‏ Matthew 25:10-41

Verse 10. While they went to buy, the bridegroom came] What a dismal thing it is, not to discover the emptiness of one's heart of all that is good, till it is too late to make any successful application for relief! God alone knows how many are thus deceived.

And they that were ready] They who were prepared-who had not only a burning lamp of an evangelical profession, but had oil in their vessels, the faith that works by love in their hearts, and their lives adorned with all the fruits of the Spirit.

The door was shut.] Sinners on a death-bed too often meet with those deceitful merchants, who promise them salvation for a price which is of no value in the sight of God. Come unto me, says Jesus, and buy: there is no salvation but through his blood-no hope for the sinner but that which is founded upon his sacrifice and death. The door was shut-dreadful and fatal words! No hope remains. Nothing but death can shut this door; but death may surprise us in our sins, and then despair is our only portion.

 Verse 11. Afterwards came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord] Earnest prayer, when used in time, may do much good: but it appears, from this parable, that there may come a time when prayer even to Jesus may be too late!-viz. when the door is shut-when death has separated the body and the soul.

 Verse 12. I know you not.] As if he had said, Ye are not of my company-ye were neither with the bride nor the bridegroom: ye slept while the others were in procession. I do not acknowledge you for my disciples-ye are not like him who is love-ye refused to receive his grace-ye sinned it away when ye had it; now you are necessarily excluded from that kingdom where nothing but love and purity can dwell.

 Verse 13. Watch therefore] If to watch be to employ ourselves chiefly about the business of our salvation, alas! how few of those who are called Christians are there who do watch! How many who slumber! How many who are asleep! How many seized with a lethargy! How many quite dead!

Wherein the Son of man cometh.] These words are omitted by many excellent MSS., most of the versions, and several of the fathers. Griesbach has left them out of the text: Grotius, Hammond, Mill, and Bengel, approve of the omission.

 Verse 14. Called his own servants] God never makes the children of men proprietors of his goods. They are formed by his power, and upheld by his bounty; and they hold their lives and their goods, as in many of our ancient tenures, quamdiu domino placuerit-at the will of their Lord.

 Verse 15. Unto one he gave five talents-to every man according to his several ability] The duties men are called to perform are suited to their situations, and the talents they receive. The good that any man has he has received from God, as also the ability to improve that good. God's graces and temporal mercies are suited to the power which a man has of improving them. To give eminent gifts to persons incapable of properly improving them, would be only to lead into a snare. The talent which each man has suits his own state best; and it is only pride and insanity which lead him to desire and envy the graces and talents of another. Five talents would be too much for some men: one talent would be too little. He who receives much, must make proportionate improvement; and, from him who has received little, the improvement only of that little will be required. As five talents, in one case, are sufficient to answer the purpose for which they were given; so also are two and one.

The man who improves the grace he has received, however small, will as surely get to the kingdom of God, as he who has received most from his master, and improved all.

There is a parable something like this in Sohar Chadash, fol. 47: "A certain king gave a deposit to three of his servants: the first kept it; the second lost it; the third spoiled one part of it, and gave the rest to another to keep. After some time, the king came and demanded the deposit. Him who had preserved it, the king praised, and made him governor of his house. Him who had lost it, he delivered to utter destruction, so that both his name and his possessions were blotted out. To the third, who had spoiled a part and given the rest to another to keep, the king said, Keep him, and let him not go out of my house, till we see what the other shall do to whom he has entrusted a part: if he shall make a proper use of it, this man shall be restored to liberty; if not, he also shall be punished." See Schoettgen. I have had already occasion to remark how greatly every Jewish parable is improved that comes through the hands of Christ.

In this parable of our Lord, four things may be considered:-

I. The master who distributes the talents.

II. The servants who improved their talents.

III. The servant who buried his talent. And

IV. His punishment.

1. The master's kindness. The servants had nothing-deserved nothing-had no claim on their master, yet he, in his KINDNESS, delivers unto them his goods, not for his advantage, but for their comfort and salvation.

