Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Matthew » Chapter 25 » Verse 40

Matthew 25:40 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

40 And G2532 the King G935 shall answer G611 and say G2046 unto them, G846 Verily G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 Inasmuch G1909 as G3745 ye have done G4160 it unto one G1520 of the least G1646 of these G5130 my G3450 brethren, G80 ye have done G4160 it unto me. G1698

Cross Reference

Proverbs 19:17 STRONG

He that hath pity H2603 upon the poor H1800 lendeth H3867 unto the LORD; H3068 and that which he hath given H1576 will he pay him again. H7999

Matthew 10:42 STRONG

And G2532 whosoever G3739 G1437 shall give to drink G4222 unto one G1520 of these G5130 little ones G3398 a cup G4221 of cold G5593 water only G3440 in G1519 the name G3686 of a disciple, G3101 verily G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 he shall in no wise G3364 lose G622 his G846 reward. G3408

Proverbs 14:31 STRONG

He that oppresseth H6231 the poor H1800 reproacheth H2778 his Maker: H6213 but he that honoureth H3513 him hath mercy H2603 on the poor. H34

1 John 4:7-12 STRONG

Beloved, G27 let us love G25 one another: G240 for G3754 love G26 is G2076 of G1537 God; G2316 and G2532 every one G3956 that loveth G25 is born G1080 of G1537 God, G2316 and G2532 knoweth G1097 God. G2316 He that loveth G25 not G3361 knoweth G1097 not G3756 God; G2316 for G3754 God G2316 is G2076 love. G26 In G1722 this G5129 was manifested G5319 the love G26 of God G2316 toward G1722 us, G2254 because G3754 that God G2316 sent G649 his G846 only begotten G3439 Son G5207 into G1519 the world, G2889 that G2443 we might live G2198 through G1223 him. G846 Herein G1722 G5129 is G2076 love, G26 not G3754 that G3756 we G2249 loved G25 God, G2316 but G235 that G3754 he G846 loved G25 us, G2248 and G2532 sent G649 his G846 Son G5207 to be the propitiation G2434 for G4012 our G2257 sins. G266 Beloved, G27 if G1487 God G2316 so G3779 loved G25 us, G2248 we G2249 ought G3784 also G2532 to love G25 one another. G240 No man G3762 hath seen G2300 God G2316 at any time. G4455 If G1437 we love G25 one another, G240 God G2316 dwelleth G3306 in G1722 us, G2254 and G2532 his G846 love G26 is G2076 perfected G5048 in G1722 us. G2254

1 Peter 1:22 STRONG

Seeing ye have purified G48 your G5216 souls G5590 in G1722 obeying G5218 the truth G225 through G1223 the Spirit G4151 unto G1519 unfeigned G505 love of the brethren, G5360 see that ye love G25 one another G240 with G1537 a pure G2513 heart G2588 fervently: G1619

Galatians 5:6 STRONG

For G1063 in G1722 Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 neither G3777 circumcision G4061 availeth G2480 any thing, G5100 nor G3777 uncircumcision; G203 but G235 faith G4102 which worketh G1754 by G1223 love. G26

Mark 9:41 STRONG

For G1063 whosoever G3739 G302 shall give G4222 you G5209 a cup G4221 of water G5204 to drink G4222 in G1722 my G3450 name, G3686 because G3754 ye belong G2075 to Christ, G5547 verily G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 he shall G622 not G3364 lose G622 his G846 reward. G3408

1 John 3:14-19 STRONG

We know G1492 that G3754 we G2249 have passed G3327 from G1537 death G2288 unto G1519 life, G2222 because G3754 we love G25 the brethren. G80 He that loveth G25 not G3361 his brother G80 abideth G3306 in G1722 death. G2288 Whosoever G3956 hateth G3404 his G846 brother G80 is G2076 a murderer: G443 and G2532 ye know G1492 that G3754 no G3756 G3956 murderer G443 hath G2192 eternal G166 life G2222 abiding G3306 in G1722 him. G846 Hereby G1722 G5129 perceive we G1097 the love G26 of God, because G3754 he G1565 laid down G5087 his G846 life G5590 for G5228 us: G2257 and G2532 we G2249 ought G3784 to lay down G5087 our lives G5590 for G5228 the brethren. G80 But G1161 whoso G3739 G302 hath G2192 this world's G2889 good, G979 and G2532 seeth G2334 his G846 brother G80 have G2192 need, G5532 and G2532 shutteth up G2808 his G846 bowels G4698 of compassion from G575 him, G846 how G4459 dwelleth G3306 the love G26 of God G2316 in G1722 him? G846 My G3450 little children, G5040 let us G25 not G3361 love G25 in word, G3056 neither G3366 in tongue; G1100 but G235 in deed G2041 and G2532 in truth. G225 And G2532 hereby G1722 G5129 we know G1097 that G3754 we are G2070 of G1537 the truth, G225 and G2532 shall assure G3982 our G2257 hearts G2588 before G1715 him. G846

