1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
This chapter continues the prophetic tone of the previous chapter, which ended with the Parable of the Two Servants. Chapter 25 presents three more parables that concern the end of the world and the final judgment. Again and again the destinies of the righteous and the wicked are depicted in stark contrasts. The key verse of the chapter is found in the summation: And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal (Mat 25:46). Here is a quick list of the parables:
- The Parable of the Ten Virgins, which illustrates the importance of living always ready for Christ’s return (Mat 25:1-13).
- The Parable of the Talents, which teaches concerning the future rewards of the righteous and wicked at His return (Mat 25:14-30).
- The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, which describes the separation of good and bad at His return as determined by a man’s work during his life on earth (Mat 25:31-46).
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 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.
The parable of the ten virgins is based on a Jewish wedding celebration. It ends with the same warning as the previous two parables: Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh (Mat 25:13). Under Jewish custom, weddings were held at the home of the bride. After careful preparations for the celebration were finished, the bride and her friends would wait for the coming of the bridegroom and his friends. The two companies would meet and go together into the wedding feast.
In the parable, Jesus is the Bridegroom (Mat 9:15) and the ten virgins represent the churches of Christ at the era of the End (2Cor 11:2). The wedding is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:7). At nightfall, the ten virgins went out to await the coming of the Bridegroom. Some did not take extra oil for their lamps. Nobody expected Him to tarry so long in coming. When He finally did come, they had all fallen asleep! Startled awake, the five wise virgins quickly trimmed their lamps and arose to meet Him. But the five foolish virgins were out of oil and could not raise the flame on their dying lamps. They ran to get oil and then hurried to the house…too late! The doors were shut and the marriage celebration had already begun.
Ten is a number often used figuratively to represent the whole (see glossary Rev 22:20), but I am also compelled to remember the account of Lot and the destruction of Sodom, for ten was the lowest limit of faith for which God would spare the city (Gen 18:32). The parable says that five were wise and five were foolish; in the symbolic sense, five is the number of grace. The picture should be sobering to every Christian, for the ten virgins denote the seemingly authentic Christians of the Kingdom. The ten were all chaste virgins, and had went out together to greet the Bridegroom. They had all received God’s grace and the oil of the Spirit; they all identified themselves with the Bridegroom and had taken the time to go out and wait for Him. Each of the ten seemed to be a true participant in the Wedding Party; all were associated with the Gospel, attended services, sang praises and prayed.
Yet, there was one serious difference. The five foolish virgins were not prepared for a long wait. Their lamps began to go out. Like the unfaithful steward who wearied in waiting for his Lord’s return (Luke 12:40-48), these foolish virgins were deceived by the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of sin (Mat 13:22). They wist not that the Spirit of the Lord had departed from them (Judges 16:20). There are many Scriptural parallels in this parable: the wise and foolish carpenters of Mat 7:24-27, the faint-hearted ones who did not keep their garments clean of Rev 16:15, and the deceived workers of Mat 7:21-23 are just a few.
The five foolish virgins had begun with oil in their lamps, but slowly they became lazy and selfish. Their works of love had all but ceased. They had the World in their hearts instead of the Spirit. These are the dismal Ephesians that the apostle John described in Rev 2:1-7, whose candlestick was ready to be removed for not persevering in doing the first works. The parable of the ten virgins speaks in strong language, not to the unsaved and uncaring of the world, but to Kingdom citizens who are faltering and wavering upon the line between Christ and the World! At the time of the end, saving faith will found in very low quantity in the churches of Christ. There will be a general laziness, a soothing sense of safety and contentment, a little folding of the hands to sleep….(Pro 6:10).
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
The Bridegroom tarried so long that the ten virgins began to feel tired, and they all slumbered and slept. In the original language, the two words describe different conditions: “they became drowsy and fell asleep.” This seems to indicate that the five wise virgins were drowsy but the foolish ones had fallen completely asleep. In the Scriptures, to sleep often means to be spiritually deadened and living in sin (see 1Cor 11:30; 1Thes 5:6-7). It is high time to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed (Rom 13:11).
