Biblical Readiness for the Rapture:
Intro
In this message we continue to learn from the Olivet Discourse lesson about the coming of the Lord and how we are to respond to it. Last week we concluded with the point of Jesus’s message in Matthew 24: maintaining an ongoing readiness for his return. Matthew 24:42-44 says, “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”i We can study biblical prophecy from the beginning of the Bible to the end. But if we fail to make the application that Jesus calls for in the remainder of this discourse, it is all in vain. Are you living in continued readiness for his coming? Would his return today catch you unprepared or would it be exactly what you’re living for?
The word “therefore” in verse 42 is a signal that this is Jesus’s application of the teaching. This is the response required: “Watch therefore.” The word translated “watch” is gregoreo. In the Greek it is placed at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis. If this is what we must do, it is important to understand what the word means. The fact that it is in the present imperative tense indicates “constant vigil.”ii We will see in the next few verses the importance of consistency—the importance of continuing in the faith. The fundamental meaning of the word is to stay awake.iii Paul’s use of the word in 1 Thessalonians 5:6 is enlightening:
“For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch [gregoreo] and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:2-9).
The contrast Paul is making is between the godly and the ungodly. Wicked people live in a kind of stupor—unaware of the reality around them, like a person that’s asleep. The deceitfulness of sin is making them insensitive to the times and seasons. They are saying, “Peace and safety” when “sudden destruction” is right around the corner. In contrast God’s people are to know the times and seasons and live in a way that keeps them prepared for what’s ahead.iv The moral nature of this call to alertness is evident in the description Paul gives in verse 8: “putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.” The exhortation in Revelation 16:15 reinforces this concept. “Behold, [Jesus says] I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches
[gregoreo], and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” It’s not sitting on a mountain looking at the sky. It’s being clothed in righteousness and living a life of purity.
This call to stay spiritually alert dominates the rest of this chapter and all of chapter 25. We will make a quick survey of those verses since they are a part of the Olivet Discourse. In the remainder of Matthew 24 Jesus give the Parable of the Unfaithful Servant warning us to stay faithful and prepared for his coming. Then in chapter 25 he gives two more parables and a description of the judgment that follows his second coming. All of this material revolves around the call to be ready for his return at all times. Each parable highlights a specific aspect of the way we are to watch for his coming.
I. PARABLE OF THE UNFAITHFUL SERVANT at the end of Matthew 24.
In Matthew 24:45-51 Jesus illustrates his exhortation to be vigilant and ready with this story about a servant who failed to do that. Here we get a clear picture of the danger of not continuing in well doing.v Jesus introduces the parable with a question.
“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
First, in verse 45 he uses two words to describe the servant who is ready: “faithful and wise.” The word translated “faithful” is pistos. In this context it means being trustworthy, faithful, and dependable.vi Jesus uses this term eight times in the next chapter when he gives the Parable of the Talents. To the servants who increased the talents entrusted to them, Jesus says, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (25:21;23).vii The second word used to describe the watchful servant is phronimos, translated “wise.” It could be translated sensible, thoughtful, or prudent.viii It is the same word used to describe the wise (phronimos) virgins in the Parable of the Ten Virgins. So, if we want to know what Jesus means when he tells us to be ready for his return, these two descriptive terms should characterize our behavior.
The main point Jesus is making in this parable is that we must persevere in welldoing. We must continue to live godly lives. This parable is sometimes called the Parable of the Faithful and Unfaithful Servant. But that can be misleading since there is only one servant in the story. It is the story of a servant who starts out right, but then forsakes that path “and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards.” “The word ‘that’ in the phrase ‘that wicked servant’ certifies that we are dealing with the same servant, the one who was good in the preceding verses (Alfons Weiser, Die Knechtsgleichnisse, 1971, 5), and is therefore a warning: ‘Watch out, ‘good servant,’ for you can turn bad very quickly’ (cf. Davies and Allison, 3:386)” (emphasis Bruner’s).ix
Perseverance is essential for salvation. Both Calvinists and Arminians recognize that biblical fact. If a professor of the faith fails to persevere in welldoing, Calvinists take that as indication the person was never genuinely converted in the first place. Arminians recognize that possibility but also know the person could have been saved but turned from the truth.x The point Jesus makes in this story is that a person must not just begin well. The person must continue doing the will of the Father. Paul wrote to the Christians in Colosse, “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled . . . — 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard . . .” (Col. 1:21-23). “If” is a small word in Scripture, but we dare not ignore it. Earlier in this discourse Jesus talked about the persecutions Christians would experience in this age (Matt. 24:9-10). Then he made this simple statement in verse 13: “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” The evil servant in this parable did not endure to the end.xi
The reason this servant turned from his faithful service was the perceived delay of the master’s return. Matthew 24:48 provides insight into his thinking: “But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards.”
