347. THE LAST PARABLES: HOW TO BE WISE AND FAITHFUL
"Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom"
In the Olivet Prophecy Jesus gave his disciples a number of signs of his second coming. In these final parables he outlined how his disciples should occupy themselves in his absence so that they might be prepared to meet him.
In the parable of the "Goodman of the House" Jesus emphasised how important it was for his servants to be watchful, for he would come at an hour when least expected. Continuing the idea of his disciples being stewards of his house, he asked the question, "Who then is a FAITHFUL AND WISE servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, TO GIVE THEM MEAT IN DUE SEASON?" (Matt. 24:45). In Matthew 25 Jesus spoke three parables, each of which answers this question.
- The Ten Virgins € illustrates how to be "WISE" (25:2), and shows the need for watchfulness.
- The Talents € illustrates how to be "FAITHFUL" (25:21), and lays emphasis upon the need to occupy time profitably.
- The Sheep and the Goats € shows what is meant by "GIVING MEAT IN DUE SEASON" to the household and stresses the im portance of co-operating and helping others.
The aim of this lesson is to learn what we should be doing in order to be ready when the Lord comes.
Matthew 25
1. THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS (Matt. 25:1-13).
As this parable specifically teaches how to be truly wise, it is impor tant for us to assess how it does this. The key is found in Jesus' final words, "Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour when the Son of Man cometh" (v.13). By so saying, Jesus declares watch fulness to be a token of wisdom. However, the virgins who were "ready" also had a particular duty to do: they had to have a supply of oil on the momentous occasion of the Bridegroom's coming.
There were ten virgins. Ten is a number representative of all (cp. Gen. 31:7; Num. 14:22; Dan. 1:20; Zech. 8:23), and here includes Jews and Gentiles (cp. v.32). The fact that five are accepted and five rejected does not indicate that half of those called will be saved; Jesus is concerned with the quality of his servants and not the proportion who attain salvation.
The foolish virgins lacked foresight and "took no oil" (v.3). They are contrasted with the wise who prepared in advance, and when suddenly aroused, had their oil at hand. Oil in scriptural symbolism stands for the Spirit of God which enlightens the dark human heart (Ex. 27:20; Psa. 119:130). Today the oil stands for the Word of God, given by the Holy Spirit, in which is revealed the light of the glorious gospel of Christ (2 Pet. 1:19-20; 2 Cor. 4:4). We must now be wise and imbibe the gospel message, so that our characters will shine as a lamp filled with oil (cp. Matt. 5:15-16). The light is the reflection of the life of Jesus Christ revealed by all those who follow him. It will be approv ed by him at the judgment seat (1 Jn. 3:2; Matt. 7:21-24).
THEY ALL SLUMBERED AND SLEPT (Matt. 25:5).
This statement indicates that a long period elapses before the Lord returns. Almost all the saints will have died, and only a few will be alive at his coming (1 Thess. 4:15; 1 Cor. 15:51). When called to meet the bridegroom, "all those virgins arose" and should have been prepared; so revealing that all those who know the Lord will have to give an account. The call came at midnight, the darkest hour. Thereby is emphasised the lesson that the Lord will come "suddenly" and when least expected. Anxiously they arose to trim their lamps (i.e. display their characters and works).
Desperately the foolish pleaded, "Give us of your oil for our lamps are gone out". But it was too late, and their panic shows the terrible realisation which will overtake those servants who have wasted their opportunities to serve God. The wise replied, "Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you" (v.9). In this answer we are shown that when the Lord arrives it will be too late for further preparations: ac counts will be closed. Now is the time when we must go to market and buy oil. We have got time now which we need to use wisely, unlike the foolish virgins. Their day of opportunity ended with their sleep and ours will end too with death or the sudden appearance of the Lord.
The oil has a price € not money but application: "Come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price" (Isa. 55:1).
In due course the foolish virgins come back and clamour to be let in, "Lord, Lord, open to us" (v.ll, cp. 7:21) Such a request is met by dreadful words of finality: "Verily I say unto you, I know you not" (v.12). In truth he did not know them because they did not know him: their lives had not been fashioned after his example.
Jesus' parables often have Old Testament echoes. Notice how the basis of the parable is in Proverbs 21:20: "There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up". He continues with another echo from the days of Noah, "when once the longsuffering of God waited" until a set time, and then He "shut the door" of the Ark and separated the wise from the foolish. In this parable Jesus said, "They that were ready went in ... and the door was shut" (v.10; cp. Gen. 7:7, 16).
The possession of oil is not merely a comprehension of God's Word, but a study in which the heart is converted to love and serve God. "Watching", therefore, involves more than looking at the signs of the times to see how close Christ's coming may be; it is the recogni tion of the need to be ready to meet the Lord whenever the call comes.
It has been well said, "Procrastination is the thief of opportunity as well as time: and opportunity ends with the coming of sleep. ONLY TODAY IS OURS".
2. THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS (Matt. 25:14-30).
In this parable Jesus shows that a "faithful servant" occupies his time profitably. The word, "For", both commences a new story and also builds upon the lesson of the former one. This time a "man" who is travel ling into a far country entrusts his goods to the care of his "servants", distributing them in accordance with their abilities. Jesus is "the man", and his disciples of all ages are the "servants". The goods are given with the understanding that they should be wisely used so that the maximum increase might be obtained on the day of reckoning (v.19).
