Matthew 25
10 Virgins
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. - Matthew 25:1-13
When I read this, I, of course, glean that we are to be ready upon the arrival of the Lord. The virgins that were prepared and brought extra oil went on to be with the bridegroom, while the foolish ones that did not plan ahead missed the banquet. But there is more to this that talks more to our nature.
First, the virgins all start out the same. All pure, all with lamps with at least enough oil to wait for a while. None were better than another, but some were just more prepared. Second, they all fell asleep. This reminds me of the verse that states “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Again, reiterating that none are better than another.
This parable tells us to be watchful and prepared for the coming of the Lord, but also shows us that we are equal in the eyes of the Lord. We all start as pure in the eyes of the Lord. We all succumb to the fatigue that life brings to our doorstep. We only differ in how we’ve prepared ourselves to be with him.
Bags of gold(Talents)
“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold(Talents), to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold(Talents) went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ - Matthew 25:14-30
This parable tells us a lot about what our focus should be. The bags of gold (called talents in the King James version) represent gifts from God and the master gave them each a different amount of talents according to their ability. God gives us our abilities according to what we can handle. The master left them to do with their talents as they saw fit. Two of them used their talents to benefit the master, the last did nothing but bury it and wait.
Our talents/abilities/gifts should be used to glorify God. We can glorify God by praising him in song or worship, but I don’t think that it stops there. Truly glorifying God would be doing something that makes others take notice and give credit to God or Christians. One of Jesus’ greatest commands was that we love one another as He has loved us. We should use our abilities to serve others; serve each other. Gandhi said “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." I think there’s truth to that.
Sheep and Goats
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” - Matthew 25:31-46
Finally, the biggest take-away for me is the emphasis on helping others. It goes so far as to say that helping those in need is like helping christ and is required to be accepted into the kingdom.
I read this chapter the other day and thought “wow, how many times have I taken my life for granted?” or “How long have I been developing my talents and yet not helped a single person?”; And I rarely help or give to the homeless.
Most christians focus on the standard do’s and don’ts. No fornication. No lying. But forget that helping other souls is a requirement to hold the name of Christian. Realizing that we, as Christians, are not better, just better prepared for Christ’s second coming.
