CHAPTER 25
At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Matthew 25:1
In this parable, which is only found in Matthew, Jesus pictures the kingdom of heaven in terms of an ancient biblical marriage ceremony. Barnes says, “The marriage relation is the most tender, firm, and endearing of any known on earth, and on this account it suitably represents the union of believers to Christ.” 1 The wedding at night has spiritual significance. Out of the night of sin and death, new hope, new relationship and eventually new life would come forth.
The ten virgins (young women of marriageable age) were attached to the bride’s party and would very loosely correspond to the bridesmaids of today. In those days, before electric lights, it was necessary for each virgin in the ceremony, to carry a lamp. We are certainly not speaking about the small Herodian clay lamp that were no larger than a child’s hand, but we are speaking about torches (Gk. lampadas).2 These torches consisted of a stick with rags wrapped tightly around one end and then dipped in oil. Such a torch would burn brightly for some time but would eventually need a new soaking in oil in order to keep burning.
It would help us to understand a little about the biblical marriage ceremony. Generally marriages were arranged by parents. The marriage began with a betrothal period of about a year. During this period the couple lived separately and had no sexual contact. This arrangement was much more serious than our engagement. It could only be broken by a legal divorce.3 At the end of the betrothal period the bridegroom would come for his bride. The time of his coming was secret so the bride and her attendants had to watch and be ready. The bridegroom would then take his bride and there would be a joyous procession to his parent’s home. Since these processions occurred at night the torches were necessary. At the parent’s home there would then be a banquet and celebration that would go on for about a week. The marriage celebrations were of such importance that people were allowed to abandon their study of the law in order to share in them.4
We cannot miss the fact that the bridegroom in this parable is a picture of Jesus, while the bride in preparation and waiting is a picture of the church. The church should be prepared and waiting for his coming but we see here that some were quite unprepared, and because of it would be shut out.5 The idea of the Messiah as the bridegroom is found in several Old Testament passages such as Isaiah 54:4-6; 62:4-5; Ezekiel 16:7-34 and Hosea 2:19. The idea is also reflected by John the Baptist (Jn. 3:27-30) and by Jesus himself (Mt. 9:15; Mk. 2:19-20).6 The parable focuses upon the crisis that will divide the ready from the unready. 7
Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps” (25:2-4). We need to stop and get this picture here. All the girls were virgins; all went out to meet the bridegroom; all carried lamps with them; all had oiled their lamps; but five of the girls were wise and five were foolish. What was the difference? The wise came prepared and they had buckets full of oil. Pfeiffer and Harrison say, “Oil, [is] regularly symbolic in scripture of the Holy Spirit (Zech. 4; Isa. 61:1)…five did not partake of the Holy Spirit, which at this time had been given to Israel that they might be ready for Messiah (Zech. 12:10).” 8
This parable is not just a picture of ancient times but it is a picture of today. As the church of God, we are like the virgins awaiting the bridegroom. We might ask, “When the Lord returns will our lamps be trimmed and burning, or smothered by this age?” Our light, which comes from Jesus, lights up the darkness around us so we need to be aflame with his presence and his love. We need to be holding forth the word of life (Phil. 2:12-16).
The great English revivalist, John Wesley was once asked about his enormous success in open-air preaching in England, because huge crowds would gather to hear him. His much repeated response was, “Every morning I set myself alight and people come for miles to watch me burn!” Indeed, the Holy Spirit of God is a Spirit of burning (Isa. 4:3-4).
Our postmodern world is getting darker and darker by the day. We need to ask ourselves if we are shedding any light with our torch or if it is burning out. Light is a wonderful thing and just a little light can make all the difference. Years ago I was with a party that was duck hunting in the vast Black River bottoms of our rural area. We were deep in the wooded floodwaters and night was rapidly overtaking us. Since we were in a duck blind some distance from our boat, and since the cold water was almost to the top of our boots, we realized we were in a difficult situation. Soon we understood that it was too dark to find our boat and it looked like we would spend the night in the deep, dark, cold water. We were all scattered out in the deep woods trying desperately to locate our boat when I suddenly “stumbled” onto it. I happily hooked up the spotlight to the car battery we kept in the boat and instantly the dark woods were flooded with wonderful light. The other members of the party came from all directions happily splashing to the boat and to salvation.
