Ralph Porter

© 2002

    For generations, preachers have struck fear into the hearts of God's people by applying some of Jesus' parables to the church in the last days. The Parable of the Virgins is used to warn us that if we're not ready for Jesus' coming-if our lamp isn't lit-we'll be left behind and miss out on the rapture of the church. The Parable of the Talents is used to warn us that unless we're using our talents for God, we'll be condemned and miss out on the great celebration.

    Some even say that the parables about readiness are intended to warn us that unless we're ready, we'll be doomed to the wailing and gnashing of teeth in hell. Unless we understand what Jesus is talking about in Matthew 24 and 25, we'll never understand how to apply that message to our lives today! The two parables on readiness that we're going to consider today build on the theme developed in Matthew 24.

    Messianic expectation was high in Israel-- everyone was expecting Messiah. The Gospel according to Matthew was written to explain what happened to God's program. Messiah came as promised. He demonstrated who He was. The evidence was sufficient for anyone who wanted to know the truth. In spite of the weight of the evidence, Israel rejected their Messiah. Therefore, He rejected them. In Matthew 23, Jesus proclaimed judgment against that evil generation that rejected the evidence and crucified their Messiah and their God. The judgment announced in Matthew 24-25 is a continuation of Matthew 23.

    Jesus is announcing what is ahead for that generation of Israel which has rejected Him. He doesn't want his followers to be unprepared for the unfolding of God's plan in the coming days. As the disciples are coming out of the temple, admiring its great beauty, Jesus warns them that it's all going to come down. Not one stone will be left standing on another (24:1-3).

    This announcement provokes two logical questions:

            When will this happen?

            What will be the sign of the end of the age?

    Jesus answers their questions in the opposite order in the rest of the chapter.

What are the signs to watch for?

TRIBULATION 24:4-26

    The first sign that the age is coming to an end and His second coming is near is the tribulation. The time begins with international upheaval, caused by both politics and nature (4-8). Though the affliction will be intense, this is just the beginning of the birth pangs! It's the start of a process that will inevitably lead to the conclusion of the process, the birth of a new age, when He comes again.

    The bad conditions intensify in the second half of the tribulation. The period concludes with the persecution of those who proclaim Christ (9-14). The affliction is worse than any suffering God's people ever has seen, or than will ever happen again.

    Because of the intensity of the suffering to come, Jesus warns His followers to be watching for a preliminary sign that the affliction is coming (15-21). When you see this, drop everything and run! Those who are waiting for Christ to come during that time of tribulation should be alert. The sign he gives them is the appearance of an abominable thing which desolates, that fulfills Daniel's prophecy. We don't know specifically what that will look like, but that generation will. He tells them that when they see it, they should run. Don't even go back for your coat! RUN!

    In spite of the incredible suffering, and the obvious indications that no one will survive this time of affliction, Jesus promises that God will intervene and prevent total destruction of all people (22)! It will seem impossible, but God is going to stop it before it completes its work.

    During that time of affliction, there will be an intense desire for Christ's appearance. People will want His coming so badly they'll be subject to all kinds of deception (23-26). Don't follow them! His coming isn't going to be like that. This warning introduces the second sign of the end of the age.

NOTABLE HEAVENLY SIGN OF CHRIST'S COMING 24:27-30

    When Jesus comes back it will be apparent to all, like lightning in the sky. God is going to shut down the normal lights in the sky so that the world will be darker than the darkest night. Not even the stars will shine. Though the physical events which cause this darkening appear to correspond to the judgments God will unleash on the earth during the tribulation itself, they are specifically related in this prophetic statement to the time following the days of distress, and to the preparation for our Lord's return. His coming will be more noticeable than lightning on a dark night. The entire world will see the sign of His coming. No one will miss it!

REGATHERING OF ISRAEL 24:31

    The third sign of His coming will be the regathering of Israel. He will send His angels to gather His people from wherever they have been scattered. They have run in all directions to escape the time of affliction (15-21). Now He will bring them back and restore His promises to them.

When will the end of the age occur?

