Bible Prophecy Part 7: Olivet discourse Part 2: Matthew 24:36– Matthew 25

[Starkherz199]

Olivet discourse Part 2
Matthew 24:35-51 & 25:1-46

This exegesis is the last half of the Olivet discourse; Matthew 24: 36-51, and the complete chapter of Matthew 25:1-46
I'll be working on this the next couple of days. Hope to be finished in a week or so.

These are Jesus’s words concerning his 2nd coming and his Final Judgment of all people.

The outline for this study is as follows:
1. Intro
2. Parables
3. Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth
4. That day and hour…Matthew 24:36
5. The days of Noah
6. Left Behind
7. Parable of the Unfaithful Servant
8. Parable of the wise and foolish virgins
9. Parable of the talents
10. Parable’s considered
11. Matthew 25 end/ Final Judgment
12. Thoughts on Full Preterist interpretation of Matthew 24


INTRODUCTION

In the previous study, Part 1 of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24: 4-34), it was illustrated, through the Bible and recorded eye-witness history, exactly what Jesus was saying in the first half of the Olivet discourse. Matthew 24:3, Mark 13:4, and Luke 21:7 records the questions that his disciples asked him immediately after leaving the Temple, and pronouncing judgment on it. Clearly, the disciples expected the ending of the Mosaic age, the beginning of the age of the Messiah, and the destruction of the Temple and city would be the same event, and they were greatly puzzled. Verse 4 clearly reveals : "And Jesus answered." Jesus answered their question, and he thoroughly explained everything. If you have a eschatological system that interprets Matthew 24:4-34 as anything other than Jesus explaining the lead up to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, when the Temple was destroyed, I urge you to revisit Prophecy study #5 found here:

Bible Prophecy Part 5: Olivet discourse Part 1: Matthew 24

This is an exegesis of the Olivet discourse found in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. This is a very, very, very long post that will have to be broken up into smaller parts. Also I numbered the paragraphs for easier reference...I'm not infallible. If I get something historically wrong, let me...

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Jesus takes the time to explain that his "coming in judgment" of the city of Jerusalem, the Temple, and the unbelieving Jews was separate from his coming as King (bodily, at his second advent). The Olivet discourse (Matt 24-25, Mark 13, Luke 21) was Jesus teaching his disciples how the 2 events were to be expected at different times, and the 3 parables that speak to the great delay, in the last half of the Olivet discourse.


Many modern Bible teachers intermix this whole passage up with Revelation and other parts of prophetic scripture found in the New Testament. In doing so they needlessly convolute understanding of this passage. This happens because many are predisposed to a "system" of Eschatological interpretation, and bend the Bible to meet their presuppositions. Let go of these "systems'', and just let the Bible speak plainly according to its genre; scripture interprets scripture.


Part 5 of my prophecy study was to show how Matthew 24: 4-34 was completely fulfilled between Jesus’s resurrection, and the total desolation of Jerusalem in 70 AD, thus answering the 1st part of the disciples question. My purpose in this study is to show how and what Jesus predicted concerning his 2nd advent (bodily return); the 2nd part of their question. The 2nd part of the Olivet discourse is yet to be fulfilled, and we anxiously await his glorious appearance.
The study in Daniel chapter 9 illustrated how that prophecy was all about the coming of the Messiah, and tied the "abomination of desolation" found in Daniel 9:26-27 with Matthew 24:15, and a 70 AD fulfillment. This study will end with Matthew 25:31-46, and will tie into Daniel chapter 12. That study in Daniel chapter 11 & 12 will be completed next.


In review

Matthew 24: 4-34 relates how Jesus instructs the disciples (soon to be Apostles) that the city and temple would be destroyed before his 2nd coming. He relates the signs that would lead up to the city's annihilation, and warns them to flee Jerusalem before these things take place.

What many commentators and preachers take for the signs of his 2nd advent, are in actuality the signs of the impending siege of Jerusalem, and warnings for them to flee the city.

The events that lead up to this would be:

• Wars and rumors of wars
• Plague
• Earthquakes
• Signs in the heavens and on the earth
• Widespread persecution of believers
• False Messiah’s and teachers.
• The gathering of the Roman armies around the city of Jerusalem.

These warnings allow believers to flee the great tribulations that would precede the beginning of the abomination of desolation, and the enactment of all the curses listed in Deuteronomy 28, and Leviticus 26; the curses God guaranteed to His people for breaking covenant stipulations.

By using Old Testament prophetic language, Jesus spoke to how the civil and religious government of the Jews would be torn down, and how the last remnants of the Old Covenant economy would be taken away forever (Matt 24:29). He used this highly symbolic language to tell how he would be totally vindicated by predicting all this to come to pass, which was the proof of his divinity (Matt 24:30). And, using this same language, Jesus explained how his messengers would use this destruction to be the springboard to a great work of worldwide evangelism (Matt 24:31). In verse 34 Jesus explained how all this would happen in that generation, and it did. Verse 35 is a hinge passage that leads to the 2nd topic of the discourse, his bodily.