The secret of sustained light in early times was olive oil. The oil actually had many purposes. It gave light, it warmed, it lubricated, it healed, it soothed, and it was pleasant when mixed with perfume.9 Oil was also necessary for cooking and was itself an important food item. It was used in anointing and was always a picture of the Holy Spirit. In Romans 11:17, we are told that we are now grafted into the ancient olive tree of Israel. Thus, we are grafted into the oil tree or the anointing tree.
“The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep” (25:5). I well remember how in seminary many liberal scholars used to belittle Jesus, saying that he surely felt he would return soon, even in the lifetimes of his disciples. They would say things like, “Poor Jesus, he was seriously mistaken about his own coming.” Here we realize that Jesus knew it would be a long time before he would return (cf. 24:48; 25:19).
We note that all the bridesmaids were asleep as they waited. Interestingly, they are not charged with this but some are only charged with their lack of preparation. Sleep is a natural and necessary thing, and our needed life requirements can go on as we wait. Indeed, the later parables will make clear that we need to occupy and faithfully attend to business as we wait.
The problem for the foolish virgins was this, that the night was much darker and much longer than they had ever expected. We can rightly assume that the night before the Lord’s coming will be dark and long. Some people will ask as 2 Peter 3:4 notes: “…Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation” (2 Pet. 3:4). They will not understand the loving heart of the Lord. In 2 Peter 3:9 it is said, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Time will be greatly extended because God loves sinners. If we love sinners we will have to bravely put up with the long night and the long wait.
THE BRIDEGROOM COMES
At midnight the cry rang out: “Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!” Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. Matthew 25:6-7
In the dead of night the bridegroom arrived. The virgins all quickly arose and trimmed their lamps. “Trimmed” is ekosmēsan in Greek and means to put in order or make ready.10 They no doubt had to tidy up the rags on their torches and dip them in oil once more. France estimates that a well-soaked torch would likely burn for about a quarter of an hour.11
“The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out’” (25:8). The foolish virgins were prepared for the short term but not for the long term. When we consider the end times we must prepare for the long haul and the dark and difficult times. Only a good supply of the Holy Spirit can take us through the tribulation of that hour.
Unfortunately for the foolish five, the light that was in them had become darkness (Lk. 11:35).12 Coffman sadly comments: “The parable is designed to shock men into realization that a host of good, clean, moral, respectable members of the church will be lost.” 13
How important it is to ponder about the Holy Spirit that is freely given to believers in the Lord Jesus. We must be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18); be led by the Spirit (Rom. 8:14); worship in the Spirit (Jn. 4:24); praise in the Spirit (1 Cor. 14:16); walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16); sing in the Spirit (Eph. 5:19); pray in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18); share in the Spirit (Phil. 2:1-2); love in the Spirit (Col. 1:8); and be alive in the Spirit (1 Pet. 3:18). We must not grieve the Spirit by which we are sealed for the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30). God can do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…” (Eph. 3:20). That great power is the Holy Spirit.
“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves’” (25:9). All of us know that it is a Christian thing to share, and yet these young women refused to do so. Keener says, “Trying to share the oil would have left too little for any of the torches and ruined the wedding ceremony.” 14 In a deeper sense, it is impossible for us to share our spiritual preparation. Each person has to make his or her own preparation. Since the Holy Spirit is a free gift from God that gift is available to all believers (cf. Isa. 55:1).
