Matthew chapter twenty-five

  There are seven sections in verses 1-13: (1) ten virgins going to meet the bridegroom (v. 1); (2) two kinds of virgins (vv. 2-4); (3) their history or experience (vv. 5-7); (4) the discovery of the lack (vv. 8-9); (5) the separation (v. 10); (6) the pleading of the foolish ones (vv. 11-12); and (7) the lesson (v. 13).

  Verse 1: "At that time the kingdom of the heavens will be likened to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom." "At that time" refers to the time of the parousia (the rapture). The kingdom of the heavens is not synonymous with the church. The term "church" was used in Paul's time. When the term is qualified by the name of a locality, such as "the church in Laodicea," it refers to a local church. When there is no qualifier, it refers to the Body of Christ. The church speaks of God's grace, while the kingdom of the heavens speaks of God's righteousness; it speaks of the scope of God's reign. Since the "virgins" refer to the Christians and the "bridegroom" refers to the Lord, why is there no bride? It is because the bride of Revelation 21 is the New Jerusalem, which includes Jesus and the church. Here we have only the church; hence, it can be called only a virgin and not the bride.

  The number ten in the Scriptures alludes to the major four complete numbers in the Scriptures: three (God's completion), seven (a temporary completion), ten (man's completion), and twelve (eternal completion). In Revelation 21 everything is of the number twelve: the gates, the pearls, the names of the apostles, the tribes of Israel, the precious stones, and the height of one hundred and forty-four cubits (twelve times twelve). Prior to this, seven was the number of completion. Beginning with the new heaven and the new earth in chapter twenty-one, the number twelve is used throughout.

  Three is God's number, and four is man's number. Seven equals three plus four — God's number plus man's number. The number seven can be split up; therefore, it signifies a temporary completeness. Twelve equals three times four — God's number times man's number. It cannot be split up, and therefore signifies eternal completion.

  Ten is only a little less than the number for eternal completion. When two is added to ten, the sum is twelve, signifying eternal completion. The two grinding at the mill in chapter twenty-four represent the believers who are alive. The ten virgins in chapter twenty-five represent the believers who are dead, that is, those who have "slept." In the Greek and Hebrew languages, twelve is spoken as two plus ten. Twelve is the base number and two is the remainder.

  In Genesis 42:3 and 4 there are ten older brothers and two younger brothers; in Numbers 14:37-38 ten spies were with Joshua and Caleb; in 1 Kings 11:29-31 the prophet rent the garment into twelve pieces. The twelve pieces were divided into ten pieces and two pieces. Therefore, as ten is the major part of the whole, the dead believers occupy a major part of all the believers. In Matthew 20:24, ten disciples argued with the two. We have other proofs: Genesis 24:10; Judg. 6:27; Ruth 4:2; Luke 19:13. The beast has ten horns; the revived Roman Empire is divided into ten parts.

  As in all parables, the virgins here cannot be regarded as literal. The virgins are we who have been regenerated by the Lord. The term virgin does not refer to chastity. Even a married woman can be chaste. A virgin is a girl who is not yet married, one who is hidden away. Therefore, virgin cannot refer to the Jews or the unbelievers. Only Christians can bear this title.

  The virgins' only goal is to take their lamps to meet the bridegroom. The lamp in the Bible has many meanings: (1) the word of Jehovah (Psa. 119:105); (2) prophecy (2 Pet. 1:19); or (3) Christian behavior (Matt. 5:14-16). The word used here is not "candle." A candle burns its own oil, but the oil of a lamp comes from outside. The behavior of a Christian should be a proclamation to all of the coming of the Bridegroom. The reason that we preach the gospel is that the Lord is coming soon. In breaking the bread we: (1) remember the Lord's work and (2) remember the Lord's soon return.

  Verses 2-4:"And five of them were foolish and five were prudent. For the foolish, when they took their lamps, did not take oil with them; but the prudent took oil in their vessels with their lamps." There are two kinds of virgins in verses 2-4. Many Bible expositors consider the five foolish virgins to be unsaved persons, but there are a few dozen sure proofs that will refute such suppositions. We will list only fifteen major reasons to prove that these are saved ones:

  (1) They were all virgins. To the very end they were called virgins. The Lord never questioned this point; He recognized this fact.

  (2) There was light in their lamps (v. 8). This light lasted through half the night, proving that it was of the Holy Spirit which issued forth in good works that glorified God. In verse 8, "are going out" indicates that there was still some light that had not yet died out.

  (3) They all went forth to meet the bridegroom. An unsaved one surely will not welcome the Bridegroom. (Would bandits light lamps to meet the army?)

  (4) "But at midnight there was a cry,...Go forth to meet him!" The archangel will not make any mistake in calling the ten; neither will the Lord call them by the wrong names.

  (5) Having oil in their lamps but not in their vessels. Oil refers to the Holy Spirit; hence, the foolish virgins must be saved ones.

  (6) All the virgins arose. Verse 7 refers to resurrection. The saved ones and the unsaved ones are not resurrected together. They are resurrected one thousand years apart.

  (7) The five prudent virgins went in with Him (v. 10). They were caught up into the air. The five foolish virgins followed afterward, being caught up together in the air also. The only difference is that the five foolish virgins could not partake of the feast.

  (8) The ten virgins differ only in behavior but not in nature. There is no distinction of true and false ones, only a distinction of prudent and foolish ones. Foolish does not mean unsaved.

  (9) Their lamps were going out because of the tarrying of the bridegroom. If He had not tarried, they would have been qualified to be caught up together with the prudent ones.

  (10) They were still virgins in verse 11. When they came they had already bought oil and brought it with them.

  (11) The word "buy" in Matthew 25:9 cannot be used to speak of unsaved persons; only the word "ask" could have been used, because grace is free. Only the saved ones can buy, that is, pay the price.

  (12) Suppose the five foolish virgins were not saved. This would indicate that dead people can still be saved, because the prudent ones advised them to go and buy oil.

  (13) Suppose the five foolish virgins were not saved. The five prudent virgins would not then say, "Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you"; they would not have turned them down. If the five foolish ones were not saved, the five prudent ones would have been willing to pay any price for them. How could they not save those who are dying?

  (14) The Lord said, "Watch therefore." Those who can watch, as in verse 13, must have life. If the five foolish ones are unsaved, they cannot be told to watch; rather, they can be told only to repent.

  (15) Compare Matthew 25 to the gospel feast in Matthew 22. There we have a lost one at the feast. Here the words are spoken to the disciples, that is, the saved ones only. Chapter twenty-two deals with the problem of salvation and perdition, but chapter twenty-five has nothing to do with salvation or perdition. In chapter twenty-two the lost one is bound and cannot do anything, whereas in chapter twenty-five they are still free and can do many things. Chapter twenty-two is concerned with the king's gain or loss, while chapter twenty-five is concerned with the virgins' gain or loss. Salvation is a glory to the King, but the kingdom of the heavens is a gain for the prudent virgins. Today, when they expound the Bible, believers speak only of the problem of salvation. They do not know that after salvation there is still the problem of the kingdom.

  Prudence or foolishness does not refer to one's nature but to the difference in outward behavior. We can prove this from one instance in the New Testament. See Matthew 7:24-26. The prudent one is the one who puts into practice the Lord's words. The foolish one is the one who does not. The "rock" refers to the Lord's words, and "sand" refers to man's opinions. To build on the rock means to base everything on God's words. The foolish one bases everything on his own opinions. Proverbs says that the fear of God is the root of wisdom. Before God, to be simple-minded is wise, and to disobey is foolish. In God's word, it is foolish to say "but," "or," "according to my opinion." To do things according to God's word is utterly foolish in the eyes of man but is prudent in the eyes of God.

  The two kinds of virgins differ only in two respects: the prudent took oil in their vessels, whereas the foolish did not. The prudent could participate in the feast, while the foolish were excluded. However, they have much in common: (1) they were all virgins; (2) they all carried a lamp, signifying their outward behavior; (3) their lamps were lighted, signifying a conduct that glorified God; (4) there was oil, representing the Holy Spirit, in their vessels; (5) they all went out to meet the bridegroom, that is, they were all waiting; (6) they all slept; (7) they all heard the midnight cry; (8) they all arose, signifying resurrection; and (9) they all trimmed their lamps, that is, they all prepared the oil.

  Although the two kinds of virgins have much in common, slight differences can produce widely divergent results. Should we not then be careful in our behavior? The cause determines the effect. A deviation today will cause a further deviation tomorrow. All future deviations arise from present deviations. Whether it will be glory or shame in the future depends on how we make our choice today.

  The foolish virgins did not take oil. This oil is in addition to the oil that is already in the lamp. The five prudent virgins took oil in their vessels. The lamp here refers to outward behavior (Matt. 5:16, "light" refers to good works that glorify the Father), whereas oil refers to the Holy Spirit (cf. Exo. 30:22-33; Zech. 4:2, 12; Heb. 1:9; 1 John 2:20, 27).

