The Word Made Fresh
1“When the time comes, the kingdom of heaven will be like the ten virgins who took their lanterns and went out to greet the bridegroom and bride. 2Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3The foolish girls brought lamps, but didn’t bring any oil. 4The wise girls brought containers of oil along with their lamps. 5At midnight there was a shout announcing the arrival of the groom and they were summoned to come out to meet him. 7Then all the virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish girls said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil! Our lamps are going out!’ 9But the wise girls said, ‘No, we can’t! There isn’t enough oil for all of us. You should go to the dealers and buy some oil for your lamps.’ 10And while they were gone to purchase oil the bridegroom came, and the girls who were prepared went to the wedding banquet with him. Then the doors were shut. 11After awhile the other virgins arrived and begged, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the doors for us!’ 12But the groom replied, ‘Sorry; I don’t know who you are!’ 13So, keep watch, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
14“It will be like a man who planned a journey and summoned his servants and put his property in their hands. 15To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand and to yet another one thousand. He gave each one an amount that corresponded to his ability. Then he left on his journey. 16The servant who had been given five thousand dollars immediately began trading with it, and soon made five thousand more. 17Likewise, the one who had been given the two thousand made two thousand more. 18But the one who had received just one thousand dollars dug a hole in the ground and hid the money. 19Time passed, and the owner came and summoned them to settle accounts. 20The one who had received five thousand dollars came, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five thousand dollars; see, I have made five thousand more.’ 21The owner said, ‘Good job! You have been a good and trustworthy servant. Since you can be trusted with a few things I will put you in charge of many things, and you will have a share in my wealth.’ And they were both happy. 22Then the one who had received the two thousand came forward and said, ‘You gave me two thousand dollars, and I have made two thousand more.’ 23The owner replied, ‘Good job! You have been a good and trustworthy servant. Since you can be trusted with a few things I will put you in charge of many things and you will have a share in my wealth.’ 24Then the one who had been given a thousand dollars came forward and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you are a harsh man and that you harvest even where you didn’t plant and gathered the grain even where you didn’t scatter the seed. 25I was worried, and so I went and hid your money in a hole in the ground. Here it is; it’s all yours!’ 26But the owner said, ‘You are sneaky and lazy! You say you knew that I harvested where I didn’t plant, and that I gathered where I didn’t scatter? 27Then you should have at least invested my money with the bankers, and I could have gotten back what I put in your hands plus interest. 28Take the money from him! Give it to the one with the ten thousand dollars. 29Those who have will be given more, and they will always have more than enough; but those who have next to nothing will lose even the little they have. 30As for this worthless servant, throw him out! He belongs in the darkness where there is weeping and grinding of teeth.’
31“When the Son of Man comes gloriously with all the angels accompanying him, he will take his seat on the throne of glory. 32The other nations will gather before him and he will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will gather the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. 34Then he will say to those on his right, ‘Come! My Father has blessed you, and you have inherited the kingdom that was established for you from the world’s very beginning 35because I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you welcomed me; 36I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear; I was sick and you took care of me; and I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37They will answer, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38And when did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39And when did we see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’ 40And he will answer, ‘Here is the truth; as you did this to one of the least members of my family, you did it for me.’
41“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘You are cursed. Get away from me and be thrown into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his followers. 42For I was hungry, but you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, but you gave me nothing to drink; 43I was a stranger and you didn’t welcome me; I was naked, and you didn’t clothe me; I was sick and in prison and you didn’t visit me.’
44“Then they will plead, ‘But Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or as a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and didn’t minister to you?’
45“And he will reply, ‘The truth is that just as you failed to do it for one of the least important ones, you failed to do it for me.’ 46And they will be sent away into eternal punishment. But the righteous will be sent into eternal life.”
Commentary
1-13: In typical Matthew fashion Jesus summarizes his teachings with parables. The parable of the ten bridesmaids is a transparent story in which Jesus himself is obviously the bridegroom and the church he will come to claim is the bride. Keep the faith and don’t relax in your diligence.
14-30: The parable of the talents emphasizes the necessity of risking one’s assets for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.
31-46: Jesus finishes his teachings with yet another parable to emphasize the importance of reaching out to and serving the people who are most looked down on by society.
Takeaway
It really is quite simple, isn’t it? Help those who are in need, whom God has placed in your path.