(Study Outline sourced from “The System Bible Study” – “The Book of Life” [Zondervan])
Matthew then completes the discourse by recording three parables of warning in regards to His second coming..
(a)The Ten Virgins
Ten virgins, five wise and five foolish went to meet the bridegroom, but because he was a long time in coming they all fell asleep. “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’”. Since the wise virgins were ready and had extra oil for their lamps they were able to meet the bridegroom, the foolish ones had run out of oil and had to go and buy more, thus were unable to meet the bridegroom and lost their opportunity. Therefore the warning is “keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”
(b)The Talents [can be a unit of weight; a unit of coinage, or an ability or gift]
“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability.” Upon his return, the master settled accounts with them and rewarded those who had added to the amount given to them. The one who had done nothing to gain on his talent was thrown “..outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” .
(c)The Sheep and the Goats
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.” . This parable speaks to judgment based on the treatment shown to God’s people, whether it be Jew or Gentile, and the result is “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” .
(Continued….)