The Grace Commentary – Your free verse-by-verse Bible commentary Matthew 25

Matthew 25:1

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

(a) The kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God refers to the reign of God revealed through his Son. In this present age, it is expressed through the body of Christ, the church. See entry for Matt. 3:2.

(b) Will be comparable. Jesus is not describing the kingdom as it is now, but as it will be. When the Lord returns in glory, he will come as a bridegroom for his bride (Rev. 19:7). From our perspective, we are like people waiting for the bridegroom to arrive.

According to some, this waiting period is a kind of test. “The Lord delays his return to test the sincerity of your faith, devotion, or commitment.” A prominent feature in the parable is the oil used to keep the lamps burning. “You keep your oil topped up by engaging in good works and spiritual disciplines.” And just like that, another parable is hijacked to promote dead works and unbelief.

To put the story in context, Jesus is sitting on the Mount of Olives, answering his disciples’ questions about the end of the age. He tells them to keep watch, for no one knows the day or the hour of his return (Matt. 24:36, 42). Then he tells two stories about people who failed to keep watch: the Parable of the Faithful Steward (Matt. 24:45–51) and the Parable of the Ten Virgins. This last parable is sometimes called the Wise and Foolish Virgins, the Ten Maidens, or the Ten Bridesmaids.

(c) Comparable. The parable is an analogy that compares the kingdom of heaven to ten virgins waiting for a wedding procession.

(d) Ten virgins. The ten virgins are young, unmarried women who serve as attendants at a wedding procession. Their role is to welcome the bridegroom and escort the bridal party into the feast with lamps or torches. Although not historically accurate, some Bible translations describe them as bridesmaids.

In the Bible, the number “ten” can signify completeness. In the creation account, the phrase “God said” appears ten times. The Law of Moses is summed up in the Ten Commandments. Pharaoh finally released the children of Israel after ten plagues. To have ten virgins or bridesmaids is to have the full complement. The ten represent “all of us” or humanity as a whole. Like the ten slaves in the Parable of the Minas, the ten bridesmaids are waiting for someone, just as humanity waits for the Lord’s return.

The bridesmaids are divided into two groups: the wise and the foolish. They represent the ready and the unready, the saved and the lost. We can be sure this is the correct interpretation because of the bridegroom’s words to the foolish at the end of the parable: “I do not know you” (Matt. 25:12). At the end of days, there will be those Jesus knows—the saved—and those he does not know—the lost. If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, you are part of the wise or saved group. You need not worry about running out of oil or trying to keep your faith levels topped up. Those who belong to the Lord can look forward to his return with hope and joy.

(e) Lamps. Torches; see entry for Matt. 25:3.

(f) To meet the bridegroom. A typical Jewish wedding had two parts: the betrothal ceremony and, about a year later, the marriage ceremony. During the marriage ceremony, the bridegroom and his friends would collect the bride from her father’s house and escort her and her friends in a joyful procession back to his home, where a feast awaited.

(g) The bridegroom. In Scripture, Christ is often portrayed as a bridegroom (Matt. 9:15, 22:2, John 3:29, Eph. 5:25, Rev. 19:7).

Note that some translations say the ten bridesmaids are going out to meet the bridegroom and his bride. However, the bride is otherwise absent from this story. The focus is on the ten bridesmaids who are awaiting the arrival of the groom.

Matthew 25:2

“Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.

(a) Foolish. The Greek adjective mōros means “dull, stupid, or blockhead.” It is related to the English word “moron,” meaning a stupid or slow-witted person. The five were foolish because they had one job, which they failed to do. They did not prepare for the return of the bridegroom.

(b) Prudent. The Greek adjective phronimos can be translated as “wise” (Matt. 7:24), “sensible” (Matt. 24:45), or “shrewd” (Luke 16:8). It describes those who are forward-looking such as the builder who planned for the storm (Matt. 7:24), the sensible manager who prepared for his master’s return (Matt. 24:45), and the shrewd manager who anticipated his need for friends (Luke 16:8). The five prudent bridesmaids were sensible and wise because they were prepared for what was coming. Unlike the foolish bridesmaids, they had oil for their lamps.

The contrast between the wise and foolish bridesmaids reminds us of the wise and foolish builders (Matt. 7:24–27). In both stories, Jesus compares people who are prepared with those who are not.

Matthew 25:3–4

“For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps.

(a) Lamps. The original noun lampás means “torches.” These are not small, household oil lamps but sticks wrapped in oil-soaked rags. Torches were used in nighttime processions and military escorts (e.g., John 18:3).

(b) No oil. The bridesmaids without oil represent unbelievers who are without God in this world and do not have the Spirit (Eph. 2:12, Jude 1:19).

The wise bridesmaids have oil, but the foolish have none. The oil symbolizes the indwelling Holy Spirit. By definition, every Christian has the Spirit living within them (1 Cor. 3:16). “You have an anointing from the Holy One” (1 John 2:20). Believers do not need to ask God for more oil or fear they will run out. His anointing or presence abides in you (1 John 2:27), and he will never leave you or forsake you (Heb. 13:5).

Matthew 25:5

“Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.

(a) The bridegroom represents Jesus; see entry for Matt. 25:1.

(b) Delaying. The bridegroom took longer than expected, and the ten bridesmaids had to wait.

Waiting is a recurring theme in several of Jesus’ stories. Masters and noblemen go away for a long time, and their servants must wait for their return (Matt. 24:48, 25:19, Luke 19:13, 20:9). Jesus is speaking to those of us who are waiting for his return. We long for him to come soon and make right all that is broken and wrong in the world. Yet, after 2,000 years, he has not returned, and no one knows how much longer the wait will be. For this reason, Scripture encourages us to wait patiently for his appearing (e.g., Luke 12:36, 1 Cor. 1:7, Php. 3:20, 1 Th. 1:10, Jas. 5:7–8, Jude 1:21). The Lord is worth waiting for.