2. The master distributes these goods diversely;-giving to one five, to another, two, and to another one. No person can complain that he has been forgotten; the master gives to each. None can complain of the diversity of the gifts; it is the master who has done it. The master has an absolute right over his own goods, and the servants cannot find fault with the distribution. He who has little should not envy him who has received much, for he has the greater labour, and the greater account to give. He who has much should not despise him who has little, for the sovereign master has made the distinction; and his little, suited to the ability which God has given him, and fitted to the place in which God's providence has fixed him, is sufficiently calculated to answer the purpose of the master, in the salvation of the servant's soul.

3. The master distributes his talents with WISDOM. He gave to each according to his several ability, i.e. to the power he had to improve what was given. It would not be just to make a servant responsible for what he is naturally incapable of managing; and it would not be proper to give more than could be improved. The powers which men have, God has given; and as he best knows the extent of these powers, so he suits his graces and blessings to them in the most wise, and effectual way. Though he may make one vessel for honour, (i.e. a more honourable place or office,) and another for dishonour, (a less honourable office,) yet both are for the master's use-both are appointed and capacitated to show forth his glory.

II. The servants who improved their talents.

These persons are termed δουλοι, slaves, such as were the property of the master, who might dispose of them as he pleased. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded, Mt 25:16.

1. The work was speedily begun-as soon as the master gave the talents and departed, so soon they began to labour. There is not a moment to be lost-every moment has its grace, and every grace has its employment, and every thing is to be done for eternity.

2. The work was perseveringly carried on; after a long time the lord of those servants cometh, Mt 25:19. The master was long before he returned, but they did not relax. The longer time, the greater improvement. God gives every man just time enough to live, in this world, to glorify his Maker, and to get his soul saved. Many begin well, and continue faithful for a time-but how few persevere to the end! Are there none who seem to have outlived their glory, their character, their usefulness?

3. Their work was crowned with success. They doubled the sum which they had received. Every grace of God is capable of great improvement. Jesus himself, the pure, immaculate Jesus, grew in wisdom and favour with God, Lu 2:52.

4. They were ready to give in a joyful account when their master came and called for them. 1st. They come without delay: they expected his coming; and it was with an eye to this that they continued their labour-they endured as seeing him who is invisible. 2dly. They come without fear; the master before whom they appear has always loved them, and given them the fullest proofs of his affection for them: his love to them has begotten in them love to him; and their obedience to his orders sprung from the love they bore to him. He that loveth me, says Jesus, will keep my words. 3d. They render up their accounts without confusion: he who received five brought five others; and he who had received two brought two more: nothing was to be done when their master called; all their business was fully prepared. 4th. They gave up every thing to their master, without attempting to appropriate any thing. Their ability was his, the talents his, and the continued power to improve them, his. All is of God, and all must be returned to him.

5. Their recompense from their gracious master. 1st. They receive praise. Well done, good and faithful servants, Mt 25:21. What a glorious thing to have the approbation of God, and the testimony of a good conscience! They were good, pure and upright within-faithful, using to God's glory the blessings he had given. 2d. They receive gracious promises. Ye have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much. These promises refer not only to a future glory, but to an increase of God's grace and mercy here; for the more faithfully a man improves what God has already given him, the more he shall have from his gracious Master: for he giveth more grace, till he fills the faithful soul with his own fulness. 3d. They receive GLORY. Enter into the joy of your Lord. As ye were partakers of my nature on earth, be ye sharers of my glory in heaven. The joy, the happiness wherewith I am happy, shall be your eternal portion! O, what is all we can do, all we can suffer, even the most lingering and cruel martyrdom, in comparison of this unbounded, eternal joy!

III. Of the servant who buried his talent.

He that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his Lord's money, Mt 25:18.

1. See the ingratitude of this servant. His master gave him a talent, capable of being improved to his own present and eternal advantage; but he slights the mercy of his lord.

