I. Introduction
Our purpose is to render a commentary on the conclusion to our Savior’s Olivet Discourse, The Gospel according to Matthew, Chapter Twenty-Five. The reader may wish to peruse our commentary on the introduction to our Savior’s Olivet Discourse, the Gospel according to Matthew, ChapterTwenty-Four, as a preparatory introduction to this study.
In His Olivet Discourse introduction, our Lord Jesus outlined the broad sweep of history that will culminate with His second advent, which culmination marks the end of mundane time and space. The end of mundane time and space as we, people of the created order ever so constrained by these mundane realities have, by Jehovah God the Creator’s grace, come to understand them. Certainly, not to their fullest extent have we come to know them, by no means, yet well enough to yearn for freedom from these chains of time and space. And our Savior’s second advent marks the culmination of another, more grievous chain-operative, that of Sin, itself something more familiar than the former chains (imagine that), and more constraining (no marvel here), for Sin is a spiritual constraint that stymies fellowship with Jehovah God, and thus quintessential Life. Our Savior’s second advent spells “the manifest end” of these chains and, “the manifest beginning” of Freedom from their confining clutches. It is the concerned, loving purpose of our Savior’s conclusion to His Olivet Discourse to help the hearer of His words prepare for, get themselves ready for, His second advent. To prepare themselves in such a way as to partake of the Freedom that the cataclysmic event of His second advent brings to the fragile, hyper-fine threshold that separates mundane and spiritual reality. Let us very carefully, meticulously, and with due diligence, listen to our Savior’s final address in this matter, so that we might clearly hear what He says to us, and thus better ready ourselves for His final appearance, His final appearance in this familiar envelope of mundane time and space and sin and sorrow, an envelope He will crumple up, call out of existence at such time. An envelope which He will crumple up, call out of existence at such time and replace with a New Envelope bearing the seal of His Name (“O, That Name!”). We do so yearn to be a part of that New Beginning (Acts 1:11, Revelation 22:20, “A Letter of Invitation”). Praised be your blessed Name great savior God of New Beginnings, amen.
We will follow this format:
Verse of Scripture utilizing the YLT text followed by an NASB mouse over of that verse. Key words in the YLT text will be footnoted with a link to a word study based on the Greek text, and/or a general discussion relative to the given word (we are not biblical Greek or Hebrew scholars, please consider our grammatical constructions with a critical eye).
Commentary We shall be commenting on this passage keeping before us at all times the crucial fact that every jot and every tittle comprising these verses came forth under the inspiration of the blessed Holy Spirit. We pray that He, by His grace, helps us along the way.
II. Matthew Chapter Twenty-Five Commentary Verses
25:1-13- Watch Therefore, for Ye Have Not Known the Day nor the Hour in Which the Son of Man Doth Come
YLT TEXT: ‘Then shall the reign of the heavens[1] be likened to ten[2] virgins[3], who, having taken their lamps[4], went forth to meet the bridegroom[5]; and five of them were prudent[6], and five foolish[7]; they who were foolish having taken their lamps, did not take with themselves oils[8]; and the prudent took oil in their vessels, with their lamps. ‘And the bridegroom tarrying[9], they all nodded and were sleeping[10], and in the middle of the night a cry[11] was made, Lo, the bridegroom doth come; go ye forth to meet him. ‘ Then rose all those virgins, and trimmed[12] their lamps, and the foolish said to the prudent, Give us of your oil, because our lamps are going out; and the prudent answered, saying — Lest there may not be sufficient for us and you, go ye rather unto those selling, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they are going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those ready went in with him to the marriage-feasts[13], and the door was shut[14]; and afterwards come also do the rest of the virgins, saying, Sir, sir, open to us; and he answering said, Verily I say to you, I have not known[15] you. ‘Watch[16] therefore, for ye have not known the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man doth come[17] (Matthew 25:1-7, 8-13, cf. Matthew 25:1-7, NLT, Matthew 25:8-13, NLT).
COMMENTARY: Preparedness is a today-thing. To whom is Jesus speaking in these verses? Let us recall that Jesus is sitting on the Mount of Olives, and is speaking to His disciples Matthew 24:3). Thus, in these opening verses, He speaks to you and I Christian friend. And what is our Lord’s keen desire, His purpose, in these opening verses? It is His express purpose to inform us that plastic Christianity is no currency for entry into His Jubilee. Plastic Christianity of the sort that treasures Him not…today.