Hebrews 6:10 STRONG

For G1063 God G2316 is not G3756 unrighteous G94 to forget G1950 your G5216 work G2041 and G2532 labour G2873 of love, G26 which G3739 ye have shewed G1731 G1731 toward G1519 his G846 name, G3686 in that ye have ministered G1247 to the saints, G40 and G2532 do minister. G1247

Galatians 5:22 STRONG

But G1161 the fruit G2590 of the Spirit G4151 is G2076 love, G26 joy, G5479 peace, G1515 longsuffering, G3115 gentleness, G5544 goodness, G19 faith, G4102

Acts 9:4-5 STRONG

And G2532 he fell G4098 to G1909 the earth, G1093 and heard G191 a voice G5456 saying G3004 unto him, G846 Saul, G4549 Saul, G4549 why G5101 persecutest thou G1377 me? G3165 And G1161 he said, G2036 Who G5101 art thou, G1488 Lord? G2962 And G1161 the Lord G2962 said, G2036 I G1473 am G1510 Jesus G2424 whom G3739 thou G4771 persecutest: G1377 it is hard G4642 for thee G4671 to kick G2979 against G4314 the pricks. G2759

John 21:15-17 STRONG

So G3767 when G3753 they had dined, G709 Jesus G2424 saith G3004 to Simon G4613 Peter, G4074 Simon, G4613 son of Jonas, G2495 lovest thou G25 me G3165 more than G4119 these? G5130 He saith G3004 unto him, G846 Yea, G3483 Lord; G2962 thou G4771 knowest G1492 that G3754 I love G5368 thee. G4571 He saith G3004 unto him, G846 Feed G1006 my G3450 lambs. G721 He saith G3004 to him G846 again G3825 the second time, G1208 Simon, G4613 son of Jonas, G2495 lovest thou G25 me? G3165 He saith G3004 unto him, G846 Yea, G3483 Lord; G2962 thou G4771 knowest G1492 that G3754 I love G5368 thee. G4571 He saith G3004 unto him, G846 Feed G4165 my G3450 sheep. G4263 He saith G3004 unto him G846 the third G5154 time, Simon, G4613 son of Jonas, G2495 lovest G5368 thou me? G3165 Peter G4074 was grieved G3076 because G3754 he said G2036 unto him G846 the third G5154 time, Lovest G5368 thou me? G3165 And G2532 he said G2036 unto him, G846 Lord, G2962 thou G4771 knowest G1492 all things; G3956 thou G4771 knowest G1097 that G3754 I love G5368 thee. G4571 Jesus G2424 saith G3004 unto him, G846 Feed G1006 my G3450 sheep. G4263

Matthew 25:34 STRONG

Then G5119 shall the King G935 say G2046 unto them on G1537 his G846 right hand, G1188 Come, G1205 ye blessed G2127 of my G3450 Father, G3962 inherit G2816 the kingdom G932 prepared G2090 for you G5213 from G575 the foundation G2602 of the world: G2889

Matthew 18:5-6 STRONG

And G2532 whoso G3739 G1437 shall receive G1209 one G1520 such G5108 little child G3813 in G1909 my G3450 name G3686 receiveth G1209 me. G1691 But G1161 whoso G3739 G302 shall offend G4624 one G1520 of these G5130 little ones G3398 which G3588 believe G4100 in G1519 me, G1691 it were better G4851 for him G846 that G2443 a millstone G3458 G3684 were hanged G2910 about G1909 his G846 neck, G5137 and G2532 that he were drowned G2670 in G1722 the depth G3989 of the sea. G2281

Matthew 10:40 STRONG

He that receiveth G1209 you G5209 receiveth G1209 me, G1691 and G2532 he that receiveth G1209 me G1691 receiveth G1209 him that sent G649 me. G3165

1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 STRONG

But G1161 as touching G4012 brotherly love G5360 ye need G2192 G5532 not G3756 that I write G1125 unto you: G5213 for G1063 ye G5210 yourselves G846 are G2075 taught of God G2312 to G1519 love G25 one another. G240 And G2532 indeed G1063 ye do G4160 it G846 toward G1519 all G3956 the brethren G80 which G3588 are in G1722 all G3650 Macedonia: G3109 but G1161 we beseech G3870 you, G5209 brethren, G80 that ye increase G4052 more and more; G3123

Ephesians 5:30 STRONG

For G3754 we are G2070 members G3196 of his G846 body, G4983 of G1537 his G846 flesh, G4561 and G2532 of G1537 his G846 bones. G3747

Galatians 5:13 STRONG

For, G1063 brethren, G80 ye G5210 have been called G2564 unto G1909 liberty; G1657 only G3440 use not G3361 liberty G1657 for G1519 an occasion G874 to the flesh, G4561 but G235 by G1223 love G26 serve G1398 one another. G240

