*Matthew 25:1-30
Jesus uses two parables, the ten virgins and the talents, to illustrate the importance of preparedness for the kingdom of heaven.
- Parable of the Ten Virgins:
- Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to ten virgins who take their lamps to meet the bridegroom.
- Five are wise and bring extra oil, while five are foolish and bring only their lamps.
- The bridegroom is delayed, and all ten fall asleep.
- At midnight, the cry announces the bridegroom’s arrival. The virgins wake up to prepare their lamps.
- The foolish virgins realize they don’t have enough oil and ask the wise ones for some, but the wise virgins refuse, directing them to buy their own.
- While the foolish virgins go to buy oil, the bridegroom arrives. The wise virgins enter the banquet, and the door is shut.
- When the foolish virgins return, they plead to be let in, but the bridegroom says he does not know them.
- Jesus concludes with a warning to “keep watch” because no one knows the day or the hour.
- Parable of the Talents:
- A man going on a journey entrusts his property to his servants, giving five talents to one, two to another, and one to a third, each according to their ability.
- The servant with five talents immediately invests them and gains five more.
- The servant with two talents also doubles his amount.
- The servant with one talent, fearing his master, hides the money in the ground.
- After a long time, the master returns and settles accounts with them.
- The servants who doubled their talents are praised for their faithfulness and entrusted with more responsibilities, while being invited to share in their master’s joy.
- The servant who buried his single talent returns it, explaining his fear of his master’s harshness.
- The master rebukes him for his laziness and takes the talent, giving it to the servant with ten.
- He states that those who have will be given more, while those who lack will lose even what they have.
- The unproductive servant is cast into darkness, where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 25:1-30 teaches us to be prepared, faithful, and responsible with what God has given us. In the parable of the ten bridesmaids, Jesus reminds us to stay ready for His return by living with faith every day. In the parable of the talents, He shows that God wants us to use our gifts wisely, not hide them out of fear. We can apply this by making the most of our time, skills, and opportunities to serve God and help others. Instead of waiting for the “perfect” moment, we should live each day with purpose, faith, and a willingness to do our best.
Matthew 25:1-30 (WEB)
25:1 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘What if there isn’t enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.14 “For it is like a man going into another country, who called his own servants and entrusted his goods to them. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two. 18 But he who received the one talent went away and dug in the earth and hid his lord’s money.19 “Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and settled accounts with them. 20 He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents in addition to them.’21 “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’22 “He also who got the two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents in addition to them.’23 “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things. I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’24 “He also who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you didn’t sow, and gathering where you didn’t scatter. 25 I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.’26 “But his lord answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn’t sow, and gather where I didn’t scatter. 27 You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest. 28 Take away therefore the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away. 30 Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’