THE LAST WEEK OF JESUS' PUBLIC MINISTRY AND HIS CRUCIFIXION
-Jesus - Continuing to Address His 2nd Coming - Delivers Two Parables
-Matthew 25:1-30
-On this occasion, to emphasize His point regarding the necessity of continued readiness, Jesus
delivered two parables - the Parable of the Ten Virgins and the Parable of the Talents.
-The Parable of the Ten Virgins (vs 1-13)
-“The Oriental wedding began with a feast in the house of the bride’s father. After this the
bridegroom led the bride to his own home, and it was the duty of his servants and household (of
whom the ten virgins in this case were part) to honor him and the bride with an enthusiastic
welcome)” (McGarvey/Pendleton, pg 635).
-Those described as wise had properly prepared themselves by taking the necessary
provisions and were therefore ready. Those described as foolish had failed to prepare.
Therefore, they were not ready for the occasion and missed their opportunity.
-“The parable is practical, the tragic story of the ready and the unready. It applies to all present-
day Christians. The kingdom of heaven is the church, aptly set forth in the analogy as a
company of precious bridesmaids. The great shock, therefore, is to realize that some, even of
these, shall be summarily excluded from association with the bridegroom. The parable is
designed to shock men into realization that a host of good, clean, moral, respectable members of
the church will be lost. Through sheer negligence, many of the redeemed shall fail to enter in.
The foolish virgins are the Lord’s own example of saved persons who at last failed to make
the port of everlasting life. This warns against idleness and neglect, but it should not discourage.
Those foolish virgins did not provide oil, but they could have done so. What was required of
them was nothing extraordinary or especially difficult, but it did require concern and attention
which they failed to give” (Coffman, Matthew, pg 396).
-“Christians are like the virgins waiting for Christ’s return in a long night of uncertainty; of
the hour of that event they can know nothing, therefore they must be ready for it at all times.
We watch by serving the Lord as faithfully as if he were looking upon us; we watch by
being on our guard against every temptation and danger. Watchfulness is a state of
readiness. The warning to watch bids us to imitate the five wise virgins and to take warning
from the fate of the five foolish ones” (Boles, Matthew, pg 479).
-“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh”
(vs 13).
-The Parable of the Talents - (vs 14-30)
-Although many lessons can be taken from this particular parable, the main point resides within
the context of being in a state of readiness for the return of our Lord.
-“In the preceding story the maidens are pictured as waiting for their lord; in this story, the
servants are represented as working for their lord. One stresses the duty of constant alertness,
the other the duty of faithful service. Put together both teach the Christian that as he watches
he must not be idle, that the best way to be ready is to be busy in the Master’s business”
(Lightfoot, pg 172).
-“It is explicit in the case of the servants to employ themselves in the advancement of his work,
in the improvement of their several gifts, and in the exploitation of every possible opportunity”
(Boles, Matthew, pg 402).
-This parable cries out against apathy and complacency - characteristics which can plague the
Lord’s church, hinder her work and damage her effectiveness.
-“The word apathy comes from the Greek word apatheia, which means without feeling;
without passion; without fervent spirit. Sadly, many Christians living today have lost their
passion for Christ and as such, the Good News becomes secret news...Where does the zeal of
new Christians come from? Could it be these individuals have a fresh reminder of what God
really did for them, and now they are willing to ‘spend and be spent’ in service to God?”
(Harrub, pg 394).
-The effective utilization of abilities will be rewarded. The neglect of them will be punished.
-It is important that we realize that God does not expect us to do that which we cannot do.
However, as this parable plainly teaches, He does expect us to do that which we can.
-Let us honestly examine ourselves, accurately evaluate our individual abilities and diligently
utilize them in service to our Lord.
-As we sometimes sing, “To the work, to the work, we are servants of God…”