I want to reiterate, I'm not trying to push and specific interpretational school of prophecy. Adhering to any school of thought in strict fashion will inevitably lead you to a point where you bend scripture to your point of view. I simply want to understand the text of Scripture how the 1st century audience understood it. Writing these studies out long-form as I've been doing is how I prepare myself to teach this information to my Bible study audience in own church. My goal with them is to present all interpretations that have been held through the life of the Church. They, and you...the reader can make up your own mind. I hope merely to provoke many to study and research more, and explore information you may have never heard before.
This stud clearly contradicts the "Left Behind" type of teaching that has become so popular on our TVs and movies. Please comment or add questions below...the more debate and disagreement...the more I have to study and research, which is a good thing.
But let me be clear, if this study makes you mad, or troubles you significantly...let it go; dismiss it, and move on. It's not worth the stress.
My own Pastor, that I teach under, disagrees with me, and it's no big deal. We are brothers in Christ. When Jesus comes back, he'll explain it all then.
Remember, iron sharpens iron. End times teachings are tertiary.

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 2: Understanding Parables

In the Olivet discourse, Jesus teaches 3 parables, and alludes to a few others. An explanation of the hermeneutical rules of interpreting Jesus' parables is needed before you can study them in context and arrive at their intended meaning.

For reference on proper hermeneutics, I rely on the following instruction:

BIBLICAL HERMENEUTICS A Treatise on the Interpretation of the Old and New Testaments by Milton Spenser Terry

Grasping God’s word : a hands-on approach to reading, interpreting, and applying the Bible by J. Scott Duvall, J. Daniel Hays; 3rd edition

A Basic Guide to Interpreting the Bible: Playing by the Rules by Robert H. Stein. 2nd edition

Understanding Prophecy: A Biblical-Theological Approach. By Alan Bandy and Benjamin L Merkle

-First, what is a parable?
-A parable is a fictional story that portrays everyday experiences of the real world, but with two levels of meaning, where the 2nd level of meaning is allegorical and/or metaphorical in nature.
-The real, lifelike quality of the parables, especially the parables of Jesus, has frequently caused interpreters to forget that the parable is a fictional literary form. This literary form consists of two parts: a picture part, or the story proper, and a reality part, or the comparison to which it is likened.

-A parable was Jesus’s preferred teaching tool for groups because of its ability to affect the reader or hearer. Jesus spoke 40 parables in all in the 4 Gospels.

-A parable is able to disarm its hearers and divert potential resistance and opposition in a way that referential language cannot. Consequently, the prophet Nathan did not approach King David requesting an appointment to talk to him about his adultery with Bathsheba and his culpability in the murder of her husband Uriah. He used a parable that David identified with and his conscience and heart led him to repent. This came about due to (1) the persuasive and disarming nature of the parable’s literary form and its ability to engage the hearer (the picture part), (2) the divine truth encapsulated in this form (the reality part), (3) the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, and (4) the human response of David resulting from the effects of 1, 2, and 3. In this respect over twenty parables of Jesus begin with a question that seeks both to disarm his hearers and to assist them in interpreting the

2nd level of meaning
-Jesus's parables had a 2nd level of meaning that was meant only for his believers. The surface level meaning was understandable to a general audience, but the 2nd level was only for a select few.
This is clearly taught in scripture by Jesus. And it is displayed in the narratives in the text.

-Take for instance the Parable of the Weeds in Matthew 13: 24-30. Jesus relates this parable to the multitude, but Jesus only explains it in private to his disciples in Matthew 13: 37-43 after he had sent the multitude away.

-In the same chapter, we read of the purpose if the parables:
Matthew 13:10-17 “And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? [11] He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. [12] For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. [13] Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. [14] And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: [15] For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. [16] But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. [17] For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.”

And in the same chapter Jesus reiterates this 2nd level meaning separation between his believers and the non/not yet believers: Matthew 13:34-35 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: [35] That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

Allegorical excess
-In the 1st 500 years of the Church, allegorical interpretation of the scripture, especially Jesus’s parables, was misused and abused. Often this resulted in teachers inserting their own opinions, inclinations, and presuppositions into the text. All sorts of fanciful allegorical flurries came from clever teachers who sought to explain every word and detail of each parable, to uncover some deeper hidden meaning. And oftentimes, these teachers were well respected biblical theologians, and not arch-heretics. This inclination with respect to parables must be resisted.
That is not to say that some of the details cannot be used in Expository preaching. It is perfectly fine to use one complete parable, flesh out all the details, and use that for a sermon.
Just be sure to keep the purpose and main idea of the parable in view.

In order to not repeat these errors, use these rules.

Rules for interpreting Jesus’s parables

Rule 1: A Parable Generally Teaches One Basic Point per main character.