(c) Drowsy. The bridesmaids are resting because the bridegroom is delayed. But why are the foolish bridesmaids sleeping when they should be buying oil (Matt. 25:10)?

In the preceding parable of the Faithful Steward, the master comes sooner than expected (Matt. 24:48), but in this one, he comes later than expected. In both parables, the foolish are caught unprepared. The Lord will come sooner or later, but we must be prepared either way. “Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit” (Luke 12:35).

(d) Sleep is a natural response to late nights and delayed bridegrooms. It does not mean the bridesmaids were inattentive or that the church is napping. All the bridesmaids slept, even the wise ones. Sometimes in Scripture, sleep is a metaphor for spiritual stupor (e.g., Rom. 13:11, Rev. 3:2–3), but other times sleep just means sleep. Just as the weary farmer sleeps while the seed grows (Mark 4:27), the tired bridesmaids rest while the bridegroom delays. A good sleep is a gift from God.

Matthew 25:6

“But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’

(a) Midnight. A more literal translation is “the middle of the night.” The bridegroom might have come at 10 p.m., 12 a.m., or 2 a.m. No time is specified.

(b) Shout. The shout or summons is what the bridesmaids have been waiting for. Finally! The bridegroom has come, and the party is about to start. Like the bridesmaids, we are listening for a heavenly shout that will herald the arrival of the Lord (1 Th. 4:16).

(d) Come out to meet him. This phrase shows what will occur when “we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Th. 4:17). When the Lord returns, the dead in Christ will rise first. Then the living will be caught up—gathered or raptured—to meet him. The word “rapture” does not appear in English Bibles. It comes from the Latin word rapiemur, used in the Vulgate Bible for over a thousand years. When the Lord comes down from heaven, those who are ready will meet him and join his procession to the marriage supper.

Further reading: “What about the rapture?”

Matthew 25:7–8

“Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’

(a) Trimmed. Since the lamps were, in fact, torches (see entry for Matt. 25:3), trimming them meant knocking off burnt rags to expose fresh cloth, soaking the cloth in oil, and relighting the flame.

(b) The foolish. The unready; see entry for Matt. 25:2.

(d) Give us. The foolish bridesmaids make desperate demands of their friends. Later, they will make demands of the bridegroom himself. “Open for us” (Matt. 25:11).

(e) Oil; see entry for Matt. 25:3.

(f) Lamps are going out. To all outward appearances, the foolish bridesmaids look just like the wise ones. But when the shout goes out, their lack of readiness is exposed for all to see.

Some people work hard to appear moral or religious. They may attend services and even lead churches, but if they fail to do the one thing that matters—putting their faith in Christ—their lamps will go out, and they will be shut out of the kingdom.

Matthew 25:9

“But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’

(a) The prudent. The prepared; see entry for Matt. 25:2.

(b) Not enough. We cannot share our salvation with others. We can tell them the good news, but the only way they can receive the Holy Spirit—the oil—is by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Anointed One, or the “Oiled” One. Whoever is baptized into Christ becomes as anointed as he is.

Matthew 25:10

“And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.

(a) Purchase. The five foolish bridesmaids woke the oil merchant and restocked their supplies. But by then it was too late.

(b) The bridegroom came at an unexpected hour, and so will Jesus. His return will be sudden, like a thief who comes in the night (Matt. 24:43). “I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you” (Rev. 3:3). See entry for Matt. 24:43.

(c) Those who were ready. To “be ready” is to have a positive answer to the question: If Jesus returned today, would you rejoice to see him? Would you gladly welcome him as your Master and the Lover of your soul? We get ready by turning to God in faith and confessing that Jesus is the Risen Lord who was sent to save us. See also the entry for Matt. 24:44.

(d) Went in. When the Lord returns in glory, we shall enter into the eternal age where there is no more sorrow or death. The new earth will be the home of righteousness, and in that blessed realm we shall dwell with the Lord forever (2 Pet. 3:13, Rev. 21:4).

(e) Wedding feast. Not for the first time, Jesus compares the kingdom to a marriage feast (Matt. 22:2, Mark 2:19–20, Eph. 5:24–25, Rev. 19:7–9, 21:2, 9).

(f) Shut. Just as the foolish bridesmaids failed to prepare and found themselves shut out of the feast, those who fail to do the will of God—believe in his Son (John 6:40)—will be shut out of the kingdom.

Matthew 25:11

“Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’

(a) The other virgins are the five foolish bridesmaids who were not ready for the bridegroom’s arrival.

(b) Lord, Lord. On three occasions, Jesus spoke about people who would cry, “Lord, Lord” yet not be received into his kingdom (Matt. 7:21–22, 25:11–12, Luke 6:46). In each case, he was referring to unbelievers whom he did not know (see next verse).

Further reading: “What about those who cry ‘Lord, Lord’?”

(c) Open up for us. Unlike the prodigal’s older brother, these bridesmaids want to come inside. They hear the music and laughter and long to join the celebration. But they are too late. They represent those who receive the gospel invitation yet fail to respond. While the door is open, they hesitate to enter. When it finally shuts, they regret not entering while they had the chance.

Matthew 25:12

“But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’

I do not know you. The Good Shepherd knows his sheep (John 10:27), and these aren’t his sheep. The unready bridesmaids are not part of the body of Christ. They are not believers.

Some read this parable and worry that 50 percent of believers aren’t going to make the cut. They’re going to be left behind or fall away in a great apostasy. But the foolish bridesmaids are not lukewarm or lackadaisical believers. They are unbelievers, unnamed, and unknown to the Lord. Those who are joined to the Lord have nothing to fear. One with the Lord, his future is their future.

Matthew 25:13

“Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

(a) Be on the alert. Jesus gives a clear takeaway that is repeated many times in Scripture: Be alert and ready for the Lord’s return (Matt. 24:42, Mark 13:33, 37, Luke 21:36, 1 Cor. 16:13, Col. 4:2, 1 Th. 5:6).