  Here there are two kinds of analogies: the oil in the lamp and the oil in the vessel. The oil in the lamp typifies the Holy Spirit, who dwells in the regenerated person. Every Christian has the indwelling Holy Spirit (see Ezek. 36:26; Eph. 1:13). Proverbs 20:27 (ASV) says, "The spirit of man is the lamp of Jehovah, / Searching all his innermost parts." Romans 8:9 tells us that all the regenerated ones have the Spirit of Christ. From 2 Corinthians 13:5 and 1 John 3:24; 4:13 we see that if a man is not disapproved, then Jesus Christ lives in him. The Lord lives in us through the Holy Spirit.

  Having oil in the vessel means that there is not only the indwelling of the Holy Spirit but also the infilling of the Spirit. At the time of regeneration we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. But the infilling by the Holy Spirit is conditioned upon our pursuit of the Lord after regeneration. Every believer has the Holy Spirit, but not every believer is filled by the Holy Spirit.

  There are two kinds of filling: (1) being filled with the Holy Spirit and (2) being full of the Holy Spirit. The former is related to the gift for the work, while the latter is related to the holiness of life. The oil in the vessel includes these two kinds of fillings: being filled and being full of. The vessel is something apart from the lamp and is not the main emphasis of this parable. It does not have any special significance. Since oil is not a solid, it needs a vessel to contain it. God's desire is that we will not only have oil in the lamp but will also be filled with and full of oil. A student's goal in studying is not just to pass the examination (that is, to be saved) but also to excel (that is, to be filled).

  To prepare the lamp is not the best way; neither is any kind of dressing up. What God cares for is the extra oil. Yet believers today pay attention only to the outward appearance of the lamp. The less oil there is, the more they strive to dress up with a nice appearance. Shining the lamp, however, cannot replace the need for oil.

  We think that it is enough to have oil once, but God requires that we have oil twice. The second oil is different from the first oil. The first time we receive the oil, it is freely given by God. The second time, we gain it by paying a price. Whoever is not willing to pay the price, deny the self, and pursue the oil will never obtain the second oil. May we all be watchful! If we are loose and lazy today, others may not be able to tell whether we have the second oil or not. But no laziness will escape that day; in that day all will be tried.

  Believers, are you willing to pay the price? The filling of the Holy Spirit is the condition for rapture. A balloon can rise only when it is filled with gas. The same is true with us. Therefore, let us all pay the price to prepare oil in our vessel, lest we become the foolish virgins.

  Verses 5-7:"And while the bridegroom delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, Behold, the bridegroom! Go forth to meet him! Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their own lamps."

  Verses 5-7 form one section. They speak concerning the history of the foolish virgins. While on earth we cannot discern this foolishness. The bridegroom's delay in coming was intended as a test to see who is prudent and who is foolish. At first both the prudent and the foolish ones have the light. Perhaps the foolish would laugh at the prudent for unnecessarily taking an extra portion of oil. Many are qualified to be caught up in the beginning, but eventually they fail because of the Lord's tarrying. Those who consider the Lord to be tarrying are the evil slaves, and those who expect the Lord to return soon are the foolish ones. The parable of the evil slave instructs the believers to prepare themselves to meet the Lord today. The parable of the virgins teaches us to consider that the Lord will return no sooner than a few decades later. If the Lord comes back after fifty years, will you be prepared to meet Him? Take heed lest your lamp contains enough oil to burn only till midnight and not after. If you prepare only enough to last till midnight, the Lord will surely tarry until midnight is past. Do not underestimate the Lord's testing. The Lord's tarrying speaks of the need for the oil in the vessel. Whether our lamps will burn only till midnight or will burn throughout the night depends on whether or not we have oil in our vessels. The shining at the beginning is not so crucial here.

  The bridegroom is the Lord. When the Lord tarried, the virgins all slumbered and slept. Parables should be interpreted, of course, spiritually. Sleep in the Scriptures has two meanings: (1) spiritual deadness (Rom. 13:11-14; 1 Thes. 5:6) and (2) physical death (1 Thes. 4:13; John 11:11). Sleep here must fall under one of the above two explanations. If sleep denotes spiritual deadness: (1) Why did the prudent not overcome the sleepiness? (2) Sleep here is not crucial because the prudent did not suffer any loss because of their sleep. (3) The Lord did not reprove them for their sleeping — He was not concerned for this matter at all. (4) Note the instruction in verse 13. The Lord tells us to follow the example of the five prudent virgins in their watchfulness; therefore, it is not reasonable to say that sleep implies spiritual deadness. Based on these reasons, we know that sleep is physical death and that slumber is to become seriously ill, to be at the juncture of life and death (Acts 9:37; 1 Cor. 11:30).

  "At midnight there was a cry." The midnight cry refers to the shout of the archangel in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. This shout is to wake up the dead believers, whereas the trumpet in 1 Corinthians 15:52 is to gather them together. The hearers are the dead believers; the cry at midnight must refer to 1 Thessalonians 4:16. To be raised up refers to resurrection. The bridegroom has come, so go forth to meet Him. Thus both parties come together and meet in the air.

  "All...arose" proves that all Christians are resurrected together. It seems that here there is time for some conversation. Yet in 1 Corinthians 15:52, "in the twinkling of an eye" does not seem to allow for such opportunity. Remember that this is a parable. Parables are always like this. In reality there is no time, yet there may appear to be time in the parable. In Matthew 20:11-12, in the beginning there is work; then comes the reward and the argument with the Lord. In reality the latter surely will not happen. The same is also true of Matthew 22:1-14. For this reason, in our study of the parables we pay our attention mainly to the teachings.

  Why are not the dead ones caught up into the air immediately after resurrection? As revealed in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, the dead will rise first, then those who are living and left remaining. Since there is an order, there can be a period of time between the two. "The twinkling of an eye" in 1 Corinthians 15 refers to the resurrection and not to the rapture. Thus, it is neither surprising nor unlikely for the virgins to be able to trim their lamps after their resurrection. (A dying person in his last five minutes can also recall the things he did in his whole lifetime. It is thus quite natural for the resurrected ones to do the same immediately after they resurrected.)

  Verses 8-9:"And the foolish said to the prudent, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. But the prudent answered, saying, Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves." This shows the discovery of the lack. When the bridegroom tarried, the foolish ones found that they were lacking oil. The bridegroom's tarrying was a test to expose their prudence or foolishness. The foolish virgins might have thought that the five prudent virgins were over-cautious by taking oil with their vessels. Now they discover their need. "Give us some of your oil." This means, "Give us of the gift of the Holy Spirit." One should know that the gift of the Holy Spirit can be given, but not the fullness of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17; 19:6; 2 Tim. 1:6). To ask only for the gift of the Holy Spirit is useless. One must have both the gift and the fullness. We cannot borrow oil from others, whether they are our parents, brothers, sisters, or close relatives. Our spiritual fullness requires that we pay the price. Pretending to be spiritual can get us by today, but it will not be sufficient for that day. Obtaining the Holy Spirit requires fellowshipping with the Lord and paying the price to pursue Him. No matter how long you stay with other spiritual ones, it will not help you. Do not think we can borrow oil from others. To borrow light, yes; but to borrow oil, no.

  "Perhaps there will not be enough." In other words, we cannot help you; it is not possible to help others in this matter. There are times when the Lord will permit certain kinds of "holy selfishness." Just because some are foolish, we should not allow ourselves also to become foolish for sympathy's sake. Although we should express our concern for others, we must reserve for ourselves a certain "sacred selfishness"; otherwise, there will not be enough. That is, both will suffer loss. The other party will not receive any help, and your effort will not improve the situation.

  "Buy for yourselves" touches many points:

  (1) At that time there is still the possibility and opportunity to buy oil. Note that this does not mean that dead people still have the opportunity to be saved after their resurrection. Furthermore, the unsaved are not resurrected at this time.

  (2) This implies that the oil of the five prudent virgins was also bought originally. They paid a price for their oil. From this we know that slothful ones cannot be filled by the Holy Spirit.

  (3) For the infilling of the Holy Spirit, there is a price to be paid. It cannot be obtained by begging. When one goes to buy, he must know what he wants to buy. Often when we meet friends in a department store and ask them what they want to buy, they say they do not know. Many Christians are like this. They do not see the need to buy oil, or they know the price but cannot pay it. Most believers today do not know the importance of the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

  The amount of oil in the lamp is not sufficient to last past midnight. Only the oil in the vessel is sufficient. The new covenant in the heart can only produce new desires; it cannot supply the strength. Having only the desires causes frustration because there is not the power to fulfill them. Hence, the infilling is crucial. Since man needs it, he should pay the price for it. Do not think that as long as one is saved, he is all right. One must first consider the price. Consider the Lord's word about the building of the tower and the king going to war (Luke 14:28-32). When many hear of the high price, they turn away. They do not realize the need for the oil.

