Matthew 25

By the similitude of five wise and five foolish Virgins, Christ again exhorts to watchfulness agaisnt his coming, 1 And by the similitude of the servants , which had each of them recieved their talents from the Lord, to gain therewithal, he exhorleth to a faithful emploiment of the gifts which God hhath given to every one 14. Afterwards he describes the last coming tp judgement, how he shalldistinguish his sheep from the goats, and give and execute sentence upon them both,31.

1. Then [Namely, when the Lord Christ shall come to Judgement; of which was spoken in the end of the former chapter] shall the Kingdom of Heaven be like to ten Virgins, which took their lamps, and went out to meet the Bridegroom. [This similitude is taken from that which was usual in the weddings of those times, which were kept by night , in which the Bridegroom with his company, was certain Virgins setched in and conducted to the Bride with burning Lamps or Torches. see likewise, Luke 12. verse 35. of the like custome. And by coming of the bridegroom is understood the coming of Christ to Judgement, verse 13. By Virgins all that bear the name of Christians. By the wise, all upright, true believers. By the foolish, all that are Christians from the teeth outwrd, and hypocrites. By the Lamps, the profession of the Christian faith: By the oil and light, the true faith, which is essectual by love. By midnight, the unexpected time of Christ coming. And by the wedding, the joys of eternal life]

2. And five of them were wise, [Gr. prudent] and five were foolish

3. They that (were) foolish taking their Lamps, took no oil with them.

4. But the wise took oil in their Vessels, with their Lamps,

5. Now while the Bridegroom tarried, they were all slumbring, and fell aslep. [Namely, as well the wise as the foolish. For even true believers do indeed sometimes slumber, but their faith and love is afterwards awake again]

6. And at midnight there happened a cry, Behold, the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him.

7. Then all those Virgins arose, and made ready their Lamps. [Gr. adorned]

8. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil, for our Lamps go out.

9. But the wise answered, saying, (By no means) lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you , but go rather to the seller, and buy fro your selves.

10. Now while they went away to buy, the Bridegroom came; and they that (were) ready, went with him into the wedding and the door was shut.

11. Afterwards come also theother Virgins, saying Lord, Lord, Open to us, [which seeing it will then be too late, thereby is only given to understand, that we must provided our selves betimes, John 9:4]

12. And he answering, said, Verily i say unto you, i know you not. [Namely, for mine. see Matthew 7:23.]

13. Watch therefore, for ye know not the day, nor the hourin which the Son of man shall come.

14. Fr (it is) like a man, who travelling out of the Land, called his servants, and delivered his goods to them. [By this similitude, we are admonished to take notice of the gift of God lends us, every one according to the measure of the same, and to bestow them as may be most for the edication of others: with the promise of a gracious reward both here and thereafter, for those that do so. see John 15:2. 1 Corinthians 12:9,6,7.]

15. And to one he gave five talents , and to the other two, and to the third one, to every one according to his ability, [that is, capacity, or fitness, namely for to trade and get gain. From whence cannnot br concludede that a man hath power or fitness to himself to use the gifts of God aright. For in the Scriptures throughout, it is witnessed that all our fitness is of God. See John 15:5. 1 Cor 15 ver 10 2 Cor 3.5] and straightway took his journey.

16. Now hhe that had received the five talent, went and traded with same, and gained [Gr. made] other five talents.

17. Likewise also he that (had received) the two, he also gained other two.

18. But he that had received the one, went away and digged in the earth, and hid his Lords money.

19. And after a long time, [Gr. after much time] came the Lord of the same servants, and reckoned with them.

20. And he that hadd received five talents, came and brought him after five talents, saying, Lord thou givest me five talents, behold i have gained five talents besides the same [or with, by]

21. And his Lord said unto him, Well, [Or it is well, it goeth well, thou hast done well] thou good and faithful servant, thou wast faithful over little, i will set thee over much: Enter into joy of thy Lord. [that is, enter with the thy Lord into the place, where he hath his joy and glory. See Luke 22:30. John 17:24]

22. And he that had received the two talents, came also unto him and said,Lord, thou gavest me two talents, Behold, i have gained two other talents, besides the same.

23. His Lord said unto him, Well, thou good and faithful servant, thou wast faithful over little, i will set thee over much? Enter into the joy of thy Lord.