All of these parables present the possibility of a delayed return.
In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, we read “But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept” (Matt. 25:5). The Parable of the Talents says, “After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them” (Matt. 25:19). What could possibly delay Christ’s return? Jesus said, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14). That must happen before the end can come. It has been 2,000 years since Jesus spoke these words. The delay has caused some people to even scoff at the promise. Peter addressed this when he wrote, “knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God” (2 Pet. 3:3-12). Notice how Peter brings all this down to our lifestyle: “Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God.” The watch Jesus calls for and Peter confirms is “holy conduct and godliness.” It is a mindset that is “looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God.” That’s how we stay prepared for Christ’s return.
The possibility of the Lord’s return taking us by surprise is taught in the New Testament. It will certainly take the world by surprise. The only way it doesn’t take us by surprise is if we stay spiritually alert doing the will of the Father. The warning in this parable is the timing of his return is unknown and may come at an unexpected time. In this story Jesus says, “the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of” (Matt. 24:50-51). The metaphor of the thief coming in the night when the household is asleep is often used to communicate this.xii Jesus used it right before this story. Matthew 24:43: “But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” The suddenness of Noah’s flood illustrates it.xiii Jesus told the church at Sardis to repent. and then said to them, “Therefore if you will not watch [again we have the command to watch], I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you” (Rev. 3:3). So the lesson in this Parable of the Unfaithful Servant is to continue in welldoing.
II. PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS in Matthew 25:1-13.
Matthew 25 continues this theme of watchfulness with the Parable of the Ten Virgins. For the sake of time, we will not read this parable or the Parable of the Talents that follows. Our purpose is to simply show how Jesus gave these two stories to reinforce the necessity of watchfulness.
In interpreting parables, we must be careful about making too much of the details. Often the details are simply part of the story. For example, the significance of the virgins is not their purity; it is their function and readiness to perform it.xiv The unmarried friends of the bride fulfilled this role in the wedding.xv They were simply friends of the bride who supported her by meeting the groom on his arrival and escorting him to the bridal place.xvi
Jesus states the point of the story in 25:13, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” In his book, The Blessed Hope, George Ladd provides an extensive discussion of the biblical concept of watching. From his analysis of the five Greek terms in the New Testament translated “watch,” Ladd concludes: “the command to watch does not mean ‘to look for’ but ‘to be wakeful.’”xvii The idea is that we would be spiritually awake and alert, filled with the Holy Spirit, and not overtaken by the cares of this life: that our lives would be characterized by seeking first the kingdom of God at all times.xviii The opposite of this is articulated in Luke 21:34-35: “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.”
In this parable the foolish virgins made some preparation, but it proved to be inadequate. Either through human morality or religious ritual many people think they are prepared for the Lord’s return or for their own personal death. But in this story an essential was missing. So, the warning is to make sure you have made full preparation to meet the Lord.
The delay in the story (25:5) was another factor. An initial profession of Christ is not enough. The sincerity of our commitment may be tested overtime. As taught in the previous parable, perseverance is an essential element of salvation (Matt. 24:13). All these virgins knew the groom was coming and they understood the signs. For example, there would be a shout alerting them that he was almost there. They knew in general how his coming would take place. Yet they were surprised by the timing. There is a sense of urgency in Matthew 25:6: “And at midnight [a time when all the virgins were drowsy] a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’” Midnight was an inconvenient time for that time is typically used for sleep. In some respect they did not expect the bridegroom to come at that hour. Even though we are given signs that the time may be drawing near, the warning here and elsewhere in the New Testament is that the timing may come as a surprise. Look again at the focus Jesus brings on this in verse 13: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”xix
The fact that these foolish virgins were not given a second chance at the end is also sobering. Many assume God will soften in the end and give them a second chance to get matters right. The Catholics offer purgatory as a second chance. Hinduism offers reincarnation. But the Bible offers the gospel to whosoever will receive it on God’s terms. The opportunity is offered, but once the door is shut, it remains shut. xx Matt 25:10-12: “And while they [the foolish virgins] went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other [foolish] virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' 12 But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'” They were saying, “Lord, Lord,” but he was saying, “I do not know you.” The preparation must be done now. And the preparation is found in doing the will of God.xxi
“There is an old fable in which three apprentice devils were talking to Satan. “The first one said, ‘I will tell people there is no God.’ Satan replied, ‘That will not fool many, because they know there is a God.’ The second devil said, ‘I will tell them there is no hell.’ Satan said, ‘You will never fool many that way, because they know there is a hell.’ The third said, ‘I will tell people there is no hurry.’ Satan said, ‘Go, and you will ruin millions.’”xxii