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 STRONG

For G1063 the love G26 of Christ G5547 constraineth G4912 us; G2248 because we thus G5124 judge, G2919 that G3754 if G1487 one G1520 died G599 for G5228 all, G3956 then G686 were G599 all G3956 dead: G599 And G2532 that he died G599 for G5228 all, G3956 that G2443 they which live G2198 should G2198 not henceforth G3371 live G2198 unto themselves, G1438 but G235 unto him which died G599 for G5228 them, G846 and G2532 rose again. G1453

2 Corinthians 4:5 STRONG

For G1063 we preach G2784 not G3756 ourselves, G1438 but G235 Christ G5547 Jesus G2424 the Lord; G2962 and G1161 ourselves G1438 your G5216 servants G1401 for G1223 Jesus' G2424 sake. G1223

1 Corinthians 16:21-22 STRONG

The salutation G783 of me Paul G3972 with mine own G1699 hand. G5495 If any man G1536 love G5368 not G3756 the Lord G2962 Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 let him be G2277 Anathema G331 Maranatha. G3134

John 20:17 STRONG

Jesus G2424 saith G3004 unto her, G846 Touch G680 me G3450 not; G3361 for G1063 I am G305 not yet G3768 ascended G305 to G4314 my G3450 Father: G3962 but G1161 go G4198 to G4314 my G3450 brethren, G80 and G2532 say G2036 unto them, G846 I ascend G305 unto G4314 my G3450 Father, G3962 and G2532 your G5216 Father; G3962 and G2532 to my G3450 God, G2316 and G2532 your G5216 God. G2316

John 19:26-27 STRONG

When Jesus G2424 therefore G3767 saw G1492 his mother, G3384 and G2532 the disciple G3101 standing by, G3936 whom G3739 he loved, G25 he saith G3004 unto his G846 mother, G3384 Woman, G1135 behold G2400 thy G4675 son! G5207 Then G1534 saith he G3004 to the disciple, G3101 Behold G2400 thy G4675 mother! G3384 And G2532 from G575 that G1565 hour G5610 that disciple G3101 took G2983 her G846 unto G1519 his own G2398 home.

Matthew 28:10 STRONG

Then G5119 said G3004 Jesus G2424 unto them, G846 Be G5399 not G3361 afraid: G5399 go G565 tell G518 my G3450 brethren G80 that G2443 they go G5217 into G1519 Galilee, G1056 and there G2546 shall they see G3700 me. G3165

Proverbs 25:6-7 STRONG

Put not forth H1921 thyself in the presence H6440 of the king, H4428 and stand H5975 not in the place H4725 of great H1419 men: For better H2896 it is that it be said H559 unto thee, Come up H5927 hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower H8213 in the presence H6440 of the prince H5081 whom thine eyes H5869 have seen. H7200

2 Samuel 9:7 STRONG

And David H1732 said H559 unto him, Fear H3372 not: for I will surely H6213 shew H6213 thee kindness H2617 for Jonathan H3083 thy father's H1 sake, and will restore H7725 thee all the land H7704 of Saul H7586 thy father; H1 and thou shalt eat H398 bread H3899 at my table H7979 continually. H8548

2 Samuel 9:1 STRONG

And David H1732 said, H559 Is there yet H3426 any that is left H3498 of the house H1004 of Saul, H7586 that I may shew H6213 him kindness H2617 for Jonathan's H3083 sake?

Hebrews 2:11-15 STRONG

For G1063 both G5037 he that sanctifieth G37 and G2532 they who are sanctified G37 are all G3956 of G1537 one: G1520 for G1223 which G3739 cause G156 he is G1870 not G3756 ashamed G1870 to call G2564 them G846 brethren, G80 Saying, G3004 I will declare G518 thy G4675 name G3686 unto my G3450 brethren, G80 in G1722 the midst G3319 of the church G1577 will I sing praise G5214 unto thee. G4571 And G2532 again, G3825 I G1473 will G2071 put my trust G3982 in G1909 him. G846 And G2532 again, G3825 Behold G2400 I G1473 and G2532 the children G3813 which G3739 God G2316 hath given G1325 me. G3427 Forasmuch G1893 then G3767 as the children G3813 are partakers G2841 of flesh G4561 and G2532 blood, G129 he G3348 also G2532 himself G846 likewise G3898 took part G3348 of the same; G846 that G2443 through G1223 death G2288 he might destroy G2673 him that had G2192 the power G2904 of death, G2288 that is, G5123 the devil; G1228 And G2532 deliver G525 them G5128 who G3745 through G1223 fear G5401 of death G2288 were G2258 all G3956 their lifetime G2198 subject G1777 to bondage. G1397

