part them atwain, as a shepherd parteth sheep from kids];

33 and he shall set the sheep on his right half, and the kids on the left half [and the kids forsooth on his left half].

34 Then the king shall say to them, that shall be on his right half, Come ye, the blessed of my Father, take ye in possession the kingdom made ready to you from the making of the world [Come ye, the blessed of my Father, wield ye, or take ye in possession, the kingdom made ready to you from the beginning, or making, of the world].

35 For I hungered [+Forsooth I was hungry/For I was hungered], and ye gave me to eat; I thirsted, and ye gave me to drink; I was harbourless, and ye harboured me [I was harbourless, and ye gathered, or harboured, me];

36 naked, and ye covered me; sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came to me.

37 Then just men shall answer to him, and say [saying], Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and we fed thee; thirsty, and we gave to thee drink [thirsty, and we gave thee drink]?

38 and when saw we thee harbourless, and we harboured thee [when forsooth saw we thee harbourless, and we gathered thee to harbour]; or naked, and we covered thee?

39 or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and we came to thee?

40 And the king answering shall say to them, Truly I say to you, as long as ye did to one of these my least brethren, ye did to me.

41 Then the king shall say also to them, that shall be on his left half, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, that is made ready to the devil and his angels [which is made ready to the devil and his angels].

42 For I hungered, and ye gave not me to eat; I thirsted, and ye gave not me to drink; [For I hungered, and ye gave not to me for to eat; I thirsted, and ye gave not to me for to drink;]

43 I was harbourless, and ye harboured not me [I was harbourless, and ye gathered not me to harbour]; naked, and ye covered not me; sick, and in prison, and ye visited not me.

44 Then and they shall answer to him, and shall say [+Then also they shall answer to him, saying], Lord, when saw we thee hungering, or thirsting, or harbourless, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and we served not to thee?

45 Then he shall answer to them, and say [saying], Truly I say to you, as long as ye did not to one of these least, neither ye did to me [as long as ye did not to one of these least, ye did not to me].

46 And these shall go into everlasting torment; but the just men shall go into everlasting life.

Matthew 25 Commentary

Chapter 25

The parable of the ten virgins. (1-13) The parable of the talents. (14-30) The judgment. (31-46)

Verses 1-13 The circumstances of the parable of the ten virgins were taken from the marriage customs among the Jews, and explain the great day of Christ's coming. See the nature of Christianity. As Christians we profess to attend upon Christ, to honour him, also to be waiting for his coming. Sincere Christians are the wise virgins, and hypocrites the foolish ones. Those are the truly wise or foolish that are so in the affairs of their souls. Many have a lamp of profession in their hands, but have not, in their hearts, sound knowledge and settled resolution, which are needed to carry them through the services and trials of the present state. Their hearts are not stored with holy dispositions, by the new-creating Spirit of God. Our light must shine before men in good works; but this is not likely to be long done, unless there is a fixed, active principle in the heart, of faith in Christ, and love to God and our brethren. They all slumbered and slept. The delay represents the space between the real or apparent conversion of these professors, and the coming of Christ, to take them away by death, or to judge the world. But though Christ tarry past our time, he will not tarry past the due time. The wise virgins kept their lamps burning, but they did not keep themselves awake. Too many real Christians grow remiss, and one degree of carelessness makes way for another. Those that allow themselves to slumber, will scarcely keep from sleeping; therefore dread the beginning of spiritual decays. A startling summons was given. Go ye forth to meet Him, is a call to those prepared. The notice of Christ's approach, and the call to meet him, will awaken. Even those best prepared for death ( 2 Peter. 3:14 ) day of search and inquiry; and it concerns us to think how we shall then be found. Some wanted oil to supply their lamps when going out. Those that take up short of true grace, will certainly find the want of it one time or other. An outward profession may light a man along this world, but the damps of the valley of the shadow of death will put out such a light. Those who care not to live the life, yet would die the death of the righteous. But those that would be saved, must have grace of their own; and those that have most grace, have none to spare. The best need more from Christ. And while the poor alarmed soul addresses itself, upon a sick-bed, to repentance and prayer, in awful confusion, death comes, judgment comes, the work is undone, and the poor sinner is undone for ever. This comes of having oil to buy when we should burn it, grace to get when we should use it. Those, and those only, shall go to heaven hereafter, that are made ready for heaven here. The suddenness of death and of Christ's coming to us then, will not hinder our happiness, if we have been prepared. The door was shut. Many will seek admission into heaven when it is too late. The vain confidence of hypocrites will carry them far in expectations of happiness. The unexpected summons of death may alarm the Christian; but, proceeding without delay to trim his lamp, his graces often shine more bright; while the mere professor's conduct shows that his lamp is going out. Watch therefore, attend to the business of your souls. Be in the fear of the Lord all the day long.

