Jesus Christ had only a very short time of public life. In those three years of walking and preaching around, he admonished the people to follow the good doctrine, not the evil examples, of the Scribes and Pharisees. They really got annoyed by that rabbi which seemed to know more than them. In Matthew 23 we could see how he denounced eight woes against their hypocrisy and blindness. The Scribes and Pharisees bind heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. Jesus demands people to live or behave according to the scriptures which means each human being should live according to and with blessings, outlined in the Eight Beatitudes. Now his last declaration was a series of Eight Judgments (‘Woes‘).
Matthew affirms that the message Jesus brings is initially spoken to “the multitudes and to his disciples”. When we want to be a disciple of Christ Jesus, we do have to listen to him and to follow his words. We should not be Pharisaic and tell others what to do, whilst we ourselves would ignore those words of Christ.
Wanting to be a follower of Christ we should be aware that he is the sent one of God who prepared the way to God. But when we as servants are not prepared for his return, we shall get in trouble, because then we shall miss the opportunity to enter his house or shall not be able to enter the Kingdom of Christ nor the Kingdom of God.
The return of the Messiah is going to produce a thorough disentanglement. We have already seen this in the parables of the wheat and the tares, and that of the net cast into the sea, in Matthew 13, and again in the verses we have just considered at the close of Matthew 24. The same great fact meets us again in this fresh similitude of the kingdom of heaven spoken of in chapter 25.
The point all through chapter 25 is the way in which the coming of the Lord will make a complete separation between those who really are his and those who are not. In these parables, we see the separation made between real and spurious in the sphere of profession, and the seal of the Spirit is only possessed by those truly Christ’s. In the world, we can find lots of people who say they are “Christian“, but who adhere to another Christ than the apostles. The apostles did know very well their master. They also worshipped the same God as Jesus Christ. Jesus never prayed to himself or never asked others to praise him for what happened to them. Always, Jesus asked to go to the temple to thank God and to pray to God, with the words
“Our Father, Who are in heaven”.
Lots of so-called Christians are not really living as if it would be their last day on earth, nor as if Jesus would be coming back to earth now or tomorrow. They think they still have lots of time to chose or change their character. It can well be that they would be very surprised when that return would be there sooner than they think. More people then shall see, the shutting of the door sealed the rejection of the false. The foolish do not represent backsliders who once knew the Lord and were known of him. The word is not
“I once knew you, but now disown you,”
but rather,
“I know you not.”
Now the Lord knows those who are his, but these are strangers to him.
In this 25th chapter of Matthew Jesus concludes his parabolic utterances with developing parables of the virgins (vv 1-13), the tradesmen (vv 14-30), and the flock (vv 31-46). It was to be his last exposition before he shared with them the Passover memorial (Mat 26:1-75).
The parable of the virgins taught the need for personal preparation; that of the tradesmen the need for personal effort, and that of the flock the need to prepare for the judgment.
Those parables are still of great importance for us, because they serve as a warning. A warning to be prepared.
In hearing
“You also prove yourselves ready because in an hour you are not expecting the Son of Humankind is coming.” (Mt 24:44 mhm)
we encounter many who will say,
“Yeah, I’ve been hearing that for years.”
However, Jesus is instructing various believers around the world to announce to his church, his Bride, that he is coming very soon.
Furthermore, Jesus gives an indication it is not just alright to say you believe in him or follow him. One must prove that there is such faith in him and in his heavenly Father. Lots of Christians do not want to work for their faith, but we need to labour for the Truth, and to be faithful in all our commitments, so that the talent of time, energy, and opportunity might be expended for the future. Faith without works is dead.
Lots of people who call themselves Christian, worship another God than Christ (namely the Trinity) and live as if nothing is at hand, following their own lusts. They are living their lives chasing their own desires, their own wants and needs, instead of spending their time, serving Jesus and his God and the needs of their kingdom. Those people should know that there will be a severe penalty to pay. There are churches who teach
“once saved, always saved,”
and that one can never lose one’s salvation, regardless of how one lives his or her life. However, this doctrine totally ignores this warning.
“50 the Master will arrive in that day he is not expecting and in an hour he is not knowing 51 and the Master will cut him asunder and give him his part with the hypocrites. There will be weeping and grinding of teeth!” (Mt 24:50-51 mhm)
“All of you continue to work, not for the food that perishes, but rather for the Food that remains unto endless Life–which the Son of Humankind will give you–for the Father, The God, has sealed this person.”” (Joh 6:27 mhm)
“It is a necessity to continue to work the works of the One who sent me while it is day. The night is coming when no one will be able to work.” (Joh 9:4 mhm)
“However, the payment is not credited to the one working as if it were charity, but as a debt.” (Ro 4:4 mhm)
“Give them an abundance of loving consideration because of their work. All of you remain peaceable with one another.” (1Th 5:13 mhm)
“Therefore, just as the body without breath is dead, so also, conviction without works is dead.” (Jas 2:26 mhm)
We also should know that whatever we do should be worthy of Christ.
We need to recognise the basis of judgment:
that of displaying the principles of God manifestation to our brethren: of upholding the divine elements, and of manifesting the characteristics of Jehovah God to those we might be privileged to assist. Then we will hear the glad tidings at the judgment seat of the King:
‘Inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least, ye did it to me.’
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Preceding
The Nazarene master teacher learning people how they should behave
Matthew 7:13-23 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #5 Matthew 7:28-29 – The Crowd’s Reaction
Matthew 16:5-12 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Watch Out for the Leaven of False Teaching
Matthew 23 – A Jeremiad against the religious hypocrites
Matthew 23:13-14 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Woe 1: Shutting Up the Kingdom
Matthew 23:27-28 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Woe 6: Whitewashed Graves
Matthew 24:15-28 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Answer: Sign 1: Encamped Armies. The Sign Great Oppression Is Near
Matthew 24:29-35 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Answer Part Two – Sign 2: The Parousia. A Sign after the Great Oppression
Matthew 24:36-41 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: About That Day and Hour
Matthew 24:42-51 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Stay Awake!
Left in the dark or being in the dark seeing light
Making sure to be ready and to belong to the escaped ones
When Belonging to the escaped ones gathering in Jesus name
Next: Matthew 25:1-12 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Judgment by the King and Ten Virgins
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Additional reading
- Dealing with worries in our lives
- Hearing words to accept
- Believing what Jesus says
- Many forgot how Christ should be our anchor and our focus
- Entrance of a king to question our position #2 Who do we want to see and to be
- Salvation, trust and action in Jesus #2 What you must do
- You know neither the day nor the hour
- To be prepared and very well oiled
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