-Try to grasp the main point, and resist the temptation to create new meaning for teaching purposes. The parable may contain multiple details, but it usually has only one basic meaning with each main character. And, as a rule of thumb, there are usually only 1 or 2 main characters.


Rule 2: Discover the Point Jesus Sought to Make

-The second basic rule for interpreting the parables is to seek the meaning that Jesus was trying to make to his audience. Don't make Jesus say something that you find appealing.

Rule 3 Find how each parable fits in the bigger picture.
-Jesus's teachings are smaller parts that fit into the bigger picture of his Kingdom teaching. After you grasp the meaning of the parable, find how it fits into the big picture. It is important that a parable of the kingdom (the part) should be interpreted in light of what Jesus says elsewhere on this subject (the whole).

Rule 4 Keep Jesus’s Audience in mind.
-Always approach a parable with this in mind "To whom was the parable addressed too?"

-His parables were given to 1st century Jews living under the Old Covenant economy, not 21st century Christians living in America. Find out Jesus’s meaning for that audience, and then see how it applies to your life.
-In addition, the main points you discover must be ones that Jesus’ original audience would have understood. If Jesus’s audience couldn't understand a particular interpretation, then that interpretation is eisegesis rather than exegesis. Remember that the meaning is often given by narration of the Gospel writer (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), and the original audience includes the 1st century readers of these Gospel writers as well.

Key detail:
There are some parables that are given to a group, in which not everyone in the audience was intended to receive. The main points lie within the intended audience.

***

Rule 5 Don't press on the details
-Focusing on the details causes confusion.
The greater danger for most interpreters is to see too much meaning in specific details rather than too little.
- For instance, in the parable of the wise and foolish maidens (Matt. 25:1–13) the fact that the wise maidens were selfish and did not share their oil with those in need (v. 9) should not be pressed. The main point of the parable is clear enough: be prepared, as the wise maidens were.
Focusing on the details will derail interpretation and lead to conclusions not intended by Jesus.

-Also be aware that some of the details are unreal and unusual exaggerations. Because of the fictional nature of parables, it is not surprising that at times we find unreal elements in them. We thus find unusual exaggeration, as in the parable of the unforgiving servant who was forgiven ten thousand talents (Matt. 18:24). The yearly wealth that Herod the Great acquired during this time period was roughly 900 talents a year, so 10,000 was an unimaginable amount of wealth to a 1st century person. This type of exaggeration was purposefully intended to elicit a cognitive or emotional response.


******
Guidelines In seeking to arrive at the main point of a parable,
Answer the following about each parable

-Who Are the Main Characters?
-What Occurs at the End?
-What Appears in Direct Discourse (dialogue)?
-Who Gets the Most Space devoted to them?
-To whom was the parable addressed?

**********
The 3 parables in the Olivet discourse:

*The parable of the Unfaithful Servant [Matthew 24: 45-51]

*The parable if the Ten Virgins [Matthew 25:1-13

*The parable of the Talents Matthew 25:14-30

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 3: Heaven and earth

Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Verse 35 is a summation of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple spoken in the same apocalyptic prophetic style that verses 29-31 were spoken in. It is essentially a bridge passage to verse 36, and it is a powerful figure of speech. Jesus says an incredible amount in a single sentence.

First and foremost, this is not a literal sentence. The highly symbolic phrase found here is taken straight out of the mouths of the prophets. Jesus is not speaking about the physical cosmos passing away, It is highly figurative. He is not talking about the physical earth, and the physical sun, moon, and stars ceasing to exist. Scripture declares that the earth will endure.
Psalms 104:5 Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.
Ecclesiastes 1:4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth forever.

-The Bible tells how nations and people are judged and destroyed, but not the whole entire earth. And there certainly is not a single prophecy that tells of God destroying the whole entire universe.
“Heaven and earth” is symbolic; he is speaking of the political, religious, and social cosmos of the Jewish people in the 1st century Old covenant economy. Here Jesus was alluding to the New Covenantal society between man and God. The Old Covenant economy (old heaven, and old earth) is being replaced with the New Covenant order (new heaven and new earth). As the writer of Hebrews spoke in chapter 8 verse 13 that God has made a New Covenant; the Old is obsolete, and is about to disappear.
This sounds dissonant to 21st century readers, as it appears to go against the “literal” reading of the text, but again, Jesus' audience would easily understand what we find difficult to grasp. So can we find cosmic figurative language in the Old Testament pertaining to “heaven and earth” to prove this? Yes, easily!

Read Isaiah 1:2 “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.” Whom is God speaking to when he is addressing “O heavens”, and "O earth”? God is speaking to the governing powers of Israel (heavens), and the people of Israel (earth). Isaiah wrote God’s message in figurative speech.