Even the five wise virgins were caught by surprise when the Bridegroom came, but they did have a sufficient supply of oil (the Spirit) which allowed them to trim their lamps and go out to meet Him. Their sleepy state indicates that the bridegroom had tarried far longer than they expected and that is what the Scriptures say will happen in the last days. Many will even begin to say that He will not return at all (2Pet 3:3-4). Remember that God is not constrained by time! One day to Him is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. These parables are given to dismiss all doubts and to warn us to be always vigilant and ready for His return.
Some commentators dismiss the clear implication that the ten virgins had fallen asleep. Barnes does not believe it possible that half of the Christian church should be found unworthy. Why then didn’t Jesus say just one virgin had forgotten to take oil? The fact is that the Scriptures everywhere warn of great deception at the end, of apostasy so serious that even the very elect are in grave spiritual danger (Mat 24:24). The book of Jude is dedicated entirely to warn of false brethren who have crept unaware into the churches and defile the body of Christ. See also the sobering figure of judgment in Ezekiel 5.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 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. 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.
Christ will return at a time when He is least expected, at midnight, when even those who know He is coming will be caught sleeping (Mat 24:44). This is the crucial lesson of the parable, that Jesus will delay His return so long that many will be found spiritually sleeping. Engrossed in their own pursuits and living in deceived estate (Luke 21:34), these are not the World’s unsaved but the apparently genuine, visible virgins of Christ. Like the Laodicean church, they believe themselves to be spiritually rich and in need of nothing (Rev 3:17); instead, many of them are spiritually destitute. When the cry is made they are entirely unprepared.
Our lamps are gone out. The foolish virgins were caught unprepared. When the moment comes that Jesus requires a man’s soul, whether by death or by His return, there will be no time for repentance. Each one will be personally responsible! The fading light of a lamp parallels the hope of salvation dying with the fading of a life. The lamp of the wicked shall be put out (Pro 13:9).
The foolish virgins envied the prudent ones and begged them to share the oil in their vessels. Oil is a common Biblical type of the Holy Spirit, the down-payment of a future inheritance (Eph 1:14) at the final resurrection of the body. No person will receive eternal life by the efforts of another, neither will simple association with the saints be sufficient for salvation. Every person must make the necessary steps to be saved, sealed and ready.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
The closed-door scene is separately described in Luke, after someone asked Jesus if only a few would be saved (Luke 13:23-28). He answered that many would seek to enter the Kingdom but would not be able, and then gave the parable of the lost outside the door saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us. But He will say, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity (Luke 13:27). The compromising Christians of Mat 7:21-23 who were denied entrance into heaven also said, Lord, Lord. And His response is very similar: I never knew you; depart from Me. The seriousness of completely following Christ cannot be over-emphasized. Many will discover that they were foolishly choosing to allow other things to distract them the only thing that is truly important: eternal life for their eternal soul.
God’s testimony concerning two famous Old Testament characters illustrate this essential concept. Solomon is well-known for being the world’s wisest man, but his testimony is dreadfully stained by God’s assessment: Solomon…went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father (1Kings 11:6). Solomon and his descendants were cut out of the genealogical line of Jesus on account of his sins (see our notes for Mat 1). On the other hand is the example of Caleb, who refused to be swept up by overwhelming peer pressure and received this amazing approbation of God: My servant Caleb…hath followed Me fully, him will I bring into the land…and his seed shall possess it (Num 14:24). Caleb and Joshua were the only Israelites to enter Canaan from the original group of perhaps one million souls who had left Egypt.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Here is the third time in this great sermon that Jesus warns His people to be watchful (Mat 24:42-44; Mat 25:13). While given in connection with the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven, these warnings are also important for all Christians who live and die before His coming. Death often comes suddenly and unexpectedly; sometimes its coming is well-advertised. Either way, the unseen moment will fall abruptly upon every man – the door of salvation will swing shut, forever. Live so as not to be taken unawares.
Watch. Those that love His appearing must be vigilant, alert, awake and watching (2Tim 4:8; Heb 9:28). The Greek word is used in several endtime passages (Mark 13:34-35, Luke 12:37-39, Rev 3:3; 16:15). Jesus will use it again when He tries to get His sleepy disciples to stay awake with Him (Mat 26:40-41). Other uses of the word are in 1Cor 16:13; Col 4:2; 1Thes 5:6, 1Pet 5:8).