Here the wise women bid the foolish to do something that was quite difficult in that culture, to go after midnight and try to buy oil. Having lived in Israel for sixteen years I can say that such a thing would be quite impossible today. Very few businesses remain open at night in Israel and these are mostly for entertainment. Also, in the Arab culture, virtually everything closes at dark. They shutter the businesses and “roll up the streets” as the expression goes. We are never told if the foolish young women ever found any oil. Barclay says, “…there are certain things which cannot be obtained at the last minute…It warns us that there are certain things which cannot be borrowed…A man cannot borrow a relationship with God; he must possess it for himself. A man cannot borrow a character; he must be clothed with it.” 15
“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut” (25:10). Pett comments: “There will come a point in history when the Lord comes, and at that point all further opportunities for salvation will cease…But the warning here is to beware lest you are found to have no oil, no true work of God within (Philippians 2:13).” 16 Osborne remarks, “There is a finality to the shutting of that door.” 17 Barnes adds, “So, when the truly righteous shall all be received into heaven, the door will be closed against all others. There will be no room for preparation afterward, Revelation 22:11; Ecclesiastes 11:3; Ecclesiastes 9:10; Matthew 25:46.” 18
“Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you’” (25:11-12). We see here the uncomfortable fact that true religion boils down to true relationship. The maidens called the Master “Lord, Lord,” but they did not really know him and he did not really know them. John tells us, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (Jn. 17:3). The idea of “knowing” is taken from the Old Testament. It always speaks of an intimate personal relationship (cf. Gen. 4:1; Jer. 1:5).19
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour” (25:13). This is an urgent message that all believers must keep watch. We will see soon how the original disciples failed to do this in the Garden of Gethsemane. There have been instances in wartime when soldiers were executed for failing to keep watch. It is vitally important that we believers keep watch for the Lord’s coming, especially as we see the day appearing.
PARABLE OF THE TALENTS
Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. Matthew 25:14
This parable is very similar to the one Jesus gave in the Jericho area some days before (Lk. 19:11-27). However, there are enough differences that the two should be seen as distinct parables.20 Again, it illustrates that Jesus gave similar parables in his teachings and applied them to the specific needs of his hearers.21
Apparently it was customary for wealthy people to take long journeys and be away for extended periods of time.22 In such cases the servants would be left to care for the estate in their absence. These servants would be assigned various tasks and certain positions of authority in the master’s absence. The administration of wealth was a serious and difficult thing in the ancient world so in this case certain servants were assigned to care for it.
“To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey” (25:15). Most other modern translations speak here of “talents” rather than bags of gold. The talent (Gk. talanton) was a measure of weight rather than a specific unit of currency. It was the largest weight measure in use back in those times.23 A talent in gold would have been an incredible amount of money. While commentators have been all over the map in trying to establish this value, it is likely that the talent was equal to about 6,000 denarii.24 The denarii was the average daily salary for a working man. So, a talent of gold would have been a large fortune. Barker and Kohlenberger note that it would have taken an average worker twenty years to earn such an amount.25 So, for these fortunate servants opportunity had certainly knocked at their doors.
We might note that the English use of talent has come to mean natural or supernatural aptitudes.26 Certainly, spiritual applications can be made regarding talents and gifts from God. We all have an assigned amount of these and we must be alert and careful to get a return or interest on the gifts that God has given. Indeed, we can hardly interpret this parable without considering these spiritual gifts and abilities. There are many scriptures where such talents are mentioned (e.g. Exo 35:10; Prov. 22:29; Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:1-11; Jas. 1:17; 1 Pet. 4:10-11).
We observe here a vast difference in the assignment of talents. There are five talent people, two talent people and one talent people. The one talent folks are not to be overlooked. Wiersbe says, “Were it not for the one-talent people in our world, very little would get accomplished.” 27 Bruner notes that all things are not equal in the kingdom of God.28 However, in the last analysis it is not the amount of talents but the amount of faithfulness that is critically important.
