In the next few articles we will explore the meaning of ALL three parables in Matthew 25.
As we dive into this topic, the first thing I want to point out is how both the parable of the 10 virgins and the parable of the talents begin…
Matthew 25
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto…
14 For the kingdom of heaven is as…
Where else in the gospel of Matthew can we find the phrase “the kingdom of heaven”?
It is first found in Matthew 3.
Matthew 3
1 In those days came John the Baptist…
2 …saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father:…
10…the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
John the Baptist said that the “kingdom of heaven” was “at hand”
“At hand” eggizo means to draw near. The word “Fruits” karpos means work, act or deed.
Therefore John the Baptist was telling the Pharisees and Sadducees to bring forth deeds worthy of repentance in order to “flee from the wrath to come” because the kingdom of heaven was drawing near.
Note the sense of urgency, as though they had a limited amount of time in which to repent before being cut down and cast into the fire.
What did Jesus say when he began preaching?
Matthew 4
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Jesus preached the same message as John, it must have been important.
In Matthew 5-7 Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount in which he explained the conditions surrounding entry into the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5
20…except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
So we see that the kingdom of heaven was/is a kingdom of righteousness that only righteous people can enter.
What did Jesus mean by exceeding the righteousness of the Pharisees?
Matt. 5
27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Jesus cut right to the heart.
Not only our actions but our heart motives must be righteous to enter and abide in his kingdom of righteousness.
The scribes and pharisees adhered to old covenant rites and rituals thus they had a “form of godliness”, the outside of the cup was clean but not the inside. They were like white-washed tombs full of dead mens bones.
Matthew 23
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
The scribes and pharisees were full of iniquity. They murdered God’s servants whom he sent. They even crucified his son, hence their house was left “desolate”, their temple “thrown down” (Matthew 24:2) by Roman soldiers in 70AD. This was the “wrath to come” John the Baptist warned them about.
Matthew 23
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee…
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
Matthew 24
2…There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
The destruction of Jerusalem marked the end of a 40 year transition period between the old and new covenant. Hence John the Baptist not only warned of “wrath to come” but said “the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. The New Covenant kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God would be a kingdom of righteousness- both inward and outward righteousness.
The book of Hebrews, written to Hebrews, explains this transition from the old to new covenant. The very first chapter described the kingdom as such…
Hebrews 1
8…Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
The next few verses describe heaven and earth as a garment that had waxed old.
10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens…
11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up…
Let’s skip ahead to chapter 8
Hebrews 8
6…he is the mediator of a better covenant…
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts…
13 A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
If we compare chapter 1 to chapter 8, we see that heaven and earth represent the Old Covenant that had waxed old thus was ready to be replaced with a new, superior covenant. One that dealt with issues of the heart and conscience.
Let’s continue to the next few chapters.
Hebrews 9
1…the first covenant had…a worldly sanctuary.
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place…
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ…purge your conscience…
Hebrews 10
9…he taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering…
37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith…
Hebrews 11
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed…
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Here we see that the first covenant was associated with the first tabernacle, the second covenant with the "tabernacle not made with hands”, the “city” “whose builder and maker is God”.
Thus heaven and earth being folded up like an old garment represents not only the first covenant vanishing away but the first tabernacle.
2 Peter 3
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Both Peter’s epistles and Revelation were written just a few years prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD.
Note the similarity between John and Peter’s words
Revelation 21
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away…
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem…
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie…
When the Jewish temple representing the Old Covenant system melted with fervent heat the first heaven and earth passed away revealing the new heaven and earth, the New Covenant kingdom of God, the New Jerusalem “wherein dwells righteousness”.
Only the righteous could enter that kingdom, nothing that “defiles…works abomination or makes a lie”.
Hence both John the Baptist and Jesus warned the religious people of their day to bring forth “fruit meet for repentance” in order to “flee from the wrath to come” because the “kingdom of heaven” was at hand. The New Covenant Kingdom of God was drawing near to them.
In Matthew 7, towards the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus described good and corrupt trees baring good and evil fruit.
Matthew 7
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
(The same words John the Baptist used in Matthew 3)
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Notice how good and corrupt trees look almost identical thus can only be distinguished by their fruits. This is because they both represent religious people.
Religious people would say…
22…lord lord…in your name (we did) many wonderful works
Jesus would reply…
23…I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniquity
Those baring evil fruit would NOT be granted access to God’s kingdom of righteousness “in that day”.
Peter called “THAT day” “the day of God” (2 Peter 3:10) and the “great and notable day of the Lord” (Acts 2:20).
Paul called it “the day of the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 5:2, 1Cor. 1:8, 5:5, 2 Cor. 1:4) and “the day of Christ” (Phil. 1:6&10 2:16 2 Thess. 2:2).
Paul told the Philippians to be “sincere” and “without offence” till the “day of Christ” (Phil. 1:10). He told the Thessalonians “the day of Christ” was “at hand” (2 Thess. 2:2).
“THAT day” was drawing near to them.
If we now go to the parable of the ten virgins we see the same language as in Matthew 7.
Matthew 25:1-13
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
The five, foolish virgins who’d allowed their lamps to go out, cried “Lord Lord” yet were shut out of the bride chamber with the words “I know you not”.
Back in Matthew 5 Jesus said this….
Matthew 5
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Here we see “light” associated with “good works” thus baring light is equivalent to baring good fruit.
Only those baring light or good fruit would be granted access to God’s kingdom of righteousness.
Finally lets go to John 8
John 8
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
According to Jesus, the Pharisees had rejected the “light of the world” thus they did not bare the "light of life” hence they would not be granted access to God’s kingdom of righteousness “in THAT day”.
In conclusion-
Matthew 3-7 help us understand the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25.
The wise and foolish virgins, like the good and corrupt trees looked almost identical because both represent religious people.
When the old covenant system vanished away, only those bearing “good fruit” or the “light of life” were granted access to the New Covenant kingdom of God.
The parable of the 10 virgins begins with the phrase “the kingdom of heaven be likened unto…”.
What is the New Covenant kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God like?
John the Baptist, Jesus, apostle John, Peter and Paul ALL told us it’s a kingdom of righteousness.
It’s STILL a kingdom of righteousness in which only those bearing “good fruit” and “the light of life” can abide.
No matter how religious we are, no matter how many rites and rituals we adhere to, if we “work iniquity”, bring forth “evil fruit” or “walk in darkness” we cannot enter or abide in his kingdom of righteousness.
In my next article I will address the parable of the talents.
Until then, let us each work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. God bless.