2 Corinthians 8:7-9 STRONG

Therefore, G235 as G5618 ye abound G4052 in G1722 every G3956 thing, in faith, G4102 and G2532 utterance, G3056 and G2532 knowledge, G1108 and G2532 in all G3956 diligence, G4710 and G2532 in your G5216 love G26 G1537 to G1722 us, G2254 see that G2443 ye abound G4052 in G1722 this G5026 grace G5485 also. G2532 I speak G3004 not G3756 by G2596 commandment, G2003 but G235 by occasion G1223 of the forwardness G4710 of others, G2087 and G2532 to prove G1381 the sincerity G1103 of your G5212 love. G26 For G1063 ye know G1097 the grace G5485 of our G2257 Lord G2962 Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 that, G3754 though he was G5607 rich, G4145 yet for G1223 your G5209 sakes G1223 he became poor, G4433 that G2443 ye G5210 through his G1565 poverty G4432 might be rich. G4147

Romans 8:29 STRONG

For G3754 whom G3739 he did foreknow, G4267 he G4309 also G2532 did predestinate G4309 to be conformed G4832 to the image G1504 of his G846 Son, G5207 that G1519 he G846 might be G1511 the firstborn G4416 among G1722 many G4183 brethren. G80

Mark 3:34-35 STRONG

And G2532 he looked G4017 round about G2945 on them which G3588 sat G2521 about G4012 him, G846 and said, G3004 Behold G2396 my G3450 mother G3384 and G2532 my G3450 brethren! G80 For G1063 whosoever G3739 G302 shall do G4160 the will G2307 of God, G2316 the same G3778 is G2076 my G3450 brother, G80 and G2532 my G3450 sister, G79 and G2532 mother. G3384

Matthew 18:10 STRONG

Take heed G3708 that ye despise G2706 not G3361 one G1520 of these G5130 little ones; G3398 for G1063 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 That G3754 in G1722 heaven G3772 their G846 angels G32 do always G1223 G3956 behold G991 the face G4383 of my G3450 Father G3962 which G3588 is in G1722 heaven. G3772

Matthew 12:49-50 STRONG

And G2532 he stretched forth G1614 his G846 hand G5495 toward G1909 his G846 disciples, G3101 and said, G2036 Behold G2400 my G3450 mother G3384 and G2532 my G3450 brethren! G80 For G1063 whosoever G3748 G302 shall do G4160 the will G2307 of my G3450 Father G3962 which G3588 is in G1722 heaven, G3772 the same G846 is G2076 my G3450 brother, G80 and G2532 sister, G79 and G2532 mother. G3384

Commentary on Matthew 25 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 25

Mt 25:1-13. Parable of the Ten Virgins.

This and the following parable are in Matthew alone.

1. Then—at the time referred to at the close of the preceding chapter, the time of the Lord's Second Coming to reward His faithful servants and take vengeance on the faithless. Then

shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom—This supplies a key to the parable, whose object is, in the main, the same as that of the last parable—to illustrate the vigilant and expectant attitude of faith, in respect of which believers are described as "they that look for Him" (Heb 9:28), and "love His appearing" (2Ti 4:8). In the last parable it was that of servants waiting for their absent Lord; in this it is that of virgin attendants on a Bride, whose duty it was to go forth at night with lamps, and be ready on the appearance of the Bridegroom to conduct the Bride to his house, and go in with him to the marriage. This entire and beautiful change of figure brings out the lesson of the former parable in quite a new light. But let it be observed that, just as in the parable of the Marriage Supper (Lu 14:15-24), so in this—the Bride does not come into view at all in this parable; the Virgins and the Bridegroom holding forth all the intended instruction: nor could believers be represented both as Bride and Bridal Attendants without incongruity.

2. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish—They are not distinguished into good and bad, as Trench observes, but into "wise" and "foolish"—just as in Mt 7:25-27 those who reared their house for eternity are distinguished into "wise" and "foolish builders"; because in both cases a certain degree of goodwill towards the truth is assumed. To make anything of the equal number of both classes would, we think, be precarious, save to warn us how large a portion of those who, up to the last, so nearly resemble those that love Christ's appearing will be disowned by Him when He comes.