With His omniscient eyes, Jesus looks deep into mundane time as He sits there on the Mount of Olives, and likens Christianity, as He sees it unfolding in the world going forward, to ten virgins. And no doubt with a sad heart, maybe with some tears, makes He this comparison. For fully half, treasure Him not. Plastic Christians. Fully half, treasure Him not, in their todays. They care not, to keep their lamps fueled and lit for Him (Matthew 5:14-16, “The Beatitudes”). Unprepared to meet the Bridegroom. Lots of other “more important” things to prepare for in their todays than a Bridegroom and a marriage feast, especially when the prospect for many more “todays” seems sure.
And our Lord’s heart lifted some when He saw the other half, that treasure Him in their todays. Real Christians. Disciples, and servants, that love Him, that treasure Him. Those that care, care enough to keep their lamps fueled and lit for Him in their todays. Prepared to meet Him, today. Not just when the prospect for more todays expires do they care, but today, in all their todays do they care to meet Him, because they treasure Him, and wish to meet Him whenever and wherever possible. Thus, they love and treasure precisely Him. And He, in turn, is fully prepared, to lay down His life for precisely them.
They took their lamps, all of them, and went forth to meet the Bridegroom. So, they all had lamps. This is good. There is light in them. There is light in the Christian. This is to be expected. How did it get there? It comes not of themselves this light. It is of God, a lamp unto their feet and a light unto their path (Psalms 119:105). It is God’s Word, and it fuels the lamps. In this way does the Word of God, even Jesus, fuel Christianity (John 1:1). As does the Spirit of God quicken His Word in its vessel (John 14:26). And a lamp, this light, is only as good as the quality and quantity of its fuel. Christianity shines bright for the longest time when its vessels have sufficient Fuel. But fully half had not sufficient fuel to keep their lamps lit—plastic Christians, foolish, Godless really (Psalms 14:1). No Word suffusing the heart and the mind, a pretense of Godliness in Christendom. This is not good. “…’Then shall the reign of the heavens be likened to ten virgins, who, having taken their lamps, went forth to meet the bridegroom; and five of them were prudent, and five foolish; they who were foolish having taken their lamps, did not take with themselves oils; and the prudent took oil in their vessels, with their lamps…”. Preparedness is a today-thing, and in this context, it entails prayerful fueling with the Word of God, daily. Such preparedness is practical, it is doable. God made it that way so that we would do it—no excuses. In turn, the Spirit of God comes alongside—even He—and prepares one to meet the Bridegroom. God does this, He keeps the lamps lit, quickening the lamps that draw on the Word of God when it is sufficiently available within them, lamps shining, shining long enough to light the path to the Bridegroom.
Preparedness is a today-thing, for the cry comes at midnight, when the eyelids are heavy, even fast shut tight in cozy sleep. No time to prepare then, no way. Falling, fumbling; frantic, frustrated; fast, flashingly fast, forgotten, forever forgotten. “…’And the bridegroom tarrying, they all nodded and were sleeping, and in the middle of the night a cry was made, Lo, the bridegroom doth come; go ye forth to meet him. ‘…”. Jesus sees here His people sleeping, the wise and the foolish alike. We think it is His people’s distractions that He has in view. Distractions that run the gamut from dozing sorts of distractions to full-blown sleep sorts of distractions. Busyness, exceeding busyness, a superfluity of things, religiosity, and the pleasures of the world too inundates His people. It means, simply, less focus on fueling the lamps, because so much time and effort is spent servicing a plethora of distractions (Ecclesiastes 3:9-13; gifts misappropriated, worshiped, in this context, “The Sacred Zone”). Quiet time with God in His Word suffers here. No fuel. The lamps are burned out, or fast burn out. Nodding and sleeping, all ten virgins thus nod and sleep. Fully half of His people—so-called—are so distracted at any given time here in the land of the living we think, that they will miss the Bridegroom’s return. Imagine, we are speaking here of our Lord’s people, so-called. They are in dreamland of course, they think all is well! Heaven-bound for sure! So they think. But they will not make it there. And why? Because they are unprepared to meet the Bridegroom when He comes at midnight, be it their midnight, or otherwise at the midnight of His coming. No fuel; these lamps are burned out. They do not know where they are going anymore. Maybe they did at one time, but they do not know when it counts. These poor Christian “brethren” are in chains; they are chained to their distractions. And the sad thing is that they do not believe that they are in chains and that their lamps are burning out or are in fact burned out. Jesus is looking deep into mundane time seated there on the Mount of Olives and sees His people, wise, and foolish alike, sleeping. But the wise know they are sleepers, they admit and confess it; these keep aplenty fuel on hand, because oft sleeping, they wish to be prepared to meet the Bridegroom at these inopportune, sleepy times. Let us be wise.