    The other question to which Jesus' followers want an answer is addressed by the parables in the second part of the chapter. He provides two answers to their question. The Lesson from the Fig Tree (24:32-35) demonstrates that the generation that sees all the signs He has just mentioned can be sure that the fulfillment of the promises is near. That generation won't pass away until it is totally accomplished.

    The Lessons about Keeping Watch (24:36-51) indicate that the end will come when the world least expects it. Therefore, they should be ready. As in Noah's day (36-41), people paid no attention until judgment came and it was too late. So it will be at the time of His coming. Like a thief robs people who who aren't expecting him (42-44), so Jesus will come again when people aren't watching for Him.

    Similarly, a servant whose master goes away for a long time will be faithful as long as he thinks his master may return any time (45-51). He becomes careless and unfaithful when he forgets about the master, and fails to be concerned about his coming. Jesus' followers ought to be aware of His plan and expecting His return, so that they won't be caught off guard like that generation of Israel was.

What's going to happen at His return?

    Matthew 25 continues the discussion concerning the future that Jesus initiated in the previous chapter. He continues to develop the theme of readiness. In the first half of the chapter, 25:1-30, Jesus introduces two parables about readiness that introduce the judgment of Israel that will occur at His second coming. When Jesus returns, He will judge individuals from Israel on the basis of their readiness for His coming.

    Jesus' second coming is depicted as a wedding banquet. In the Old Testament Jewish concept of a wedding, the bridegroom comes to the banquet with his bride to celebrate with their friends, the wedding union they have already consummated together. Once the marriage has been sealed, friends and family gather at a great celebration.

    In His description of His second coming, Jesus is the bridegroom who returns with His bride to the earth to celebrate with those who are waiting for Him to come again. The bridegroom's delay in coming results in lack of readiness on the part of the invited guests (1-5 ). The invited guests who aren't ready are shut out of the banquet (6-12). The moral of the story is that those who are invited to the Lord's banquet must be ready for His coming (13)! They ought to be prepared for it whenever He comes.

    The significance of the parable is often misunderstood because we don't ask ourselves some key questions: Who is the Bridegroom? It is evident from the context that Jesus is referring to His own return.

    Though the focus of the story is clearly on the Bridegroom, there would be no wedding banquet without a bride! Thus it is obvious that His bride is with Him. The virgins who have been waiting are not the bride. Who is the bride? Perhaps a major reason the passage doesn't answer the question is that the bride hasn't been born yet! The concept of the church as the bride of Christ isn't introduced until Paul's letters, after the birth of the church at Pentecost.

    In the gospels the kingdom is frequently depicted as a great banquet, sometimes as a wedding banquet. The Father has invited guests to come to a wedding banquet for His Son. The virgins are present in the role of invited guests, who are supposed to be ready for His coming. At His first coming, the invited guests were not ready for His coming. When He comes again, they are warned to be ready, lest they be shut out of the great banquet.

    The lesson based on wedding customs which Jesus addresses to His followers teaches that God has sent an invitation to the wedding banquet for His Son. Those who are invited should prepare themselves for His return. Those who aren't concerned to make preparation-like those of that generation-are excluded from the joyous celebration.

    A few chapters earlier, in Matthew 22:1-14 Jesus describes the same scene. The Father sends His servants to call the invited guests to come to the wedding celebration. They begin to make excuses. They don't want to come! So He sends the servants out to bring in people off the streets because the invited guests aren't ready and aren't interested in coming to His celebration. Jesus warns them that those who aren't ready, though invited, will be left out of the kingdom, looking in from the outside and weeping! Those who want to participate in His kingdom must prepare for it and be ready for the Bridegroom's coming.

What is the significance of "being ready" for the bridal party?

For Jewish people waiting for Messiah's coming?

    They ought to be prepared for the kingdom by preparing for the coming of the Bridegroom. Israel demonstrated at His first coming that they weren't interested in Him-they weren't ready for His coming. Now they have another opportunity at His return! Will they be ready for His coming? Some will; some won't. This is a warning to get their lamps ready!

For us?

    The specific exhortation in this parable isn't directed at the church; it's directed at Israel, the invited guests. Nevertheless, within it's specific warning, there is a general warning to all people: Are you concerned about preparing for the Lord's coming?