  The price differs for each person. Some may have to clear up matters, while others may need to get rid of certain things in their lives. In short, oil requires that a price be paid; it cannot be obtained for free. Even when the oil is obtained, it is not for the interest of the individual but rather for the glory of God. In working for God, many love to use their gift and power as a kind of ornament. But God never exalts Christians by gifts and power. The price may not always be known; nevertheless, it is there.

  The most important thing here is the dealing with sin; it is the prerequisite. Before sin is dealt with, one cannot consider paying the price. The confession of sins is not the paying of the price; it is our undisputed duty. Even the five foolish virgins did that.

  (4) Paying the price. A penny of price will buy a penny of goods. Whatever price one pays, that much oil he will get. The cross cannot be separated from the Holy Spirit. The killing (which comes before death) of the Lord should be magnified in our body (2 Cor. 4:9-11). The cross opens up room for the new covenant to move in. The infilling of the new covenant is not necessarily sensed or felt; it is a fact. It is not necessary for us to be able to sense our heartbeat. It is enough that the reality of the heartbeat is there. The only begotten Son has been given, but the oil cannot be given; it must be bought.

  There are four items in the Bible the obtaining of which demands that a price be paid. (a) Proverbs 23:23 says, "Buy the truth." To know the truth, we must have a determination to practice the truth, then seek and pursue it. (b) Revelation 3:18 says, "gold refined by fire," (c) "white garments," and (d) "eyesalve."

  Buying here is not for the unbelievers. God cannot ask the unbelievers to buy. Furthermore, the church in Laodicea is still the church. Gold refined by fire signifies the faith that can go through testing without suffering defeat. This is the faith in dealing with the environment (1 Pet. 1:7). For God to allow a believer to pass through trials is an honor. When a believer passes through trials, God is glorified before Satan, as He was with Job.

  In Revelation there are two kinds of white garments: (a) The white garment obtained before God is the Lord Jesus. This is our being cleansed when we put on Christ. Those without this white garment are not saved. (b) The white garment before the Lord is the righteousness that comes from the moving of the Lord's Spirit in us. Those without such a white garment are naked before the Lord and cannot receive a reward.

  (5) This section gives us the hint that the oil must be bought anyway. The infilling of the Holy Spirit is not something that is up to you. Sooner or later all believers will have to be filled by the Holy Spirit. Do not think that the five prudent virgins went to extremes. When the time comes, God will force you to go to extremes too. Ephesians 5:18 is a command. If you do not keep it today, you will have to keep it someday.

  (6) Where do the foolish virgins go to buy the oil? At that time, the end of the tribulation, who will be on earth to sell the oil? There will be two: Enoch and Elijah (Rev. 11:2-4). They are the "olive trees," which bear oil-producing fruit. Zechariah 4:11-12 also speaks of them as the oil-producing plants. Enoch and Elijah were both prophets who had the gift of the Holy Spirit. They were the sons of oil, supplying others with oil. But note, Enoch and Elijah can supply only part of the oil. To be full of the Holy Spirit still requires our own pursuit.

  (7) How can there be suffering after resurrection? The Bible does not consider this a problem. You may have the prejudice that there will be no suffering after the resurrection. But one must realize that everyone who is suffering in hell is resurrected. After resurrection, some will have joy, while others will have suffering. If a Christian's temper is not dealt with when he is alive, it will not be dealt with after his death either. The greed, pride, and selfishness of the rich man were still there after he died. Death cannot make a person holy. Otherwise, every man would be made holy, since every man dies once.

  For this reason, after resurrection there is the need to trim the lamps. In verse 8 the lamp is going out, which means that the lamp can never actually go out. The life that God gives us will forever remain. Yet many Christians' experience of the Holy Spirit is in a situation of "going out." Many times it seems as if it has "gone out," but actually the Holy Spirit never leaves. Although the Holy Spirit cannot leave because of man's unfaithfulness, there are many Christians who are at the point of "going out."

  Verse 10:"And as they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came; and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast. And the door was shut." Eventually, the five foolish virgins needed the oil, and so they had to go and buy. Unfortunately, when they went to buy, the Lord came. Those who were ready were caught up into the clouds to join Him in the air. The Lord did not call these the "true" virgins. The question is one of being ready or not being ready. It does not mean that the five raptured ones are the true virgins, while the others are not. There are many true Christians, but not many are prepared.

  "The wedding feast" here is the marriage feast (Rev. 19:7, 9; 21:9-10). The bride is the New Jerusalem, including all who are joined to God in the Old Testament age and the New Testament age. Revelation 19 precedes the kingdom, whereas Revelation 21 is after the kingdom. Between the two there is a period of one thousand years. To be a bride is a one-time thing. From this we know that the time of the marriage feast will be a thousand years. This thousand years is the millennial kingdom. Since after the kingdom there is still the bride, the feast lasts the same length of time as the kingdom.

  The marriage feast is the sharing of joy with the Bridegroom. No one else can have this joy. That is why Revelation 19:9 says, "Blessed are they." This blessedness refers to this joy. The blessedness in Revelation 20:6 refers to authority, which is similar to that found in Revelation 3:20-21. The word "blessed" is used seven times in Revelation (1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14). Why does Matthew 25 not use the word "bride"? It is because the bride is corporate, whereas the virgin is individual. There cannot be five brides. The "door" here refers to the door of the kingdom, that is, the door to eating, drinking, and rejoicing. "The door was shut." Not the door of salvation, heaven, and eternal life, but the door to the enjoyment of the marriage feast, was shut. They lost the enjoyment of the marriage feast. Whoever is prepared can go in, but those who are not prepared cannot go in. Not being able to go in is in itself a punishment.

  Verse 11:"And later the rest of the virgins came also, saying, Lord, lord, open to us!" In verse 11 we have the pleadings of the foolish virgins. By now they have bought the oil. The five prudent and the five foolish were all virgins; they all had lamps, oil, and light. They all went forth to meet the bridegroom. They all slept, heard the cry, and arose. They all trimmed their lamps, and by now they all have oil in their vessels. The only difference is time; some are faster than others in discerning the time. On the road to Emmaus the Lord rebuked the two disciples saying, "O foolish and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!" (Luke 24:25). In like manner, the Lord rebuked Thomas in John 20:29. The question of time is crucial. Those who suffer in hell all believe in the Lord, but they believe too late. The foolish do not redeem the time, but the wise redeem the time. They are the ones who are filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:17-18). Brothers and sisters, since we have to be filled by the Holy Spirit anyway, why not let it be today? Why choose to wait until that time when the rapture takes place?

  Here we see at least two raptures. Those who are not yet saved will not even have the opportunity to go to the Lord to knock on the door. Only those who are saved will have the possibility of being raptured to the Lord. The difference, however, is in the time. As soon as we mature, we will be raptured. Therefore, in a sense, we determine our own time of rapture. We decide for ourselves whether we will be wise or foolish.

  Verse 12:"But he answered and said, Truly I say to you, I do not know you." Here they are still virgins. To the bridegroom their relationship is still that toward the "lord." He opens the door to us, and we enter into the enjoyment of the bliss of the kingdom.

  "I do not know you." Many use this, together with the fact that the foolish do not have oil, as a basis to say that those five are unsaved ones. How can the Lord say that He does not know the saved ones? Let us consider this carefully.

  (1) "But He answered." "But" means contrary to the ordinary, unexpected. In Luke 15:22 the word "but" points out the father of the prodigal son's intention, hope, and expectation. Therefore, the word "but" here proves that the "do not know" is not a common "do not know."

  (2) The Lord knows all those who are saved (2 Tim. 2:19; Gal. 4:9; John 10:14). There are two words in the Greek language that mean "to know": ginosko and oida. The former is objective, whereas the latter is subjective. In Timothy and Galatians it is ginosko, and in Matthew 25 it is oida.

  (3) Oida in the Bible has these uses: to command, to praise, to approve, and to like. John 1:26 says, "You do not know (oida)." The Jews did ginosko the Lord, but they did not oida the Lord; they did not love the Lord. John 1:31 says, "Did not know (oida) Him." John and the Lord were cousins; hence, naturally, they ginoskoed each other, but there was not the deeper knowing. John 8:19 says, "Know (oida) neither Me." The Jews, on the surface, ginosko the Lord very well. The meaning here is that the Jews do not approve or accept the Lord. Luke 13:22-30 depicts the situation in the kingdom. They ginosko the Lord the most, for they drank and ate in His presence. They also heard His teachings. Yet the Lord said that they were workers of unrighteousness. "Unrighteousness" should be translated "lawlessness." The knowing in 1 Corinthians 16:15 is oida, a knowing even of the household matters. In 1 Thessalonians 1:5 the word is oida. In that verse there is the meaning of trusting; hence, it is subjective knowing.