Our Lord’s vision is sharp. Though He sees far and wide, the grand sweep of mundane time as in the previous chapter, He sees you and me Christian friend, in the finest detail. All must rise to meet the Bridegroom when the cry comes at midnight, with no exceptions. And all must give account for the state of their lamp, trimmed to give its best light—this is allowed, for thus trimmed its best quality is apparent to the Bridegroom’s detailed scrutiny. It is a work, an effort, getting the wick just so, to draw its fuel, and shine. Each must trim their own lamp. And for some, it is then when it is first apparent that the flame will not cooperate, while for others the flame ever laps large, for much work and care and concerned fussing has been directed to their lamp aplenty before the Cry. The former has not sufficient fuel; sleep, distractions, have birthed neglect. Running on empty, on fumes, a flicker of a flame, just enough light to make it a few steps yonder to meet the Bridegroom, but no more than that. And neglect fast birthed unpreparedness, for neglect is always rewarded with ignorance, ignorance of the status quo, be it of fuel levels or otherwise. Thus, not only does the flame but flicker for some, it fast goes out for want of fuel, just when the emergency hits, when the Cry comes. And so, what to do? The usual, of course—put the prepared in jeopardy by asking them to give some of their fuel—thus the Godless foolish always take care of self, irrespective of the cost to others. But, the prepared are wise, and give not, lest they miss out on meeting the Bridegroom, whom they love, and give all to meet. “…Then rose all those virgins, and trimmed their lamps, and the foolish said to the prudent, Give us of your oil, because our lamps are going out; and the prudent answered, saying — Lest there may not be sufficient for us and you, go ye rather unto those selling, and buy for yourselves…”.
These foolish still have a desire in themselves to meet the Bridegroom, an indication of desire for that is there, but that desire had been too dull for too long to motivate preparedness before, and now, when suddenly that which before was desired manifests, that dullness suddenly becomes sharpness, like a knife piercing the heart, and off they rush to do that which should have been attended to daily heretofore. And they miss out. That is the typical pattern when dreams and hope fade, become dull, and forgotten, and soon quite neglected, only to become possible when it is too late owing to this neglect and, on the heels of that, unpreparedness. Giving in to weariness, and just flat giving up are all a part of this too. “…’ And while they are going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those ready went in with him to the marriage-feasts, and the door was shut; and afterwards come also do the rest of the virgins, saying, Sir, sir, open to us; and he answering said, Verily I say to you, I have not known you. ‘Watch therefore, for ye have not known the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man doth come…”. Preparedness is a today-thing, day after day after day. We must not get bored, give up, give in to weariness, slack up, and so forth. That is, if meeting the Bridegroom is worth the cost to us. It (He) is worth it! Amen?! Let us tank up daily with the Word of God as though punching our ticket to meet the Bridegroom. The Bridegroom in turn shall take care of the rest in the way of our manifest preparedness to meet Him, even at midnight.