(b) Alert. The original verb grēgoreō means “to be awake.” The same word appears in the parables of the Thief in the Night (Matt. 24:43), the Doorkeeper (Mark 13:34), and the Waiting Slave (Luke 12:37).

The disciples asked the Lord about his return, and Jesus told them three times that no one knows when he will return except God the Father (Matt. 24:36, 42, 25:13).

(d) The day nor the hour. All we can say for certain is that the Lord will return on a day we do not expect and at an hour we do not know (Matt. 24:50).

The message of the Ten Virgins is clear: Be ready for the Lord’s return. Don’t waver in indecision, but enter the kingdom while the door is open. When the Lord returns in glory, those who are ready and waiting will take their places at the kingdom feast.

Matthew 25:14

“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them.

(a) For it is just like. Jesus is sitting with four of his disciples on the Mount of Olives. He is answering their questions about his return and the end of the age (Matt. 24:3, Mark 13:3). “No one knows the hour or day,” says Jesus (Matt. 24:36). “But it will be like this…” Jesus proceeds to tell three parables: the Faithful Steward, the Ten Virgins, and the Talents.

The Parable of the Talents is similar to the Parable of the Minas, which Jesus told a few days earlier in the house of Zacchaeus. Both parables are about a man who entrusts his money to his slaves before going on a long journey. The key difference is that a mina is a small amount of money, while a talent is a huge sum. In both parables, the man returns after a long time to see what his slaves have done with his money.

The two parables are sometimes used to promote dead works (“You’d better use your talents and abilities for God”) and to frighten believers (“or you might get kicked out of the kingdom”). This kind of teaching leads to condemnation and end-times anxiety. But Jesus is not trying to scare believers. He’s describing different ways people respond to the gift of God’s grace. Some receive it and are blessed abundantly; others reject it and are lost.

(b) A man about to go on a journey. The man who is going away represents Jesus, who is about to depart the earth and return to heaven.

In the corresponding parable of the Minas, the man who journeys to a far country is a high-born man who receives a kingdom (Luke 19:12). Jesus is speaking about himself and his imminent death, ascension to heaven, and coronation.

(c) Slaves. Although some Bible translations wrongly translate the word doulos as “servant,” Jesus is talking about slaves. A slave is someone who owns nothing but is owned by a master. See entry for Matt. 18:23.

(d) Entrusted. The Greek verb paradidōmi means “to deliver over.” It is the same word that is used to describe how Jesus was delivered over to death on our behalf (Mark 9:31, Eph. 5:2). Giving away his wealth is a kind of death for the master. If his slaves lose his money, he could be ruined. His sacrificial giving reminds us of Jesus, who gave his all for us.

(e) Entrusted his possessions to them. The master’s extreme, almost unbelievable generosity sends a clear message: “I no longer consider you slaves but friends and partners” (John 15:15).

Matthew 25:15

“To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey.

(a) He gave. The giving master represents God the Giver who freely gives us all the blessings of heaven through his Son (Eph. 1:3). These blessings, which include salvation, forgiveness, acceptance, justification, righteousness, peace, eternal security, rest, and eternal life, can be grouped under the label “grace.” The talents represent the extravagant grace that God freely offers to all.

(b) Five talents is a huge sum of money.

The word “talent” does not mean the same thing as the modern English word. In ancient times, a talent was a measure of weight roughly equivalent to what a man could carry (2 Kgs. 5:23). Estimates for the weight of a Hebrew talent during the time of Christ range from 60–80 pounds (28–36 kilograms). When applied to gold or silver, a talent becomes a measure of value. A talent of gold would be worth millions of dollars, and this slave is given five talents. It is a ridiculously large amount of money. It’s “change the world” money.

The five precious talents represent the absent master (it’s his money) and his work (he earned it). At a deeper level, the talents symbolize the surpassing riches of God’s grace expressed to us in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:7).

(c) According to his ability. Each slave is given an amount that matches their ability to receive. In other words, each slave could have more money if they were capable of putting it to work.

The five-talent slave represents those who have a full understanding of the riches of grace. They understand that every blessing flows out of our union with Christ. One with the Lord, they know they are as righteous and holy as Jesus. With nothing to prove and no pressure to perform, they are free to walk in step with the spirit and put God’s grace to work.

The two-talent slave represents believers with only a partial understanding of grace. They know they are saved by grace, but remain unsure whether they are fully accepted, forgiven, and righteous. Their limited understanding means they are distracted by dead works when they could be abiding in the Vine and bearing much fruit.

Finally, the one-talent slave represents the self-righteous who have no understanding of grace. They don’t want it and wouldn’t know what to do with it if you gave it to them.

(d) He went on his journey. The man’s journey represents Jesus’ imminent departure from earth; see previous verse.

Matthew 25:16

“Immediately, the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents.

(a) Traded with them. The faithful slave puts his master’s money to work. He invests it. In the Parable of the Minas, the master instructed his slaves to “do business” with their gift, meaning “put it to work” (Luke 19:13). It is not the slaves who work, but the master’s money.

In the parables of the Minas and the Talents, the money represents the master’s labor. The master has worked, and the slaves reap the benefit. Similarly, Jesus has done the work, and our part is to receive what he has paid for. We do not need to work for salvation, sanctification, or security. In the economy of grace, everything we need for life and godliness is freely supplied by God (2 Pet. 1:3). We bring nothing to the table.

(b) Gained five more talents. God’s grace multiplies when we put it to work.

In both parables, the master’s money earns a handsome return. One mina becomes ten minas, and five talents become ten talents. It works like this: God gives us an abundance of grace so that we may abound in good works (2 Cor. 9:8). When we put God’s grace to work, it brings a harvest of righteousness (2 Cor. 9:10), and the result is that others praise God (2 Cor. 9:13).

Matthew 25:17

“In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more.