Look at the song of Moses as found in Deuteronomy 32: Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
The word “heavens” is symbolic of the governing powers and rulers (including angelic powers), and “earth” as the nation of Israel that dwelled in the land God gave them. Later in this chapter Moses is prophetically speaking of the future falling away of Israel when we read “their foot shall slide in due time”; that being the beginning verse of the famous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”. But before that we read in verse 22: “For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.” “Earth” is symbolic of Israel. What you see in these Old Testament prophetic texts are the language of creation and decreation.

Again, his audience would be familiar with these Old Testament creation and decreation figures of speech. It is totally in line with everything Jesus has said so far. To illustrate de-creation language, reference the following scriptures. Jeremiah chapter 4 is Jeremiah’s prophecy to Judah concerning the coming desolation of Jerusalem that would come from Babylon. Verse 23-31 of that same chapter uses this "de-creation" to shock and awe the hearers. It puts the image in their minds that the coming destruction would undo the order of a city, and leave it in the chaos of a barren desolate wilderness. This prophetic de-creation language always goes from order to chaos, and prophetic creation language goes from chaos to order; and sometimes a new order.

An example of this prophetic creation language is in Isaiah 51:15-16: [15] But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name. [17] And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.
Look at that passage, he is talking about Zion; His people.

Isaiah uses this symbolic prophetic speech in chapter 24 to speak of God using the Assyrians to render punishment on Israel. Look at these verses from this chapter showing that “earth” and “land” are symbols of Israel:
Isaiah 24:1 Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
Isa 24:3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.
And an example of de-creation, concerning Edom, is found in Isaiah 34:4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.
Another example of decreation is found in Isaiah 13:13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

And Haggai uses this language:
Haggai 2:6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
2:7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

The writer of Hebrews even borrowed this language and passage:
Hebrews 12:26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
12:27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

Haggai continues in chapter 2
Haggai 2:21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;
2:22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

The language is inescapable if you read the whole Bible.
Consider Jesus’s words in Matthew 5:17 "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."
What is Jesus saying here? He is saying that the Law would not pass until the “heaven and earth” pass first, and the law is fulfilled. Jesus came to fulfill the Law; his crucifixion was Jesus literally fulfilling the Law. It is by his very act of fulfilling the Law (Old Covenant) that he was righteous and able to be the lamb of God, sacrificed for the sins of many. This very fulfillment gave us the New Covenant. The Law (Old Covenant) was about to pass away, and we know that as Hebrews 8 tells us that it was obsolete, and about to vanish away. With the arrival of the New Covenant, the need for the Old Covenant was done. In Matthew 24:35 Jesus was foretelling that the passing away of the old covenant (the Law) would coincide with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. In short concise language, Jesus was saying that his words would outlive the old Covenant.


So what exactly do we mean by the Old covenant economy? The old heaven and earth, or old covenant economy, consisted of the Mosaic sacrificial system, and ceremonial stipulations. The priests stood in the sacred place of the Temple, and on behalf of the people they carried out peace offerings, trespass offerings, purification offerings, grain offerings, and reparations offerings. Once a year the High priest would carry out the Purifications of the people (Day of Atonement). There was always someone standing between the people and God. Ritual cleansing of the people and the sacred space of the physical Temple/Tabernacle was a top priority. In the New Heaven and earth (New Covenant economy) there is no physical Temple, as the believers body is the Temple of the Living God (2 Cor 6:16), and in that living Temple the spirit of God dwells. There is no person standing between God and the believer, as Jesus, in Heaven, is our High Priest and intercedes for us. Therefore we can boldly approach the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace (Hebrews 4:16).

Jesus used this opportunity to tell his disciples that when the Temple comes down, it is a permanent change. Thus, verse 4-35 completely answers the question posed in verse 3, concerning when this thing will happen to the Temple that Jesus said as he left there.
Heaven and earth passed away in 70 AD; it has become a thing of the past. The last remnants of the old covenant, the Mosaic dispensation, were annihilated from the earth, never to return again. Their significance within God’s plan of redemption are past, obsolete, and have vanished forever.

***All Christians await the ultimate "New Heavens and New earth ", which is the bodily presence and rule of Jesus Christ. The debate on whether this is the Millennial kingdom, or if it is what awaits after the Millennial reign of Christ is out of the scope of this study.

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 4: The Day and the hour

Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

It is very important to interpret this passage correctly, because in the minds of many it signals a clear transition in the entire passage. As previously asserted, Matthew 24:4-35 was completely fulfilled between the crucifixion of Jesus and the September 70 AD destruction of Jerusalem. Verse 35 is the bridge to an abrupt transition starting from verse 36, and a change in tone in the text concerning this prophecy. Some claim the 70 AD prophecy continues through verse 44 before Jesus concludes the discourse by adding 3 prophetic parables through to the end of chapter 25. That viewpoint is overwhelmingly held by what is known as the Full-Preterist interpretation; which is a minority position. However, some non-Full-Preterists hold this interpretation. This viewpoint will be dealt with in a later post, toward the end of this lesson.