2. See his idleness. Rather than exert himself to improve what he has received, he goes and hides it.

3. See his gross error. He DIGS to hide it-puts himself to more trouble to render the mercy of God to him of none effect, than he would have had in combating and conquering the world, the devil, and the flesh.

4. See his injustice. He takes his master's money, and neither improves nor designs to improve it, even while he is living on and consuming that bounty which would have been sufficient for a faithful servant. How much of this useless lumber is to be found in the Church of Christ! But suppose the man be a preacher-what a terrible account will he have to give to God-consuming the provision made for a faithful pastor, and so burying, or misusing his talent, as to do no good, to immortal souls!

5. Hear the absurdity of his reasoning. Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard (or avaricious) man, reaping where thou hast not sown, &c., Mt 25:24. See this meaning of σκληρος proved by Kypke. The wicked excuse of this faithless servant confuted itself and condemned him. Nevertheless it is on this very model that sinners in general seek to justify themselves; and the conclusion turns always against them. I knew thee to be a hard man. How awfully deceived and deeply depraved must that person be, who not only attempts to excuse his follies, but to charge his crimes on GOD himself!

I was afraid-Why? Because thou wert an enemy to thy soul, and to thy God.-I was afraid-of what? that he would require more than he did give. How could this be? Did he not give thee the talent freely, to show thee his benevolence? And did he not suit it to thy ability, that he might show thee his wisdom, justice, and goodness, in not making thee responsible for more than thou couldst improve?

IV. Behold the awful punishment of this faithless servant.

1. He is reproached. Thou wicked and slothful servant! Wicked-in thy heart: slothful-in thy work. THOU knewest that I reap where I sowed not. Thou art condemned by thy own mouth-whose is the unemployed talent? Did I not give thee this? And did I require the improvement of two when I gave thee but one?-Thou knowest I did not.

2. He is stripped of what he possessed. Take-the talent from him. O terrible word!-Remove the candlestick from that slothful, worldly-minded Church: take away the inspirations of the Holy Spirit from that lukewarm, Christless Christian, who only lives to resist them and render them of none effect. Dispossess that base, man-pleasing minister of his ministerial gifts; let his silver become brass, and his fine gold, dross. He loved the present world more than the eternal world, and the praise of men more than the approbation of God. Take away the talent from him!

3. He is punished with an everlasting separation from God and the glory of his power. Cast forth the unprofitable servant, Mt 25:30. Let him have nothing but darkness, who refused to walk in the light: let him have nothing but misery-weeping and gnashing of teeth, who has refused the happiness which God provided for him.

Reader, if the careless virgin, and the unprofitable servant, against whom no flagrant iniquity is charged, be punished with an outer darkness, with a hell of fire: of what sorer punishment must he be judged worthy, who is a murderer, an adulterer, a fornicator, a blasphemer, a thief, a liar, or in any respect an open violater of the laws of God? The careless virgins, and the unprofitable servants, were saints in comparison of millions, who are, notwithstanding, dreaming of an endless heaven, when fitted only for an endless hell!

 Verse 27. With usury.] συντοκω, with its produce-not usury; for that is unlawful interest, more than the money can properly produce.

 Verse 29. Unto every one that hath shall be given] See Clarke on Mt 13:12.

 Verse 30. Weeping and gnashing of teeth.] See Clarke on Mt 8:12, a note necessary for the illustration of this, and the foregoing parable.

 Verse 31. When the Son of man shall come] This must be understood of Christ's coming at the last day, to judge mankind: though all the preceding part of the chapter may be applied also to the destruction of Jerusalem.

Holy angels] The word αγιοι is omitted by many excellent manuscripts, versions, and fathers. Mill and Bengel approve of the omission, and Griesbach has left it out of the text. It is supposed by some that our Lord will have other angels (messengers) with him in that day, besides the holy ones. The evil angels may be in attendance to take, as their prey, those who shall be found on his left hand.

