41 Of two women, who shall be grinding at a mill, one shall be taken, and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for ye know not at what hour your Lord is to come. 43 And consider, that if a master of a house knew in which watch of the night the thief would come, he would watch, and not suffer his house to be broke open. 44 Wherefore be ye also prepared; for the Son of Man will come at an hour, when ye think not of it.

45 If there is a faithful and discreet servant, whom his master has set over his family, to distribute to them, in due season, the food they have occasion for; 46 Happy is that servant, if his master, at his coming, finds him thus employed. 47 Assuredly, I tell you, he will establish him over all his estate. 48 But if it is a wicked servant, who says to himself, My lord delays his coming, 49 And falls to beating his fellow servants, and to eating and drinking with the drunkards:

50

The lord of that servant will come at a day, when he expects him not, and at an hour which he is not aware of. 51 He will separate him from the rest, and rank him with the hypocrites, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

ver. 42. Matt. xxv. 13.

Rev. iii. 3. xvi. Luke xii. 42. 1 Cor. John xxi. 15. v. 46.

Mark xiii. 33. 35, &c. Luke xxi. 34, &c. v. 43. Luke xii. 39. 1 Thes. v. 2. 2 Pet. iii. 10. 15. v. 44. 1 Thes. v. 6. 2 Pet. iii. 12. v. 45. iv. 2. Gal. vi. 10. Heb. iii. 5. Acts xx. 23. Rev. xvi. 15. v. 47. Matt. xxv. 21. Luke xii. 44. xxii. 29 30. Gen. xxxix. 4. v. 51. Matt. viii. 12. xiii. 42, 50, xxii. 13. xxv. 30.

ver. 51. He will separate him.] In this verse, wherein mention is made of hypocrites, that is of wicked and counterfeit christians, and of weeping and gnashing of teeth, Jesus Christ makes an indirect application of this parable to what the supreme Judge of all things will do at the last day. See Matt. xxv. 32.

CHAPTER XXV.

Jesus Christ recommends to his disciples, watchfulness, a constant application to their duty, and to make a good use of their talents, in two parables. In the first he shews them the difference that was made between the wise virgins, that stood ready to receive the bridegroom, and the foolish ones, which for want of foresight, were excluded out of the wedding, 1-13. In the second, he gives them a representation of the future happiness or misery of men, under the different condition of those servants; some of whom, having improved the talents of their muster, were rewarded for it; whilst he, who buried the one talent he had been entrusted with, was ignominiously turned out, 14-30. Making an application of these parables, he represents the different judgements God will pass upon men at the last day, according to their different characters: he recommends, at the same time, the necessity of good works, especially of beneficence and charity; and shews the close union there is between him and his true disciples, 31-46.

1 AT that time the kingdom of heaven shall be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, in order to go

ver. 1. Ps. xlv. 13, 14. Rev. xix. 7.

v. 1. At that time.] Jesus Christ intending that his disciples should consider the judgment he was going to inflict on the Jewish nation, as a forerunner and emblem of that universal judgment he is to exercise at the last day, gives in this chapter a description of the last judgment.

The kingdom of heaven.] i. e. Much the same thing as what is represented in this parable, shall happen in the kingdom of heaven.

Ten.] The Jews never used to be less than ten, either at a wedding, or a burying, or at any other solemnity whatsoever.

and meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were
wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those that were fool-
ish, in taking their lamps, had not taken any oil with
them. 4 Whereas the wise ones had taken oil in their
vessels, with their lamps. 5 Now as the bridegroom
delayed his coming, they all grew drowsy, and fell
asleep. 6 But at midnight, a cry was heard, The
bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him. 7 Im-
mediately all the virgins got up, and trimmed their
lamps. 8 And the foolish ones said to the wise,
Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are gone
out. 9 The wise ones made answer; for fear there
should not be enough for us and you, go rather to them
that sell oil, and buy for yourselves. 10 But whilst
they were gone to buy, the bridegroom came; those
that were ready, entered with him into the wedding room,
and the door was shut. 11 Afterwards the other virgins
came also, and said; Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But
he answered them, I declare to you, I know you not.
13 Watch therefore, since ye know neither the day nor
the hour, when the Son of Man will come.

14 For it is with him as with a man, who, being to
take a long journey, called his servants, and committed

ver. 5. Jam. iii. 2.
xxiv. 31. 1 Thess. iv. 16.
25. v. 11. Matt vii. 21.
Hab. i. 13. 1 Cor. viii. 3.
xxiv. 42. Mark xiii. 33, 35.

1 Pet. v. S.

Rom. xiii. 11. Mark xiii. 35. v. 6. Matt.
v. 7. Luke xii. 35. v. 10. Luke xiii.
v. 12. Matt. vii. 23. Ps. i. 6. v. 5.
Gal. iv. 9. 2 Tim. ii. 19. v. 13. Matt.
Luke xxi. 34, 36. 1 Cor. xvi. 13.