25:14-30-Well Done, Servant, Good and Faithful
YLT TEXT: ‘For — as a man going abroad[18] did call his own servants[19], and did deliver[20] to them his substance[21], and to one he gave five talents[22], and to another two, and to another one, to each according to his several ability[23], went abroad immediately. ‘And he who did receive the five talents, having gone, wrought[24] with them, and made other five talents; in like manner also he who received the two, he gained, also he, other two; and he who did receive the one, having gone away, digged in the earth, and hid[25] his lord’s money. ‘And after a long time cometh the lord of those servants, and taketh reckoning[26] with them; and he who did receive the five talents having come, brought other five talents, saying, ‘Sir, five talents thou didst deliver to me; lo, other five talents did I gain besides them. ‘And his lord said to him, Well done[27], servant, good and faithful[28], over[29] a few things thou wast faithful, over [same as note 29] many things[30] I will set[31] thee; enter[32] into the joy[33] of thy lord. ‘And he who also did receive the two talents having come, said, Sir, two talents thou didst deliver to me; lo, other two talents I did gain besides them ‘His lord said to him, Well done, servant, good and faithful, over a few things thou wast faithful, over many things I will set thee; enter into the joy of thy lord. ‘And he also who hath received the one talent having come, said, Sir, I knew[34] thee, that thou art a hard[35] man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering from whence thou didst not scatter; and having been afraid[36], having gone away, I hid thy talent in the earth; lo, thou hast thine own! ‘And his lord answering said to him, Evil servant, and slothful[37], thou hadst known that I reap where I did not sow, and I gather whence I did not scatter! it behoved thee then to put my money to the money-lenders, and having come I had received mine own with increase. ‘Take therefore from him the talent, and give to him having the ten talents, for to every one having shall be given, and he shall have overabundance[38], and from him who is not having, even that which he hath shall be taken[39]from him; and the unprofitable[40] servant cast ye forth to the outer darkness[41]; there shall be the weeping[42] and the gnashing[43] of the teeth (Matthew 25 14-20, 21-27, 28-30, cf. Matthew 25:14-20, NLT, Matthew 25:21-27, NLT, Matthew 25:28-30, NLT).
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COMMENTARY: Sitting there on the Mount of Olives Jesus sees even Himself caught up in the broad sweep of mundane time. He sees Himself incarnate as the Son of Man, walking about, ministering, on His beloved earth. He sees deep into mundane time and sees Himself a Traveler, translating out of a dimensionless existence in heaven—normative to Him—and into the constraints imposed by mundane time and space as He created these, an envelope of mundane time and space thus created by Him. He sees Himself incarnate, flesh and blood, caught up in Ministry, that of Redemption and Salvation, on earth, an earth in desperate need of the same. Thus, He came, ministering. And then straightaway He left, when His share in the Ministry was perfectly finished (John 19:30, 16:28). His Ministry persists, in His absence, for He but laid its foundation (1Corinthians 3:11, Ephesians 2:17-20). And looking deeply into mundane time seated there on the Mount of Olives He sees ministrants, prepared—gifted, talented—and, enabled, and, appointed, by Him, all alike by Him. Stewards, good stewards meant to be, of His Ministry; stewards entrusted with the care of His Ministry, a Ministry which persists now that He has gone abroad back home to heaven, to the Father, to His normative existence. “…‘For — as a man going abroad did call his own servants, and did deliver to them his substance, and to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to each according to his several ability, went abroad immediately…”.
Who are these servants, these stewards entrusted with Jesus’ ministry? That would be you and me Christian friend. Each of us has been prepared—gifted, talented—and, enabled, and, appointed, by Him, all alike by Him (John 15:15-16). Stewards, good stewards meant to be, of His ministry; stewards entrusted with the care of His ministry, a ministry which persists now that He has gone abroad back home to heaven, to the Father, to His normative existence (1Corinthians 12:28, Ephesians 4:11-13).
Some of us have been blessed with more “talents” to work with and some less. But to the Enabler it makes no difference, the quantity of talent, but rather the quality of the return wrought with given talent/s. It is the return on investment that God considers. Return, it is what the Word of God refers to as Fruit. And fruit, fruitfulness for God, multiplies not based on talent/s, but on Tether (John 15:1-4). That Tether is Jesus Christ, whose Ministry we (you and I Christian friend) are entrusted to steward. Fruit is a metric of reckoning; it is weighed in the balance on the day of reckoning by the Enabler—though that day comes not for a long time, maybe, that day shall certainly come. “…’And he who did receive the five talents, having gone, wrought with them, and made other five talents; in like manner also he who received the two, he gained, also he, other two; and he who did receive the one, having gone away, digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. ‘And after a long time cometh the lord of those servants, and taketh reckoning with them…” (Fig. 1).