  (4) Matthew 10:32 and Luke 12:9 refer to matters that take place before the kingdom. The same is true of Matthew 12. The Christian who believes in secret is not lost, but in the kingdom he will not be commended by the Lord. In Matthew 26:70 the Greek word for "know" is oida, while that for "deny" is arneomai. Arneomai also means "reject, overthrow" (v. 72). I do not oida the man; hence, I arneomai him. I do not oida; therefore, I deny (that is, I overthrow, I reject). Hence, "I do not know." Matthew 10:33 speaks of the disciples. It does not refer to salvation. Those who do not testify will also be arneomaied by the Lord.

  (5) The Old Testament also speaks of oida (1 Sam. 3:7). Samuel already objectively ginoskoed Jehovah, but he did not subjectively oida Him.

  (6) The reward of the kingdom is altogether righteous. For the Lord not to acknowledge them is also an aspect of righteousness. The tone is like that of a judge judging his son; he must ask for his son's name. "I do not know you" here carries the sense of honoring only the subpoena but not the person. There is also the sense of not caring and not accepting.

  Verse 13:"Watch therefore, for you do not know the day nor the hour." The lesson here is still to be watchful. The Lord told them to watch, showing that all the virgins had life. The Lord did not say to the virgins that they needed to be born again to obtain salvation. In verse 10 those who were ready went in with Him to the feast. To be ready is to be watchful; hence, the two are together. To be ready is to have no unfinished business. Every day a ready person is prepared to hand over his business. A watchful person is one who sees His coming and is therefore always ready. We believers should be those who can hand over everything every day. For us, the Lord can come any day.

  The five foolish virgins were ready and watchful in the beginning, but they did not persevere. Readiness is related to the unfinished business in our lives. Watchfulness is related to the imminent coming of the Lord. To be ready, to be watchful, and to wait requires the strength that comes from the infilling of the Holy Spirit, the second kind of oil. One cannot trust in his self. The self quickly becomes weak and confused. In order for our watchfulness to last, we must depend on the Holy Spirit. The filling of the Holy Spirit will automatically issue forth in good works, the fruits that glorify God.

  Those who are truly watchful always feel that they are not fully ready; they do not trust in themselves and are willing to follow humbly. Brothers and sisters, it is of no benefit to equip ourselves with prophecy if we are not watchful and ready. Would it not be a great loss if we have the knowledge of prophecy today yet suffer loss in the future? Get ready! The Lord wants to see our lamps and our light. Watch! No one knows the day or the hour. If the day and the hour were known, there would be no need to watch. In chapters twenty-four and twenty-five there are five instances where it is said that no one knows the day of the Lord's coming. This repetition is to stress its importance. Do not rely on being caught up after the tribulation. The Lord does not reveal the day of His coming because He wants us to be watchful.

  Verses 14-30:The parable of the talents, from verse 14 through verse 30, can be divided into four sections: (a) the distribution of the Lord's talents (vv. 14-15); (b) the ways the slaves used their talents (vv. 16-18); (c) the judgment of the first and second slaves (vv. 19-23); and (d) the judgment of the third slave (vv. 24-30).

  In order to understand this parable, we must first understand the difference between our relationship (1) with God and (2) with the Lord. Otherwise, it will be difficult to understand the Bible clearly, and we will encounter many difficulties and contradictions. Before God we are children, and before the Lord we are servants, or slaves. We are children by faith, and we are servants by works. In grace we are children and in responsibility we are slaves. We are children because of the Son and we are slaves because of the Spirit.

  This passage concerns the relationship between the slaves and the Lord, not the relationship between the children and the Father. From 25:14 on, the Gospel of Matthew no longer deals with the relationship between the children and the Father, which is eternal. Rather, it deals with the relationship between the Lord and His slaves, which lasts until the end of the millennium. The relationship with the Father has to do with salvation and eternity. The relationship with the Son has to do with victory and reward. The parable of the talents concerns the reward, not eternity. The question of eternity has already been resolved.

  There are basic differences between the New Testament and the Old Testament. In the Old Testament we must labor before we can gain life. That is, we must first be slaves; then we can be children. However, in the New Testament we must first possess life, and then we work. This means that we must be regenerated first; then we become slaves. God does not desire the fleshly service of His believers.

  Verse 14:"For the kingdom of the heavens is just like a man about to go abroad, who called his own slaves and delivered to them his possessions." The phrase "the kingdom of the heavens" is not in the original text. The original text reads, "It is like a man." This "man" is the Lord. The term "abroad" refers to a foreign country, one that is not in this world and is different from any country on earth. Our citizenship is of that country (Phil. 3:20). "About to go abroad" refers to the Lord's ascension (Heb. 9:24; 1 Pet. 3:22). "Called his own slaves." From this we know that this cannot refer to the Jews, because the Jews are not slaves. Neither can it refer to the unsaved, for they are not the Lord's own purchased slaves. Formerly, Abraham circumcised his son and his purchased slaves according to God's covenant. Today our position is both as children reborn and as slaves purchased by the blood. The Lord wants us to serve Him as His slaves. There are two extreme views today in the church: one emphasizes works instead of faith; the other emphasizes faith instead of works.

  "Delivered to them his possessions." Because the man was going to travel abroad, he delivered his possessions to his slaves that he might test them. A servant may be faithful while in the presence of his lord, but his faithfulness is genuine only when it is maintained in the absence of his lord. The man's delivering of his possessions to them indicated that he expected them to manage his possessions for him. The situation is the same today. We serve an invisible Lord who has delivered His possessions to us.

  This parable is different from that in Luke 19:13, where it says, "Do business until I come." Here the Lord did not tell us specifically what to do. Rather, He wants us to seek His will and to accomplish it. Only those who are able to discern and accomplish His will are qualified for the reward. The real test lies in the fact that the slaves are not told what to do.

  Verse 15:"To one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability. And he went abroad." What is a talent? It is usually said that a talent is property, position, power, time, life, personal attributes, a good mind, good health, position in the church, etc. However, a talent is a gift, not a natural ability. This is because (1) only Christians have talents; unbelievers do not. The Lord gave talents only to His slaves, and not to the slaves of others. (2) The talents were given according to ability and were not given carelessly. (3) The talents can be increased, or earned. (4) The talents can be taken away. (5) God did not give them to man in an ordinary way; the talents were given after the Lord's ascension. According to the above five points, we know that the talent is not, as one usually interprets, property or position. If it referred to position, then unbelievers would have talents also. If a talent meant an eldership, how then could an eldership be increased?

  A talent refers to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. For (1) the gifts of the Holy Spirit are possessed only by the Lord (Acts 2:38); (2) they can be dispensed (Acts 19:6); (3) they can be increased (1 Cor. 14:12-13); and (4) they are given according to one's ability. Peter, for example, was a fisherman. He was therefore most gifted in "fishing." John's ability, on the other hand, lay in his net mending. (5) The gifts were given after the ascension, on the day of Pentecost (John 7:39; 16:7), and (6) the gift can be laid aside by us. This is why Paul charged Timothy, "for which cause I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands" (2 Tim. 1:6). There is no doubt that talents are the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

  "To one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one." The Lord mentioned only three slaves. "Three" represents all the believers, just as "seven" in "the seven churches" represents all the churches. (The church in Colossae also was in Asia, but it was not mentioned because it was already included in the seven.) These three slaves refer to three kinds of servants. They cannot denote three individual servants because the Lord would then have only three servants. Since this is a parable, we cannot interpret it in such a literal way. The believers, or slaves, are always given the gift of the Holy Spirit. No one can excuse himself by saying that he has no gift, because we all have at least one talent. Do not excuse yourself by saying that you have no gift. If you have no gift, you are not a child of God. Since all believers do have the gifts of the Holy Spirit, each will have to give an account of himself before the Lord in that day.

  The Lord gives talents to His servants mainly according to their ability. Today too much attention is given to ability. Ability is not talent. We cannot do anything by ability alone. However, we should not take ability lightly. Ability determines the talents given. It is God who gives the ability, which in turn determines the talents. We ourselves cannot control how much ability we have. Therefore, the ones who received five and two talents should not feel proud and self-satisfied. Neither should the one who received one talent feel ashamed, disappointed, or envious. Their abilities and their gifts are all ordained by God. Today the tendency is for believers to prefer the greater ability over the smaller ability. This is fleshly activity. We must remember that grace is given by God for us to do His business. We need only to do His business according to the measure of God's gift. This will reduce division and strife in the church, for we understand that gifts vary according to ability.