In the same manner. Like the first slave, the second one puts his master’s money to work and receives a good return. God’s grace grows and multiplies regardless of our efforts and abilities.

Matthew 25:18

“But he who received the one talent went away and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

Dug a hole. The third slave does nothing with his master’s money.

Some say the third man was idle. “The faithless slave did nothing while the others worked.” But the faithless slave is the only slave who worked. He dug a hole, buried the money in the ground, and then dug it up again. The slave’s problem is not that he worked; it’s that he didn’t put his master’s gift to work.

The faithless slave stands for the self-righteous person who rejects the grace that Jesus offers. “Grace is for sinners and slackers, not good, hard-working men like me.” Such a man works because he has not seen the work of Christ. Rather than receive the gift of Christ’s righteousness, he labors to make himself righteous.

Matthew 25:19

“Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.

(a) After a long time. No one knows when Jesus will return, but Jesus said he would be gone a long time, and his word has proven true.

In his parables about the end times, Jesus spoke of masters, noblemen, and bridegrooms being gone a long time (Matt. 24:48, 25:5, 25:19). Since Jesus has been gone a long time, he exhorts us to wait like faithful servants (Luke 12:36), patient and eager for his return (Rom. 8:25).

We are to be alert and ready for the Lord’s return, but this doesn’t mean we put life on hold. Plant trees and raise families, and do whatever God put you on this earth to do. Invest, build, dig deep, and go long. Let your light shine so others may praise your Father in heaven.

(b) Settled accounts. One day, Jesus will return in glory to see what we have done with his gifts. On that day, he will repay each person according to their deeds (see entry for Matt. 16:27).

Matthew 25:20

“The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’

(a) The one who had received. In the kingdom, all the blessings of heaven come by receiving the grace of God. Learning to receive by faith all that God has provided is the first, last, and only step to lasting success.

(b) You entrusted. “You believed in me.”

By the world’s standards, this man was merely a slave, valued for his labor. But the faith placed in him by his master elevated him out of bondage and made him a prosperous partner.

(c) I have gained. The slave has the joy of a farmer reaping a harvest or a fisherman with heavy nets. “Because of your gift and your faith in me, I have reaped a reward.”

In the Parable of the Minas, the slave exclaims, “Your mina made ten more” (Luke 19:16). These slaves are not boasting in their hard work but in the results of their master’s generosity. Their delight is shared by all who trade in the grace of God. Grace is powerful. It raises the dead and opens blind eyes. Grace turns thieves into givers, sinners into saints, and slaves into kings. Let those who boast, boast in the Lord (1 Cor. 1:31).

(d) Five more talents. Grace bears fruit after its own kind. As we share the love of God with others, more people are drawn into the orbit of the Father’s love. As we forgive and accept others with the forgiveness and acceptance Christ gave us, more people experience the forgiveness and acceptance of God. The amazing thing about grace is that it never runs out. The more we give it away, the more fruitful it becomes.

Matthew 25:21

“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

(a) Good and faithful. The slave was good because he traded with his master’s gift (Matt. 25:16). He did not let the gift sit idle, but he put it to work. In doing this, he enabled others to experience the master’s blessings. When we share God’s love with others, they encounter the Master and are blessed (John 13:34, 15:12).

(b) Faithful. The slave is not commended for being profitable, productive, or successful. He’s commended for being faithful, for trusting his master, and for doing what he was asked.

Where does the slave’s faithfulness come from? It comes from his generous master. Because the master trusted him with his money, the slave learned to trust his master. In the same way, God’s goodness inspires us to trust him. We love him because he first loved us, and we believe in him because he first believed in us (1 John 4:19). Grace and faith are needed to be fruitful, and both are supplied by God (Eph. 2:8).

Consider Barnabas. At a time when no one wanted anything to do with Saul, Barnabas extended the hand of friendship (Acts 9:26–27). Barnabas showed grace, and because of him, Saul became the apostle Paul, who planted churches all over the Roman world. He also wrote a fair chunk of the New Testament. If Barnabas had done nothing, God would still have done great things through Paul. But Barnabas would have missed out on the blessing that grew from their friendship.

(d) In charge of many things. The faithful slave is promoted to a full partner with the master.

(e) Enter into the joy of your master. The Lord’s return will be a joyful occasion for the believer.

Some Christians are dreading the Lord’s return, for they imagine they will be judged for their failures and shortcomings. But those who are established in their Father’s love have nothing to fear. They look forward to the Day of the Lord with confidence (1 John 4:17).

(f) The joy of your master. Just as a fisherman’s joy is to catch fish, the Savior’s joy is to save the lost. The Lord takes great pleasure in rescuing lost people. We share his joy whenever we bring freedom to the captives.

It should be clear that the faithful slaves are slaves no longer. The master’s talents have lifted them from bondage and promoted them to full partners and co-regents. This is even more explicit in the Parable of the Minas, where the faithful are given authority over cities (Luke 19:17). Such is the power of grace: it breaks the chains of sin and seats us with Christ at the right hand of God (Eph. 2:6). Sin condemns us to slavery, but grace makes us kings (1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 5:10).

Matthew 25:22–23

“Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

(a) The one who had received; see entry for Matt. 25:20.

(b) Received. In the old covenant, we gave, but in the new covenant, we receive. See entry for Matt. 13:20.

(c) You entrusted. “You believed in me.” Like the first slave, this slave was elevated out of bondage by the faith placed in him by his master.

(d) I have gained. “Because of your gift and your faith in me, I reaped a reward.” See entry for Matt. 25:20.

(e) Faithful. In one of the other Olivet parables, a faithful slave is commended for feeding the master’s household in his absence (Matt. 24:45). The faithful Christian is the one who receives God’s grace and shares his blessings with others. This isn’t a task reserved for a select few in “ministry,” but a privilege available to all who have the indwelling Spirit of Christ. As we freely receive, we freely give, so that others may be drawn into the embrace of the Father’s love (Matt. 5:16). only

(f) Faithful with a few things; see entry for Matt. 25:21.