“The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more” (25:16-17). We cannot help but note the great diligence of these two servants. They did not waste any time but went to work immediately investing their money. Osborne mentions that some servants were professional types who were allowed to engage in business for their master.29 Apparently, since most folks did not have capital available, it was possible for those who did have it to reap huge profits, even as much as 50 percent at times.30
“But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money” (25:18). Morris comments: “This was a not uncommon way of hiding objects for safekeeping in antiquity…Keeping it in this way meant that there was no possibility of loss, but it also meant that there was no possibility of gain.” 31 Caches of money are often found by archaeologists digging in Israel. In many of these cases people hid their money but did not survive to recover it for one reason or another.
Burying a talent in the ground has spiritual implications for us today. How many Christians have received a certain gift from God but have allowed it to be buried in the earth or in the flesh so to speak. For this reason, the scripture admonishes us to stir up or fan the flame of the gift of God that is in us (2 Tim. 1:6). We need to dig up the gift of God and start getting interest on it.
I may be a one-talent person, and some of my readers may doubt even that. I like to write, and at age 82, I still write and research at least eight hours each day. Through the internet and my two websites God has now made possible what earlier pastors only dreamed about. My writings are now read by thousands of people all over the world each week. I believe this is one way we can get interest on our talent. There are no doubt many other ways that we should consider. God will give us ideas since he has plenty of them.
SETTLING ACCOUNTS
After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. Matthew 25:19
Guzik says, “The long delay would tempt the servants to think that they would never give an account for their management, yet they most certainly would.” 32 Our Master has been away now for almost two thousand years. In such a case it is easy for his servants to wonder if he is coming back at all and to grow weary and slothful in their work. Hebrews 10:35-37 warns and encourages us: “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, ‘In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.’” In this verse we have a title for Jesus. He is called ho erchomenos in the Greek, and it can be translated “The Coming One” (ESV, RSV, NLT). If there is one outstanding truth about Jesus it is the truth that he is coming back.
“The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more’” (25:20). With this news the one talent man was no doubt beginning to squirm and to sweat profusely. This increase may sound somewhat impossible, but Keener tells us that doubling one’s money on an investment was normal in those days.33
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” (25:21). No doubt, there is one thing we would all like to hear from the Master’s lips and that is “Well done!” Notice that the Master does not say, “Well thought” “Well said” or “Well planned” but “Well done.” There is a great rule of life here. If we are faithful in little things we will likely be faithful in big things. So, the smallest task and the smallest failure of the smallest task are important for the Christian.
It is of note that as we are faithful in small matters the Lord promotes us to greater ones and to more responsibility. Wiersbe says, “They started as servants, but their Lord promoted them to rulers.” 34 Indeed, in Luke’s version of this parable, that we mentioned earlier, the faithful actually became rulers over cities (Lk. 19:17-19). Blomberg expands here saying, “…perhaps we can expect eternity to be filled with meaningful activity and responsibility of some kind…” 35 Pfeiffer and Harrison say, “…Part of the reward consisted in gaining higher responsibilities and privileges with the lord.” 36
Apparently, some commentators have simply not done justice to the ideas in this parable and in other related scriptures. I have discussed this at length in 13:43 and in 19:28. In summary, Adam failed to rule over the earth for the Lord. What the First Adam failed to do, the Last Adam (Jesus) has done (1 Cor. 15:22, 45). Through Christ, humankind will once more rule for God on this earth (cf. Psa. 37:29; Prov. 10:30; Matt. 5:5; Rev. 5:10; 22:5). This will no doubt take place in the Millennial period of history. Guzik comments on this verse saying, “Enter into the joy of your lord: This has the echo of heaven in it…” 37
“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” (25:22-23). Osborne comments, “We are responsible to well use what God has given us. The issue is not how much we have but how well we use what we have.” 38 This second servant with his smaller assignment also presented the master with a one-hundred percent return, just as the first had done. He two received great blessing and a greater assignment and responsibility for the future.