III. The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30.
In the Parable of the Talents, we get additional insight on what it means to “wait” for Christ’s return. In this story the three servants were entrusted with talents: one with five, one with two, and one with one talent. A talent was a large sum of money, perhaps 6,000 days’ wages.xxiii The talent simply represents what the master entrusts to the servant for stewardship.
What prepared these servants for their master’s return? It was the faithful fulfillment of their assigned tasks. The way we “wait’ for Christ’s return is to get up each day doing what he has assigned for us to do. Some of the Christians at Thessalonica did not understand this. In their expectation of Christ’s return, they stopped working and sat waiting for the event. Paul had to correct this misunderstanding, instructing them to carry on their daily responsibilities.xxiv
The master’s condemnation of the one-talent servant focused on his failure to do what he was assigned to do. In verse 26 he is referred to as a “wicked and lazy servant.” In the parable at the end of chapter 24 the emphasis was on sins of commission. He “begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards” (Matt. 24:49). In this parable the emphasis on sins of omission.xxv This servant did not put the resources to good use. He produced no increase! The failure to bear fruit is often condemned in Scripture as it is here. Jesus emphasized this in the Parable of the Fig Tree (Luke 13:6-9). Jesus told the Jewish leaders in Matthew 22:43, “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.” A similar judgment is passed on the lazy servant in this parable.
The severity of judgement in all these parables as well as in the Judgment of the Sheep and Goats tells us Jesus is not distinguishing between committed Christians verses nominal Christians. The distinction is between those who enter the kingdom and those who do not enter the kingdom. Consider these judgements:
(1) In Matthew 24:50-51, “the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” “The weeping and gnashing of teeth represent, “inconsolable grief and unremitting torment.”xxvi
(2) The door is shut to the five foolish virgins in Matthew 25:10 and the Lord’s answer to their request to open it is “Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you” (Matt. 25:12).xxvii Matthew used similar language in chapter 7:21-23 where Jesus condemns those “who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. ”Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'” “'I never knew you; depart from Me” is fatal since Christ alone has the words of eternal life.xxviii
(3) The judgment on the unprofitable servant in Matthew 25:30 is: “And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” God is light, and “outer darkness” means the complete absence of God’s presence. It is difficult to comprehend the horror of that since even the worst sinner in this life enjoys some of God’s present mercies. Boice writes, “What a grim fate that is! Darkness, because it is life without God, who is the source of all light. Outside, because it is without God, who is the Creator and center of all things. In that darkness there is no hope, no joy, no love, no laughter. In that outside world there is only weeping and gnashing of teeth forever” (emphasis his).xxix
4) The judgment pronounced over the ungodly in Judgment of the Sheep and Goats is everlasting punishment (25:46). The same word used to describe the unending bliss of the godly is used to describe the unending torment of the ungodly. In Matthew 25:41Christ says to the ungodly, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
The division in all these parables and in the Judgement of the Sheep and Goats is always heaven or hell, eternal life or eternal death. It’s not a division between spiritual Christians and carnal Christians. You’re either in or out!xxx The contrast in all three parables is between professors of Christian faith versus possessors of Christian faith; between those who say, “Lord, Lord” but follow their own desires versus those who follow Christ and do the will of the Father.xxxi
IV. JUDGMENT OF THE SHEEP AND GOATS in Matthew 25:31-46.
This Judgment of the Sheep and Goats is not a parable. It is a depiction of the judgment of mankind. Its interpretation is hotly debated between pretribulationists and posttribulationists.