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

4. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps—What are these "lamps" and this "oil"? Many answers have been given. But since the foolish as well as the wise took their lamps and went forth with them to meet the Bridegroom, these lighted lamps and this advance a certain way in company with the wise, must denote that Christian profession which is common to all who bear the Christian name; while the insufficiency of this without something else, of which they never possessed themselves, shows that "the foolish" mean those who, with all that is common to them with real Christians, lack the essential preparation for meeting Christ. Then, since the wisdom of "the wise" consisted in their taking with their lamps a supply of oil in their vessels, keeping their lamps burning till the Bridegroom came, and so fitting them to go in with Him to the marriage, this supply of oil must mean that inward reality of grace which alone will stand when He appears whose eyes are as a flame of fire. But this is too general; for it cannot be for nothing that this inward grace is here set forth by the familiar symbol of oil, by which the Spirit of all grace is so constantly represented in Scripture. Beyond all doubt, this was what was symbolized by that precious anointing oil with which Aaron and his sons were consecrated to the priestly office (Ex 30:23-25, 30); by "the oil of gladness above His fellows" with which Messiah was to be anointed (Ps 45:7; Heb 1:9), even as it is expressly said, that "God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him" (Joh 3:34); and by the bowl full of golden oil, in Zechariah's vision, which, receiving its supplies from the two olive trees on either side of it, poured it through seven golden pipes into the golden lamp-stand to keep it continually burning bright (Zec 4:1-14)—for the prophet is expressly told that it was to proclaim the great truth, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts [shall this temple be built]. Who art thou, O great mountain [of opposition to this issue]? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain [or, be swept out of the way], and he shall bring forth the head stone [of the temple], with shoutings [crying], Grace, Grace unto it." This supply of oil, then, representing that inward grace which distinguishes the wise, must denote, more particularly, that "supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ," which, as it is the source of the new spiritual life at the first, is the secret of its enduring character. Everything short of this may be possessed by "the foolish"; while it is the possession of this that makes "the wise" to be "ready" when the Bridegroom appears, and fit to "go in with Him to the marriage." Just so in the parable of the Sower, the stony-ground hearers, "having no deepness of earth" and "no root in themselves" Mt 13:5; Mr 4:17), though they spring up and get even into ear, never ripen, while they in the good ground bear the precious grain.

5. While the bridegroom tarried—So in Mt 24:48, "My Lord delayeth His coming"; and so Peter says sublimely of the ascended Saviour, "Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things" (Ac 3:21, and compare Lu 19:11, 12). Christ "tarries," among other reasons, to try the faith and patience of His people.

they all slumbered and slept—the wise as well as the foolish. The world "slumbered" signifies, simply, "nodded," or, "became drowsy"; while the world "slept" is the usual word for lying down to sleep, denoting two stages of spiritual declension—first, that half-involuntary lethargy or drowsiness which is apt to steal over one who falls into inactivity; and then a conscious, deliberate yielding to it, after a little vain resistance. Such was the state alike of the wise and the foolish virgins, even till the cry of the Bridegroom's approach awoke them. So likewise in the parable of the Importunate Widow: "When the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?" (Lu 18:8).

6. And at midnight—that is, the time when the Bridegroom will be least expected; for "the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night" (1Th 5:2).

there was a cry made, Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him—that is, Be ready to welcome Him.

7. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps—the foolish virgins as well as the wise. How very long do both parties seem the same—almost to the moment of decision! Looking at the mere form of the parable, it is evident that the folly of "the foolish" consisted not in having no oil at all; for they must have had oil enough in their lamps to keep them burning up to this moment: their folly consisted in not making provision against its exhaustion, by taking with their lamp an oil-vessel wherewith to replenish their lamp from time to time, and so have it burning until the Bridegroom should come. Are we, then—with some even superior expositors—to conclude that the foolish virgins must represent true Christians as well as do the wise, since only true Christians have the Spirit, and that the difference between the two classes consists only in the one having the necessary watchfulness which the other wants? Certainly not. Since the parable was designed to hold forth the prepared and the unprepared to meet Christ at His coming, and how the unprepared might, up to the very last, be confounded with the prepared—the structure of the parable behooved to accommodate itself to this, by making the lamps of the foolish to burn, as well as those of the wise, up to a certain point of time, and only then to discover their inability to burn on for want of a fresh supply of oil. But this is evidently just a structural device; and the real difference between the two classes who profess to love the Lord's appearing is a radical one—the possession by the one class of an enduring principle of spiritual life, and the want of it by the other.

8. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out—rather, as in the Margin, "are going out"; for oil will not light an extinguished lamp, though it will keep a burning one from going out. Ah! now at length they have discovered not only their own folly, but the wisdom of the other class, and they do homage to it. They did not perhaps despise them before, but they thought them righteous overmuch; now they are forced, with bitter mortification, to wish they were like them.

9. But the wise answered, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you—The words "Not so," it will be seen, are not in the original, where the reply is very elliptical—"In case there be not enough for us and you." A truly wise answer this. "And what, then, if we shall share it with you? Why, both will be undone."

but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves—Here again it would be straining the parable beyond its legitimate design to make it teach that men may get salvation even after they are supposed and required to have it already gotten. It is merely a friendly way of reminding them of the proper way of obtaining the needed and precious article, with a certain reflection on them for having it now to seek. Also, when the parable speaks of "selling" and "buying" that valuable article, it means simply, "Go, get it in the only legitimate way." And yet the word "buy" is significant; for we are elsewhere bidden, "buy wine and milk without money and without price," and "buy of Christ gold tried in the fire," &c. (Isa 55:1; Re 3:18). Now, since what we pay the demanded price for becomes thereby our own property, the salvation which we thus take gratuitously at God's hands, being bought in His own sense of that word, becomes ours thereby in inalienable possession. (Compare for the language, Pr 23:23; Mt 13:44).

