Matthew25
New International Version
1“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
3The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.
4The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.
5The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
7“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.
8The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
9“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
10“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
11“Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
12“But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
13“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
14“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.
15To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
16The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more.
17So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more.
18But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.
20The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
21“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
23“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
25So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?
27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28“‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags.
29For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.
30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.
32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Matthew 25.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The parable of the ten virgins. (1–13). The parable of the talents. (14–30). The judgment. (31–46).
vv1-13
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 have work to do to get actually ready, 2Pe 3:14. It will be a 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.
vv14-30
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.
vv31-46
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.
Key Words
τότε (tóte): the when, i.e. at the time that (of the past or future, also in consecution)
βασιλεία (basileía): properly, royalty, i.e. (abstractly) rule, or (concretely) a realm (literally or figuratively)
οὐρανός (ouranós): the sky; by extension, heaven (as the abode of God); by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel (Christianity)
ὁμοιόω (homoióō): to assimilate, i.e. compare; passively, to become similar
δέκα (déka): ten
παρθένος (parthénos): a maiden; by implication, an unmarried daughter
ὅστις (hóstis): which some, i.e. any that; also (definite) which same
λαμβάνω (lambánō): while G138 (αἱρέομαι) is more violent, to seize or remove))
ἑαυτοῦ (heautoû): him- (her-, it-, them-, also (in conjunction with the personal pronoun of the other persons) my-, thy-, our-, your-) self (selves), etc.
λαμπάς (lampás): a "lamp" or flambeau
Cross References
Matthew 25Directly parallel parable of a nobleman departing to a far country and delivering assets to servants.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Verbal echo of letting lamps be burning in expectation of the master's return.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Parallels the dreadful declaration of final rejection: 'I never knew you; depart from me.'
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Parallels the lord's condemnation of the wicked servant out of his own mouth.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Zechariah's gold lampstand supplied with oil symbolizes the Spirit of grace, explaining the oil.
Supported by JFB
Parallel command to be ready because the Son of man comes unexpectedly.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel of the master of the house shutting the door and refusing latecomers.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Repeats the vital spiritual law that whoever has will receive more, and the havenot loses all.
Supported by John Calvin
Prophetic background of Yahweh as Shepherd separating the fat cattle from the lean.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Christ identifies with his suffering body: 'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?'
Supported by Matthew Henry
The preceding section on watchfulness and the wise/evil servants directly introduces this parable.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Contrast between the wise who store oil/treasures and the foolish who spend them.
Supported by JFB
The prophetic 'oil of gladness' with which Messiah and His attendants are anointed.
Supported by JFB
Reinforces the 'long time' delay before the lord of those servants returns.
Supported by John Calvin
Exhortation to be diligent to be found of Him in peace, without spot.
Supported by Matthew Henry
God remembers active love shown to His name in ministering to the saints.
Supported by JFB
Parallel reward for the faithful servant: 'be thou ruler over ten cities.'
Supported by Matthew Poole
OT foundation of the dual resurrection: some to everlasting life, some to shame.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Invitation to come and buy wine, milk, and oil without price before it is too late.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallel rejection of those calling 'Lord, Lord' but failing to do God's will.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Principle of proportion: to whom much is given, of him much is required.
Supported by John Calvin
Paul's instruction on using differing gifts (talents) according to grace given.
Supported by JFB
Jesus promises that when He sits on His glorious throne, disciples will also judge.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Defines pure religion as visiting orphans and widows, matching Christ's test of faith.
Supported by JFB
Oppressing the poor reproaches the Maker, but showing mercy honors Him.
Supported by JFB
Exhortation to hospitality; some have entertained angels (or Christ) unawares.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Vision of the great white throne judgment and final separation into the lake of fire.
Supported by Matthew Henry