THE HIDDEN TALENT
Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. “Master,” he said, “I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.” Matthew 25:24-25
The man with the hidden talent knew that he was in hot water so he immediately began to make excuses. He blamed his master for being a hard man. The Greek word here for hard is sklēros, meaning harsh, stern or rough.39 Barker and Kohlenberger say, “Only the wicked servant blames his master.” 40 As Boles says, “We attribute to others what we find in ourselves. Very few people excuse their own sin without blaming God or someone else for it.” 41
Clearly, the last servant was afraid. I remember many years ago, when my wife and I were flying from Israel to the US, my dentist there asked for a favor. He wanted me to carry some cash to his wife who was then in the US. I was glad to do it, but when he counted it out I realized that it was several thousand dollars. While it was within the legal limit I could carry, it still made me somewhat nervous. To make matters worse, we were going to speak at a conference in one of the large cities and we would not be near our bank for several days. My wife and I clutched the money tight. Part of it was hid in my Bible and some of it we hid in the hotel room, since we were distrusting of the motel safe. One night when we returned from the meeting we found that the motel had experienced a fire, and our room was flooded with the sprinklers, with our door left wide open. This greatly added to our discomfort. It would have been nice to have had a hole somewhere to have buried the loot. In the end, all was safe and we were able to transfer the money at last.
Keener says of this man and his answer to the master: “The phrase ‘You have what is yours’ was used in Jewish transactions to say, ‘I am not responsible for this any further.’” 42 The responsibility for such a large amount of money was not considered a blessing to the man but a curse to him. He was happy to get rid of it.
“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest’” (25:26-27). Making money available to borrowers in a cash-starved society was a good deed. With such funds people could do great things for others, but this man would have no part of it. Thus he was wicked and lazy. At the very least he could have deposited the funds with the money lenders and received interest for his master. While the Old Testament forbade Israelites charging interest to their brothers it was permitted to charge interest to Gentiles (Exo. 22:25; Lev. 25:35-37; Deut. 23:19-20).43
It is clear that waiting and watching for the Lord is not to robe oneself in white and sit around doing nothing. Guzik says, “Some think that readiness for Jesus’ return is a very spiritual and abstract thing. It really isn’t – it is a matter of being about our business for the Lord.” 44 We must occupy until the Lord comes and be able to say with the wise servants, “Look Master what I have gained for you!”
“So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags” (25:28). With our western ideas of fairness we want to stop here and say, “Wait a minute, why not give it to the one who has less?” God does not necessarily work that way. Jesus has already told us in 13:12 that everyone who has will be given more.45 Maybe it works like this: If we want a job done we will be happier to choose a very busy person to do it. Usually we will be sorry if we choose someone who has nothing to do.
“For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (25:29-30). Once more the Lord announces the heavenly principle that those who have will be given more. Those who use spiritual gifts will be given more. As Dummelow says, “It is a law of the natural as well as the spiritual world, that the disuse of a faculty finally leads to its complete loss, whereas the due use of it leads to its development and increase.” 46 Morris adds: “Anyone who has a talent (using the word in the modern sense) or any kind and fails to use it, by that very fact forfeits it. By contrast, anyone who has a talent and uses it to the full finds that that talent develops and grows. This is a law of the spiritual life, and we neglect it at our peril.” 47
The worthless servant was thrown out into the darkness. No doubt this included a picture of being thrown out of the comforts and security of being part of a large estate. However, there seems to be more involved. Osborne sees the darkness, the weeping and the gnashing of teeth as a picture of hell itself (cf. 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51).48
Pett adds: “it is at the heart of the parable, the failure of men and women to respond to Jesus Christ with their lives. Jesus was warning all who were listening, that this was what had to be avoided at all costs…” 49
THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. Matthew 25:31
When Jesus came to this world he came as a servant and not as a judge (cf. Lk. 12:14; Jn. 8:14). However, when the Lord returns to this world he will come as a judge, and will sit upon his glorious throne. All judgment in fact will be given to him (Jn. 5:22, 26). He will judge the world in righteousness and truth (Psa. 96:13; cf. Matt. 16:27; Rev. 20:11-15). Barclay says, “…this is one of the most vivid parables Jesus ever spoke, and the lesson is crystal clear— that God will judge us in accordance with our reaction to human need.” 50 Morris comments: “It puts strong emphasis on the truth that ultimately every person on earth will be called upon to account for his or her use of the opportunities of service experienced through life.” 51
When the Lord returns he will be accompanied by thousands of his holy angels (cf. 16:27; Mk. 8:38; 2 Thess. 1:7; Jude 14; and Dan. 7:10).52 They will pluck the wicked out of the world (13:49-50) and they will also gather the Lord’s people unto him (24:31; Mk. 13:27).
