Matthew part 42

Getting Ready for the End

In Matthew 24, Jesus describes the culmination of this age and finishes with the admonition that no one knows the hour of his return. And because no one knows the hour of his return, we must ready ourselves and work faithfully for the kingdom until that time. Matthew 25 continues this lesson in faithfulness by giving three scenarios, each of which speak more to what it means to “be ready for the Son of Man.” We will discuss the two parable this week.

Parable of the 10 Virgins | Matthew 25:1-13

Before we read 1-13, I have a question for you: who do these characters represent? Parables have symbolic, or hidden, meanings. Sometimes the meaning can be fairly plain, and sometimes they may take a bit of meditation. For this particular parable, as we read, write down (or just make a mental note) of who you believe each of these characters represent.

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Matthew 25:1-13

Now, we know the bridegroom certainly represents Jesus. These parables are about the Son of Man’s return, so that part is easy enough. But who are these virgins? Well, we know there are 5 wise and 5 foolish. Because their total number is 10, we can surmise they represent a totality—10 being a complete number in Judaism. We also know from earlier in Matthew, as well as numerous other places in Scripture, when Jesus returns it will be for his Church, “the bride of Christ.”

And this brings up an interesting question, are these virgins representative of all mankind, or do they represent all of the church? They all knew the bridegroom was coming. They all had some lamps with them, but only the wise took extra oil.

I think identifying the wise virgins is fairly easy. These are people who not only know Jesus is returning, but who have also trusted in Christ. Augustine (among others) believed the oil represented the righteous acts of life. They have wisely trusted in Christ and His Return, and have also demonstrated that trust through a life of righteousness. Later commentators believe the oil represents the Holy Spirit. Because the wise virgins had the Holy Spirit, their lamps could endure until the time of the bridegroom.  In either case,

The wise virgins are wise because they not only know Jesus will come, but have prepared for Him.

Identifying the foolish virgins brings up some theological issues. If they represent humanity outside of Christ and the Church, then this story reinforces what Paul says in Romans 1.

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Romans 1:19-23

When someone asks, “Why doesn’t God just make Himself known?”, it really is a foolish question. He already has! Creation itself testifies there must be a Creator. If there is a design, then there must be a Designer. This same Creator also established the Hebrew people as His own, and then proceeds to send the Messiah for all people and all nations. This Messiah does and says things that only the true Son of God could. The Lord has made Himself well-known, but it is still up to us to give Him honor and thanks. And so,

The foolish virgins are foolish because they knew the truth of God, but refused to give Him honor.

And here is a theological sticky point to consider: what if these foolish virgins were a part of the local church? Now, they certainly are not ready for Christ. They have no oil—no Holy Spirit nor righteous acts. But they are waiting for the bridegroom nonetheless. I think the really scary idea to consider is that Jesus is not just referring to the wider world—“those out there”—but that he might just be foretelling the state of local congregations around the world. There are those who sit in the pews, perhaps even week after week, but they are no more ready for the Return of Christ than the atheist who sleeps in on Sundays. And how much more foolish are they who hear the story of Christ week after week, but say, “I’ll get around to following Jesus later.”

When is ‘later’? This world’s clock will strike midnight, but we do not know the day or hour. Let’s continue on.

Parable of the Talents | Matthew 25:14-30

“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus continues the lesson of being ready for His Return with an illustration of wise investing. Now, I was curious so I looked it up. “Talent,” in its ancient variations from back in Babylonian and Greek days, has always meant a measure of money until the 13th century when it started to mean “a gift given by God.” Ironically, this very parable altered the English use of the word ‘talent’, and now every modern English speaker gets confused when they first read this parable.

But this confusion actually reinforces the point of this parable. Again, every parable has hidden meanings and a lesson. For the first 12 centuries, audiences would hear “money” but come to understand “talent” here means much more than just money. The Lord has gifted us with all sorts of ‘talents’—time, money, skill, social connections, gifts, and everything else that makes us ‘us’.

The Parable of the Talents challenges us to ask, “What are we doing with the gifts God has given us?”

We are to put our talents to work. And notice something special about this entire parable. The two that put their talent to work build their Master’s wealth. The one that buries the talent doesn’t lose the talent, but he is still called lazy and evil. What holds back the lazy servant is fear. He is afraid to lose what God has given him and afraid he will do the wrong thing. But remember what the Lord said through Isaiah.

So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:11

If the Lord speaks talents into your life, and you are faithful to use them, you cannot fail. Yes, you may stumble, people may hurt you, and this world will certainly throw all kinds of trash at you, but you cannot fail.

In our Sunday night evangelism class, I have been reinforcing this point to the students. Success in evangelism is not when someone receives Christ. That is certainly the goal, but success occurs when we are faithful to share. Our job is to plant the seed and water the seed, but it is the Lord who gives growth, and it is the Lord who persuades the heart.

Christian, success in faithful living isn’t measured by whether you double 5 talents, 2 talents, or even 1 talent. Success is being faithful to put your talents to work. The Lord will accomplish His purpose for your talents.

The successful Christian life is measured by faithfulness in putting our talents to work and letting God sort out the rest.

But we cannot be paralyzed by fear. If we are fearful to put our talents to work, we will be like that evil, lazy servant who buried his talent in the field. After all, consider this servant had the same amount of time as the other two. What did he do with his time? I’m sure he found all sorts of things to do, and they probably weren’t inherently bad things. They just weren’t what his Master told him to do.

As we close today, let’s consider once again the lesson of these two parables. We must be ready for the coming of the Lord, but what does it mean to be ready?

First, the virgins who lived wisely accumulated oil for their lamps. All the virgins fell asleep (possibly representative of the sleep of death that comes for us all), but the wise spent their day gathering oil. They used their time making sure they were ready for when the bridegroom came for them.

Second, the servants illustrate what it means to “gather oil”. The Lord has given each of us a measure of talent. He wants us to put this talent to work in this world and for His Kingdom.

We certainly cannot earn our salvation, but these parables remind us the mark of true faith is a life of faithful obedience to the Lord. When we go to the grave, or when Jesus returns, we are ready if we can say with all honesty, “My trust is in the Lord, and I am going to see my friend and Savior.”