Pretribulationists see this as a judgment of mortal (rather than resurrected) gentiles living at the time of Christ’s second coming. In their theory Israel has already been judged (Ezek. 20:33-38; Matt. 25:1-30). So, this judgment concerns gentiles only, and the basis of the judgment is how they treated “My brethren” (vs 40).xxxii Dispensationalists interpret “My brethren” to be a reference to Israelites preaching the gospel of the kingdom during the tribulation period. This judgment is not to be confused with the great white throne judgment of the resurrected dead which occurs at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:11-15). As a result of the judgment in our text, the sheep enter the Millennium along with the godly remnant of Israel—all in their natural bodies. Therefore, this theory provides the mortal people who populate the Millennium.xxxiii The glaring weakness in the posttribulation theory, as discussed earlier, is an inadequate explanation of how the Millennium is populated with people in their mortal bodies.xxxiv
Posttribulationist Gundry offers an alternative interpretation that seeks to answer the problem of populating the Millennium with mortals. Here is the dilemma facing posttribulationist: Since posttribulationism proposes the resurrection/rapture of all the righteous at the second coming, they will all have glorified bodies. “Second, when the judgment takes place to determine who among the mortals will enter the kingdom, only mortal believers will enter the kingdom” (Matt. 25:31-46) (emphasis his).xxxv Therefore, the Judgment of the Sheep and Goats as determining who enters the Millennium leaves posttribulationists with the problem of how the Millennium is populated with mortals.
Gundry’s solution is to identify this judgment with the great white throne judgement in Revelation 20 and place it at the end of the Millennium rather than the beginning.xxxvi Therefore it is a judgment of resurrected people, not those in their natural bodies—not a judgment to determine whether they enter the Millennium. While there are some strengths in Gundry’s argument, there are numerous problems with this approach. Pentecost identifies these and gives a convincing argument against that interpretation.xxxvii There are just too many differences between the Judgment of the Sheep and Goats versus the Great White Throne Judgment for them to be exactly the same. Perhaps the most serious of these problems is the statement introducing this judgment in Matthew 25:31: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.” According to that statement, this judgment would follow the second coming.xxxviii
Neither pretribulationists, not posttribulationists offer a fully satisfying understanding of this passage. The following interpretation is offered with reservation. All interpretations of this passage contain a certain amount of inference, and this view is no exception. All we can do is stay true to clear statements in Scripture and embrace the explanation that best fits the weight of Scripture as a whole on the subject.
Jesus is concluding his discourse with a general declaration of judgment of humanity. He is making a broad statement that warns people concerning their accountability to God. Other passages fill in the details. For example, Revelation 20:4-6 tells us the resurrection of the just occurs before the millennium and the resurrection of the unjust occurs at the end of the millennium. Jesus is not supplying that detail in our text. First Thessalonians 4:13-18 provides details about the resurrection of the just and 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 gives details about the judgment of the godly. Revelation 20:11-15 provides details concerning the judgment of the ungodly.xxxix
The theme in the Olivet Discourse has been preparation for Christ’s coming. It is the second coming that initiates the final judgment which results in eternal life or eternal death (Matt. 25:46). Therefore, Matthew 25:31 begins with the time of Christ’s return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:16). After he returns, he will sit on his throne: “then He will sit on the throne of His glory.” More detail concerning the “when” of his return, and the “then” of him sitting on his throne would be helpful. But this passage does not supply that. There are judgments on mortals that occur as Christ descends at his second coming. For example, Zechariah 14:12 describes the natural death that the Armageddon armies will experience at Christ return: “And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, And their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths.” The brightness of Christ’s glory will melt their flesh.xl That is not the separation of the sheep and goats. That is the killing of mortals rebelling against God. The judgment of the sheep and goats points to eternal judgment (Matt. 25:46).
