The
Parable of the Ten Virgins
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will
1. What kind of a wedding
is this?
Here we have a Jewish wedding from the time of Jesus. It was
customary for the couple to become betrothed (engaged) and this would last 1
year. During this time the bridegroom would go to his or his family’s property
to begin building a house for the bride. After the year the bridegroom would
come to the bride’s house, there would be the wedding and then he would bring
her to his new house where they would have the wedding supper.
In My Father's house are
many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there
you may be also. John 14:2-3 (NKJV)
The
Syriac translation of the verse before us indicates that the virgins went forth
to meet the bridegroom and the bride, which means that the bridegroom is
coming from the marriage to the marriage supper. Although the marriage of
Christ and the church takes place in heaven, the marriage supper takes place on
this earth. You see, the wedding has taken place, and the bride is with him. JVM
2. Who are the main
players in this parable?
Christ
is the bridegroom, the bride is the Church which during chapter 24 has been
raptured into heaven during the time of the Great Tribulation and married to
Jesus. The virgins are those who claim to have come to Christ on earth during
the tribulation.
10 THE NUMBER OF DIVINE PERFECTION. A completeness that
happens in some type of divine order, or something that's completed during a
course of time. There's nothing that is left wanting within the complete cycle
the number "ten" has just completed. There are 10 commandments (Ex.
20); 1/10 of your income is a tithe; there were 10 plagues on Egypt (Ex. 9:14ff); 10 x 10 silver
sockets formed the foundation of the Tabernacle (Ex 38:27); There are 10
"I AM"'s spoken by Jesus in John: 1) I am the Bread of Life (6:35);
2) I am the Bread of Life which came down from heaven (6:41); 3) I am the
Living Bread (6:51); 4) I am the Light of the world (8:12); 5) I am One that
bears witness of Myself (8:18); 6) I am the Door of the sheep (10:7,9); 7) I am
the Good Shepherd (10:14); 8) I am the Resurrection and the Life (14:6); 9) I
am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (11:25); and 10) I am the True Vine
(15:1,5). http://carm.org/what-biblical-numerology
The
lamps or torches represent our faith and the oil is the Holy Spirit. 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. ESV
3. Why were some virgins
identified and foolish and some wise?
Here a reference to the possession of the
Holy Spirit in regeneration. But you are
not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. Romans
8:9 (NKJV) All ten appeared outwardly
the same (virgins, lamps, similar activity), but five did not partake of
the Holy Spirit, WBC
On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord,
Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and
do many mighty works in your name?’ 23
And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers
of lawlessness.’ Matt 7:22-23 (ESV)
Many
go to church, claim to be believers, claim they are “good people”, teach,
preach and witness, but have not the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, within
them. They are only fooling themselves and others.
4. Why could not the wise virgins loan the foolish ones some of
their oil?
You can’t get your faith, justification and the indwelling
of the Holy Spirit from others. Parents, grandparents, friends, church,
preachers cannot transfer the Spirit to you. It comes only from God.
And I will ask the
Father, and he will
give you another Helper, to be
with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom
the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and
will be in you. John 14:16-17 (ESV)
But the Helper, the
Holy Spirit, whom the
Father will send in My
name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things
that I said to you. John 14:26 (NKJV)
This is a one on one transaction
between God and the believers.
5. What is the overall theme of this parable?
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day
nor the hour.
Always be ready.
"Resolved, never to do anything which I should be afraid to do if it were
the last hour of my life." — Jonathan
Edwards
The
Parable of the Talents
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who
called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To
one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to
his ability. Then he 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 dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came
and 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 faithful
servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter
into 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 a hard man, reaping
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 you have what is yours.’ 26 But
his master answered him, ‘You wicked and 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 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 cast the
worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.’
6. What are talents?
The
talent as a unit of coinage is mentioned in the New Testament in Jesus's
parable of the talents. This was the largest weight among the Hebrews. One talent was about 3000
shekels (about 90 pounds). As we can see from 2 Kings 5:23, a talent was the
full weight that an able man could carry. A talent
was a monetary unit worth about twenty years' wages for a laborer. Approx.
$625,000.
7.
What do the talents represent?
Salvation is a
gift and along with that gift God includes spiritual abilities, opportunity and
skill which would not normally be part of the new believers resume. Preaching,
teaching, counseling, financial expertise, administration, witnessing, giving
etc.
To some extent or another each believer
has some of each and many times multiple gifts or abilities. Probably we should
understand the talents to represent all the working capital that God entrusts
to His disciples. All of these things constitute what God has given His
servants to use for His glory. CN
Having gifts that differ
according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion
to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one
who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the
one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity;
the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with
cheerfulness. Romans 12:6-8 (ESV)
Now you are the body of
Christ and individually members of it. 28 And
God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third
teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and
various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all
prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do
all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. 1 Cor 12:27-31 (ESV)
8. So what is the problem here?
Immediately
the slaves entrusted with five and two talents began to put their money to use
for their master. This shows their faithfulness to their duty to make money for
him. They traded with the money in some way, and they made a profit. The other
slave, however, was unwilling to work and to risk. By burying the money he
showed that he valued safety above all else. Burying his talent was even much
safer than putting it in a savings account. Before the days of modern banking,
many people buried money in the ground for safekeeping.