10. 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—They are sensible of their past folly; they have taken good advice: they are in the act of getting what alone they lacked: a very little more, and they also are ready. But the Bridegroom comes; the ready are admitted; "the door is shut," and they are undone. How graphic and appalling this picture of one almost saved—but lost!

11. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us—In Mt 7:22 this reiteration of the name was an exclamation rather of surprise; here it is a piteous cry of urgency, bordering on despair. Ah! now at length their eyes are wide open, and they realize all the consequences of their past folly.

12. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not—The attempt to establish a difference between "I know you not" here, and "I never knew you" in Mt 7:23—as if this were gentler, and so implied a milder fate, reserved for "the foolish" of this parable—is to be resisted, though advocated by such critics as Olshausen, Stier, and Alford. Besides being inconsistent with the general tenor of such language, and particularly the solemn moral of the whole (Mt 25:13), it is a kind of criticism which tampers with some of the most awful warnings regarding the future. If it be asked why unworthy guests were admitted to the marriage of the King's Son, in a former parable, and the foolish virgins are excluded in this one, we may answer, in the admirable words of Gerhard, quoted by Trench, that those festivities are celebrated in this life, in the Church militant; these at the last day, in the Church triumphant; to those, even they are admitted who are not adorned with the wedding garment; but to these, only they to whom it is granted to be arrayed in fine linen clean and white, which is the righteousness of saints (Re 19:8); to those, men are called by the trumpet of the Gospel; to these by the trumpet of the Archangel; to those, who enters may go out from them, or be cast out; who is once introduced to these never goes out, nor is cast out, from them any more: wherefore it is said, "The door is shut."

13. Watch therefore; for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh—This, the moral or practical lesson of the whole parable, needs no comment.

Mt 25:14-30. Parable of the Talents.

This parable, while closely resembling it, is yet a different one from that of The Pounds, in Lu 19:11-27; though Calvin, Olshausen, Meyer, and others identify them—but not De Wette and Neander. For the difference between the two parables, see the opening remarks on that of The Pounds. While, as Trench observes with his usual felicity, "the virgins were represented as waiting for their Lord, we have the servants working for Him; there the inward spiritual life of the faithful was described; here his external activity. It is not, therefore, without good reason that they appear in their actual order—that of the Virgins first, and of the Talents following—since it is the sole condition of a profitable outward activity for the kingdom of God, that the life of God be diligently maintained within the heart."

14. For the kingdom of heaven is as a man—The ellipsis is better supplied by our translators in the corresponding passage of Mark (Mr 13:34), "[For the Son of man is] as a man," &c.,

travelling into a far country—or more simply, "going abroad." The idea of long "tarrying" is certainly implied here, since it is expressed in Mt 25:19.

who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods—Between master and slaves this was not uncommon in ancient times. Christ's "servants" here mean all who, by their Christian profession, stand in the relation to Him of entire subjection. His "goods" mean all their gifts and endowments, whether original or acquired, natural or spiritual. As all that slaves have belongs to their master, so Christ has a claim to everything which belongs to His people, everything which, may be turned to good, and He demands its appropriation to His service, or, viewing it otherwise, they first offer it up to Him; as being "not their own, but bought with a price" (1Co 6:19, 20), and He "delivers it to them" again to be put to use in His service.

15. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one—While the proportion of gifts is different in each, the same fidelity is required of all, and equally rewarded. And thus there is perfect equity.

to every man according to his several ability—his natural capacity as enlisted in Christ's service, and his opportunities in providence for employing the gifts bestowed on him.

and straightway took his journey—Compare Mt 21:33, where the same departure is ascribed to God, after setting up the ancient economy. In both cases, it denotes the leaving of men to the action of all those spiritual laws and influences of Heaven under which they have been graciously placed for their own salvation and the advancement of their Lord's kingdom.

16. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same—expressive of the activity which he put forth and the labor he bestowed.

and made them other five talents.

17. And likewise he that had received two he also gained other two—each doubling what he received, and therefore both equally faithful.

18. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money—not misspending, but simply making no use of it. Nay, his action seems that of one anxious that the gift should not be misused or lost, but ready to be returned, just as he got it.

19. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them—That any one—within the lifetime of the apostles at least—with such words before them, should think that Jesus had given any reason to expect His Second Appearing within that period, would seem strange, did we not know the tendency of enthusiastic, ill-regulated love of His appearing ever to take this turn.

20. Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents; behold, I have gained besides them five talents more—How beautifully does this illustrate what the beloved disciple says of "boldness in the day of judgment," and his desire that "when He shall appear we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming!" (1Jo 4:17; 2:28).

21. His lord said unto him, Well done—a single word, not of bare satisfaction, but of warm and delighted commendation. And from what Lips!

thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, &c.