Others believe Matthew 24:36-44 is a marked turning point in the passage. This view points back to the question of the Apostles in verse 3 concerning Jesus’s remarks about the Temple being torn down. The disciples were under the impression that the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple would be the beginning of the age of the Messiah, where he would reign as King and overthrow the kings and emperors of the world. Jesus used this time to clarify their expectations, and separate the destruction of the city (end of the Jewish world), and the end of the whole world that culminates with Christ's return and judgment of sins. This view is shared with different eschatological schools of thought, including Partial-Preterists, some Amillennialists, many Postmillennialists, and a few historic Premillennialists.
Since this is a legitimate debate, both views will be illustrated here, as objectively as possible.

Jesus used the example of the fig tree to tell them that there would be signs that led up to the city being destroyed. But concerning his final return, there would be a total absence of signs the preceded the end of the whole world.


Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
-Verse 34 was the concluding statement to the time of Jerusalem’s desolation, while 35 was the hinge that connected 34 to 36.
-Beginning with verse 36, the tenor of this passage changes. There is a stark difference in subject matter that shines through in the language.
-The 1st part of the Olivet discourse is specific, and full of details. The 2nd part, beginning in verse 36, is general and lacks that specificity.
-In the 1st part there are numerous specific signs given to signal the events. In the 2nd part there is a complete lack of explicit signs.
-In the 1st part Christians are warned and given time to flee the wrath to come. In the 2nd part, there is no time or possibility to escape.
-Judgment upon the earth is the theme in the 1st part, while judgment upon the life to come is the theme of the 2nd part.
-
But of that day and hour
-The Greek word δέ [dé] signals the change in topics. Translated here as "But", by The Complete Word Study Dictionary (Zodhiates), it denotes a transition that introduces another topic. The transition is to "that day and hour", and the signs that will precede it. Spoiler alert…there are none!

-The "days of judgment" were the main topic of verses 4-34, while the coming of Jesus (2nd advent) is the topic of this section. The phrase "that day" is the focus throughout verse 44. To be more specific, the disciples were asking what would be the signs of his coming.
-His answer to the question of what would be the signs when he would be coming back are…nothing. There are no signs.

knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only
-No man or angels have even the faintest idea when Jesus would return; only God. This included Jesus, as he was yet to be resurrected and his ascension to Heaven had not happened yet. This is in line with the hypostatic union of Chist [Jesus was fully God, and fully man].
-The implications of this one verse are great in light of the hyperfocus on end times teachings by so many preachers over the past 2 Millenium. That means that the idea of a 7 year tribulation and rapture before Christ’s arrival is null and void, because that event would give an exact timeline to when Jesus would return.
NO ONE WILL KNOW!

-Gone is the confident assertion of the timing of the fall of Jerusalem. Gone are all mentions of signs and predictions. Missing are all mentions of false deception; this will be final.
Jesus explains that his 2nd coming will be when things are…normal. Humanity will be in a state that is immersed in the pursuit of the routine and normal affairs of life. The world will be completely caught off guard.

-Modern interpretations that see the end times as a series of unprecedented global catastrophes, unparalleled calamity and the like, stand opposed to Christ's words here in this scripture.

-Luke's Gospel speaks to this reality, and uses Lot and Sodom as an example in Luke 17:28-30 to illustrate the suddenness of his 2nd coming. Dr Steven Collins writes in his book
Discovering the City of Sodom: The Fascinating, True Account of the Discovery of the Old Testament's Most Infamous City about the archeological digs at Tall el-Hammam that he has been a part of for 15 years that have uncovered the ruins of Sodom. His findings, back up by independent scientists, tell how a meteor exploded mid-air and annihilated Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities of the plains in a 4000 + degree heat in an instant. Details of this archeological dig can be found on his YouTube site Trowelling [Down. Episode 1 found here:
. ]
What they found was that the city was carrying on normally, and a few seconds later the people were gone…taken away in the destruction of the heat blast. This suddenness is what Jesus is pointing to. But life before the heat blast was normal. They had absolutely no idea what was about to happen.

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 5: As the Days of Noah.

Matthew 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Matthew 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Matthew 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.


-Verse 37 is a declaration. Verse 38-39 elaborates that declaration. Verse 40-41 further expounds upon one of the aspects of verse 37.

-Much can be said of what life was like during the days of Noah. During the 2nd Temple age of Judah, much was written of the utterly depraved culture that Noah lived in. Many Pastors and commentators will add this moral element into the exegesis of this verse, but more than likely it does not belong.

-From the context of verse 38-39, it seems Jesus was not speaking to the moral element of Noah's day. He was trying to tell us how most of the unbelieving world would perceive and live life at the time of his 2nd advent.
-Jesus illustrates in verse 38 that people were eating, drinking, and marrying, before verse 39 said the flood came and took them all away. This is the narrow comparison that Jesus is making. He is not making a moral or social equivalence. However, the text does not rule this out definitively either.

