Institute for Creation Research

Matthew 25:1

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

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And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

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They that were foolish took their ° lamps, and took no oil with them:

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But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

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While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

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And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

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Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

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And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

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But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

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And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

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Afterward ° came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

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But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

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Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

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For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

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And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

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Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

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And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

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But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

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After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth ° with them.

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And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

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His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. °

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He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

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His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

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Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strowed:

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And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

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His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strowed: °

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Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

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Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

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For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away ° even that which he hath.

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And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

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And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

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And he shall set ° the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

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Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

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For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

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Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

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Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

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When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? °

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Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

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And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

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Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

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For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

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I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

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Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

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Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

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And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Matthew 25:1

25:1 kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven (see note on Matthew 3:2) is here seen in its outward aspect of Christian profession. It contains both members who have prepared for the coming of the heavenly Bridegroom and are waiting anxiously for Him and also members who care more about their own comfort and personal interests than about the Bridegroom, and so have not bothered to prepare for His coming. The message is similar to that of the faithful and evil servants in the preceding parable. Like the unfaithful servant, the foolish virgins were unconcerned about the Lord because they thought His coming (or their death) would be delayed. The evil servant, however, was a wicked hypocrite; the foolish virgins were indifferent procrastinators. In spite of their professed commitment to the kingdom, both of these types of “Christians” are not really committed to the Lord. Thus they are still unsaved sinners. The moral in both parables is to be watchful and ready, living in light of the imminent coming of the Lord. The same watchfulness would also serve to prepare them for death, if that should come first. “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 25:13). Note also Hebrews 9:28; I John 2:28; etc.

Matthew 25:13

25:13 Watch therefore. The oft-repeated command to watch for the coming of the Lord not only rebukes those who attempt to set the date of His return, but also those who argue that He cannot come until certain other predictions have been fulfilled (the manifestation of Antichrist, a great revival, a great apostasy, the revival of the Roman empire, or some other such event). It would be pointless to be watching for His coming if we must watch for other signs first. His return for those who have believed on Him is always imminent (Matthew 24:42,44; Mark 13:33-37; Hebrews 9:28; Titus 2:12-13; I John 2:28; etc.). See also notes on I Thessalonians 5:9; II Thessalonians 2:3; and Revelation 3:10.

Matthew 25:15

25:15 talents. A talent was about six thousand denarii. See note on Matthew 20:10.

Matthew 25:15

25:15 ability. The “Parable of the Talents,” as it has come to be known, deals not only with true and false Christian believers but also with future rewards in the heavenly kingdom. The Lord evaluates service and gives rewards in relation to the believer’s motivation and opportunity, expecting more from those with greater ability and opportunity. He rightly expects something, however, from every true believer, “for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10). A life with no evidence of good works is not a life of authentic faith in Christ, for “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20).

Matthew 25:23

25:23 good and faithful servant. Note that Matthew 25:21 and Matthew 25:23 are identical. The two servants receive the same reward, even though one had earned five talents, the other only two. The principle is that rewards are based on quality, not quantity, of work.

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