There comes a day of reckoning for Christians. The Word of God calls it the Judgment Seat of Christ (2Corinthians 5:10). In this context, we are interested in that day as it concerns the fruit metric, fruitfulness for Jesus Christ by His ministrants in His physical absence. Before, in our Lord’s Olivet Discourse introduction, we had polar symmetry in recompense as it concerned ministerial responsibility toward the Flock of God (“Matthew Chapter Twenty-Four Commentary: Hast Thou, Steward, Fed My Sheep?”). Here, in our Lord’s conclusion to His Olivet Discourse we again see polar symmetry in recompense, that concerns this time Fruit. One wonders, the Judgment Seat of Christ is perhaps symmetrically polarized in its recompense for Christians per their labor/s satisfying these two charges (feeding the Flock, and fruit-bearing)[44].
In this chapter, the polar symmetry in recompense is again pronounced. The two servants that wrought gain (fruit) with their talents, irrespective of the amount of the gain, were recompensed equally. Why equally? Because the Joy of the Lord, the precious part of their recompense, is a constant we think. To enter into His joy, the joy of Him, His presence, His person, His deity most of all, is surpassing, it is joy unsurpassable. Thus, it is a constant. In other words, the Joy of the Lord is something that He qualifies, it is not qualified by one’s perception of it, which perception is not a constant. Thus, in keeping with polar symmetry in recompense, these were greatly recompensed, and sit on the positive pole, where there is exceeding joy. “…Well done, servant, good and faithful, over a few things thou wast faithful, over many things I will set thee; enter into the joy of thy lord.…”. The servant that buried his talent in the ground was also greatly recompensed, but he sits on the negative pole, where there is exceeding sorrow, weeping and gnashing of the teeth. “… ‘Take therefore from him the talent, and give to him having the ten talents, for to every one having shall be given, and he shall have overabundance, and from him who is not having, even that which he hath shall be taken from him; and the unprofitable servant cast ye forth to the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of the teeth…” (Fig. 2).
How exactly did the fruitful servants indeed manage to be fruitful? Their lamps were fueled. They knew where they were going—to the harvest—and they clearly saw the path that led there. And they could work day and night, having sufficient light. This allowed them to double their portion. It goes without saying that they worked hard. They were willing, they wanted, to work hard for the Master, the Enabler. And He, in turn, enabled them. The glory is His. Let us be willing to work hard for the Master. He shall bring in the sheaves, but we must be workers, this mindset, in His fields, with lamps fueled, lit, thus working day and night.
And the servant who hid his talent in the ground? He was no worker; lazy. He was world-wise, no doubt about that. He knew all the “right” tactics to maintain and sort of secure his laziness (I was afraid—your reputation precedes you lord, I hid, I lost not, here is thine own back, and so forth, and no doubt he engaged his lord with all the “right” inflections of voice and facial expressions of the day, that probably benefited him otherwise [these things do not get by the Lord and Master, even Jesus]).
As from the Mount of Olives, Jesus sees us, you and me fellow Christian laborer, as we work, the finest details of our labors, He sees it. And we are already rewarded for our labors because the work of our hands is so terrific, so satisfying, working with, working for, Him, our blessed Master. Thus, we enter into His Joy, day and night. This is so wonderful. Thank you Master, for the O so blessed work of our hands. Amen.