The throne of his glory] That glorious throne on which his glorified human nature is seated, at the right hand of the Father.

 Verse 32. All nations] Literally, all the nations-all the Gentile world; the Jews are necessarily included, but they were spoken of in a particular manner in the preceding chapter.

He shall separate them] Set each kind apart by themselves.

As a shepherd divideth, &c.] It does not appear that sheep and goats were ever penned or housed together, though they might feed in the same pasture; yet even this was not done but in separate flocks; so Virgil, Eclog. vii. v. 2.

Compulerantque greges Corydon et Thyrsis in unum; Thyrsis OVES, Corydon distentas lacte CAPELLAS.

"Thyrsis and Corydon drove their flocks together: Thyrsin his sheep; and Corydon his goats, their udders distended with milk."

These two shepherds had distinct flocks, which fed in the same pasture, but separately; and they are only now driven together, for the convenience of the two shepherds, during the time of their musical contest.

 Verse 33. He shall set the sheep, &c.] The right hand signifies, among the rabbins, approbation and eminence: the left hand, rejection, and disapprobation. Hence in Sohar Chadash it is said, "The right hand is given, the left also is given-to the Israelites and the Gentiles are given paradise and hell-this world, and the world to come." The right and left were emblematical of endless beatitude and endless misery among the Romans. Hence Virgil:-

Hic locus est, partes ubi se via findit in ambas,

Dextera, quae Ditis magni sub moenia tendit:

Hac iter Elysium nobis; at laeva malorum Exercet poenas, et ad impia Tartara mittit.

AEn. vi. 540.

Here in two ample roads the way divides,

The right direct, our destined journey guides,

By Pluto's palace, to the Elysian plains;

The left to Tartarus, where bound in chains

Loud howl the damn'd in everlasting pains. PITT.

Of the good and faithful servants he approves, and therefore exalts them to his glory; of the slothful and wicked he disapproves, and casts them into hell.

SHEEP, which have ever been considered as the emblems of mildness, simplicity, patience, and usefulness, represent here the genuine disciples of Christ.

GOATS, which are naturally quarrelsome, lascivious, and excessively ill-scented, were considered as the symbols of riotous, profane, and impure men. They here represent all who have lived and died in their sins. See Eze 34:17, and Zec 10:3.

 Verse 34. Ye blessed of my Father] This is the king's address to his followers; and contains the reason why they were found in the practice of all righteousness, and were now brought to this state of glory-they were blessed-came as children, and received the benediction of the Father, and became, and continued to be, members of the heavenly family.

Inherit] The inheritance is only for the children of the family-if sons, then heirs, Ga 4:7, but not otherwise. The sons only shall enjoy the father's estate.

Prepared for you] That is, the kingdom of glory is designed for such as you-you who have received the blessing of the Father, and were holy, harmless, undefiled, and separated from sinners.

From the foundation of the world] It was God's purpose and determination to admit none into his heaven but those who were made partakers of his holiness, Heb 12:14. The rabbins say, Seven things were created before the foundation of the world. 1. The law. 2. Repentance. 3. Paradise. 4. Hell. 5. The throne of God. 6. The temple; and 7. The name of the Messiah.

 Verse 35. I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat] Every thing which is done to a follower of Christ, whether it be good or evil, he considers as done to himself, see Mt 25:40; Ac 9:4, 5; Heb 6:10. Of all the fruits of the Spirit, none are mentioned here but those that spring from love, or mercy; because these give men the nearest conformity to God. Jesus had said, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy; and he here shows how this promise shall be fulfilled. The rabbins say: "As often as a poor man presents himself at thy door, the holy blessed God stands at his right hand: if thou give him alms, know that he who stands at his right hand will give thee a reward. But if thou give him not alms, he who stands at his right hand will punish thee." Vaiyikra Rabba, s. 34, fol. 178.