  It is important to notice that the Lord delivered His possessions to the slaves by Himself. He did not appoint someone else to do this on His behalf. Hence, the church should not ordain a pastor or trust in any theology, for pastors and theology cannot give gifts. A man has a gift only because he has received it from God, and not because he has received it from man. In these days people like to deliver possessions on behalf of the Lord (through the ordination). Rewards are not given because one has more talents, for the rewards were the same for the one who was given two talents as for the one who was given five talents. The one who received only one talent would have received the same reward if he had gained another talent. The phrase "and he went abroad" refers to ascension.

  Verses 15-18:"To one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability. And he went abroad. Immediately he who had received the five talents went and traded with them and gained another five. Similarly, he who had received the two gained another two. But he who had received the one went off and dug in the earth and hid his master's money." This passage concerns the slaves' trading. They knew that the Lord's desire was that their talents should not lie idle. They knew that the Lord's desire was to see the increase of their talents, and that they should not hoard them in one place. If they would share the same heart as the Lord's, they would enjoy the Lord's happiness in the future. However, it is not easy to engage in trading. There are troubles, worries, risks, and hardships involved. The purpose of this parable is to direct our attention to the third slave. Most Christians are in this category. Receiving one talent is dangerous because those who receive one talent have the greatest tendency to become lazy or slothful and bury their talent. They often feel ashamed of having little, and they often bury their talent. However, the one-talented ones should try to gain another rather than bury the one talent. Some feel that it is better to have nothing than to have only a little. Yet the Lord says that a little is better than nothing at all. Actually knowing how to use your talent is more important than the number of talents you possess. The one who was given five talents was responsible for the five talents. The one who was given two talents was responsible for the two talents. Today believers are always dissatisfied with God's gifts. If you are willing to work only when you have the same gift as a certain brother or sister, God will never give you that gift. This parable focuses on the one who receives only one talent. One who cannot give a great message and save hundreds of people can still do a little for the Lord. It is cowardly to bury our talent. May we have such a heart that as He is willing to give a little, we will be willing to use a little.

  The one talent was not put in a box or in the attic but was buried in the ground. The ground is a likely place to bury God's gift. When we are close to the ground, or the earthly things, it becomes easy to bury God's gift. We cannot magnify God's gift if we bury God's talent. It is impossible for a believer to preach the truth if he has just told crude jokes or spoken lewd words. He has lost his testimony. Therefore, let us stand firm in our position and make the best possible use of the gift we have received. We must not make friends with the world, lest our gift be buried. Bear in mind that the flesh always causes us to look down on the gift of God, and the world always causes us to fail to be a testimony of God.

  "Immediately he who had received the five talents went and traded with them." Trade indicates flow and communication. It means to contact the unbelievers. We need to pray that God will make us one who flows and communicates with unbelievers. If we do not learn how to use our gift today, we will not be able to submit a good account to the Lord in the future. Eventually, we will not be able to use the gift in the kingdom.

  Let us compare the parable of the talents with the parable of the ten virgins. The parable of the talents indicates the importance of using the gifts of the Holy Spirit, whereas the parable of the ten virgins shows the importance of being full of the Holy Spirit. Oil is for ourselves, and talents are for the Lord. Those who have talents should use them to serve God in building up the church; they should not use them for themselves. God will never give you a gift just for your own benefit. Therefore, the one who buries his gift will cause the Lord to suffer a loss. The oil is for life, and the talent is for work. Having the oil means to be filled with the Holy Spirit. You can make the best use of your gift only when you are full of the Holy Spirit.

  Ability alone is of no use, because one who has ability cannot trade without capital. Therefore, believers need only God's gift, not theology or the laying on of hands.

  The gifted one needs to be filled with the Spirit. It is most dangerous to have only talents but no oil. Therefore, the parable of the ten virgins is mentioned first. The Corinthians had many talents but no oil, and this led to much confusion. If there is only oil but no talents, there will be a proper living but not an effective work. Similarly, if there are only talents but no oil, there will be an effective work but not a proper living. Hence, we need to have both the oil and the talent, so that we can have an effective work as well as a proper living.

  The parable of the ten virgins refers to the rapture, whereas the parable of the talents refers to the judgment seat of Christ and the kingdom. In order for the virgins to be raptured, they were required to be full of oil, the living of the Holy Spirit. In order for the slaves to share in the joy of the kingdom, they were required to work, which is to serve the Lord faithfully. These two parables are connected. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is similar to a balloon rising up yet being held by a rope. One day the rope will break, and then the balloon will be raptured.

  If we serve faithfully, we will receive the reward in the kingdom. Today's work is to prepare us for our position in the kingdom. Comparatively, we are now working in a kindergarten. We will be much busier in our future work. All that we learn today will be applied in that day.

  The Lord did not specifically tell his servants that they had to trade. However, they knew the desire of the Lord and therefore invested their talents. Unfortunately, our tendency is to expect someone to ask us, plead with us, pay us, or lay hands on us to ordain us. Otherwise, we prefer to bury our talents rather than invest them.

  Verse 19:"Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them." Being tried takes time. "A long time" refers to the duration of the church age, which has been about two thousand years. It is very easy to forget the Lord's commission as the period of time is prolonged. It is easy to be zealous in the beginning, but as time goes by, we may gradually grow cold and lose our first love. Yet "after a long time" comes the time of judgment. This judgment will soon take place when we become cold. "The master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them." The Lord's second coming is a certainty. One can say that the Lord delayed His coming, but he cannot say that He will not come. Although the slave in Matthew 24:48 was evil, the most he could say was, "My master delays."

  The failure of today's churches is that they do not realize that the Lord will come and reckon with them. Since the time we have believed in the Lord, whatever we have done or whatever we have not done will be reckoned with. However, this reckoning is not concerning our salvation. Our works (1 Cor. 3:10-15), our conversation, and our thoughts will all be displayed before the judgment seat of Christ. This is different from the great white throne of judgment, at which the scrolls will be read. At the judgment seat of Christ we ourselves will have to give the account (Rom. 14:12). We can pass through this judgment if our trespasses have been judged under the blood. Suppose we do not repent and our trespasses are not covered by the blood. Then these will be counted against us. May we learn to judge ourselves. If we are not judged by the blood today, we, the believers, will have to give account of everything. God will reckon with us concerning everything we do in this life. God is full of grace and love, as manifested in the redeeming blood. On the other hand, He is also holy and righteous, as will be manifested before the judgment seat. He cannot overlook our unholiness.

  Before the judgment seat of Christ not only the things we have done, but also the things we have not done, will be judged. The things done in a blind way, as well as our quenching of the Holy Spirit, will be judged. "Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came" (Matt. 25:19-20a). Both the Lord and the slaves came. The two met in the air, indicating the time when the believers will be raptured after the great tribulation (1 Thes. 4:17). The "came" in verse 19 refers to the Lord's descending from the heavens, and the "came" in verse 20 refers to the believers' being raptured into the air.

  Verse 20:"And he who had received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, Master, you delivered to me five talents; behold, I have gained another five talents." He who brought another five talents came first. The "another five talents" indicates five other talents besides the five originally received in verse 16. At that time one will begin to sense the preciousness of gaining an extra "five talents" and will become anxious about not having brought another five talents. However, we do not need to wait until we are before the judgment seat to know if we will be receiving a reward or not. The reward is being decided right now. It all depends on how we deal with the gift that God delivers to us. Therefore, believers should not look down on the gift of the Holy Spirit, no matter how small the gift is. We do not gain our extra portion when we go before the judgment seat; we gain it while we are on earth. We have heard the Holy Spirit's speaking, so we must not harden our hearts (Heb. 3:7-8). We have to bring the original five talents together with the other five talents to the Lord. This shows that our work is for the Lord and not for ourselves. He who steals his master's possessions is certainly not a good slave. We should give glory only to God Himself.

  Verse 21:"His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful over a few things; I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master." If we read only verse 20, it would seem that the reward depends solely on the gaining of other talents. However, we can see clearly in verse 21 that the reward is based primarily on being good and faithful. Therefore, we can all be good and faithful, whether we have received five talents, two talents, or only one talent. To be "good and faithful" does not refer to being a good Christian. It refers to being a good and faithful slave. The "other five talents" does not indicate success. It indicates the goodness and the faithfulness of the slave. Superficially, Stephen failed; but according to the spiritual fact, he accomplished a good and faithful work. That is why offering only a cup of cold water in the name of the Lord (Matt. 10:42) will be rewarded for faithfulness. To be faithful is simply to be wholly for the Lord. Those who are faithful will receive the reward. Even though we are working, we need to ask ourselves, "For whom are we working?" Many times our desire for success is merely to gain the other five talents, not knowing that all successes that are not according to the Lord are still wood, hay, and stubble. The Lord desires that we be faithful. "Well done" is the Lord's praise. We want only to hear the Lord say, "Well done." We endure and suffer because we look forward to this "well done." The Lord's "well done" is priceless. Actually, it is impossible to place a value on it, for our own estimation of our goodness may be faulty.