Rev. xvi. 15.

v. 2. Foolish.]

i. e.

v. 14. Luke xix. 12, &c.

Imprudent, careless, and without foresight.

v. 5. They all fell asleep.-] The wisest of men are apt to slumber,
i. e. to remit more or less of that exact watchfulness, wherewith they
ought to wait for the appearance of their Lord.

Jam. iii. 2.

See Rom. xiii. 11.

v. 12. I know you not.] i. e. I do not look upon you as the com-
panions of the bride.

v. 13. Watch therefore.] This verse may be applied either to the
judgment which Christ was to inflict on the Jewish nation, or else to
the hour of death, and the day of judgment.

his substance to them. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, to each according to his ability; and forthwith departed. 16 He then that had received five talents, went and traded, and gained five other talents. 17 In like manner, he that had received two, gained also two others. 18 But he that had received but one, went and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his lord's money. 19 A long time after, the lord of these servants returned, and reckoned with them. 20 Then he that had received five talents, came and presented five other, saying, Lord, you intrusted me with five talents, and there are five more which I have gained. 21 His lord said to him; Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful in things of small concern, I will intrust you with great matters; enter into the joy of your lord. 22 Then he that had received two talents, came also, and said, Lord, you intrusted me with two talents, here are two others, which I have gained besides. 23 And his lord said to him; Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful in things of small concern, I will intrust you with great matters; enter into the joy of your lord. 24 But he that had received but one talent, came in his turn, and said, Lord, I knew that you were a hard man, who reap where you have not sown, and gathered where you have not strewed; 25. And therefore fear caused me to hide your talent in the ground; here it is, you have what belongs

ver. 15. Rom. xii. 6. 1 Cor. xii. 7, 11, 29. Ephes. iv. 11. v. 18. Ecclus. xx. 31. v. 21. Matt. xxiv. 47. Luke xii. 44. xxii. 29, 30. Gen. xxxix. 4, 6. Matt. xxv. 34, 46. Isa. lxi. 7. 2 Cor. 2 Tim. ii. 12. 1 Pet. i. 8. v. 23. Matt. xxv. 21.

i. 7.

v. 15. Talents.] See the note on ch. xviii. 24.
Ability.] His faculties, strength, abilities and industry.

v. 21. Into the joy.] By joy is here meant the place appointed for feastings and rejoicings, as is evident from ver. 30. where we read, that the wicked servant is turned out into outer darkness, in opposition to the lights that illuminated the feasting room. See Luke xii. 37.

v. 24. Hard.] i. e. Unjust, tyrannical exacting.

to you.

26 But his lord replied to him, Wicked and slothful servant as you are, you know that I reaped where I have not sown, and gathered where 1 have not strewed. 27 You should therefore have put out my money to the bankers, and at my return, I should have received my own with usury. 28 Take from him then the talent which he has, and give it to him that has ten. 29 For to him that has already, shall be given, and he shall have still more; but for him that has nothing, even that which he has shall be taken from him. 30 As for the unprofitable servant, let him be cast into darkness which is without; where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

31 Now when the Son of Man shall come in his majesty, attended by all the holy angels; he shall sit upon a glorious throne. 32 Then all nations, being assembled before him, he will separate one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And placing the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left, 34 The king shall say to those on his right

ver. 26. 2 Tim. ii. 2. v. 29. Matt. xiii. 12. Mark iv. 25. Luke viii. 18. xix. 26. John xv. 2. Rev. xxii. 11. v. 30. Matt. viii. 12. xiii. 42. xxii. 13. xxiv. 51. Ecclus. xx. 31. Luke xvii. 10. v. 31. Zech. xiv. 5. Matt. xvi. 27. xix. 28. Mark viii. 38. 1 Thess. iv. 16. 2 Thess. i. 7. Jude ver. 14. Acts i. 11. Rev. i. 7. v. 32. Matt. xiii. 49. Rom. xiv. 10. 2 Cor. v. 10. Ezek. xx. 38. xxxiv. 17, 22. Rev. xx. 12. v. 34. Rom. viii. 17. 1 Pet. i. 3, 9. Rev. xxi. 7. Matt. xx. 23. 1 Cor. ii. 9. Heb. xi. 16. 4 Esdr. ii, 13.

▼. 26, 27. Wicked and slothful.] The master doth not shew hereby, that he approves of usury, but he would only convince his creditor how absurd his excuse was; as if he had said, Suppose that I am such an one as you represent me, your business then was to put my money into the bank, &c.

v. 29. To him that has.] See the note on Matt. xiii, 12. He that hath is he that makes a good use of what he hath. And he that hath not, is he that makes no better use of what he hath than if he had it not.

v. 30. Into the darkness which is without.] See the note on ver. 21. v. 32. The sheep from the goats.] See Ezek. xxxiv. 17, 18, &c. The sheep and the goats are good and bad christians, that are mixed together in the church.