The terminology in our text is the language of eternal bliss or damnation. It is conceded that the text could be addressing a temporal judgment that determines whether people in their mortal bodies enter the millennial with the eventual judgment being eternal. But that is not the natural reading of the passage. Gundry is probably right to see the judgment here as eternal. But his interpretation is too restrictive when he equates it with the judgment of the wicked in Revelation 20:11-15. After all our text portrays a judgment of the sheep and goats, not just the goats. Keener expresses the correct resolution of this issue: “Because the passage explicitly declares that this judgment determines people’s eternal destinies (25:46), it cannot refer to a judgment concerning who would enter the millennium, as in some old dispensational schemes (Ladd 1977: 38; cf. idem 1978b; 98-102).”xli
This judgment of the sheep and goats is of individuals in all the nations. Some dispensationalists interpret this as a judgment of nations as a group. But the judgment of everlasting damnation (25:41, 46) on the goats excludes that possibility. God holds people individually responsible for their moral choices and does not send nations as a group to hell. Most dispensationalist follow Scofield’s lead and acknowledge this.xlii Furthermore, Mounce writes, “The masculine autous (‘them’) in 32b following the neuter ethne (nations) in 32a indicates that the separation will be between individual people rather than between nations.”xliii
The Greek word translated “nations” is ethnos. It is sometimes used as a reference to gentiles, to the exclusion of Jews. However, in this sweeping statement of judgment, it includes all (pas) nationalities, including Jews. Every human being is ultimately subject to the eternal judgment of heaven or hell. The universality of this judgment is found in the word “all” (pas) in verse 32.
John Gill understands this as a judgment of Christian “professors only.”xliv The merit in this interpretation is that Christian professors seem to be the subject of the three parables that precede it. However, the phrase in 25:32, panta ta ethne (all the nations), seems to exclude that interpretation.
The basis of the judgment is on how they treated his “brethren.” Earlier in Matthew 12:50, Jesus defined his brethren: “For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” This would include anyone, Jew or gentile, who lives in obedience to God.xlv Of course, doing the will of the Father requires regeneration and enablement by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3; Rom. 8:9; Heb. 11:6). In Matthew 28:10 Jesus refers to his followers as his brethren. The dispensationalist understanding of “My brethren” as only Jews living during the tribulation period conflicts with definition Matthew has already given in this gospel. The way people treat those who carry the message of Christ reflects their response to the gospel and Christ himself.xlvi Rejection of the message accompanies rejection of the messenger.xlvii And Jesus said to his disciples, “He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me” (Luke 10:16). Rejection of Christ’s message of salvation is damning to the soul (Matt. 25:41, 46) since he alone has the words of eternal life (John 6:68).
The treatment of Christ’s brethren reflects the condition of the soul. This is not salvation by works. The behavior provides evidential proof of either receptivity to God or alienation against him (James 2:14-26).
This general portrayal of judgment at the end of this chapter provides a final warning about the seriousness of Christ’s teaching in tthis discourse. Eternal destinies are at stake! “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matt .25:46).
Conclusion
The call throughout this discourse is to watch and be prepared for Christ’s return “for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming” (Matt. 25:14). There may be signs that indicate the time is drawing near. I believe we’re living in a day when those signs are very prominent. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but [Jesus said] My Father only” (Matt. 24:36). Therefore, the only prudent thing to do is stay ready at all times.
Our text today has been a lesson on what it means to watch for Christ’s coming and be ready.
(1) We saw in the Parable of the Unfaithful Servant that it means to continue in welldoing (Matt. 24:45-51). The servant in that parable did not persevere in the faith. He began well, but at some point turned from that and began “to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards” (Matt.24:49).
(2) In the Parable of the Ten Virgins we learn to make full preparation to meet the Bridegroom (Matt. 25:1-13). Don’t assume you can ride the faith of others (vs 8) or you will get a second chance (vs 11). Make the most of the opportunity you’re given now.
(3) In the Parable of the Talents we learned that waiting for our master’s return entailed fulfilling the assignment given to us (Matt. 25:14-30). Every one of us have been resourced by the Lord to
advance his kingdom. When Christ returns, he should find us occupied with doing that. The biblical waiting is not passivity; it is doing what the Lord tells us to do.
(4) The Judgment of the Sheep and Goats tells us that the way we treat God’s people is extremely important (Matt. 25:31-46).xlviii The judgment was based on that expression of faith. The Parable of the Unfaithful Servant taught that as well. He went from serving the household to beating his fellow servants.” If we love God, we will love our neighbor and threat him right.
So, we are given a full picture of the waiting and watching for the Lord’s return he wants from each of us. This lifestyle of love and service is the point of the Olivet Discourse.