  "You were faithful over a few things" (v. 21). "A few things" refers to the work of this age. This means that even with the five-talented one, there is not as much work for him today as there will be for him in the kingdom. The "many things" in verse 21 refers to the things of the kingdom. However, we often misunderstand and wrongly consider the Lord's work today to be too vast. The church can be compared to a school, and the believers, to the students who are learning in it. The believers will be dispatched after graduation into the future kingdom to apply what they have learned. Therefore, we can have a foretaste today of the authority of the coming age.

  "Enter into the joy of your master" (v. 21). Compare this verse with Hebrews 12:2. Why is joy mentioned here, but not the kingdom? This is because the reward for faithfulness is inward satisfaction, not outward position. To rejoice with the Lord is the greatest reward, even better than the glory and position in the kingdom, for both we and the Lord are satisfied.

  "I will set you over many things" (v. 21). The word "over" refers to authority. Today is the time to be faithful, and the future will be the time to take authority. Those who are eager to take authority today are just like the evil slave mentioned in chapter twenty-four. God cannot give authority to those who love authority; instead, God gives authority to those who desire to obey. To rule is a matter of the kingdom. On the one hand, we are joyful, and one the other hand, we have authority. The Lord will give us joy to fill up our suffering while yet on this earth. He will give us authority to fill up our losses while living in this world. One who is faithful will definitely bear losses. We cannot be the rich man while living and be Lazarus after our death (see Luke 16:19-26).

  Verse 22-23:"And he who had received the two talents also came and said, Master, you delivered to me two talents; behold, I have gained another two talents. His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful over a few things; I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master." The words spoken to the one who received two talents are exactly the same as those spoken to the one who received five talents. Not even one word is different. Why the repetition? It is to show us that the Lord pays attention not to success and quantity but to faithfulness. Because of this, the reward given to the one who had received five talents is the same as the reward to the one who had received two talents, for they showed the same faithfulness. What the Lord requires is five talents from the one who received five talents, and two from the one who received two. The reward bears no relationship with the amount of the gift as long as one is faithful in service. One who invests his gift will never suffer loss. Our only responsibility to the Lord is to be faithful. Do not admire those who have more gifts, and do not spend time considering that you have lesser gifts. The amount of one's gift is determined by the Lord. The Lord requires more from those who receive more, and less from those who receive less. The Lord rewarded the one who had five talents not because he had five talents, but because he had been faithful. In the eyes of the worldly people, the difference between the first and the second servant is six talents. However, the spiritual mathematics is the same, 5/5 and 2/2. Any believer can receive the same reward. Even though we do not have a gift such as Paul had (our gift can never match his), our reward can be the same as his because we have the same opportunity to serve faithfully. Our hearts can receive the most comfort from the one who received the two talents, for our gift may be less than what others receive, yet our faithfulness should equal theirs.

  Verse 24:"Then he who had received the one talent also came and said, Master, I knew about you, that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow." Was the one who received the one talent saved or not? Surely he was saved. The reasons are: (1) If he were not saved, then everyone (including the unsaved) could receive a reward. (2) If he were not saved, the Lord would be telling us that there is no punishment for a Christian's failure. (3) This one was called the Lord's own slave and therefore had been redeemed by the blood. The Lord cannot choose an unsaved one to be His slave. The Holy Spirit could not use the wrong words. (4) How could the Lord deliver His possessions to the unsaved? (5) When this one received punishment, the Lord still called him a slave, albeit a useless one. Useless does not mean false. (6) He received judgment for his work, not for his believing or not believing. If he were not saved, how could the Lord judge his work? The Lord should then judge his contempt for the precious blood. If he could be counted as saved only after he gained an extra talent, then salvation would not be based on faith. (7) Who were those who were judged with him at the same time? They were the saved who received the reward. Can an unsaved one be judged at the same time as a saved one? No, all those who are judged at the judgment seat of Christ must be saved. (8) If he were not a saved one, the Lord could not rebuke him concerning his unfaithfulness, or for not taking his talent to do the Lord's business, or for not using his gift. The Lord cannot rebuke the unsaved ones for not preaching the gospel. The Lord prefers that they not preach. The deeper they bury their service, the better. (9) The Lord's coming refers to His descending. The slave's coming refers to his being raptured to the air. Can the raptured ones be unsaved? (10) The Lord's judgment is based on the matter of faithfulness, not on the matter of believing. Can the Lord ask the unsaved to be faithful? (11) The Lord did not send anyone to bring him. It was he himself who came forth. He was not afraid to show up before the Lord. An unbeliever will not dare to see the Lord. He would rather have the rocks fall on him. He did not lose even one dollar of the Lord's money. He made his own living and considered that he deserved merit and was without fault. (12) This parable is identical with the one in Luke 19. In Luke the unfaithful slave is clearly distinct from the unbelievers, and there is no confusion.

  Someone may ask why he was cast into outer darkness. Is this not hell? If it means hell, the "darkness" should be changed to the "lake of fire," which will come after the millennium, whereas this event takes place before the millennium.

  Verses 24-25:"Then he who had received the one talent also came and said, Master, I knew about you, that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow. And I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the earth; behold, you have what is yours." This does not mean that anyone dares to speak in this way. Here, the Lord was trying to reveal man's hidden intentions. "Hard" means strict. Therefore, he was afraid. He failed because he did not know the Lord and His grace. He thought that the Lord was too strict, and he himself was still under Mount Sinai. Hence, we should not be afraid in the age of grace. The Lord is responsible for success or failure, but we are responsible for being faithful.

  Verse 26:"And his master answered and said to him, Evil and slothful slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not winnow." If our Lord reaps where He has not sown and gathers where he has not winnowed, then what about that which has already been sowed and winnowed? The Lord surely would require of us. We have no ground for argument before His judgment seat. This was wholly due to the slave's laziness. Moody said that no lazy person can be saved. It is certain that no lazy person can receive a reward. A believer will probably receive judgment not only for wrongdoing, but also for not doing. Do not think that because your gift is so small, you would rather not use it. Do not wait until you have time to serve. The same principle applies when we persuade a person to believe in the Lord. We ask him to believe at once and not to wait until he has more time.

  Verse 27:"Therefore you should have deposited my money with the money changers; and when I came, I would have recovered what is mine with interest." The phrase "deposited my money with the money changers" indicates that the gift can be distributed to others. To trade means nothing other than contacting more people. To deposit "with the money changers" means to have communication with a few or even only one. He should not have buried his gift and refrained from passing it along to at least one other person. Although he received a lesser gift than the others, he should have at least tried to use it a little bit. Why did he not save even one person, help even one person, or comfort even one person? We are not responsible for the success of our work, but it is a pity if we have not helped even one person to be saved. At the least we should save one person.

  Verse 28:"Take away therefore the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents." The third slave received two punishments: the talent being taken away and him being cast out. The faithful slaves received two rewards: joy and authority. "Give it to him who has the ten talents." This proves that our Lord is not a hard man, for He did not reserve the one talent for Himself, but gave it to the one who had ten talents.

  Verse 29:"For to every one who has, more shall be given, and he shall abound; but from him who does not have, even that which he has shall be taken away from him." This is the principle. "Has" and "does not have" both refer to having and not having today. The one who has today will experience increase and even abundance in the future, for he may be promoted to take care of even more things. There is more opportunity to exercise gifts in the kingdom. But for the one who does not pay serious attention to using his gift, the gift that he has will be taken away.

  Verse 30:"And cast out the useless slave into the outer darkness. In that place there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth." To be "cast...into the outer darkness" is the second punishment given to the third slave. The outer darkness is not absolute but relative. If we want to know what "the outer darkness" indicates, we need to understand at what time the Lord will say this. The Lord will say this when He descends and the saints are caught up to the air to be judged before the judgment seat of Christ. Therefore, "the outer darkness" refers to the outer part of the air. The New Testament never mentions that hell is the outer darkness. Hell has no darkness, but rather fire. However, there will be darkness around the Lord when He comes down, yet glory inside, as depicted by Psalm 18:9-11, which refers to His coming down (parousia). "Weeping" refers to the slave's regretting that he missed the opportunity to use his one talent wisely. "Gnashing" refers to grieving over the loss suffered, especially through his neglect in preaching the gospel. He will not pass through the punishment of fire, but he will not receive authority and joy.

  There are three things here that are interrelated. They are the blood, the cross, and the judgment seat of Christ. Even though there are no apparent verses dealing with this relationship, it is a fact borne out in our life and experience that cannot be denied. Among the three, the cross of Christ is the center. The judgment seat of Christ is in the future, while the blood and the cross are in the past. However, the blood is on the side opposite the judgment seat. Those who miss the blood and the cross — those who have not been dealt with by the blood and the cross — will not miss the judgment seat of Christ. If one misses the cross, he must at least pass through the blood. The believer must pass through both the blood and the cross in order to have peace before the judgment seat of Christ. The blood is objective, for cleansing, redemption, and remission of sins, whereas the cross is subjective, to crucify sin, the old man, the world, and the old creation.