(g) Enter into the joy of your master; see entry for Matt. 25:21.

Matthew 25:24

“And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed.

(a) The one also who had received the one talent. Unlike the two faithful slaves, the third slave does not praise or thank his master. He never says, “I can’t believe you entrusted me with a talent!” His master’s staggering generosity had no effect on him at all.

(b) I knew you to be a hard man. The slave fears his master.

His master is a generous man who gave him a bag of gold. But in this slave’s distorted mind, the master is ruthless and unreasonable. “Who gives gold to slaves? You gave me a large sum, and I didn’t want to be held accountable for it—so I buried it.”

The slave’s accusations are shockingly slanderous. His master is a giver, yet he calls him a thief. His master is generous, yet he paints him as a tyrant. Incredibly, he tries to justify his refusal of the gift by claiming it was stolen.

Matthew 25:25

‘And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

(a) I was afraid of you. The slave fears his master. He represents those who have bought into the lie that God is ruthless, hard, and not to be trusted. These skeptics will not be “fooled” by the good news of grace. If God gives us good things, they think, there must be a catch or a price to pay. Either they will reject grace, or they will try to pay for it with sacrifices and service.

(b) Hid your talent. Just as Adam hid from the Lord, the unfaithful slave hid his master’s gift. He wanted no reminders of the one he feared.

(c) Have what is yours. The faithless slave who returns his master’s gift represents the one who rejects the grace of God.

Jesus offers grace to all, but not all receive the gift. The fearful are wary, and the self-righteous are indifferent. “Take back your gift. I don’t need it, and I will not be in your debt.”

To justify his rebellion, the faithless slave invents a cockamamie narrative that portrays his master as evil and himself a victim of tyranny. Obviously, it’s nonsense, but rather than lock horns with a fool, the master hoists him on his own petard and judges him by his own words.

Matthew 25:26–27

“But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival, I would have received my money back with interest.

(a) You wicked, lazy slave. The slave is wicked because he refuses to believe in the goodness of the master. He perpetuates the lie that his master is evil, making it harder for others to receive the master’s favor. He is like the religious leaders who refused to enter the kingdom of heaven and hindered others from doing so (Matt. 23:13).

(b) Lazy. The Greek adjective oknēros means “slow.” The slave is slow of heart to believe the truth but quick to believe the lies.

(c) You knew that I reap where I did not sow? “So you think I’m ruthless and demanding? You think I take what is not mine?”

(d) With interest. The master exposes the slave’s hypocrisy. “If you think I’m a hard, usurious man, where’s my usury?” The slave can say nothing, for his own words have condemned him.

Matthew 25:28

“‘Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.

(a) Take away the talent from. Those who scorn the grace that God gives shall find themselves without grace.

(b) Give it to the one. The master does not take back his talent because God does not take back his gifts (Rom. 11:29). Instead, the talent is passed to the one who is good and faithful.

Matthew 25:29

“‘For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.

(a) Everyone who has. When we share God’s grace with others, he gives us more grace.

If God has given you a gift, such as wisdom, prophecy, or teaching, and you use your gift in a way that brings glory to God, he enlarges your gift so that others might experience his favor. Grace put to work generates an exponential return.

Jesus uttered similar words when interpreting the Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:12). On that occasion, he was talking about revelation, which is one facet of God’s grace. When we walk in the revelation God gives us, he gives us more revelation.

(b) More shall be given. Whoever receives God’s grace will bear much fruit and will get even more grace until they have an overflowing abundance of grace.

Grace, like gold, is meant to be used, not left in the ground. But unlike gold, God’s grace never runs out. As you draw on God’s grace to “purchase” freedom, health, deliverance, and wisdom, his grace grows.

An illustration may help. How does one mina become five cities? Those who share the riches of God’s grace with others bear spiritual offspring, and those who have many children will have many grandchildren, and so on. Just as faithful Abraham became a father of nations, those who are faithful with God’s grace become fathers and mothers of cities (see entry for Luke 19:17).

(c) Abundance. The Greek word perisseuō means “to superabound.” It is the verb form of the noun perisseia, which means “superabundant” or “superfluous.” It is one of several adjectives Paul uses when describing the superabounding grace of Jesus Christ (see entry for Rom. 5:15). It means having excess or more than you need. It is the same word used to describe the leftovers after Jesus fed the 5,000. God gives you more grace than you need until you are overflowing with grace and able to liberally share with others.

(d) Taken away. Those who refuse to put God’s grace to work shall lose what they have.

This isn’t about punishment or losing your anointing or God withdrawing his fellowship. This is about choices and consequences. In the parable, the slave did not want the gift, so it was taken away from him. In the same way, those who reject the good things of God lose what they have. Those who spurn the light of God’s truth will walk in darkness. Those who refuse to come to Christ for life will have no lasting life (John 5:40).

Matthew 25:30

“‘Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

(a) Worthless. The original adjective achreios means “unprofitable” or “good for nothing.” Since Jesus died for all, no one is inherently worthless. We are all precious in God’s eyes. But those who turn their backs on the Lord of life judge themselves unworthy of eternal life (Acts 13:46).

(b) The outer darkness. The master’s response to the self-righteous slave mirrors the response to the foolish virgins in the preceding parable, “I don’t know you” (Matt. 25:12), and to the goats in the next one, “Depart from me” (Matt. 25:41). The worthless slave is not cast into a fiery furnace (Matt. 13:42, 50), but is sent outside the kingdom. He represents the religious leaders who enjoyed the good things of God—the law and the prophets—but rejected God’s Son and never entered the kingdom (Matt. 23:13).

(c) Weeping and gnashing of teeth. Jesus is describing how the religious Jews will react when they find themselves outside the kingdom in the cold and dark. They will be upset and angry.