24. But he that had recieved the one talent, came also and said, Lord, i knew thee, that thou art an hard man, [or severe] reaping where thou hast not sowed, and gathering from thence (where) thou hast not strawed. [This was a Proverb, where is describes a man that most gripingly and narrowly draws all hos own advanatge.

25. And being afraid, i went away, and hid thy talent in the earth, Behold thou hast tha (which) is thine.

26. But his Lord answering, said unto him, Thou evil and slouthful servant. [That is, not the fear of my hardness, but thione own malice and flothfulness, is the cause thereof] thou knewest that i reap where i hve not sowe, and gathert from thence where i have not strawed.

27. Thou shouldst therefore have put [Gr. cast or laid. Namely into the Exchange – bank] my money to Exchanger, and i coming, should have taken mine own again with usury [Gr. Tokos, whereby is signified all manner of fruit or gain by the use of mony, which is taken sometimes in a good, sometimes inall sense, according as the gain is either reasonable or unreasonable. see further, Luke 19:23.]

28. Therefore take talent away from hhim, and give it unto him that hath the ten talents.

29. For every one [Gr. all] that hath [that is, that employs and well bestows the gift which he hath] (to him) shall be given, amd he shall have abundance: but from that hath not [That is, which doth not make use of his gifts, or lets them lie idle, as if he had not had them] from him shall be taken even that he hath.

30. And the unprofitable servant cast out into the outmost darkenss, [see Matth.8.12.] there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

31. And when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy Angels with him, then shall he sit upon thhe throne of hhis glory. [That is, upon his glorious throne , which shall be set up int the clouds. See Matth.24.30. Rev.1.7]

32. And before him all Nations shall be gathered, [Namely, by the Ministry of the Angels. see Matth.13. ver.41.] and he shhall separate them one from another, like as the shepard divides the sheep from the goats.

33. And hhe shall set the sheep on his right (hand) [or right side. so like in the following] but the goats on (hhis) left (hand)

34. Then shall the King [Namely, Christ, who verse 31 is called the Son of man, and now here King. because then he shall be in the full dominion of his Kingdom] say to those that (are) on his right (hand). Come ye blessed [of this b;essing, see Eph 1. verse 3,4,5.] of my Father, inherit that Kingdome which is prepared fro you [namely, of God by according to his eternal election, Eph.1.4] from the foundation of the world.

35. For i was hungry, and ye gave me to eat: I was thirsty, and ye gave mt to drink: I was a stranger, and ye harboured me. [Gr. led, or took me along with yo; namely, to harbour me.]

36. (I was) naked, and ye cloathed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: [Or to care of me] i ws in prison, and ye came unto me. [Under these related works of charity, are all other fruits of faith understood, which are here brought forth, not as meritorious causes of salvation, but as evident testimonies and signs of their faith;which for the merits of Christ, of grace, shall be rewarded, thereby to demonstrate the righteousness of his sentence in this judgement before the whole world. As appears out of the thirty fourth verse, where the first cause of their salvation is made the blessing of the Father, and salvation is called an inheritance, and this is said to be prepared or ordained for them, before the foundation of the world was laid, Ep.1.4]

37. The shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when we saw thee hungry, and fed (thee?) or thirsty, and gave (thee) to drink?

38. And when we saw we theee a stranger, and harboured (thee?) or naked, and cloathed (thee?)

39. And when we saw thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40. And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily i say unto you, Forasmuch as ye have done (this) to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done (it) unto me. [That is, i will esteem it as done to my self, Acts 9:4.]

41. Then shall he say also to those that (are) on the left (hand) Go away from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire, [viz. for those ypur sins, according to Gods righteous judgement being subject to the punishment of the everlasting curse] which is prepared for the Devil [So he calls the head of the wicked spirits, which are here also called his Angels, because the devil useth the same as his Messengers, as Christ doth hid good Angels, Rev.12.7.] and his Angels.

42. For i was hungry, ye gave me not to eat: I was thirsty, and ye gave men not to drink.

43. I was a stranger, and ye has harboured me not: naked, and ye cloathed me not: sick and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44. Then shall these also answer him, saying Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison and did not minister unto thee?

45. Then shall he answer them, and say, Verily i say unto you: Forasmuch as ye have not done (this) to one of these least, [Namely, which stand here on my right hand] neither have ye done it to me.

46. And these shall go into everlasting, torment, [or punishment ot torment: as 1 John 4:18] but the righteous into eternal life.