25:31-46-Final Matters
YLT TEXT: ‘And whenever the Son of Man may come[45] in his glory[46], and all the holy messengers[47] with him, then he shall sit[48] upon a throne[49] of his glory; and gathered[50] together before him shall be all the nations[51], and he shall separate[52] them from one another, as the shepherd[53] doth separate the sheep[54] from the goats[55], and he shall set the sheep indeed on his right hand, and the goats on the left. ‘Then shall the king[56] say to those on his right hand, Come ye, the blessed[57], of my Father inherit[58] the reign[59] that hath been prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I did hunger, and ye gave me to eat; I did thirst, and ye gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and ye received me; naked, and ye put around me; I was infirm, and ye looked after me; in prison I was, and ye came unto me. ‘Then shall the righteous[60] answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see thee hungering, and we nourished? or thirsting, and we gave to drink? and when did we see thee a stranger, and we received? or naked, and we put around? and when did we see thee infirm, or in prison, and we came unto thee? ‘And the king answering, shall say to them, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did it to one of these my brethren[61] — the least[62] — to me ye did it. Then shall he say also to those on the left hand, Go ye from me, the cursed[63], to the fire[64], the age-during[65], that hath been prepared[66] for the Devil[67] and his messengers[68]; for I did hunger, and ye gave me not to eat; I did thirst, and ye gave me not to drink; a stranger I was, and ye did not receive me; naked, and ye put not around me; infirm, and in prison, and ye did not look after me. ‘Then shall they answer, they also, saying, Lord, when did we see thee hungering, or thirsting, or a stranger, or naked, or infirm, or in prison, and we did not minister to thee? ‘Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of these, the least[69], ye did it not to me. And these shall go away to punishment[70] age-during, but the righteous to life[71] age-during.’ (Matthew 25:31-37, 38-44, 45-46, cf. Matthew 25:31-37, NLT, Matthew 25:38-44, NLT, Matthew 25:45-46, NLT).
COMMENTARY: King Jesus is coming back in glory to set up His Reign, which Reign we think is Jubilee (“Jesus Our Jubilee”, “The Kingdom of God”). “…’And whenever the Son of Man may come in his glory, and all the holy messengers with him, then he shall sit upon a throne of his glory…”. That throne of His glory is His Jubilee Throne.
Our Lord’s reapers are going to be busy on that day, for gathered before King Jesus will be all the nations. He intends at that time to separate the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the tares: “…gathered together before him shall be all the nations, and he shall separate them from one another, as the shepherd doth separate the sheep from the goats…”. Please note how King Jesus is on His throne here and yet acts as a Shepherd. Those offices intersect in Him. He will always be a Shepherd at heart; though He is certainly a King, He is ever a Shepherd. Our blessed Lord has a Shepherd’s heart. But as a King, His decisions as Shepherd cannot be called into question, they stand. Thus, when the Shepherd-King separates, here the nations, so it stands. He separates with the heart of a Shepherd, and the knowledge of a Shepherd, yet with the authority of a King. He knows how and what to separate, because He is a (Good) Shepherd, and when He separates, it stands, because He is a (The) King. Thus, when He separates His own: sheep, from the rest: goats, He does so aright, because He is a Shepherd, and once separated, it stands so forever, because He is a King. “…and he shall set the sheep indeed on his right hand, and the goats on the left…”. And so, it stands, by an Act, of the Shepherd-King. He has indelibly wrought a manner of polar symmetry in recompense for a superset that includes real and plastic Christendom and everybody else. Real Christendom alone is sitting on the positive pole, on the Shepherd-King’s right, where is found Jubilee, the rest sit on the negative pole, on the Shepherd-King’s left, where is found anything but Jubilee, and there each remains, on into eternity. “…And these shall go away to punishment age-during, but the righteous to life age-during…” (Fig. 2).
What guides our Shepherd-King’s staff-scepter to the right, and not to the left? The answer is so obvious it hardly needs to be said: it is simply a passionate heart-tether to this very Shepherd-King (“A Letter of Invitation” offers some details). And, as touching a prevalent theme here in our Lord’s Olivet Discourse conclusion, such as these are profitable to God! How so? Profitability unto God lies quite practically in the outworking by Spirit of God empowered God-fearers of the Great Commandment of God: love of God, love of others, love of the things and ways of God, passionately (Luke 10:26-28, cf. Deuteronomy 10:12; James 2:18= the plasticity test). We believe moreover that this great commandment is a vital part of our Shepherd-King’s Jubilee Law. As such, it is another very informative insight into the character of our Shepherd-King’s Jubilee, which has as its core operatives Rest, Liberation, and Restoration. “…for I did hunger, and ye gave me to eat; I did thirst, and ye gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and ye received me; naked, and ye put around me; I was infirm, and ye looked after me; in prison I was, and ye came unto me…”. Blessed Jubilee.
Praised be your Name Jubilee Jesus, Shepherd-King. Amen.