The Groom and Bride represent Christ and the Church often in the Scriptures, but in this parable the Bride does not appear. The reason is apparently to avoid a conflict of types, for in this case the equally valid symbolism of ten virgins represent the Church. The message is better conveyed in this way.
14 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.
This parable is found only in Matthew, although Luke records a similar one in the house of Zacchaeus shortly before Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time (Luke 19:11-27). The parables are complementary and teach the importance of personal responsibility. Each person is expected to use his God-given talents and gifts for His honor and glory. Studying the two parables together adds some interesting details concerning the signification of the talents and pounds, and also the quantities given to each one.
Again Christ hints that His return would not be in the immediate future, for the nobleman journeyed to a far country and returned after a long time (Mat 25:19). This is contrary to the preterist belief that Jesus would return to earth just a few years after He left. Luke’s parable is even more specific to Christ’s work: A certain Nobleman went into a far country to receive for Himself a kingdom and to return (Luke 19:12). After His death, Jesus ascended into heaven where He took the throne of His Kingdom (Heb 8:1) and will reign forever and ever (1Cor 15:24-25).
In this parable, the servants represent Mankind and the Lord of those servants is God. The talents represent the abilities and assets that God has given to every living person, and the increase of those talents are a man’s labor in the Kingdom. The Lord’s return to settle accounts with the servants corresponds to the final Day of Judgment, and the unprofitable servant cast into outer darkness is a reference to the eternal punishment of the wicked.
15 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.
In the days of Christ’s ministry, a talent was a certain weight of money (gold or silver). The Greek word is found only in this parable and in Mat 18:24. In his similar (but not parallel) account, Luke has pounds, which was also a weight of money. A talent (talanton) weighed about 120 pounds, while a pound (mina) weighed about 2lbs.
The talents were given to each one in varying quantities (five, two, and one), but the pounds in Luke 19:13 were given uniformly; each person received one pound. The two parables illustrate the same truth but from different perspectives. The talents show that God gives grace and develops our faith in varying measures (Rom 12:3; Eph 4:7) and that each person will be held accountable for their stewardship of those gifts in direct relation to the amounts they were given (Jam 3:1). The pounds illustrate the common, single gift given to every human soul: the ability to choose to serve God or to reject Him. That choice is not based upon the several abilities of each person, for from the wisest to the simplest and from the richest to the poorest, every soul is given the same privilege of choosing Christ. And choices in life will either increases or decreases one’s profitability in the Kingdom. This varying fruitfulness is also seen in the Parable of the Sower, where some brought forth an hundredfold, some sixtyfold and some thirtyfold (Mat 13:8).
Every person has been given talents that are useful in the Kingdom of heaven. Some have many talents, some have few; some may have just one talent. This parable illustrates that the amount of talents a person receives is not as important as what he does with those talents. In other words, Jesus is not as interested in the quantity of our service, as He is the quality of our service. Yes, there must be quantity or there can be no quality, but the servant with two talents was not expected to achieve five talents. To me, that means that each person should focus on the quality of his service, and then the quantity will take care of itself. Wisely use the talent that God gave you in ways that will best build His Kingdom and leave the quantity up to God.
Some people think they have no talents. They are wrong! Most have hands to help the poor, most have voices to sing and share the Gospel, almost everyone has a smile to lighten someone’s load. All have life stories that can encourage and stimulate others to follow Christ. Use the mountain of talents God has given you! Do not hide them in the ground.
Note the kindness and wisdom of the Lord in giving talents to His servants. Kindness in that He was the Lord and they but slaves; wisdom in that He gave to each one according to his ability. In other words, He gave amounts that each could safely steward: not too much, to avoid discouragement; but not too little, to keep from laziness.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
If the parable of the ten virgins teaches the importance of being always ready for Christ’s return, then the parable of the talents teaches what being ready means. Jesus basically says, “Live wisely, such that my Kingdom is a better place and not a poorer one.” God expects the young and old alike to evaluate their choices and do what is wise and best for God instead of what is good for Self. As Mat 24:46 says, Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when He cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
This man went out and put his Lord’s money to work. He used the assets and abilities that God gave Him to be a profitable servant in the Kingdom. When we do something in life, like starting a business, building a new house, moving to a new location, taking a new job, etc, do we consider in our decisions what is making the best use of the talents God that has entrusted to us for building up His kingdom?
