Matthew chapters 24 and 25 form what is called the Olivet Discourse, in which Jesus answered questions from the disciples about when the temple would be destroyed and about what we would call the “End Times”. Chapter 24 is cited very frequently in much modern teaching in Evangelical circles about the End Times, but chapter 25 very much less frequently. The explanations and speculations I've seen regarding this disparity range from chapter 25 being avoided, as posing problems for the Pre-Millennial—Pre-Tribulation view of prophecy, to parables being more difficult to interpret. The latter explanation is simpler and sufficient, while a conspiracy of avoidance would be too complicated to maintain or keep secret.
Parables, except those interpreted by Jesus (e.g. the Parable of the Sower), are sometimes difficult of interpretation. And teachers tend to prefer to say, “This means 'A',” rather than, “This means 'A' or 'B' or possibly 'Z'; definitely not 'R' but probably not 'V'.” Nevertheless, I'm going to look at these parable – because of their Olivet Discourse context – point out some possible interpretations, and consider how consistent each parable seems to be with various eschatological views. This is a race in which I don't have a horse running. I really don't hold firmly to any particular view of eschatology, though I have some familiarity with the Pre-Millennial—Pre-Tribulation view.
The Parable of the Ten Virgins – Matthew 25:1-13 (ESV)
"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' But he answered, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
This parable has some tantalizing symbols: the virgins; the oil; the delay; the sleeping; the marriage feast; the shutting of the door; the turning away of the less wise virgins. Who/what are the virgins? Are the virgins symbolic of believers … and 5 of them lose their salvation? Or are the 5 believers but don't make some rapture of elite believers? Are the virgins mixed believers and non-believers who knew about Jesus (the Bridegroom), some of whom had oil (faith) and made it into heaven (the feast) and some had no oil and therefore didn't? If so, how might one “buy” faith, since that is what the 5 less wise virgins went to do? And doesn't calling all 10 “virgins” seem to make the 10 equals? For that matter, are the waiting virgins at all symbolic of believers, since in other contexts the church is the Bride? Moving on, what about the Bridegroom's delay and the sleeping? Obviously, Jesus' return has been “delayed”, but all 10 virgins slept? Does that mean, in symbol, that even true believers will entirely not live and minister as believers should? If the church is going to usher in the Millennium and rule the Earth in before Jesus returns, how can that be reconciled with all 10 virgins sleeping? And the closing of the door and the turning away of the less wise virgins while the other virgins go into the feast (heaven)? Is that symbolic of the rapture – some go to heaven, some are left behind? If so, where are the Tribulation, Armageddon, the Millennium and final judgment? Did Jesus end the parable before and without mention of those significant events? Or is being turned away the final judgment?
If the various elements of this parable are indeed symbols, this parable really doesn't fit very well with any of the various common eschatological views. Could it be … just maybe … all this is vastly over-analyzing the parable? Might Jesus' point have been not the individual details, but instead the general idea of being ready regardless of how long one waits? Certainly, “Be ready!” is the main message of the parable, being the last, summation, sentence of the parable.
The Parable of the Talents – Matthew 25:14-30 (ESV)
"For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
This parable seems, at first, much simpler. The master went away on a journey; Jesus went to heaven. The master left his servants behind with large amounts of money to use profitably; Jesus left the church a mission and great gifts and abilities to use in that mission. The master returned; Jesus will return. But at this point, understanding the parable gets interesting. First, there is one settling of accounts, and the servant who buried his money get cast into the outer darkness. Does this mean that this servant is symbolic of believers who somehow truly become unfaithful and are become eternally lost? Or do “servants” in the parable represent all humans generally. And the large sums of money entrusted to the servants represent human talents and opportunities generally? In what sense, though, can the lost (who have rejected or ignored God) be called “servants” of the master, Jesus?
Either way, there does seem to be eschatological implications at this point in the parable. All three servants' accounts are settled when the master returns – in one accounting – two being rewarded, one being punished. That seems to suggest that Jesus' return will be a single event (not split across two events, separated by 3 1/2 or 7 years, the Rapture and at the Battle of Armageddon), followed by one final judgment (with some going to heaven and some to Hell). For all three Pre-Millennial views there is, I think, the further problem that this parable seems to leave no room for the Millennium. That over-all understanding of this parable – one return event, no Millennium after the return, one judgment – does seem capable of fitting with either the Amillennial and the Post-Millennial views of eschatology.
However, as with the parable of the 10 virgins, there really may not be messages to be coaxed from the details of this parable. Maybe the above is more over-analysis, a missing of the forest for the trees. One definite over-all message in this parable is for believers (all humans?) to use their opportunities, talents and gifts wisely in the master's (Jesus') service. Maybe this is the message of the parable?
The Final Judgment – Matthew 25:31-46 (ESV)
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
On the surface this parable seems to have such a specific and narrow focus – the final judgment – that it can fit into pretty much any of the echatological scenarios. But there are some fine details that I think are not very consistent with the Pre- and Mid-Tribulation—Pre-Millennial views, and pose (at least) some difficulties for the Post-Tribulation—Pre-Millennial and Post-Millennial views? It may seem a tiny thing, but note the reaction of the righteous when they are being judged. They are surprised! Why is this significant? In the Pre- or Mid-Tribulation—Pre-Millennial scenario, the righteous would already have been raptured and have been in heaven. They should know they are among the righteous! And I think the Post-Millennial and the Post-Tribulation—Pre-Millennial views may have that same issue. As for the surprise at the judgment of the unrighteous, I think this is more consistent with the Amillennial view. In the Post-Millennial, and all the Pre-Millennial views I think at least a good number of the unrighteous would know what they have chosen to be, in the light of having gone through the Tribulation and/or having been righteously ruled in the Millennium.
Confused yet? Eschatology is a huge topic. Besides Matthew 24 and 25, there are two other accounts of the Olivet Discourse, in Mark 13 and Luke 21. Several chapters of the books of Daniel and Ezekiel seem to be relevant to eschatology. Most (some say all) of the book of Revelation pertains to eschatology. There are passages in several Pauline letters that touch on End Times matters. So trying to build an eschatological viewpoint on just these three parables in Matthew 25 would be ignoring much that God has said elsewhere. But they are part of what the Bible has to say about the End Times. Right now, I don't have a particular, cohesive eschatological viewpoint. Nor do I feel a urgent and meaningful need to formulate one. God is in control; Jesus will return; judgment is coming; I have salvation through Jesus. That is sufficient at a foundational level and for living the Christian life and witness. On the other hand, God had much to say about the End Times in Scripture, so trying to gain some understanding of End Times teaching and prophecy is part of understanding Scripture.
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