ENDNOTES:
i All Scripture quotes are from the New King James Version unless indicated otherwise.
ii Cleon L. Rogers, Jr. and Cleon L. Rogers III, The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998) 55. Cf. G. Kittel and G. Friedrich, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Translated by G. W. Bromiley. Vol. II (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishers, 1964–1979) s. v. “gregoreo” by Albrecht Oepke, 338.
iii Robertson comments, “Keep awake, be on the watch ‘therefore’ because of the uncertainty of the time of the second coming.” A. T. Robertson, Robertson’s New Testament Word Pictures, 1930, s. v. “Matt. 24:42.” Accessed in electronic data base: Biblesoft 2000. Jesus used this word twice in Matthew 26:40-41 in contrast to the disciples falling asleep when they should have been prayerful and spiritually alert. “Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, ‘What! Could you not watch [gregoreo] with Me one hour? 41 Watch [gregoreo] and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” As in this verse, the word is linked with prayerfulness in Colossians 4:2.
iv Paul opens 1 Thessalonians 5 recognizing his readers awareness of “the times and the seasons.” Cf. 1 Chronicles 12:32.
v Cf. Rom. 2:7: 1 Cor. 15:1-2; Gal. 6:9; 1 Tim. 4:16; 2 Pet. 2:20-22.
vi Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Christian Literature, translated and edited by W. F. Arndt, F. W. Gingrich, and F. W. Danker, 3rd ed. (Chicago: University Press of Chicago, 1979) “pistos,” 820; Joseph Thayer, Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, 1896, s. v. “NT:4244.” Accessed in Electronic Database: Biblesoft 2000.
vii “Faithfulness is the common denominator of al three Judgment Parables: faithfully feeding a household, faithfully bringing oil, faithfully working a talent.” Fredrick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary, Vol. 2, The Churchbook Matthew 13-28, rev. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 2004) 557.
viii Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Christian Literature, translated and edited by W. F. Arndt, F. W. Gingrich, and F. W. Danker, 3rd ed. (Chicago: University Press of Chicago, 1979) phronimos,” 1066.
ix Fredrick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary, Vol. 2, The Churchbook Matthew 13-28, rev. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 2004) 539.
x Cf. Heb. 6:1-8; 10:26-39; 2 Peter 2:21-22.
xi In Ezekiel 33:12-20 God taught Israel the necessity of continuing in obedience.
xii Cf. 1 Thess. 5:2-4; 2 Pet. 3:10.
xiii That generation had the prophesies of Enoch and the testimony of Noah. There were signs or indicators that this was coming. However, because of the hardness of their hearts, they ignored those signs and continued in their ungodliness. In that state, they were surprised by the judgment when it came.
xiv Cf. Leon Morris, The Gospel according to Matthew (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1992) 620.
xv In some contexts, parthenes is used with emphasis on purity. But here it is simply used as bridesmaids (NLT), the unmarried young women who were part of the celebration. Friberg’s first definition of parthenes is “as an unmarried young woman virgin, maiden, girl.” Timothy Friberg, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller, Analytical Greek Lexicon to the New Testament, Baker Greek New Testament Library (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2000). Accessed in electronic data base: Bibleworks, version 6.0, 2003.
xvi Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Part II (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1984 [1971]) 455.
xvii Ladd, The Blessed Hope, 107.
xviii Cf. 1 Thess. 5:1-8; Rom. 8:9; Eph. 5:18; Matt. 6:33.
xix “They did not know exactly when the bridegroom was coming, so it made good sense to bring extra oil, just in case. If we think we know exactly when the critical meeting will occur—that it will be definitely delayed (as the wicked servant thought in the preceding parable, 24:48) or that it will definitely be immediate (as the foolish bridesmaids think in this parable, 25:3)—we will see no need to make any special preparations” (emphasis Brunner’s). Brunner, Matthew A Commentary, 546-547.
xx Cf. Gen. 7:16; Isa. 55:6; Luke 13:23-28; John 6:44; Acts 26:28-29; 2 Cor. 6:1-2.
xxi “The clock of life is wound but once, And no man has the power To say just when the hands will stop: At late or early hour.