Jesus prophesied that many would come from the east and west and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, but the “sons of the kingdom” (i.e., the biological descendants of Abraham) would be thrown out into the darkness “where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 8:11–12). This prophecy was fulfilled in the Book of Acts. When the religious Jews witnessed what was happening in the early church, they cried out, gnashed their teeth, and became enraged (e.g., Acts 7:54). See also the entry for Matt. 13:42.

(d) Gnashing. To gnash your teeth is to grind them in anger and frustration (c.f., Job 16:9, Lam. 2:16). The original noun brygmos can also mean “snarling” or “growling.” When Stephen rebuked the men of the Sanhedrin for murdering the Righteous One, they were overcome with rage. They gnashed their teeth like wild dogs, rushed upon him, and killed him (Acts 7:52–58).

Jesus is not just speaking about faithless slaves who fail to use their talents; he’s looking ahead to his glorious return. On that day, those who reject grace and choose to remain outside the kingdom will reap the eternal consequences of their choice. Their destiny is the subject of Jesus’ final parable—the Sheep and the Goats.

Matthew 25:31

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.

(a) When the Son of Man comes. Jesus is on the Mount of Olives, speaking with his disciples about his final return (Matt. 24:3). To prepare them for what lies ahead, he tells three parables: the Faithful Servant (Matt. 24:45–51), the Ten Virgins (Matt. 25:1–13), and the Talents (Matt. 25:14–30). He concludes by comparing the last judgment to a shepherd separating sheep from goats. The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, also called the Parable of the Final Judgment, is less a story than a prophecy with parabolic elements. The sheep and the goats appear in only two verses, serving to illustrate the larger message.

Some use this parable to promote a works-based salvation. “You must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the sick to avoid hell,” or “Faith isn’t enough—your good deeds prove your salvation.” But Jesus isn’t teaching salvation by works. The separation of the sheep and the goats is based on identity, not behavior. The sheep go one way; the goats another. Good works don’t save us. “What counts is a new creation” (Gal. 6:15). Those who belong to Christ are a new kind of people (2 Cor. 5:17). They are righteous sheep, not cursed goats, and that makes all the difference.

(b) The Son of Man. Even though he was the Son of God (Luke 22:70, John 10:36), Jesus typically referred to himself as the Son of Man. The title, which comes from Daniel’s prophecy (Dan. 7:13–14), underlines both his humanity and divinity. See entry for Matt. 8:20.

(c) Comes in his glory. When Jesus returns to earth in physical form, he will come as the glorious King of kings (1 Th. 4:16–17, 2 Th. 1:7, Rev. 19:16).

At least five separate “comings” of the Son of Man are mentioned by Matthew (see entry for Matt. 16:28).

(d) The angels with him. When the Son of Man makes his final and glorious return to earth, he will be accompanied by an innumerable host of angels (see entry for Jude 1:14). The angels are the Lord’s means for gathering the wicked and executing his final judgment (Matt. 13:41–42, 49).

(e) Glory… glorious. The Lord Jesus Christ will return in splendid, radiant majesty.

(f) Throne. Jesus shares a heavenly throne of grace with his Father (Heb. 1:3, 4:16). When he returns to earth, he will sit on the judgment or bema seat (2 Cor. 5:10).

Matthew 25:32–33

“All the nations will be gathered before him; and he will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and he will put the sheep on his right, and the goats on the left.

(a) The nations. All people. We will all appear before the judgment seat to give an account to God (Rom. 14:12). The believer, who has already been judged righteous and holy in Christ, has nothing to fear from the judgment seat (1 John 4:17).

(b) Gathered. Everyone will appear before Christ’s judgment seat (2 Cor. 5:10; see also Is. 66:18, Joel 3:2, Zep. 3:8). It is a universal judgment.

(c) Separate. The Greek verb aphorizō means “to demarcate” or “divide.” The final judgment is not an examination but a separation. In this present age, the wheat and the weeds grow together, and good and evil coexist. But on Judgment Day, the weeds will be removed from the kingdom (Matt. 13:30, 41). For those who long for a better world free from sorrow and death, it is a day to look forward to.

(d) The shepherd. Just as a shepherd separates sheep from goats, the Son of Man will separate the wicked from the righteous (Matt. 13:49). This division is not based on deeds but on identity. The righteous sheep will go one way, and the wicked goats another.

The Jews understood that the Messiah was the Shepherd of Israel (Eze. 34:11–15, Matt. 2:6), but Jesus is the Shepherd of all (John 10:16).

(e) The sheep are believers (John 10:26). They are righteous and blessed because they belong to the Good Shepherd. They know him and he knows them (John 10:3, 14, 27).

(f) The goats are those who reject the Lord, suppress the truth, and harden their hearts to the love of God. They are accursed (Matt. 24:41) because they deny the Lord, and Jesus doesn’t know them.

Although Jesus carried the sins of the whole world—both sheep and goats—the goats don’t care. Jesus reaches out to all, but they slap his hand away. He says, “Receive my Father’s love,” but the self-righteous goats aren’t interested. Their attitude is, “We need nothing from you.”

Having rejected Jesus as King, they come grudgingly to his throne. When asked to give an account of their lives, some boast of their good deeds (Matt. 7:22), as though their sacrifices could outweigh his. Others remain silent in defiance, as if they have no need to explain themselves. But one thing all goats have in common is that they want nothing to do with Jesus. They would rather die in the darkness than live in the light.

Judgment Day is not bad news for sinners, for Jesus is the Savior of sinners. But Judgment Day is bad news for the sons of the evil one who scorn the Savior and try to justify themselves before God (Matt. 13:38). Like the religious leaders who opposed Christ and hindered people from coming to the kingdom, they will not escape the sentence of hell (Matt. 23:33).

Matthew 25:34

“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

(a) The King is the Son of Man upon the throne (Matt. 25:31). This is one of the few times in Scripture where Jesus refers to himself as a king (e.g., Matt. 21:5). See also the entry for Matt. 21:5.

