Matthew 25:19

After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. AFTER A LONG TIME THE LORD OF THOSE SERVANTS COMETH AND RECKONETH WITH THEM. That anyone-within the lifetime of the apostles at least-with such words before them, should think that Jesus had given any reason to expect His Second Appearing within that period, would seem strange, did we not know the tendency of enthusiastic, ill-regulated love of His appearing ever to take this turn....

14-30 Christ keeps no servants to be idle: they have received their all from him, and have nothing they can call their own but sin. Our receiving from Christ is in order to our working for him. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. The day of account comes at last. We must all be reckoned with as to what good we have got to our own souls, and have done to others, by the advantages we have enjoyed. It is not meant that the improving of natural powers can entitle a man to Divine grace. It is the real Christian's liberty and privilege to be employed as his Redeemer's servant, in promoting his glory, and the good of his people: the love of Christ constrains him to live no longer to himself, but to Him that died for him, and rose again. Those who think it impossible to please God, and in vain to serve him, will do nothing to purpose in religion. They complai...

AFTER A LONG TIME ... - By the return of the lord of those servants to reckon with them is denoted the return of Christ to call people to an account for the manner in which they have improved their talents. See Romans 14:12; 2Co 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Acts 1:11; Acts 17:31. RECKON WITH THEM - To reckon is to settle accounts. Here it means to inquire into their faithfulness, and to reward or punish them accordingly....

EXPOSITION MATTHEW 25:1 _Parable of the ten virgins. _(Peculiar to St. Matthew.) This parable, as a continuation of the teaching of the last chapter, sets forth the necessity of having and retaining grace unto the end, in order to be able to welcome the advent of Christ. The duty of watchfulness and preparation for the great day is, of course, implied and set forth (Matthew 25:13); but the point is that the oil of God's grace alone enables the soul to meet the bridegroom joyfully, without dismay. The usual marriage customs of the Jews are well known. On the appointed day, the bridegroom, accompanied by his friends, proceeded to the bride's house, and thence escorted her, with her attendant maidens and friends, to his own or his parents' home. In the parable,

AFTER A LONG TIME, THE LORD OF THESE SERVANTS COMETH,.... Either in a providential way, by a fit of illness, or in a time of persecution, and awakens the conscience, and calls them to give an account of their stewardship; or by death, when their trading or working time is over, and they become accountable for their whole conduct, throughout their ministrations; or rather, at the last judgment, when all must appear before the judge of quick and dead, ministers as well as others, and give an account of their gifts, and the use of them, to their Lord, from whom they have received them, and whose servants they profess to be. Which coming of his is after a long time; for seventeen hundred years are now past, and he is not yet come; which is a long time in man's account, though not in God's account, with whom a thousand years are as one day; and in the apprehension of the saints, who love long...

Matthew 25:14. _For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods._ This parable has to do with you who are professors of Christianity. He «called his own servants,» those who, by their own consent, were numbered amongst his household servitors: «He called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.» Not theirs, but his; and therefore to be used for him. If you are Christ's servant, your abilities are his, he has lent them to you to be employed for your Lord. «He called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.» Matthew 25:15. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

CHAPTER 25 _ 1. The Parable of the Ten Virgins. (Matthew 25:1 .) 2. The Parable of the Servants and the Talents. (Matthew 25:14 .) 3. The Judgment of Nations. (Matthew 25:31 .)_ The second parable is the parable of the ten virgins. It is one which is interpreted by students of the prophetic Word in different ways; we are therefore obliged to give it our closest attention. “Then shall the kingdom of the heavens be likened to ten virgins that, having taken their lamps, went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were prudent and five foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps and did not take oil with them; but the prudent took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Now the br

THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS (_cf._ Luke 19:11). There is also a resemblance to Mark 13:33, especially Matthew 25:34. Loisy thinks this parable had originally no reference to the Parousia and the Judgment, but was simply meant to show that reward in the Kingdom of Heaven is proportionate to merit. As it stands, however, it is akin to the preceding parable of the bridesmaids. Though the Parousia be long delayed (Matthew 25:19) it will surely come, and those who wish to share its blessings must use the time of waiting wisely; they must employ the endowments God has given them in His service, which is that of their fellow-men. All parti

THE FATE OF THE UNPREPARED (Matthew 25:1-13)...

AFTER. Greek. _meta._ App-104. RECKONETH. compareth accounts. Greek. _sunairo._ Occurs only here, and in Matthew 18:23; Matthew 18:24....