22. He also that had received two talents came … good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things—Both are commended in the same terms, and the reward of both is precisely the same. (See on Mt 25:15). Observe also the contrasts: "Thou hast been faithful as a servant; now be a ruler—thou hast been entrusted with a few things; now have dominion over many things."

enter thou into the joy of thy lord—thy Lord's own joy. (See Joh 15:11; Heb 12:2).

24. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man—harsh. The word in Luke (Lu 19:21) is "austere."

reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed—The sense is obvious: "I knew thou wast one whom it was impossible to serve, one whom nothing would please: exacting what was impracticable, and dissatisfied with what was attainable." Thus do men secretly think of God as a hard Master, and virtually throw on Him the blame of their fruitlessness.

25. And I was afraid—of making matters worse by meddling with it at all.

and went and hid thy talent in the earth—This depicts the conduct of all those who shut up their gifts from the active service of Christ, without actually prostituting them to unworthy uses. Fitly, therefore, may it, at least, comprehend those, to whom Trench refers, who, in the early Church, pleaded that they had enough to do with their own souls, and were afraid of losing them in trying to save others; and so, instead of being the salt of the earth, thought rather of keeping their own saltness by withdrawing sometimes into caves and wildernesses, from all those active ministries of love by which they might have served their brethren.

Thou wicked and slothful servant—"Wicked" or "bad" means "falsehearted," as opposed to the others, who are emphatically styled "good servants." The addition of "slothful" is to mark the precise nature of his wickedness: it consisted, it seems, not in his doing anything against, but simply nothing for his master.

Thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed—He takes the servant's own account of his demands, as expressing graphically enough, not the hardness which he had basely imputed to him, but simply his demand of a profitable return for the gift entrusted.

27. thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers—the bankers.

and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury—interest.

29. For unto every one that hath shall be given, &c.—See on Mt 13:12.

30. And cast ye—cast ye out.

the unprofitable servant—the useless servant, that does his Master no service.

into outer darkness—the darkness which is outside. On this expression see on Mt 22:13.

there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth—See on Mt 13:42.

Mt 25:31-46. The Last Judgment.

The close connection between this sublime scene—peculiar to Matthew—and the two preceding parables is too obvious to need pointing out.

31. When the Son of man shall come in his glory—His personal glory.

and all the holy angels with him—See De 33:2; Da 7:9, 10; Jude 14; with Heb 1:6; 1Pe 3:22.

then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory—the glory of His judicial authority.

32. And before him shall be gathered all nations—or, "all the nations." That this should be understood to mean the heathen nations, or all except believers in Christ, will seem amazing to any simple reader. Yet this is the exposition of Olshausen, Stier, Keil, Alford (though latterly with some diffidence), and of a number, though not all, of those who hold that Christ will come the second time before the millennium, and that the saints will be caught up to meet Him in the air before His appearing. Their chief argument is, the impossibility of any that ever knew the Lord Jesus wondering, at the Judgment Day, that they should be thought to have done—or left undone—anything "unto Christ." To that we shall advert when we come to it. But here we may just say, that if this scene does not describe a personal, public, final judgment on men, according to the treatment they have given to Christ—and consequently men within the Christian pale—we shall have to consider again whether our Lord's teaching on the greatest themes of human interest does indeed possess that incomparable simplicity and transparency of meaning which, by universal consent, has been ascribed to it. If it be said, But how can this be the general judgment, if only those within the Christian pale be embraced by it?—we answer, What is here described, as it certainly does not meet the case of all the family of Adam, is of course so far not general. But we have no right to conclude that the whole "judgment of the great day" will be limited to the point of view here presented. Other explanations will come up in the course of our exposition.

and he shall separate them—now for the first time; the two classes having been mingled all along up to this awful moment.

as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats—(See Eze 34:17).

33. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand—the side of honor (1Ki 2:19; Ps 45:9; 110:1, &c.).

but the goats on the left—the side consequently of dishonor.

34. Then shall the King—Magnificent title, here for the first and only time, save in parabolical language, given to Himself by the Lord Jesus, and that on the eve of His deepest humiliation! It is to intimate that in then addressing the heirs of the kingdom, He will put on all His regal majesty.

say unto them on his right hand, Come—the same sweet word with which He had so long invited all the weary and heavy laden to come unto Him for rest. Now it is addressed exclusively to such as have come and found rest. It is still, "Come," and to "rest" too; but to rest in a higher style, and in another region.

ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world—The whole story of this their blessedness is given by the apostle, in words which seem but an expression of these: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ; according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." They were chosen from everlasting to the possession and enjoyment of all spiritual blessings in Christ, and so chosen in order to be holy and blameless in love. This is the holy love whose practical manifestations the King is about to recount in detail; and thus we see that their whole life of love to Christ is the fruit of an eternal purpose of love to them in Christ.