  Our failure affects two parties: God and ourselves. Man can be washed clean and recover his fellowship with God by the blood alone if he has committed sins and broken his fellowship with God. The blood deals with sins, and the cross deals with the power of sin, which can never be washed away. The blood can forgive the sins but cannot keep one from committing the sins again. The soul, the world, and the flesh all need the dealing of the cross. The blood brings in forgiveness, but the cross brings in deliverance.

  We can come forward boldly to the judgment seat only if we have passed under the blood and if we have been placed upon the cross. Before His judgment seat, the Lord will judge our gossip, our intentions, our work, and the works we have left undone. However, the failures that have become facts have to be put under the blood. Although the light is severe at the judgment seat, it cannot reveal the sins that are under the blood. How can we deal with a gossiping tongue? This requires the cross. We must receive the cross by faith and must acknowledge that the old man has been crucified on the cross. The judgment seat cannot search the cross for things to judge. After being washed by the blood, we must still come back to the cross. Otherwise, there is the possibility of repeating the offense, and we still could be rebuked before the judgment seat of Christ.

  Verses 31-46 give the parable of the sheep and the goats. This parable refers to the Gentiles. According to the Scriptures there are three categories of people: the Jews, the church, and the Gentiles. Since in chapters twenty-four and twenty-five the Jews and the church have been covered, this portion describes the prophecy concerning the Gentiles at the end of time.

  However, presently there are two interpretations regarding this parable: (1) that it refers to the future universal judgment at the end time, and (2) that it refers to the judgment of Christians. Both interpretations are wrong.

  (1) This judgment does not refer to a future universal judgment at the end time.

  (a) Suppose this refers to a universal judgment in the future. Such a judgment would necessitate the inclusion of the Jews, the church, and the Gentiles, regardless of whether they are dead or living. Today there is a great fallacy in the church which asserts that there is to be a universal judgment. Actually, no such thing is mentioned in the Scriptures at all. Instead, the Scriptures distinctly separate the judgment on the church from that on the Jews and that on the Gentiles. Based on this parable, many say that salvation can be ascertained only at the judgment seat. They hope that after they die or sometime in the future they will be saved. In this way, the church today is made merely a place where salvation is hoped for. If indeed there is a universal judgment, we will not possibly know whether or not we are now saved.

  (b) Let us see who those are who are under the judgment. "And all the nations" in verse 32 should be rendered "the people of all the nations, the Gentiles," or "the aliens of all the nations." Therefore, those who will be judged are clearly the Gentiles. The same word was used in Matthew 4:15; 6:32; 10:5, 18; 12:18; 20:19, 25. In the Greek language, this word includes all the Gentiles. See also Romans 15:11 and Acts 15:17.

  (c) Again consider the time of the judgment. It is before the millennium (v. 34). In Revelation 20:11-15 there is yet another judgment, at the white throne. Therefore, we are certain that there cannot be one universal judgment.

  (d) Then, consider the place of the judgment. The Lord is sitting upon the throne of glory. In Revelation 3:21 there are two thrones, one of the Son and the other of the Father. Today the Lord is sitting on the throne of the Father. In the future He will be sitting on His own throne. Matthew 25:31 refers to His own throne, the throne of the kingdom; it is on earth. Suppose the people of all the nations in verse 32 were not on the earth but in the air. How then can these people be divided into nations? Where are the boundaries for all the nations? The nations' boundaries exist only on earth. If the judgment is not on earth, those who are to be judged must have been raptured. This will mean that a portion of those who are raptured are the unsaved ones.

  (e) All the judged are living persons, and there is no dead person. In the Scriptures there are only two occasions of resurrection, and they are separated by a span of a thousand years. In the first resurrection there are no unsaved ones. Here, the goats are those set for perdition. They, therefore, cannot be in the first resurrection. Thus, this judgment does not concern Christians.

  (f) Satan has not yet been cast into the lake of fire. The words "prepared for the devil" in verse 41 are a proof of this. Prepared means that it has not happened yet. If the judgment spoken of here is the judgment at the white throne, then Satan should have been cast into the lake of fire long before.

  (g) The Son of Man is the Lord's name in the kingdom. After a thousand years this kingdom will become the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 15:24).

  (h) The prophecy needs to coincide with other portions of the Scriptures. Elsewhere the Scriptures clearly describe that there are several judgments.

  (2) This judgment does not pertain to the church. Some consider sheep as referring always to Christians (John 10). However, the same is not true here, for the following reasons:

  (a) The people of "all the nations," who are the Gentiles, would then be participating in the judgment of the people in the church. According to John 12:48, these people have never received the word of the Lord, and they do not know the Lord.

  (b) This judgment will not be according to the laws of Moses nor according to faith, but according to their deeds. Hence, they are neither the Jews nor the church.

  (c) The church was chosen before the foundation of the world, but they were chosen from the foundation of the world.

  (d) They do not even know when they serve a little brother. Suppose these are Christians. How can they not know the Lord? A Christian clearly serves the little brother for the Lord's sake. The Jews give alms, knowing that it is for Jehovah's sake. But these people here simply do not know what they are doing. Even the slothful servant knows, as does the evil servant (Matt. 25:24; 24:48). John 14:19-20 says that the church knows the Lord.

  (e) The judgment for us Christians is not on the earth but rather in the air.

  (f) This judgment is not the first resurrection, because there are unsaved ones here.

  (g) This judgment is for eternal life and eternal death. This kind of judgment has long been resolved for the Christians.

  (h) The saved ones and the unsaved ones cannot be put together in one place.

  (i) Whoever the little brother is, he must be different from the sheep and the goats. The little brother is a believer of the Lord — one who has already been judged. Undoubtedly, he is a Christian. (He is not a Jew, since the relationship of brotherhood between the Lord and the Jews has already been severed — Matt. 12:46-50 see also the text below.) If the sheep are the Christians, there will not be a clear distinction between them and the goats.

  (j) Christians know clearly who are the children who love God; but these people do not.

  (k) If they are Christians, then the salvation of a Christian is not by faith but by the good treatment of a little brother.

  (l) If a man is saved by giving food, providing shelter, supplying medicine, and visiting prisoners, then there will be no opportunity for the little brother to be saved, for while he is in prison, he has no possibility of carrying out these good deeds.

  The parable of the sheep and the goats can be divided into four main sections: (1) the gathering of the sheep and the goats (vv. 31-33), (2) the dialogue with the sheep (vv. 34-40), (3) the dialogue with the goats (vv. 41-45) and (4) the conclusion (v. 46).

  The first section: the gathering of the sheep and the goats.

  Verse 31:"But when the Son of Man comes in His glory and all the angels with Him, at that time He will sit on the throne of His glory." The names of the Lord in chapter twenty-five are all meaningful. The Bridegroom is in relation to the virgins, the Lord is in relation to His slaves, and the Son of Man is in relation to the Gentiles; all of these describe a relationship with man. Strictly, verses 31-46 cannot be regarded as a parable, since the phrase "like unto" is not used here. These verses are real facts. For this reason "the Son of Man" is used. This name has the meaning of judgment. In John 5:25 and 27 the Son of God gives resurrection, indicating a relationship with the church, but the Son of Man executes judgment, indicating a relationship with the Gentiles. The Son of Man is also related to the kingdom. In Daniel 7:13-14, when the Lord comes to establish the kingdom, He must first judge the world. Those who pass the judgment will be the citizens in the kingdom. If we are to be kings, we must have citizens. Without citizens, there can be no kingdom.

  "Comes in His glory and all the angels with Him." The glory of the Lord includes the glory of His divine person, the glory of His morality, the glory of His humanity, and the glory that was given to Him by God (Phil. 2:6-11). Here the glory refers to the exaltation given to Him by man. This glory was attained by the Lord in His obedience unto death. The kingdom is a reward from God. The glory here is not the eternal glory, which every Christian has. The glory of the kingdom is attained only by those who have gone through suffering (Heb. 2:9).

  The scene described here is the same as that mentioned in Matthew 24:30. Therefore, the judgment here should follow immediately that in Matthew 24:30. "All the angels with Him" is for the gathering of all peoples. These Gentiles have not followed Antichrist, for those who followed him will have been slaughtered by the Lord with the sword of His mouth already. They are not believers in the Lord, nor are they followers of Antichrist (cf. Matt. 13:41).

  "The throne of His glory." Today there is the throne of grace. Before this throne of grace we can receive timely help (Heb. 4:16). In that day it will be a throne of glory, of holiness, and of immediate judgment. Glory leads to holiness, holiness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to judgment.

