ESV Study Bible | English Standard Version
Matthew 25
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like d ten virgins who took their lamps [1] and went to meet e the bridegroom. [2] 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were w wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom f was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But g at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and h trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and i those who were ready went in with him to j the marriage feast, and k the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, l ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 l But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, m I do not know you.’ 13 n Watch therefore, for you o know neither the day nor the hour.
The Parable of the Talents
14 p “For q it will be like a man r going on a journey, who called his servants [3] and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five s talents, [4] to another two, to another one, t to each according to his ability. Then he r went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and u dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now v after a long time the master of those servants came and w settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and x faithful servant. [5] y You have been faithful over a little; z I will set you over much. Enter into a the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be b a hard man, reaping c where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here d you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You e wicked and e slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 f For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And g cast h the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place g there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
The Final Judgment
31 i “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, j then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him k will be gathered l all the nations, and m he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates n the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then o the King will say to p those on his right, ‘Come, you q who are blessed by my Father, r inherit s the kingdom t prepared for you u from the foundation of the world. 35 For v I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you w gave me drink, x I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 v I was naked and you clothed me, y I was sick and you z visited me, a I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And b the King will answer them, c ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these d my brothers, [6] you did it to me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, e ‘Depart from me, you f cursed, into g the eternal fire prepared for h the devil and his angels. 42 For i I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, j you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away k into eternal punishment, but the righteous k into l eternal life.”
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Matt. 24:1–25:46 The Delay, Return, and Judgment of Messiah. These two chapters are often called the “Olivet Discourse” because Jesus “sat on the Mount of Olives” (24:3) when he spoke these words. It is the fifth of Jesus' five major discourses recorded in the Gospel of Matthew (see Introduction: Key Themes; Literary Features). Addressed to his disciples, it is intended to give them a prophetic overview of the events to transpire in both the near and distant future.
Matt. 24:42–25:30 Parabolic Exhortations to Watch and Be Prepared for the Coming of the Son of Man. Jesus gives four parables to explain to his disciples how and why they should be prepared for his coming: the homeowner and the thief (24:42–44), the good and wicked servants (24:45–51), the 10 virgins (25:1–13), and the talents (25:14–30).
Matt. 25:1 the kingdom of heaven will be like. See notes on 3:2; 13:24. ten virgins. Bridesmaids. bridegroom. As God referred to himself as the “husband” of Israel in the OT (e.g., Isa. 54:4–6), so Jesus pictures himself here as a bridegroom (cf. Matt. 9:14–15). It was the Jewish marriage custom (cf. 1:18) for the groom and his friends to leave his home and proceed to the home of the bride, where the marriage ceremony was conducted, often at night. After this, the entire wedding party returned to the groom's home for a celebratory banquet.
Matt. 25:3–4 lamps. Large dome-shaped torches, fueled by rags soaked in oil and used for walking outside. oil. With extra containers of oil, the torches could last for several hours.
Matt. 25:9–10 not be enough for us and for you. Torches required regular refilling. those who were ready. It was the responsibility of each person to be prepared individually to go with the bridegroom to the wedding banquet.
Matt. 25:11–12 I do not know you. The OT speaks of God “knowing” his chosen people (Jer. 1:5; Hos. 13:5; Amos 3:2). The same theme continues in the NT, where it describes a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ (cf. Gal. 4:8–9; 2 Tim. 2:19).
Matt. 25:13 Watch therefore. The point of the parable is that disciples must “watch correctly” in order to be properly prepared and ready to accompany the Son of Man when he returns. you know neither the day nor the hour. See note on 24:42.
Matt. 25:15 talents. See note on 18:24.
Matt. 25:16–17 The first and second servants acted industriously and earned a return on their entrusted amounts, probably by setting up some kind of business.
Matt. 25:18 dug in the ground. Since there were no banks in ancient times, it was common practice to bury valuables (see note on 13:44).
Matt. 25:19 after a long time. Cf. “delayed” in the previous two parables (24:48; 25:5).
Matt. 25:20–23 Well done, good and faithful servant. The master's identical statements of praise to both servants show that what was important was not the total amount earned but faithfulness in utilizing their gifts and potential. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Faithful stewardship in this life will result in being given greater responsibility and stewardship in the life to come.
Matt. 25:24–25 Master, I knew you to be a hard man. The third servant's actions result from his apparent misperception of his master, which manifests itself in laziness and bad stewardship.
Matt. 25:27 you ought to have invested my money with the bankers. In the OT, Israelites were forbidden from charging interest to other Israelites (Ex. 22:25; Lev. 25:35–37; Deut. 23:19), but it was permissible to charge interest on money loaned to Gentiles (Deut. 23:20). In any case, the central point of the parable concerns the importance of being a faithful servant of all that God has entrusted to one's care.
Matt. 25:29 to everyone who has will more be given. Using one's God-given abilities wisely and productively is a vital aspect of discipleship and will be rewarded with additional opportunities to serve God faithfully and fruitfully.
Matt. 25:30 outer darkness . . . weeping and gnashing of teeth. A typical description of hell and eternal damnation, occurring six times in Matthew and once in Luke. See note on Matt. Matt. 8:11–12.
Matt. 25:31–46 Judgment at the End. Jesus' disciples are to wait patiently in anticipation of reward at his return, when the unprepared and unrepentant will receive only judgment.
Matt. 25:31 Son of Man. See note on 8:20. angels with him. See 13:41–42; 2 Thess. 1:7; Rev. 14:17–20. sit on his glorious throne. As both Judge and King.
Matt. 25:32 all the nations. Both Jews and Gentiles, who are the object of the Great Commission throughout this age (see note on 28:19). he will separate people one from another. See 7:21–23; 13:40–43.
Matt. 25:34 King. The Son of Man upon his throne (v. 31) recalls the prophecy of Dan. 7:13–14, in which the Ancient of Days bestows the kingdom upon “one like a son of man.” blessed by my Father. The blessing to the “sheep” (Matt. 25:32) consists of their inheritance of the Father's kingdom, given not as a reward for good works but because of their saving relationship with the Father and the Son.
Matt. 25:40 In the context of the parable the least of these refers to those who are most needy among Jesus' brothers—a reference most likely to Jesus' disciples and by extension all believers. The “sheep” are commended for their great compassion for those in need—for the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger; for those who are naked, sick, or in prison. The righteous will inherit the kingdom not because of the compassionate works that they have done but because their righteousness comes from their transformed hearts in response to Jesus' proclamation of the kingdom, as evidenced by their compassion for the “least of these.” In caring for those in need, the righteous discover that their acts of compassion for the needy are the same as if done for Jesus himself (you did it to me).
Matt. 25:41–46 Then he will say to those on his left. In contrast to the sheep (who will “inherit the kingdom”; v. 34), the goats are condemned to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. The reason for their condemnation is that they are guilty of sins of omission—that is, they have refused to show compassion to the least of these, which is the same as if they failed to have any care for Jesus himself. Given the evident unrighteousness of their hearts, they are condemned to eternal punishment. Some interpreters hold that this judgment (these will go away) will occur prior to the inauguration of Jesus' earthly millennial kingdom, and that the “sheep” (v. 33) are those blessed to enter and live under Jesus' dominion. Others equate this judgment scene with that which closes the earthly age, just prior to the eternal state (Rev. 20:11–13). The most important point, however, is that judgment will come.