Now is the only time we own To do His precious will, Do not wait until tomorrow; For the clock may then be still.” Walter B. Knight, ed., Knight’s Master Book of New Illustrations (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1879 [1956]) s. v. “Waiting—For What? (author unknown) 522.
xxii James Montgomery Boice, The Gospel of Matthew, Vol. 2: The Triumph of the King Matthew 18-28 (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2001) 521.
xxiii There are several complications in defining the monetary value, but knowing the value is not very important for understanding the point of this story. Cf. Dale C. Allison, Jr., Matthew: A Shorter Commentary (New York: T & T Clark, 2004) 448; Leon Morris, The Gospel according to Matthew (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1992) 627.
xxiv 2 Thess. 3:6-15. The reason they were not working is inferred from the context of teaching on the parousia in both Thessalonian epistles, but it is not directly stated. What is abundantly clear is that Christians must work and fulfill their daily responsibilities. “Waiting” on the Lord involves faithful stewardship of the resources and abilities our Lord has entrusted us with. Throughout history, many have been deceived into thinking it is withdrawal from those responsibilities in the name of super spirituality. Morris comments on 1 Thessalonians 3:6, “The offenders are characterized as being ‘disorderly’ and as not following the ‘tradition.’ ‘Disorderly’ is the adverb from the same root as that which we examine in the note on ‘the disorderly’ in 1 Thess. 5:14. It shows us that the same people are in mind as in the former passage, and, as we saw there, that their offence was idleness. In view of the nearness of the Parousia (as they thought) they were refraining from work.” Leon Morris, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians: The English Text with Introduction, Exposition and Notes, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, F. F. Bruce, ed. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1979 [1959]) 251.
xxv Spurgeon vividly comments, “”His lord called this servant ‘wicked.’ Is it, then, a wicked thing to be unprofitable? Surely wickedness must mean some positive action. No. Not to do right is to be wicked; not to live for Christ is to be wicked; not to be of use in the world is to be wicked; not to bring glory to the name of the Lord is to be wicked; to be slothful is to be wicked.” Charles Spurgeon, “The Unprofitable Servant” in A Treasury of Spurgeon on the Life and Work of Our Lord, vol. III, The Parables of Our Lord (Grand Rapids: Baker Book, 1979 121-122.
xxvi John MacArthur, Jr., Matthew 24-28, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1989) 80.
xxvii Drawing on Augustine, Jermias, and others, Bruner says, “‘I don’t know you’ was a Semitic idiom, used especially by rabbis who dismissed certain students, meaning ‘I don’t want anything more to do with you.” Whether Matthew meant it this way or is implying a lack of relationship is of little consequence since the phrase, either way, means utter rejection. Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary, Vol. 2, 550.
xxviii Cf. John 6:68; Acts 4:12; 1 John 5:12; Richard W. Tow, Authentic Christianity: Studies in 1 John (Bloomington, IN: WestBow Press, 2019) 363-364.
xxix James Montgomery Boice, The Gospel of Matthew, Vol. 2: The Triumph of the King Matthew 18-28 (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2001) 537.
xxx Cf. Ladd, The Blessed Hope, 117.
xxxi Having framed the Olivet Discourse as a message to the Jewish remnant, dispensationalists apply these parables to the remnant of Israel after the church has been taken in a pretribulation rapture. Thus, it would have no direct relevance to today’s Christian. In contrast, most scholars see this discourse as exclusively to the church (as a replacement of Israel) or a message to all those who would follow Christ. Applying this to all followers of Christ (Jew and Gentile) seems to be the best approach. Cf. Pentecost, Things to Come, 281-284; Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, vol. IV, 1948 (Dallas, TX: Dallas Seminary Press, 1974) 399, 408-409.
xxxii Chafer understands the timing of their consignment to hell as happening at the close of the Millennium at the great white throne judgment. Chafer, Systematic Theology, vol. IV, 410..
xxxiii For a concise explanation of this dispensational interpretation see C. I. Scofield, ed., The Scofield Reference Bible (New York: Oxford University Press, 1967 [1909]) 1036-1037.
xxxiv See the previous discussion in chapter VII.
xxxv Craig Baising, “A Case for the Pretribulation Rapture,” Craig Blaising, Alan Hultberg, and Douglas Moo, Three Views on the Rapture: Pretribulation, Prewrath, or Posttribulation, Counterpoints Series, Stanley Gundry, ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing, 2010) 68.