-It would be proper to leave space for the social and moral realities of the days before the flood, as a comparison element with respect to the timing of the 2nd advent. The 2nd Temple Jews wrote, spoke, and taught a lot about the sinful people that were Noah's contemporaries. If this is in the scope of this prophecy, then it speaks to great pervading depravity at the end times, the work of fallen angels and spiritual darkness in high places, and the great deception that Lucifer and his acolytes spread throughout the nations. But, more than likely, this is not in view here.

-In the days of Noah people were living life as usual. People were unaware of any approaching crisis and were going about life as normal. Eating and drinking and marrying is the opposite of the famine and death of the great time of tribulation during the destruction of Jerusalem. Life during the siege of Jerusalem was the apex of misery. But during the time before the flood, life was normal, except the fact that GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

-People get married because they anticipate a future. This is not the behavior of a people expecting the world to end. The people were oblivious to the fact that judgment was pending.
-Just as in the days of Noah, the time immediately preceding Jesus’s return will have people interacting with one another, and having no clue that they were about to be judged in a manner that would see their world come to an end.

-Luke's account further illustrates this.
Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
Lukee 21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
-Luke 21 Verse 35 says "πασης της γης" translated as "the whole earth" in Greek. The 1st part of the Olivet discourse was directed at a certain geographic location; Judea. The mentions of "fleeing on the housetops", "fleeing to the mountains", the warning not to get delayed by the Sabbath day, identifies Jerusalem, and a 1st century time as the setting of the 1st part of the prophecy. This verse in Luke sees the whole earth being the target of this prophecy. There is no geographic location to flee to or escape. The 2nd coming of Jesus is inescapable. The time is completely unknown, and everyone on the planet will be affected by it.

 

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Part 6 Left Behind

Matthew 24:40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. [41] Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Left Behind
-Verse 40-41 is the typical "Left Behind" passage that is so popular in the book series of the same name. This idea of being left behind is turned on its head in modern teaching. Popular teaching sees this as the "rapture of the Church" with those being taken are those carried up with Jesus, and then to heaven. The "Left Behind" people are the lost, and those who received wrath and judgment.
-The correct interpretation is that those who are left behind are the Blessed people of God. This is understood through both Old and New Testament supporting scripture.

-In the Old Testament, the idea that Israel or Judah's enemies would come and take them away was a very real threat. Reading the curses of the Covenant, as found in Leviticus 26, and Deuteronomy 28, show that exile from the promised land was the last curse God would place upon His people for breaking covenant stipulations. To be "taken" in Old Testament times was known as a punishment from God. But God always promised a remnant would be left behind. Those were the blessed ones.

Isaiah illustrates this:
Isaiah 4:2-4 In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. [3 ] And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem:
[4] When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning

-In Isaiah 39, the theme of being taken away is prophesied and related to judgment:
Isaiah 39:6 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.
Isa 39:7 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon

-Jeremiah also links the theme of being taken away with judgment:
Jeremiah 6:11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days
-These verses describe the destruction of the 1st Temple of Solomon by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. Those judged are exiled and taken.
Jesus has told of the looming destruction of the 2nd Temple, and here is the same type of language as Jeremiah 6. It makes sense that Jesus would connect the 2 events. And the hearers would understand the imagery.
-This matches up with Josephus's historical account when he records that the 97,000 jews taken away for sold into slavery; many died working in the pit, and being torn apart in gladiator games.

-Zephaniah speaks to those taken away in judgment:
Zephaniah 3:11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.
Zep 3:12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD

-And Zechariah is another prophet that uses the theme. In this verse the cut off die, while those left live.
Zechariah 13:8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein

-This language of the prophets is what Jesus is drawing on, and his audience would easily understand.


Left Behind in the parables

-In the New Testament, the language of being left behind and taken shows in Jesus’s other teaching. Chapter 13 of Matthew hits on this theme multiple times, as seen in the parable of the weeds, and the parable of the net.

- In his parable of the weeds (Matthew 13:24--30, 36--3), Jesus uses a field to explain the Kingdom of Heaven. In the field, an enemy sows tares amongst the wheat. At harvest time all are harvested, and the tares are cast into the fire. Jesus explains the parable in private, to his disciples thusly; the field is the end of the world; harvest time is the end of the age; the reapers are the Angels; the wheat are the children of the kingdom, and the tares are the children of the enemy. At the end of the age the angels will gather the evil ones, take them away and throw them to the fire. Them Jesus says if the evil ones: Matthew 13:42 “And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
- The children that are left behind are described by Jesus:
Matthew 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
The left behind are the Blessed ones who will meet Jesus in the air via 1 Thess 4:17.
It is the unrighteous that are taken, and the righteous that are left behind. This passage will connect to the very end of Matthew 25; more on that later. But for now, the main idea is that the children of God and the children of the enemy will grow together until the end of the world; and at that time the evil ones will get taken away and thrown into the fire.