Are you living for other things? Are you too busy for Him? A day will come when He appears, and it will be too late to get ready!

    We, too, ought to be watching for our Lord's coming for His church. We have a special role and we want to be ready for His coming for us. We're the bride! If the invited guests ought to be ready for the Bridegroom's coming, shouldn't the bride want to be ready when He comes to get her in preparation for that wedding celebration?

    This parable also describes God's judgment of Israel at Jesus' second coming. In this parable, the master goes on a journey and entrusts His resources to His servants (14-15). He is going away for a while (14). Therefore, he entrusts his resources according to the abilities of His servants (15).

    He distributes to them distinct quantities of "talents." A talent was a monetary unit, valued at fifteen to twenty years of wages for working class people. We often apply the idea to the "talents" God gives us. While this application is legitimate in the context, it's not the main idea in the story.

    To each servant, the master has given a stewardship according to their ability. They are given different quantities. They are only responsible for what they do with what the Master gave them. The quantity itself isn't the issue!

    The servants use their master's resources in different ways (16-18). The faithful servants use his resources for his benefit. They care about him and want to serve him. The first servant jumps right in! He went at once and put his money to work! He couldn't wait to take advantage of the opportunity to earn a profit for the Master! They use what he has given them wisely-for his profit!

    On the other hand, the foolish servants don't care about the master's interests. Their main concern is self-preservation. The foolish servant in the story plays it safe! He takes no risks. He earns nothing for his master.

    Eventually, the master returns to settle accounts (19-30). He rewards the faithful servants (19-23). They are both faithful. The issue isn't how much they make! It's faithfulness! They're concerned about what will please their master-what benefits him! They will be rewarded with greater opportunities to serve. They are invited to join in the master's celebration.

    Then the master deals with the worthless servant (24-30). The servant reveals his attitude toward his master (24-25). Notice what he thinks about his master! He sees him as a hard judge and only looks out for his own interests. He is more concerned about self-preservation, than about his master's benefit.

    The servant is judged for his failure to serve his master (26-30). His failure is identified (26-27). He is wicked, lazy, and worthless. The unfaithful servant is evil, not just unfruitful. He doesn't care about what his master wants. He knows what his master is like. He knows what he wants. But he does nothing about it! He doesn't care!

    His failure is compensated appropriately. He gets the "reward" he deserves for his attitude and efforts! His talent is taken away from him (28). His talent is given to the most faithful servant (29). The principle which is applied is that those who are faithful are given more. The most faithful receive the greatest opportunities to serve.

    In the end, the unfaithful servant is excluded from the celebration (30). His judgment involves being thrown outside the Master's kingdom. The consequences are weeping and gnashing of teeth. The Lord uses these terms regularly for those outside His kingdom. In Matthew 8:10-12 those who considered themselves among the privileged participants of the kingdom find themselves on the outside looking in. They are in the shadows watching the wrong people on the inside, and they weep and gnash teeth.

    Those who are faithful enter His kingdom. The unfaithful are excluded from the kingdom; their part is given to others. This isn't salvation by works. Their conduct is evidence of what's in their hearts. Those who should have been celebrating with their Master are excluded from the kingdom because their hearts aren't interested in serving the King!

    At least two areas where incidents should speak to us. These are the major ones that impress me. Perhaps others impress you.

Parables concerning readiness

    These parables remind us of the importance of being ready for our Lord's coming for His bride. We should not be evaluating world events through the eyes of the world. We ought to watch what God is doing and be prepared to be involved in it. The people of Noah's day, like victims of the thief, paid no attention to God and what He wanted them to see. The servant forgot about the master and his coming. The virgins were too busy seeing to other things; they weren't ready for His coming! What priorities are WE pursuing? We should be alert to what God is doing in the world and cooperate in it.

Parable of the Talents

    This parable has to do with Israel and their preparation for the kingdom. What can it teach us?

    We have received a stewardship from God also. The Master determines how He will distribute His resources-to whom He will entrust them. We're to be faithful in our use of the resources He places in our hands-to use them for His benefit-not our own (1 Cor. 4:1-2). We're responsible for how we use what He has placed in our hands until He comes again. Will He find US faithful in using HIS resources for HIS benefit?