xxxvi Robert H. Gundry, The Church and the Tribulation, 163-171. Gundry limits the scope of the judgment articulated in Matthew 24:40-41 as part of his theory as well (pp. 137, 143). For a critique of Gundry’s position see Paul D. Feinberg, “The Case for the Pretribulation Rapture Position,” in Gleason L. Archer, Jr., Paul Feinberg, Douglas Moo, and Richard R. Reiter, Three Views on the Rapture: Pre-, Mid-, or Post-Tribulational? By (Grand Points: Zondervan Publishing, 1996) 72-79.
xxxvii Pentecost lists the many differences between the two judgments demonstrating the high probability they are not the same judgment. Pentecost, Things to Come, 425-426.
xxxviii Daniel 12:11-12 adds an additional 30 days, then another 45 days to God’s end-time program for Israel. Little explanation is given for this. However, this judgment may account for some of these additional days between the end of the tribulation and full entry into the Millennial blessing. Cf. C. I. Scofield, ed., The Scofield Reference Bible (New York: Oxford University Press, 1967 [1909]) 918.
xxxix Moo sees the passage in Matthew 25:31-46 as “a merging of the premillennial judgment (at Christ’s coming) and the postmillennial judgment (the final judgment). Thus passages that describe a universal judgment along with Christ’s return have as their purpose to specify the ultimately universal effects of Christ’s victory; they do not require that all are judged at the same time (at the Parousia). Therefore these texts constitute no difficulty for the view that some unbelievers will enter the Millennium” (emphasis his). Douglas J. Moo, “Response: Douglas J. Moo” in Gleason L. Archer, Jr., Paul Feinberg, Douglas Moo, and Richard R. Reiter, Three Views on the Rapture: Pre-, Mid-, or Post-Tribulational? By (Grand Points: Zondervan Publishing, 1996) 163.
xl 2 Thessalonians 2:8 references “the brightness of His coming,” but is focused on the judgment of the Antichrist. 2 Thessalonians 1:8 says he will come “in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God,” then points to the eternal judgment they will experience by being excluded from God’s presence forever.
xli Craig S. Keener, A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1999) 604.
xlii C. I. Scofield, ed., The Scofield Reference Bible (New York: Oxford University Press, 1967 [1909]) 1036.Walvoord writes, “They [the nations] will be judged individually, not as national groups.” John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty, New Testament edition (Wheaton, IL Victor Books, 1983) 80. Pentecost also says, “this must be an individual judgment to determine the fact of salvation.” Pentecost, Things to Come, 420-421.
xliii Robert H. Mounce, Matthew, New International Biblical Commentary, W. W. Gasque, ed. (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1991 [1985])) 235-236. Wallace confirms Mounce’s understanding of this. Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament with Scripture, Subject, and Greek Word Indexes (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing, 1996) 400. Nolland points out the consistency of this with Matthew’s use of the phrase “all the nation.” He writes, “Taken literally, ‘separate them from one another’ should mean separate nations from one another, but the continuation of the present account is clearly focused on individuals, and in neither of the other Matthew references to ‘all the nations’ are the people dealt with as national groups.” John Nolland, The Gospel of Matthew: A Commentary on the Greek Text, The New International Greek Testament Commentary, I. H. Marshall and D. A. Hagner, eds. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 2005) 1024-1025.
xliv “John Gill’s Commentary of the Whole Bible: Matthew 25:32,” Good. Book. Free. Accessed 3-22-21 at Matthew 25 · John Gill’s Commentary of the Whole Bible · Commentaries (Good Books Free · beta)
xlv As Keener points out, “That the ‘siblings’ are here ‘disciples’ is the majority view in church history and among contemporary New Testament scholars, although those who hold ‘siblings’ to be disciples divide sharply
over whether are specifically missionaries or poor disciples in general.” Craig S. Keener, A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1999) 606. The “brethren” should not be restricted to “missionaries” since all believers are to carry the witness of Christ to the world (Matt. 5:14-16). However, the reference may be particularly applicable to those who are actively doing that. Of course, “brethren” in this text refers to male and female followers of Christ.
xlvi Cf. Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament, 206-207.
xlvii Cf. Matthew 10:14-15; Luke 10:10-16.
xlviii While our immediate text focuses on the treatment of Christ followers, other passage teach similar kindness to those who do not know God (Matt. 5:43-48; Luke 6:27-36; 10:30-37).