“All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (25:32). Wiersbe remarks here: “The word nations…means ‘Gentiles,’ and it is in the neuter gender in the Greek. The word ‘them’ in that same verse is in the masculine. This means that the nations will be gathered before Jesus Christ, but he will judge them as individuals.” 53 Keener says, “God judging the nations (e.g., Isa. 2:4; Mic. 4:3) was a standard part of Jewish expectation for the future.” 54
While sheep and goats were both offered in sacrifice to God, and while they both often grazed together, there were big differences between them. Sheep were gentle and docile and the lambs were cuddly. Goats on the other hand were quarrelsome and ill-scented. Calvin speaks of the fierceness of the goats; how they would attack with their horns; how they would destroy the pastures and muddy the water.55 They were perfect pictures of riotous, profane and impure humanity.56 Sheep with all their wool could stand the cooler temperatures of the mountains while the goats could not well endure the cold. Therefore, it was necessary to separate the two animals at night. Sheep could stay out in the cold while the goats had to be herded together at night for warmth.57
This picture of separating sheep and goats is now carried right over into the final judgment of humanity. Coffman says, “The designation of all mankind under two figures, the sheep and the goats, is in keeping with the dual classification stressed throughout the scriptures, such as the ‘wheat’ and the ‘chaff,’ the ‘wise’ and the ‘foolish,’ etc.” 58 It is clear here that all people will appear before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10), both the good and the bad. There has been a considerable amount of teaching that Christians will only appear before the judgment of Christ and the wicked will stand before the Great White Throne judgment. Although I once held this position, it now seems doubtful that such a distinction can be made in scripture.
“He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left” (25:33). Keener says, “The right is the preferred side in ancient texts; in the few scenes of judgment where it occurs, the right side is for the righteous and left for the wicked…” 59 While in this world the righteous and wicked are mixed together, the Bible is clear that the time is coming when they will be separated forever.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world’” (25:34). This is the only New Testament passage where Jesus refers to himself as king.60 But he is just that – King of the Ages – King of Kings and King of the Universe. Clearly, he will sit and judge as king. The scriptures make plain that we believers in Jesus are heirs of God (Rom. 8:17; Gal. 4:6-7; Heb. 1:14; 1 Jn. 3:2). On that day we will at last fully enter the kingdom the Lord has prepared for us. At this great judgment it appears that believers will not be judged regarding their sins (cf. Tit. 2:14; 1 Jn. 1:7) but rather regarding the use of their spiritual gifts and of their availability to God (cf. 1 Cor. 3:10-15).61
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (25:35-36). We see here how much the Christian life is dependent upon maintaining good works (Eph. 2:10). We are not saved by works but by grace and faith. Nevertheless, good works are evidence that our faith is genuine.