  The throne is on the earth, even in Jerusalem. The throne of God is in heaven (Matt. 5:34). Today the Son is sitting on the Father's throne (Rev. 3:21). That the throne is in Jerusalem is evident from Luke 1:32-33. The throne of David is in Jerusalem. The throne of the Lord is simply the throne of David. The throne of the Lord's glory is described in Matthew 19:28.

  In verse 31 the first "glory" is initial at the time of His coming, whereas the second "glory" is perpetual.

  Verse 32:"And all the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." "All the nations" refers to all Gentile people. "Gathered" should be rendered "summoned." Who are these Gentile people? There will be two judgments for all the Gentiles who will be alive. The first will be for the group who follow Antichrist. They will be slaughtered at Jerusalem by the sword in the Lord's mouth. Those referred to here have not followed Antichrist. They constitute the majority. The judgment for the Gentiles who follow Antichrist is seen in Micah 4:11-13 Zephaniah 3:8; Zechariah 12:9; Revelation 16:14, 19; and Joel 3:12. They will be instigated by Antichrist to destroy Israel, and in turn will be destroyed by the Lord at His coming.

  "He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." This is a small parable within this passage in verses 31-46. In the Scriptures there are three kinds of sheep: (1) the believers in the church (John 10:1-18), (2) the Jews (Psa. 80:1; Jer. 23:1-4; 31:10), and (3) the Gentiles (Ezek. 34:11-16 refers to the Jews; vv. 17-19, to the Gentiles; vv. 20-22, to the Gentiles again. In Psalm 100:1-3 "all ye lands" refers to the Gentiles. Furthermore, we have the parable of the lost sheep.) Hence, sheep do not necessarily refer to Christians. It will not be possible for any separation to occur in heaven or in hell. Separation is needed only on earth. First there is separation; then comes the judgment. The verdict is first announced, and then the judgment executed. This judgment is not based on works (as is the case of the white throne), but is based on nature. Sheep are by nature sheep, and goats are by nature goats.

  Verse 33:"And He will set the sheep on His right hand and the goats on the left." The "right hand" refers to a position of glory. After the Lord was glorified, He ascended to the right hand of the Father.

  The second section: the dialogue with the sheep.

  Verse 34:"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." The Lord is the King of the Gentiles, and the Head and the Bridegroom to the church. But the Lord is also the King of the Gentiles and of the Jews. This implies that He will exercise the Jewish authority in dealing with the Gentiles. When the Lord becomes the King of the Gentiles, the age of the Gentiles will be over. Today, the Jews are lowly among the nations; but a time will come when the Jews will be raised up and the Gentiles will be subdued by them.

  "You who are blessed of My Father." Here it says, "My Father" and not "our Father." The Scripture seldom uses the term "our Father." John 20 is an exception. "My Father" implies that they, having no relationship with the Lord, are not Christians. Obviously, the Lord cannot speak of "our Father," because these people do not know the Lord.

  "Blessed." This is the blessing on earth. The blessing for the church is heavenly. Hence, verse 31 does not have the expression "the kingdom of the heavens is like" because this takes place on earth.

  The future kingdom of the heavens has three different realms: (1) The earthly kingdom; this is simply the original blessing given to Adam for ruling over all things — the earth then worked for men to replenish and multiply. After man's fall, such a blessing was lost. For this reason the Lord said, "From the foundation of the world." Today we are afraid of being hurt by animals, but in that day there will be no need for such fear. (2) The kingdom of the Jews; its sphere is the land of Canaan, which extends from the Nile to the river Euphrates (Gen. 17:6-8). Although the sphere is in the land of Canaan, the sovereignty extends beyond the kingdom (cf. Gen. 17:16, a mother of nations, kings (plural) of people shall be of her; Isa. 60:12 and Deut. 15:6, the Gentile nations shall be subdued by the Jews). (3) The heavenly kingdom (1 Cor. 15:50-52); all will be changed to inherit the kingdom of God. This implies that this is a kingdom in the spiritual realm. Both the heirs of God in Romans 8:17 and the kingdom in Matthew 25:34 refer to the first kind. In that kingdom, the snake and the lion hurt no more.

  Verses 35-36: "For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me a drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in, naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me." The difference between the sheep and the goats lies here. The reason that the sheep can receive the kingdom is because they gave food, gave hospitality, provided clothes, and visited the sick and those in prison, or performed similar good deeds. At the judgment seat the believers will be judged by their faithfulness, and the Jews by whether they worship the beast or not. The Gentiles will be judged at the white throne according to the book of life and the scrolls. Therefore, the Gentiles described here are different from the Gentiles in general because these are still living at the time of the Lord's coming. The judgment for them is based on the way they treat the Lord, that is, the way they treat the little brothers of the Lord. However, this does not include all the Gentiles who treat the Lord's little brothers well.

  Verses 37-40: "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, Lord, when have we seen You hungry and have fed You, or thirsty and have given You a drink? And when have we seen You a stranger and have taken You in, or naked and have clothed You? And when have we seen You sick or in prison and have come to You? And the King will answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you have done it to one of these, the least of My brothers, you have done it to Me." "One of these, the least of My brothers" should be rendered "the last of the brothers." Who are they? The Lord has three kinds of brothers: (1) the Jews (Acts 7:23-26; Rom. 9:3; Deut. 17:15); (2) His brothers in the flesh (Matt. 12:46-48; 13:55); and (3) the believers (Matt. 12:48-50). The little brothers referred to in Matthew 25:40 do not belong to categories (1) and (2), for the Lord clearly annulled those relationships in Matthew 12. Therefore, "the last...brothers" mentioned here refer to believers who have passed through the tribulation. How then are they called the last of the brothers? They are called such because they became so after their resurrection. A little brother is most blessed. Benjamin received a double portion. The Lord is one with these little brothers because to do anything to them is to do it "unto Me." Today by believing in the Lord, we become one with Him. This is why when Saul persecuted the saints, it was said that he was persecuting the Lord (Acts 9:5).

  The overcomers will be caught up first. Those remaining, the majority of the believers, will pass through the tribulation and will be persecuted everywhere. The sheep will hear the eternal gospel preached to them by the angels (Rev. 14:6-7), a gospel that will exhort them to fear God and not to worship the idols. Consequently, they will not follow the current of their age in persecuting the Christians and in worshipping idols; rather, they will fear God. The Christians will then be sojourners, and these people will treat them well. All of their deeds will be done during the tribulation and will be different from those done at ordinary times. To do those deeds then will not be easy. This judgment will be based on their deeds in their bodies and not according to matters related to their spirit. Therefore, it is evident that they are not Christians. These people must be those living within the realm of material things.

  The righteous are astonished. The Lord recognizes their astonishment. This shows that their good works are not done for the Lord's sake. Hence, it is clear that they are not Christians. When we treat a brother well, we are aware of it (Mark 9:41). Likewise, the Jews know that the Lord is the Lord, for after the tribulation they will all look upon the One whom they have pierced (Zech. 12:10).

  The third section: the dialogue with the goats.

  Verses 41-45:"Then He will say also to those on the left, Go away from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you did not give Me anything to eat; I was thirsty and you did not give Me a drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in; naked and you did not clothe Me; sick and in prison, and you did not visit Me. Then they also will answer, saying, Lord, when have we seen You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to You? Then He will answer them, saying, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, neither have you done it to Me." The evil ones are punished solely on the ground that they did not treat the Christians well. To treat the Christians well during the time of tribulation is not an easy matter. Therefore, the Lord will reward the sheep for their good work.

  The fourth section: the conclusion.

  Verse 46:"And these shall go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." That the evil shall go into eternal punishment is unquestionable. However, are the righteous saved? Yes. However, they do not receive eternal life but rather shall "go...into" eternal life. Eternal life enters into the believers, whereas the righteous here will enter into eternal life. These two are different: one enters into the kingdom; the other receives the kingdom. God gave the kingdom to Adam, whereas the believers are given by the Father to Christ. No one can pluck these ones that are chosen by the Father out of His hand.

  The "cursed" in verse 41 are not cursed by God, for God never predestinates man to perdition.

  The righteous are declared such by the Lord. They are not justified by man or by themselves. As such, they are saved. "Eternal punishment" here is in contrast to "eternal life." From this we know that these are saved.

  These are recovered to the standing of Adam. In the Old Testament there are evidences to show that men inherited land because of righteousness (Psa. 37:10-11, 22-23, 26-29, 34; Gen. 12:2; 27:28; Num. 24:5, 9).

  The most comforting fact is that even though the believers may pass through the great tribulation, the Lord will still remember them and send angels to preach the eternal gospel. The lesson we must learn here is that we need to be careful in dealing with a brother who is suffering. Although the Lord allows him to suffer, we need to help him. We should not be like the friends of Job. The Lord is one with His believers. Even when they are in prison, the Lord is still with them.