(b) Blessed of my Father. The righteous believers are blessed by their heavenly Father, not by their good works. It is redundant to speak of blessed believers as though some believers were not blessed. Everyone in the kingdom is blessed on account of God’s great grace.

(c) My Father. The God Jesus reveals is a Father who loves us. In the Sermon on the Mount alone,
Jesus referred to God as Father seventeen times. See entry for Matt. 5:16.

(d) Inherit. The righteous inherit a kingdom, they don’t earn it. In Christ, we are heirs of the kingdom (Jas. 2:5), heirs of the earth (Rom. 4:13), heirs of eternal life (Tit. 3:7), and heirs of all things (John 17:10).

See entry for Inheritance.

(e) The kingdom of God refers to the reign of God revealed through his Son. In this present age, it is expressed through the body of Christ, the church. See entry for Matt. 3:2.

To inherit the kingdom is to enjoy eternal life with the Lord in the glorious age to come (Matt. 25:46).

(f) Foundation of the world. From the beginning of time. The God who sees the end from the beginning knew who would respond to the gospel call and enter his kingdom. Before time began, he wrote their names in the Book of Life (Rev. 13:8).

Matthew 25:35-36

‘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; naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.’

(a) I was… you gave. On Judgment Day, King Jesus will recognize and honor our acts of service. He will say nothing about our sins because there are no sins to mention. All our sins were carried away at the cross (Heb. 9:26).

(b) Something to eat. Six deeds are mentioned: giving food to the hungry and drink to the thirsty, showing hospitality to strangers, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and imprisoned. This is not an exhaustive list of good works, but one that would have been familiar to those raised on the Hebrew Scriptures, or Old Testament (e.g., Deut. 15:7–11, Ps. 41:1, Is. 58:5–10, Eze. 18:7, Zec. 7:9–10).

Some interpret Christ’s words as a recipe for works salvation. “Feed the hungry and you’ll earn a place in the kingdom.” But the kingdom is a gift to inherit, not a reward to be earned (see verse 34). The righteous inherit the kingdom because they are children and heirs of God (Rom. 8:17).

Matthew 25:37-39

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you, or thirsty, and give you something to drink? And when did we see you a stranger, and invite you in, or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?’

(a) The righteous are those standing to the right of the King (verse 34). They are believers who have received by faith the righteousness that comes from God (Php. 3:9).

Some believe that if they do their best, God will accept them, or if they show mercy, they will be judged righteous. But to enter the kingdom, we need a righteousness that is greater than that of the righteous Pharisees (Matt. 5:20). Righteousness based on law-keeping and good works will never make you right with God (Rom. 3:20). When Jesus said “seek first his righteousness,” he was saying receive the gift of God’s righteousness (Matt. 6:33, Rom. 5:17).

We are not saved on account of our mercy but his. “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to his mercy” (Tit. 3:5).

See entry for Righteousness.

(b) Lord, when? The righteous are surprised. They did not realize that when they were ministering to the Lord’s brothers, they were ministering to him (see Matt. 25:40).

(c) Feed you… clothe you. Many religions and belief systems encourage people to do good deeds. Deal your bread to the hungry. Show hospitality to the homeless. Defend the rights of widows and orphans. If Jesus were saying, “Good deeds make you righteous,” he would be saying nothing that hasn’t been heard before. But Jesus is not preaching works righteousness. He is commending the already righteous for their service to his brothers.

(d) I was in prison. While the Old Testament urges us to feed the hungry and help the needy, it does not mention visiting prisoners. Imprisonment was a New Testament affliction experienced by those in the early church (Acts 4:3, 5:18, 8:3, 12:4–5, 16:23, 24:27, Rev. 2:10). This is why Christians are encouraged to “remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body” (Heb. 13:3).

Matthew 25:40

“The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

(a) The King is Jesus; see entry for Matt. 25:34.

(b) These brothers of mine. Christians.

Scholars debate whether “the least of these” refers to Christ’s spiritual brothers or the poor. In Matthew’s Gospel, however, “brothers” almost always means spiritual brothers (e.g., Matt. 12:49, 18:15, 28:10). “Whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven is my brother” (Matt. 12:50). Although Jesus identifies with the poor, he never calls them his brothers. Christ regards any service done to Christians as a service done to him.

There is a stunning reversal here. For centuries, the Jews had been mistreated by Gentile nations. They had been besieged, enslaved, mocked, and murdered. During those dark times, they were consoled by the hope that one day those nations would be judged for how they treated Israel (e.g., Joel 3:1–2). But Jesus upends this expectation, declaring, “You will be judged by how you treated my brothers, the new Israel.”

(d) You did it to me. To receive a Christian in the name of the Lord is to receive Christ himself.

When Jesus sent out the twelve, he instructed them to take no provisions or money (Matt. 10:8–12). By doing so, he gave others the chance to receive him. “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me” (Matt. 10:40).

Paul’s journeys as an apostle illustrate this truth. Paul endured the same hardships Jesus described. He was hungry, thirsty, far from home, poorly clothed, sick, and imprisoned (1 Cor. 4:11, 2 Cor. 6:5, 11:23–27, Gal. 4:13). Those who welcomed and cared for Paul were, in effect, ministering to the Lord himself. Their reward was that they got to hear the good news of God’s unconditional love and grace. By believing Paul’s message, they received the Father’s blessings, and at the final judgment, they will inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world.

Matthew 25:41

“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;

(a) Depart from me. The Lord’s response to the unrighteous goats is like his reaction to the ravenous wolves: “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matt. 7:15, 23). The goats, the wolves, and the foolish virgins all share a common trait—Jesus doesn’t know them. “I don’t know you” (Matt. 25:12).

(b) Accursed. The original verb kataraomai means “to execrate or doom.” Those who trust in themselves and reject the life Christ offers doom themselves. By aligning themselves with the fallen kingdoms of this world, they make themselves unfit for the kingdom of heaven.