Verses 14-30 Christ keeps no servants to be idle: they have received their all from him, and have nothing they can call their own but sin. Our receiving from Christ is in order to our working for him. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. The day of account comes at last. We must all be reckoned with as to what good we have got to our own souls, and have done to others, by the advantages we have enjoyed. It is not meant that the improving of natural powers can entitle a man to Divine grace. It is the real Christian's liberty and privilege to be employed as his Redeemer's servant, in promoting his glory, and the good of his people: the love of Christ constrains him to live no longer to himself, but to Him that died for him, and rose again. Those who think it impossible to please God, and in vain to serve him, will do nothing to purpose in religion. They complain that He requires of them more than they are capable of, and punishes them for what they cannot help. Whatever they may pretend, the fact is, they dislike the character and work of the Lord. The slothful servant is sentenced to be deprived of his talent. This may be applied to the blessings of this life; but rather to the means of grace. Those who know not the day of their visitation, shall have the things that belong to their peace hid from their eyes. His doom is, to be cast into outer darkness. It is a usual way of expressing the miseries of the damned in hell. Here, as in what was said to the faithful servants, our Saviour goes out of the parable into the thing intended by it, and this serves as a key to the whole. Let us not envy sinners, or covet any of their perishing possessions.

Verses 31-46 This is a description of the last judgment. It is as an explanation of the former parables. There is a judgment to come, in which every man shall be sentenced to a state of everlasting happiness, or misery. Christ shall come, not only in the glory of his Father, but in his own glory, as Mediator. The wicked and godly here dwell together, in the same cities, churches, families, and are not always to be known the one from the other; such are the weaknesses of saints, such the hypocrisies of sinners; and death takes both: but in that day they will be parted for ever. Jesus Christ is the great Shepherd; he will shortly distinguish between those that are his, and those that are not. All other distinctions will be done away; but the great one between saints and sinners, holy and unholy, will remain for ever. The happiness the saints shall possess is very great. It is a kingdom; the most valuable possession on earth; yet this is but a faint resemblance of the blessed state of the saints in heaven. It is a kingdom prepared. The Father provided it for them in the greatness of his wisdom and power; the Son purchased it for them; and the blessed Spirit, in preparing them for the kingdom, is preparing it for them. It is prepared for them: it is in all points adapted to the new nature of a sanctified soul. It is prepared from the foundation of the world. This happiness was for the saints, and they for it, from all eternity. They shall come and inherit it. What we inherit is not got by ourselves. It is God that makes heirs of heaven. We are not to suppose that acts of bounty will entitle to eternal happiness. Good works done for God's sake, through Jesus Christ, are here noticed as marking the character of believers made holy by the Spirit of Christ, and as the effects of grace bestowed on those who do them. The wicked in this world were often called to come to Christ for life and rest, but they turned from his calls; and justly are those bid to depart from Christ, that would not come to him. Condemned sinners will in vain offer excuses. The punishment of the wicked will be an everlasting punishment; their state cannot be altered. Thus life and death, good and evil, the blessing and the curse, are set before us, that we may choose our way, and as our way so shall our end be.