-In the Parable of the net, Jesus says:
Matthew 13:47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: [48] Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. [49] So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, [50] And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth
-The main idea here mirrors the Parable of the Weeds; the wicked ones will be taken away and thrown to the fire. Again, we are told there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Those taken are punished, and those left are blessed. This is strikingly contradictory to what modern contemporary teaching states.


*******
"Two shall be on the field" and "two women shall be grinding at the mill" is the epitome of life as usual. If there is worldwide devastation ongoing, working in the fields, doing menial labor is the last thing that would be going on. People would be panicking, and huddling together trying to cope with their grave circumstances. What would be the point of grinding at the mill if it looks like there's no tomorrow?

-The flow of thought in both the Old and New Testaments is that those being taken away are judged, killed, destroyed, and blotted out, and those left behind are left to receive God's mercy, and salvation.

 

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Part 6 continued

Matthew 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

-Verse 42 is the concluding thought in this section (verse 36-42), as the reader is implored to be watching for the Lord’s return. This is another bridge passage that connects the idea that "no one knows when Jesus will return" to the idea of " therefore always be ready and watching". The tone shifts from "be ready" unto the "Great delay" contained in the following parables that make up Matthew 25.


Matthew 24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

-Because there will be no signs that Jesus will return, the hearers must always be ready, such as a homeowner who is expecting a thief to break in. The idea is that we should always be ready.


Matthew 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man

-Matthew 24:44 and Luke 21:36 are similar but give different perspectives on the same theme.

-Matthew's verse here is the 3rd time in a handful of verses that pound the idea that no one will know when Jesus is coming back. This verse adds the notion that his return will be in a time most unlikely to happen.

-To always be ready, and to stay prayed up are imperatives while waiting for Jesus’s return. This focuses on the fact that all will stand before Christ to give account of themselves.

-The best summary of these 2 passages is akin to the Boy Scouts motto: Be prepared. To add to that, we shouldn't be preoccupied with our watch for Christ, but to watch ourselves to see that we are always prepared to meet him.

-This section ends with a summary thought. "Always be ready" and "no one knows when he's coming back" are the transitioning thoughts that lead into the 3 parables. Still, there are no signs to look for Jesus’s return.

 

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Part 7: Parable of the Unfaithful Servant

Mat 24:45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
Mat 24:46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Mat 24:47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
Mat 24:48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
Mat 24:49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
Mat 24:50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
Mat 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus tells the disciples this 1st parable, after changing topics.
In the parable of the Unfaithful Servant, there are 3 basic main characters; the faithful servant, the unfaithful servant, and the Master. The character who receives the most space is the unfaithful servant, and therefore the parable is named after him.

-The Master of the house rewards each person with their just due.
-The faithful servant is rewarded with governance over more of the household.
-The unfaithful servant becomes a tyrant with his authority when the Master leaves, he revels in drunkenness. His reward is to be torn in half.

-The main point is that each of the servants must be faithful with the authority that the Master has given to them, while he is away, and they await his return.

2nd level meaning.
-The Master of the house is God. -The servants with delegated authority were His people Israel. They were given the oracles of God (Torah/Law), and they were supposed to be a light unto the nations, representing God, to bless them.
-Some of Israel were faithful to govern over God's people while the Messiah (Master) was yet to come. These faithful servants would become the leaders of the Church.

- The unfaithful people of Israel were those who mis-used their delegated authority. They began to beat the other servants. These were those Jewish authorities that beat and persecuted those faithful to God. Many of them, like the unfaithful servant who languished in drunkenness, engaged in idolatry. Whether they made sacrifices to Baal, burnt their children for Molech, or just neglected the stipulations of the covenant, it was all a display of unfaithfulness. These unfaithful Israelites were, as verse 51 says, appointed their portion after the hypocrites.

The parable ends with "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." This was a reference from Matthew 8:12, and Psalms 112:10. The idea is that the wicked will be cast out in punishment. Some commentators find here an allusion to being cast into Hell, Tartarus; where the fallen angels were chained in darkness.
But the context of Matthew 8:12-13 along with Psalms 112:10 is connected with the destruction of Jerusalem.

Psalms 112:10 "The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish."
This scripture evokes the idea of punishment, and connects it with Jesus’s teaching to the Centurion in Matthew 8. In this it shows how the Gentiles would receive the kingdom gladly, but the rebellious unbelieving Jews would be thrown out, and weep and gnash their teeth.

Underneath this entire parable, is the fact of the "Great delay". The Master is delayed in his return, or coming.

 

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Part 8. Parable of the wise and foolish virgins

Matthew 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Mat 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Mat 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9 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.
Mat 25:10 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.
Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.