God showers us with the blessings of heaven, but some put up umbrellas. He invites us to join him in divine fellowship, but some would rather walk alone. He offers freedom, but some prefer prison. While the righteous are blessed “by my Father” (Matt. 25:34), the ungodly curse themselves. They are not cursed by God; their condemnation is self-inflicted. Those who reject the Maker may think they are charting their own course, but they are merely pawns in the devil’s hands (Eph. 2:1–2). And those who serve the devil will share the devil’s fate.

(c) Eternal fire. Jesus often spoke of fire in connection with Judgment Day (Matt. 5:22, 13:42, 18:9, Luke 17:29–30). He didn’t fear this fire; he looked forward to it. He knew that it would spell the end of sin and ungodliness and usher in the eternal age. “How I wish it were already kindled!” (Luke 12:49). After the fires of judgment have purged the earth, the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Matt. 13:43).

The eternal fire (Matt. 18:8, 25:41, Jude 1:7) and the unquenchable fire (Matt. 3:12, Mark 9:43–44, Luke 3:17) are synonymous with the fiery furnace (Matt. 13:42, 50, Rev. 9:2) and the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14). They are all fiery metaphors describing the second death (Rev. 20:14, 21:8).

(d) The devil is also known as the tempter (Matt. 4:3, 1 Th. 3:5), the evil one (1 John 2:13), the accuser (Rev. 12:10), and Satan (Matt. 4:10). See entry for Matt. 4:1.

(e) The devil and his angels. Hell was not made for us. The heavens belong to the Lord, and the earth was made for mankind, but hell was made for the devil and his angels. It is not God’s wish for anyone to go there (2 Pet. 3:9), but hell is what you are left with when you reject God and his good gifts.

Matthew 25:42-43

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; naked, and you did not clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit me.’

You gave me nothing. Jesus repeats his list of good deeds (Matt. 25:35–36). The sheep did them, but the goats did not. For doing them, the sheep were praised. For not doing them, the goats are rebuked. This can give the impression that we are saved or damned on the basis of what we do, but the significance of these deeds is that they were done or not done to him. Those who received Christ’s brothers received him, while those who shut the door on Christ’s brothers rejected him. By rejecting the messenger, they rejected the message and the One who sent it.

Notice that the King does not condemn the unrighteous goats for their sins. There is no mention of envy, lust, quarrels, or tax evasion, because God is not holding our sins against us (2 Cor. 5:19). The goats’ problem is not their sin but their stubborn refusal to receive God’s saving grace. By rejecting his salvation, they commit the only sin that cannot be forgiven—the sin of unbelief.

Matthew 25:44

“Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of you?’

(a) They themselves also will answer. The self-righteous goats are defensive. “When did we see you?”

The unrighteous are in danger of eternal fire (Matt. 25:41), yet they don’t beg for mercy. Instead, they try to justify themselves by accusing the Lord of bearing false witness. “You are a liar.” They’re in the deepest of holes, yet they won’t stop digging.

(b) Lord. On that day when Jesus comes in judgment, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord (Php. 2:10–11). Even those who have never called on the name of the Lord will acknowledge that he is Lord of all.

Matthew 25:45

“Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’

(a) “The least of these” refers to the least of Christ’s brothers or Christians (see verse 40). When Saul persecuted the New Testament Christians, Jesus asked him, “Why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4). Harm done to Christians is reckoned by Christ as done to him. “He who touches you, touches me” (see Zec. 2:8). To shut your door to a Christian bearing the good news of the kingdom is to shut your door to Christ himself.

(b) You did not do it to me. Those who ignore or oppose Christ’s ambassadors are in danger of judgment (Matt. 10:14–15).

Matthew 25:46

“These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

(a) Eternal punishment means punishment from which there is no return. Jesus is speaking about eternal consequences rather than endless torment. For those who reject the gift of life, the ultimate outcome is the second death (John 5:40; Rev. 2:11).

(b) Punishment or penalty. The Greek word kolasis is a noun, not a verb. It’s a permanent outcome rather than an ongoing process. When Peter speaks of the “destruction of ungodly men” that will follow the day of judgment (2 Pet. 3:7), he is describing a one-time event.

There are two outcomes for humanity: eternal life, for those who believe in Jesus, and death for those who don’t (John 3:16). These stark outcomes were preached by all the apostles, including Paul (Rom. 6:23, 2 Th. 1:8–9), James (Jas. 4:12), John (1 John 3:15, Rev. 11:18, 21:8), and Peter (2 Pet. 2:6, 12). People don’t go to hell to burn forever. But those who reject the Author of Life reject life itself and are lost forever.

(d) Eternal life. We are not born immortal (Rom. 2:6–8, Eph. 2:1). Eternal life is a gift we receive when we come to Christ (John 3:15).

On the Mount of Olives, the disciples asked Jesus about the end of the age (Matt. 24:3). The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats is his answer to their question. On the day the Lord returns in glory, he will separate the righteous from the wicked. The righteous will be welcomed into the Lord’s eternal kingdom, while those who have defied him at every turn will find they have no place there.

In the end, everyone gets what they want. Those who desire love and life shall have it in abundance, while those who want nothing to do with God and his gifts shall get their wish too. It may seem like Judgment Day is the end of days, but it is only the end of the beginning. After that day of days, real life will truly begin, and we will reign with the Lord forever and ever.

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2 comments

Anonymous Typo Hunter says:

September 5, 2023 at 7:40 pm

Typo detected at Matthew 25:11 :
“Lord, Lord” yet not be received into his kingdom (Matt: 7-21-22 [← “Matt: 7-21-22” instead of “Matt. 7:21-22”, which is probably why the Logos Reftagger doesn’t function as well]

1. Paul Ellis says:
  
  September 6, 2023 at 9:17 am
  
  Thanks for that, ATH. Fixed now.