The slaves of God who have a heart for God and His coming
kingdom will sense their privilege, seize their opportunities, and serve God to
the maximum extent of their ability in the Tribulation. Those who have no real
concern about preparing people for the coming King will do nothing with their
opportunities. Their own safety will be more important to them than working to
prepare for the arrival of the King. Being a good steward involves taking some
risks. CN
For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Eph 2:10-11 (ESV)
We were saved for a purpose and we need
to get busy fulfilling that purpose. Salvation is
not just a Heavenly fire insurance policy.
9. What happens to the
guy who had nothing to show for what the master had given him?
This
guy was not saved, produced no fruit, was only appearing to be doing God’s
work, was personally benefitting from his “good
I am the vine; you are
the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much
fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If
anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and
the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. John
15:5-7 (ESV)
The
Final Judgment
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the
angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will
separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the
goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his
right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King
will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and
you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you
visited me, 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 the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as
you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me,
you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For 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, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And
these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal
life.”
10. Who is being judged here?
In this chapter our
Lord is alerting God’s people to the fact that we are to ready ourselves for
His coming. This is certainly true in the next few verses.
During
the Tribulation Period all nations will have the opportunity to hear and
receive God’s message. The gospel of the kingdom will be preached among all
nations, we are told. But some will reject God’s messengers, Christ’s brethren,
and thereby reject Christ. JVM
Jesus concluded the Olivet Discourse with further revelation about the
judgment that will take place at the end of the present age when He returns. He
had referred to it often in the discourse, but now He made it a special subject
of explanation. This judgment will occur when the King returns to earth at the
end of the Tribulation to set up His kingdom. CN
The New Testament
teaches that there will be two distinct judgments relative to the kingdom. One
of these judgments will occur just before the messianic kingdom begins and
another will follow at its end. The one at the end is the great white throne
judgment when God will send all unbelievers to hell.
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on
it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.
12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the
throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book
of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according
to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead
who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they
were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.
This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And
if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into
the lake of fire.
Rev 20:11-15 (ESV)
The phrase “all the
nations” is often more inclusive, referring to all people, including the Jews
(cf. Here it probably refers to all people living on earth when Jesus
establishes His kingdom. Everyone will have heard the gospel of the kingdom preached
during the Tribulation. CN
They will be judged
as individuals, not as groups. Such a judgment of living men at the time of
Christ's glorious coming is foretold in Joel 3:1, 2. —WBC
“For behold, in those
days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I
will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my
heritage Israel, Joel 3:1-2 (ESV)
9 After this I looked, and behold, a great
multitude that no one could number , from
every nation, from all tribes and peoples and
11. What will be the
criteria for separating the sheep from the goats?
As evidence of the regenerated character of these
sheep-like persons, Jesus cites their deeds of kindness done to "my brethren," which he treats as done to
himself. It seems clear that the sheep
and the goats are distinct from my brethren. Hence the interpretation
of the nations as Gentiles and my brethren as the faithful Jewish
remnant who will proclaim the gospel of the Kingdom in all the world meets the
exigencies of the passage. These Jewish believers will bring about the
conversion of an unnumbered multitude of Gentiles who will evidence their faith
by their deeds. Their visiting those in prison suggests that danger will be
involved in a man's publicly acknowledging Christ and His emissaries during
that period.—WBC
In the
context, what we have here is a picture of the judgment of those gentiles who
were evangelized by the 144, 000 Jewish preachers, who go throughout the world
during the tribulation period witnessing for Christ. What separates the sheep
from the goat is how these Jewish evangelists are treated by those living during
this time. Those who accept their message, receive Christ and treat these Jews
with love and respect will be blessed. Those who reject the Gospel (the goats)
and ignore the Jewish - ESVN………….ESV Study Bible Notes
- MSBN…….MacArthur NASB Study Notes
- NIVSN…..NIV Study Notes.
- JVM ….J Vernon McGee,
- ACC …. Adam Clarke’s Commentary
- BN …..Barnes Notes
- WBC…… Wycliffe Bible Commentary
- CN …… Constables Notes
- IC……….Ironside Commentary
- NET………Net Bible Study Notes.
- JFB…………..Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary
- VWS……………..Vincent Word Studies
- CMM………….Commentary on Matthew and Mark
- BDB………….. Barclay's Daily Study Bible (NT)
- Darby………..John Darby’s Synopsis of the OT and NT
- Johnson………Johnson's Notes on the New Testament.
- NTCMM…………..The New Testament Commentary: Matthew and Mark.
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Answers in Genesis Ministries
CNS News
E-Sword bible software
The Word.Net bible software
lumina.bible.org/bible/ bible study website
biblestudytools.com Bible study resource
Theopedia.com/ Encyclopedia of theology
Apologetics Press.org
Creation.com/ YEC Creationist science and theology site
Worthynews.com/ Christian news service
New Life Christian Center
Apologiaway.wordpress.com
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