Sometimes it’s what we are not doing rather than what we are doing. Are we afraid to step out and work for Christ? To identify with Him, to seek the things of His Kingdom? The pouting, complaining, lazy servant would not use his talents for God, and instead lived a selfish, unprofitable life.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20 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. 21 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. 22 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. 23 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.
On the Day of Judgment, the Lord will examine the works of men to see of what sort it is (1Cor 3:13). How have we used our time, wealth, intelligence, opportunities? All of these are gifts from God. Have we used them for the benefit of Christ and His Kingdom? Or have we selfishly used them for personal gratification?
Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. This must be a reference to the wonderful heavenly joys that the faithful will experience forever in the presence of Christ. The phrase parallels the words of Christ in the next parable: Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you (Mat 25:34). The human mind cannot comprehend the things that God has prepared for them that truly love Him (1Cor 2:9). The fate of the unprofitable servant however, is eternal anguish and pain (v30).
24 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 strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
Here is the heart of the parable. The profitable servants had recognized their Lord to be worthy of respect and obedience. They were happy for the opportunity to work for Him and trusted that He would reward them fairly. They acted positively upon their belief in Him and their efforts bore fruit for their Lord. On the other hand, the unprofitable servant refused to do anything with his talent, supposedly because his Lord was hard, shrewd and unfair.
Whose assessment of God’s character was right? The day of reckoning revealed all: God is shown to be just, good and fair. The lazy servant’s understanding of God was wrong. His limited knowledge led him to incorrect conclusions. Today, atheists often conclude that God must be evil because He allows evil, but Christians are often guilty of the same error. Some conclude that God is unfair in dealing with Man because of their difficulties, others think He is too loving to send a sinner to hell. The human mind is far too frail and limited to comprehend God and His ways (Is 55:9), so it is absurd to think that a man is capable of judging the character of God. Believing that God is unfair does not affect the truth of the matter.
Parenthetically, the unprofitable servant’s incorrect and slanderous assessment of God’s character is very like the criticism many successful people receive from others! The final judgment will reveal the truth, for good or bad.
The unprofitable servant refused to use the talent his Lord had given him. While this could also have happened to the man with five talents (see the parable of the pounds), it does seem that within Christianity those with few talents are especially quick to excuse their lack of effort. “You’re asking me to teach Sunday School? I can’t speak, besides, I have to take care of my child during the service.” The response of the unprofitable servant reveals several reasons some Christians do not use God’s goods for His service:
- He was slothful, selfish and unwilling to work for God. Others were laboring in the kingdom, but he sat at home.
- He was bitter and jealous. He grouched at his own limitations (just one talent!?) and criticized the profitable servants.
- He was a chronic excuse-maker. It was someone else’s fault that he was unprofitable.
The unprofitable servant is judged for his wicked actions. He was living for self and not for God. By not actively building in Christ’s Kingdom, he chooses self over God. His excuse is that he was afraid . In reality, he was simply lazy and unwilling. If he were truly afraid of God, he should have labored hard to show himself approved of Him (2Tim 2:15). God has given every person the power to choose His paths, so every man will be held personally accountable for his choices and resulting actions. Neglect is not a valid excuse (Heb 2:3).
26 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 strawed: 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
The man’s excuse exposes his error. If the Lord really was strict and harsh, the servant should have been even more careful to obey! An obedience-based fear is nonetheless obedient. On the other hand, to completely neglect (or bury) one’s talents is unacceptable. Laziness, wickedness and disobedience are children of the same evil father. The Scriptures show that every man’s work will determine his future reward (1Cor 3:13-15; Rev 20:12-14).
The Lord would have accepted the man simply putting the money to earn interest, but the unprofitable servant didn’t even do that – he hid the talent in the ground. At just 6 percent interest, the talent would have doubled in value in less than 30 years. The Old Testament Law forbade the Israelites to charge interest when they loaned money to fellow Jews, but they could charge interest to non-Israelites (Ex 22:25; Lev 25:35-37; Deut 23:19-20). The reason for the law was to keep the rich from oppressing the poor (Pro 28:8), but in the new Kingdom, the rich should be giving and sharing with the poor.