As the parable unfolds, so the vital lessons emerge. The three ser vants are given talents in accordance with their ability (v.15). The justice of God is seen in that He expected no more than they were capable of rendering, and all, regardless of ability, are given the op portunity to serve.
THE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANTS (Matt. 25:20-23).
Two of the servants produced by trading a profit acceptable to the Lord. If the talent entrusted represents the gospel believed, then the increase stands for the fruits of a faithful walk in the Truth (Jas. 2:17). In the parable, the diligent servants are said to have been "faithful over a few things" (v.21). The reward was not proportional to the profit obtained but far greater: "I will make thee ruler over many things" (v.21). In this way any suggestion that salvation can be earned is put away.
THE WICKED AND SLOTHFUL SERVANT (Matt. 25:24-30).
The servant who received one talent failed. It is clear that it is encumbent upon all to give of their best even if lacking in natural ability. This servant, however, "went and digged in the earth and hid his Lord's money" (v.18): he refused to work. He gained nothing and eventually lost even that which he had because he was slothful.
When the time came for him to give an answer he had his excuse already worked out; the task asked of him was "too much", and rather than run the risk of losing his deposit, he kept it safe in the earth! This was "reasonable", he reckoned, because he "feared" his
Lord knowing him to be a "hard man", even wanting a crop where he had not sown! (vv.24-25). His Lord dismissed his reasons outright, claiming that if this was his view of him then he had all the more reason to apply himself with diligence. Even the small interest gained by investing it with exchangers would have been better than nothing at all (vv.26-27).
THE MEANING.
Each servant entrusted with the Truth has certain abilities and God will expect profit and progress in accordance therewith. When a per son trades with money he increases it. We must do so with the Word of God. We must help it to grow. This is done, not only by teaching it to others, but by letting it influence our lives. When we allow the power of Christ to change our lives, we are "trading profitably" with it. We cannot afford to keep the Truth wrapped up in a cloth like the slothful servant. Talents are of no value unless used profitably € in conforming our lives to Christ's, and in bringing others to know him.
The importance of diligent service is enforced from the fate of the wicked servant: "Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (v.30). Bitterness, remorse and eternal death will be the lot of those who fail to live the Truth. Let us then be "doers of the word" € profitable traders € "and not hearers only" (Jas. 1:22-25).
3. THE PARABLE OF THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS (Matt. 25:31-46).
In this parable Jesus details what "faithful and wise servants" do in the house of their Lord: he shows what it means to provide the household with "meat in due season" (Matt. 24:25). This story is not a parable in the same way as the former two are because some parts have to be taken literally (e.g. visiting the sick, v.36).
The picture is of the final judgment in which Jesus sits upon the throne of his glory, and gathered before him are "all nations", that is, those responsible to him drawn "of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues" (Acts 15:14; Rev. 7:9). As the shepherd of a mixed flock divides the sheep from the goats, so Jesus puts the inof fensive obedient sheep on his right hand, and the mischievous goats on the left (vv.31-33).
THE SHEEP (Matt. 25:34-40).
Jesus continues and enumerates the faithful actions of the righteous. The basis of their approval lay in their love of their brethren in practical ways € things that everyone, even children, can do € they had fed the hungry, lodged the stranger, clothed the naked and visited the sick. By their works they had shown that they belonged to him. Moreover their works were not done with a consciousness of merit. In fact they protested against their Lord's commendation of them. But he clarifies his judgment for them by pointing out that kindness shown to even the least of his brethren is reckoned as service to him! In this way the Lord encourages true servants to be shepherds and to care for the "least of his brethren" € they, too, are part of the "one body" of the mystical Christ.
THE GOATS (Matt. 25:41-46).
The rejected are thrust from his left hand into "everlasting fire", a symbol of eternal death. They had not lived a life of "faith in action". They are reproved for not doing acts of mercy to him. They repudiate his charge on the basis that they had never seen him in need and so lacked the opportunity to do what he is now demanding! But his re joinder confounds them: he reveals again that acts of mercy shown to the "least of his brethren" are equivalent to acts of mercy to himself! It was in every-day life, where opportunity abounds, that they had failed.
Thus judgment depends on what we do here and now! We will not change into sheep or goats in the day of judgment; we are becoming one or the other as we live our lives now!
LESSONS FOR US:
- The wise will prepare now, for the door will be closed when Christ comes.
- Faithful servants "trade" with the gospel by letting it influence their lives and by teaching it to others.
- Christ is served when we show acts of kindness to the least of his brethren.
- A fearful end awaits unfaithful servants.
REFERENCE LIBRARY:
"Nazareth Revisited" (R. Roberts) € Chapters 32, 33, 50
"A Life of Jesus" (M. Purkis) € Book 7, Chapter 8
"Parables of the Messiah" (J. Carter) € Nos. 56-58
PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS:
- Explain Jesus' statement, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one the least of my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matt. 25:40).
- Explain the attitude and judgment of the "wicked and slothful ser vant" in the parable of the Talents.
- What happened to the 5 foolish virgins when the cry was made, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh"?
ESSAY QUESTIONS:
- Give an account of the parable of the Ten Virgins and explain its meaning.
- Explain the parable of the Talents. What lessons are taught in this parable?
- Jesus said: "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?" (Matt. 24:45). Show how this statement is amplified in the parables which followed; namely, the Ten Virgins, the Talents, and the Sheep and the Goats.
- Explain the parable of the Sheep and the Goats.