A stranger, and ye took me in] συνηγαγετεμε, ye entertained me: Kypke has fully proved that this is the meaning of the original. Literally, συναγειν signifies to gather together. Strangers are sometimes so destitute as to be ready to perish for lack of food and raiment: a supply of these things keeps their souls and bodies together, which were about to be separated through lack of the necessaries of life. The word may also allude to a provision made for a poor family, which were scattered abroad, perhaps begging their bread, and who by the ministry of benevolent people are collected, relieved, and put in a way of getting their bread. O blessed work! to be the instruments of preserving human life, and bringing comfort and peace into the habitations of the wretched!

While writing this, (Nov. 13, 1798,) I hear the bells loudly ringing in commemoration of the birth-day of E. Colson, Esq., a native of this city, (Bristol,) who spent a long life and an immense fortune in relieving the miseries of the distressed. His works still praise him in the gates; his name is revered, and his birth-day held sacred, among the inhabitants. Who has heard the bells ring in commemoration of the birth of any deceased hero or king? Of so much more value, in the sight even of the multitude, is a life of public usefulness than one of worldly glory or secular state. But how high must such a person rank in the sight of God, who, when Christ in his representatives was hungry, gave him food; when thirsty, gave him drink; when naked clothed him; when sick and in prison, visited him! Thou blessed of my Father! come. Thou hast been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, and now thou shalt eternally enjoy the true riches.

The Supreme God is represented in the Bhagvat Geeta as addressing mankind, when he had just formed them, thus: "Those who dress their meat but for themselves, eat the bread of sin." Geeta, p. 46.

 Verse 36. I was sick, and ye visited me] Relieving the strangers, and visiting the sick, were in high estimation among the Jews. One of their sayings on this head is worthy of notice: "He who neglects to visit the sick is like him who has shed blood." That is, as he has neglected, when it was in his power, to preserve life, he is as guilty in the sight of the Lord as he is who has committed murder. See Kypke in loco.

 Verse 37. Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, &c.] This barbarous expression, an hungered, should be banished out of the text, wheresoever it occurs, and the simple word hungry substituted for it. Whatever is done for Christ's sake, is done through Christ's grace; and he who does the work attributes to Jesus both the will and the power by which the work was done, and seeks and expects the kingdom of heaven not as a reward, but as a gift of pure unmerited mercy. Yet, while workers together with his grace, God attributes to them that which they do through his influence, as if they had done it independently of him. God has a right to form what estimate he pleases of the works wrought through himself: but man is never safe except when he attributes all to his Maker.

 Verse 40. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren] The meanest follower of Christ is acknowledged by him as his brother! What infinite condescension! Those, whom many would scorn to set with the dogs of their flock, are brothers and sisters of the blessed Jesus, and shall soon be set among the princes of his people.

 Verse 41. Depart from me, ye cursed] Or, Ye cursed! depart.-These words are the address of the king to the sinners; and contain the reason why they are to be separated from blessedness: Ye are cursed, because ye have sinned, and would not come unto me that ye might have life.-No work of piety has proceeded from your hand, because the carnal mind, which is enmity against me, reigned in your heart; and ye would not have me to reign over you. Depart! this includes what some have termed the punishment of loss or privation. Ye cannot, ye, shall not be united to me-Depart! O terrible word! and yet a worse is to come.

Into everlasting fire] This is the punishment of sense. Ye shall not only be separated from me, but ye shall be tormented, awfully, everlastingly tormented in that place of separation.

Prepared for the devil and his angels] The devil and his angels sinned before the creation of the world, and the place of torment was then prepared for them: it never was designed for human souls; but as the wicked are partakers with the devil and his angels in their iniquities, in their rebellion against God, so it is right that they should be sharers with them in their punishment. We see here, plainly, why sinners are destroyed, not because there was no salvation for them, but because they neglected to receive good, and do good. As they received not the Christ who was offered to them, so they could not do the work of righteousness which was required of them. They are cursed, because they refused to be blessed; and they are damned, because they refused to be saved.
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