The New Testament Scriptures are silent on the subject on earning interest, and therefore our actions should be guided by the first law of Love. The ever-greedy Jews found ways to loan money to their countrymen without interest and still enrich their coffers. They would take animals, land use and other possessions instead of charging interest. Perhaps that is why the law is not repeated in the New Covenant. A Christian man with available funds does well to loan money to a fellow-Christian for business reasons, but if the need is for daily food, clothing and shelter, he should give and not loan! Loans among Christians can end up being contentious and so must be prudently administered. It is the Lord’s money anyway. A wise steward will invest for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake, not just to increase his own wealth.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29 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.
This principle is demonstrated often in life, if we stop to think about it. A person cannot remain on an even plateau for long. He will either be climbing higher in his relationship with Christ, or slipping downhill. The one who allows little sins in his life will find that those sins will take him much farther than he ever expected to go, and the spiritual life that he does have will become progressively weaker. But the one who cultivates his relationship with Christ will find that there is no end to the abundance, joy and satisfaction of following Him. The work of the Spirit in both processes is the real difference. The sinner will restrict the Spirit’s power, but the Christian will give Him more and more authority to rule in his life. Jesus said almost the same words in Mat 13:12 as He explained why the Pharisees were not able to understand the Gospel.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
How important to use our abilities and assets for Christ! Occupy til I come, Jesus says (Luke 19:13). Work wisely and ambitiously in the Kingdom and not for personal enjoyment. How easily we become so engrossed in the details of living that we forget to look at the big picture. Or maybe we see the big picture, but the unknowns and questions scare us into hiding our talent. Remember, there are no acceptable excuses before God! He expects profitability, usefulness, ambition.
Unfortunately, in some churches it is dangerous to try to use one’s talents for the Kingdom. A person who wants to be a SS teacher, or a board member, or donate money to build a new school, or be a deacon, etc, is criticized for “showing off.” Sometimes it almost seems like we approve of people hiding their talents in the ground instead of trying to develop and use them for the Kingdom of heaven. True, there are wrong reasons for coveting earnestly the best gifts, as Paul says in 1Cor 12:31. Talents should never be used to elevate self, to impress others and to find earthly fame. But there is no fault in seeking to be useful and profitable in the Kingdom of God. It is a sensitive topic. The first rule is to be the kind of person that God wants and let Him plan your life. The person who lives by this rule will find there is so much to be done in that field that there is no time for unhealthy ambitions!
31 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: 32 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: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
This picture describes the final judgment of mankind, when the Son of man shall come in His glory (see 2Thes 1:7-10). A-millennialists (Historicists) believe this will take place at the end of the world, when Christ will suddenly appear in the clouds of heaven and the Judgment will convene (2Cor 5:10). Every person who drew breath will then be called before the Throne to either be rewarded or punished for his deeds (Rev 20:11-15). The Pre-millennialist (Dispensationalist) idea is much more complex, for they have several judgments and several ends. However, the majority belief is that these verses describe a preliminary judgment at the end of the Gospel Age (at the beginning of the 1000-year reign), not the end-of-the-world judgment. Preterists, who do not believe in a future second coming of Christ, either make this a figurative picture of what happens to each person after they die, or find some event in the destruction of Jerusalem.
To me, the natural reading of this passage describes a single, final, visible return of Christ to this earth with the angels of heaven to end the world and the Age of Grace, and to usher in eternity. Christians and unbelievers will be living normally on the earth when suddenly Christ will appear to judge and end the World. This two-chapter prophecy generally answers the disciple’s question, What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world? (Mat 24:3). Significantly, it contains nary a hint of dispensationalism’s stages and events spread out over a millennium of time after the Church and Spirit are removed from the earth. Rather, the Second Coming of Christ will be a sudden, unexpected and final judgment of all that is evil. The Great White Throne will be set up. Satan and all the wicked will be cast into hell; those that are Christ’s will dwell with Him forever.
Notice the tremendous contrast between Christ’s humiliating death by wicked hands at His first coming and His powerful, glorious, terrible appearance at His second coming. Then He came in meekness and humility, but now the Son of man shall come in His glory.
34 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: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 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.
Inherit the Kingdom. The Scriptures often use this term to describe the Christian’s entrance into heaven (Luke 18:18, 10:25; 1Cor 15:50; Eph 1:11, 1:14, 5:5). It is appropriate, for no person is able to earn (or gain) eternal life by his own works. Rather, he has received the gift by means of adoption into the family of God.