There are countless ways in which our faith is expressed in everyday life. Do we give the thirsty a cup of cold water? Are we friendly to the stranger? How often strangers stand alone in our congregations and we often do not make the small effort to greet them and get acquainted. Do we help clothe the naked? In early times Martin of Tours was a Roman soldier and a Christian. Once a beggar stopped him and asked for money but Martin had none. Since the beggar was shivering with cold, Martin gave what he had. He took off his soldier’s coat, cut it in half and gave half to the beggar. That night Martin had a dream and in it he saw Jesus with the angels around him. Jesus was wearing half of a Roman soldier’s cloak. One angel asked him, “Master, why are you wearing that battered old cloak? Who gave it to you?” And Jesus answered softly, “My servant Martin gave it
to me.” 62
Do we visit the sick and those in prison? Morris says, “First-century prisons were grim places; they were meant as places of punishment, and the idea of treating prisoners as normal human beings would have been regarded with astonishment…most people avoided prisons like a plague.” 63 John Whitehead reports: “Over all, there are now more people under ‘correctional supervision’ in America – more than six million – than were in the Gulag Archipelago under Stalin at its height.” 64 So, we have abundant opportunity to visit these.
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’” (25:37-39). The interesting thing about this passage is that the righteous had no idea they had ministered to Jesus. They were just simply living as Christians and helping others along the road of life. In fact, they were quite surprised that they had helped the Lord.
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’” (25:40). Over the centuries there has been much discussion about the expression “the least of these,” as to whom Jesus has reference.
Morris says, “One is to bear in mind that elsewhere Jesus’ brothers are his disciples (12:48-49; 28:10)…The other is to say that brothers includes anyone in need…” 65 Keener points out that some Jewish apocalyptic texts treat “brothers” as being Israel.66 Pett feels like the brothers mentioned here is a reference to the Lord’s followers.67 More than likely the expression could include anyone in need.
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me’” (25:41-43). Here we see the utter failure of phony religion. These people called Jesus “Lord,” but they never did anything he wished or commanded.
Also, today many folks do not believe in an eternal hell but there is such a place (Rev. 20:10-15). Coffman comments: “Alas, the doctrine of hell is a prominent teaching of the Son of God …No industrial concern ever operated without some means of waste disposal, and no well-managed kitchen ever existed without a garbage pail or its equivalent…Hell is God’s cosmic disposal unit; yet it is not prepared for men but for Satan and his angels, and the only persons who will be finally lost in hell are those who elect to follow the influence of Satan and must also partake of his destiny.” 68
Coffman also asks: “What would YOU do, if you were God? Would you permit Satan to continue unabated for all eternity with license to rob, rape, plunder, seduce, destroy, and deceive, corrupt, wound, and slay forever? …In a certain fearful sense, one may thank God for hell. It is the place where the great enemy of mankind shall at last be destroyed.” 69 How do people get into hell? They do so by unbelief and by following the devil. They do so by their failure to obey the Lord Jesus and do that which he has commanded. Barker and Kohlenberger say, “Neither the sheep nor the goats are surprised at the place the King assigns them but rather at the reason given for this – i.e., that they are admitted or excluded on the basis of how they treated Jesus.” 70 “The sin noted by the King was (as in the parables of the bridesmaids and the talents) not active evildoing but failure to do good.” 71
We probably need to pause here and focus on something very important. After we come to Christ by grace and faith, we must be careful to maintain good works (5:16; Acts 9:36; Eph. 2:10; 1 Tim. 6:18; 2 Tim. 3:17; Tit. 1:16; Tit. 2:14; Tit. 3:8, 14; Heb. 10:24). It is clear in scripture that we cannot do good works on our own but that Christ can do them in us if we only let him (Phil. 2:13). It is surely interesting that the last judgment will be on the basis of works, since works are the final evidence of faith.
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’” (25:44). These folks were also surprised. They were surprised that they had not ministered to the Lord. One of my seminary professors once said, “They had a list.” They probably checked off their list every day to see how their service was going. It is interesting that they knew everything “good” that they were doing while the righteous had no idea that they were doing anything good.
“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (25:45-46). Morris says, “Throughout this judgment scene it is made clear that the service of the lowly, the insignificant, the unimportant in this world’s eyes is in the last resort the test of discipleship. To fail this test is sheer calamity.” 72