35. For I was an hungered … thirsty … a stranger, &c.

36. Naked … sick … prison, and ye came unto me.

37-39. Then shall the righteous answer him, &c.

40. And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, &c.—Astonishing dialogue this between the King, from the Throne of His glory, and His wondering people! "I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat," &c.—"Not we," they reply. "We never did that, Lord: We were born out of due time, and enjoyed not the privilege of ministering unto Thee." "But ye did it to these My brethren, now beside you, when cast upon your love." "Truth, Lord, but was that doing it to Thee? Thy name was indeed dear to us, and we thought it a great honor to suffer shame for it. When among the destitute and distressed we discerned any of the household of faith, we will not deny that our hearts leapt within us at the discovery, and when their knock came to our dwelling, 'our bowels were moved,' as though 'our Beloved Himself had put in His hand by the hole of the door.' Sweet was the fellowship we had with them, as if we had 'entertained angels unawares'; all difference between giver and receiver somehow melted away under the beams of that love of Thine which knit us together; nay, rather, as they left us with gratitude for our poor givings, we seemed the debtors—not they. But, Lord, were we all that time in company with Thee? … Yes, that scene was all with Me," replies the King—"Me in the disguise of My poor ones. The door shut against Me by others was opened by you—'Ye took Me in.' Apprehended and imprisoned by the enemies of the truth, ye whom the truth had made free sought Me out diligently and found Me; visiting Me in My lonely cell at the risk of your own lives, and cheering My solitude; ye gave Me a coat, for I shivered; and then I felt warm. With cups of cold water ye moistened My parched lips; when famished with hunger ye supplied Me with crusts, and my spirit revived—/Ye did it unto Me.'" What thoughts crowd upon us as we listen to such a description of the scenes of the Last Judgment! And in the light of this view of the heavenly dialogue, how bald and wretched, not to say unscriptural, is that view of it to which we referred at the outset, which makes it a dialogue between Christ and heathens who never heard of His name, and of course never felt any stirrings of His love in their hearts! To us it seems a poor, superficial objection to the Christian view of this scene, that Christians could never be supposed to ask such questions as the "blessed of Christ's Father" are made to ask here. If there were any difficulty in explaining this, the difficulty of the other view is such as to make it, at least, insufferable. But there is no real difficulty. The surprise expressed is not at their being told that they acted from love to Christ, but that Christ Himself was the Personal Object of all their deeds: that they found Him hungry, and supplied Him with food: that they brought water to Him, and slaked His thirst; that seeing Him naked and shivering, they put warm clothing upon Him, paid Him visits when lying in prison for the truth, and sat by His bedside when laid down with sickness. This is the astonishing interpretation which Jesus says "the King" will give to them of their own actions here below. And will any Christian reply, "How could this astonish them? Does not every Christian know that He does these very things, when He does them at all, just as they are here represented?" Nay, rather, is it conceivable that they should not be astonished, and almost doubt their own ears, to hear such an account of their own actions upon earth from the lips of the Judge? And remember, that Judge has come in His glory, and now sits upon the throne of His glory, and all the holy angels are with Him; and that it is from those glorified Lips that the words come forth, "Ye did all this unto Me." Oh, can we imagine such a word addressed to ourselves, and then fancy ourselves replying, "Of course we did—To whom else did we anything? It must be others than we that are addressed, who never knew, in all their good deeds, what they were about?" Rather, can we imagine ourselves not overpowered with astonishment, and scarcely able to credit the testimony borne to us by the King?

41.Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, &c.—As for you on the left hand, ye did nothing for Me. I came to you also, but ye knew Me not: ye had neither warm affections nor kind deeds to bestow upon Me: I was as one despised in your eyes." "In our eyes, Lord? We never saw Thee before, and never, sure, behaved we so to Thee." "But thus ye treated these little ones that believe in Me and now stand on My right hand. In the disguise of these poor members of Mine I came soliciting your pity, but ye shut up your bowels of compassion from Me: I asked relief, but ye had none to give Me. Take back therefore your own coldness, your own contemptuous distance: Ye bid Me away from your presence, and now I bid you from Mine—Depart from Me, ye cursed!"

46. And these shall go away—these "cursed" ones. Sentence, it should seem, was first pronounced—in the hearing of the wicked—upon the righteous, who thereupon sit as assessors in the judgment upon the wicked (1Co 6:2); but sentence is first executed, it should seem, upon the wicked, in the sight of the righteous—whose glory will thus not be beheld by the wicked, while their descent into "their own place" will be witnessed by the righteous, as Bengel notes.

into everlasting punishment—or, as in Mt 25:41, "everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." Compare Mt 13:42; 2Th 1:9, &c. This is said to be "prepared for the devil and his angels," because they were "first in transgression." But both have one doom, because one unholy character.

but the righteous into life eternal—that is, "life everlasting." The word in both clauses, being in the original the same, should have been the same in the translation also. Thus the decisions of this awful day will be final, irreversible, unending.