From the foundation of the world. The plan of God for mankind was pre-planned before the world began (Tit 1:2). There are no unexpected events, no unforeseen problems, no last-minute adjustments. All has been fore-ordained and fore-known. This truth does not remove from each person the responsibility to consciously choose his own paths, but it does mean that God knows the end from the beginning and therefore knows the path that each one will take.
Heavenly rewards are based on how well we spread God’s love, not upon strict observance of a theology or creed. Living action that speaks to the heart is true love! There are two great commandments upon which all else hangs: Love God; Love your fellow man (Mat 22:37-39). What we believe is important, but far more important is what we do because we believe. Knowledge alone is never enough (Mat 7:22-23). Menno Simons expressed this truth of Working Love like this:
“True evangelical faith is of such a nature that it cannot lie dormant, but spreads itself out in all kinds of righteousness and fruits of love; it dies to flesh and blood; it destroys all lusts and forbidden desires; it seeks, serves, and fears God in its inmost soul; it clothes the naked, it feeds the hungry; it comforts the sorrowful, it shelters the destitute; it aids and consoles the sad; it does good to those who do it harm; it serves those that harm it; it prays for those who persecute it; it teaches, admonishes, and judges us with the Word of the Lord; it seeks those who are lost; it binds up what is wounded; it heals the sick; it saves what is strong (good and sound); it becomes all things to all people. The persecution, suffering, and anguish that come to it for the sake of the Lord’s truth have become a glorious joy and comfort to it.”
Who are these that the righteous had fed and clothed? Not angels sent to test them, but real flesh-and-blood people who were in need! Doing good and helping our fellow man is doing good to Christ. Can we see ourselves serving Jesus when we are helping our brother or sister?
41 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: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 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. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 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.
The righteous are rewarded according to their good works and the wicked are rewarded for their evil deeds (Rom 2:5-11). Many theologians say that works have no place in our salvation, but these verses demonstrate that no practicing evil-doer will inherit eternal life. We recognize that works alone cannot save, but the Bible everywhere describes the Judgment Day scene as a test of what we have done with our talents here on earth. Good works will be present in every person who is deemed worthy of eternal life. True saving faith is belief+actions. We may split up these into parts, but they are both required for salvation. These two must abide in us, they must endure unto the end, the same shall be saved (Mat 24:13). Yes, actions may count for good deeds, and yes, believing in God might be defined as faith; but the two must be mixed in appropriate quantities to result in the faith that saves. See my note on Mat 14:31.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
The doctrine of everlasting punishment is not popular in many Christian circles, yet eternal life with Christ is very popular! The same word in the phrase, life eternal, is used in everlasting punishment (aionios). If everlasting punishment has an end, then eternal life also must end. Annihilation of the wicked cannot be everlasting punishment, for the soul that no longer exists also no longer suffers. In another passage, Jesus describes the undying torment of the wicked in extremely strong and clear language (Mark 9:47-48).
Those who argue that there is no place of eternal torment invariably recite, God is love, and then re-define those passages like Ps 7:11, God is angry with the wicked every day. To their own hurt they do wrest the Scriptures (2Pet 3:16), being no different from the wicked and slothful servant in the previous parable (Mat 25:26). That servant also made up false tales about the character of the Lord, and then lived in a manner conducive to his erroneous doctrine; he was confined to outer darkness for his wickedness.
It is said that a certain Jewish rabbi upon his death-bed began to weep, saying, “If they were carrying me before a king of flesh and blood, who is here today and tomorrow in the grave, even then I should weep. Yet, if he be angry with me, I know that his anger cannot last for ever. He could put me in prison, but his prison would not be everlasting. He might condemn me to death, but that death will not be eternal. And perchance I could soothe him with words or bribe him with riches. But no! I am now set to go before the King of kings, the holy, righteous and blessed God, who liveth and endureth forever and ever and ever; who, if He be angry with me, His anger will last for ever; if He put me in prison, His bondage will be everlasting; if He condemn me to death, that death will be eternal; whom I cannot soothe with words nor bribe with riches. Alas! Before me are two ways, the one to hell and the other to paradise. I know not to which they are carrying me. Shall I not weep?” (paraphrased from Clarke’s citation of the Talmud).