Jesus taught 40 or so parables, of which many have been abused by excessive allegorical interpretation. A few of them stick out as being more abused than others. The parable of the Ten Virgins ranks near, if not the, top for allegorical speculatory abuse.

There are clearly a lot of details that can figuratively stand for cultural realities that have an underlying teaching message. The underlying 2nd message concerning prophecy is what we are after here.

-Everyone has their own subjective opinion on what the details of this parable stand for. Mountains of ink have been spilled so that many commentators have forced a cringe inducing slanted interpreting that upholds their end times related scenarios. The earlier warning about not stressing the details, and focusing on the main idea is extremely important for this parable.


Main Characters
-5 foolish virgins. They did not plan ahead and bring enough oil for their lamps, were unprepared when the groom appeared, and were locked out of the marriage supper.
-5 wise virgins. They were prepared, and were present when the groom showed up.
-Groom. His coming for the bride is delayed. The delay is more than either the wise or foolish virgins were expecting.


-”Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto” is the start of the parable. The “Then” is the temporal reference point, and it specifically is referring to “that day and hour” of verse 36; the 2nd coming of Jesus. The parable will inform the hearer as to Jesus’s 2nd coming.

-This passage concerns the kingdom of heaven, which began in Jesus’s ministry. The kingdom was already, but not yet. That refrain will show up constantly in kingdom study.

The marriage feast, from the betrothal till the end of the marriage ceremony came in stages. Therefore, a basic understanding of the culture is needed.


The culture of the marriage feast.
-Marriage ceremonies in the near east were 7 day long events conducted with solemnity, and splendid pomp and circumstances.

-The groom and the bride would have many friends and relatives attending, and it would be an insult to not be invited.

The bride and bridegroom were escorted in a palanquin (a covered booth carried on poles) carried by four or more persons. After the ceremony of marriage succeeded a feast of seven days, if the bride was a virgin, or three days if she was a widow. This feast was celebrated in her father’s house.

-At the end of that time the bridegroom conducted the bride to his own home along with the bridesmaids, friends, and relatives with great rejoicing and festivities.

-To be a friend of the bride, and not asked to be a bridesmaid was a great insult.

Being a bridesmaid was a great honor; to be insultingly unprepared and shut out of the feast was the stuff of which young women’s nightmares were made.

-In many traditional Palestinian villages in more recent times, the wedding feast occurs at night after a day of dancing; the bridesmaids leave the bride, with whom they have been staying, and go out to meet the bridegroom with torches. They then escort him back to his bride, whom they all in turn escort to the groom’s home.

-The young women were supposed to meet the bridegroom, who would then fetch his bride from her home and lead the whole procession back to his father’s house for the feast. After the The bolt was shut on the doors, no one else would be allowed entrance.


-The foolish bridesmaids missed the entire procession back to the groom’s house, along with the festive singing and dancing. They also missed the critical element of the Jewish wedding, in which the bride was brought into the groom’s home under the wedding canopy. Having insulted the dignity of the host, they were not admitted to the feast, which lasted for seven days following the ceremony.

-Not being ready when the bridegroom was announced was a great offense to the groom.

This was done in the evening, or at night. Many friends and relations attended them; and besides those who went with them from the house of the bride, there was another company that came out from the house of the bridegroom to meet them and welcome them. These were probably female friends and relatives of the bridegroom, who went out to welcome him and his new companion to their home.

Not knowing precisely the time when the procession would come, they probably went out early, and waited until they should see indications of its approach. In the celebration of marriage in the East at the present day, many of the special customs of ancient times are observed. “At a Hindu marriage,” says a modern missionary, “the procession of which I saw some years ago, the bridegroom came from a distance, and the bride lived at Serampore, to which place the bridegroom was to come by water. After waiting two or three hours, at length, near midnight, it was announced, in the very words of Scripture, ‘Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.’ All the persons employed now lighted their lamps, and ran with them in their hands to fill up their stations in the procession. Some of them had lost their lights and were unprepared, but it was then too late to seek them, and the cavalcade moved forward to the house of the bride, at which place the company entered a large and splendidly illuminated area before the house, covered with an awning, where a great multitude of friends, dressed in their best apparel, were seated upon mats. The bridegroom was carried in the arms of a friend, and placed in a superb seat in the midst of the company, where he sat a short time, and then went into the house, the door of which was immediately shut and guarded by sepoys. I and others expostulated with the doorkeepers, but in vain. Never was I so struck with our Lord’s beautiful parable as at this moment - ‘And the door was shut.’”


Through the eyes of the disciples

-For every 30 commentaries you read on the Gospel of Matthew, you will find 30 different explanations of this passage. We have a way of pushing our 20th and 21st century views on this 1st century parable. Keep in mind the disciples were hearing this before the crucifixion, and before they had the illuminating influence of the Holy Spirit, which they received at Pentecost. Much of the interpretation of what is heard today would not be understandable to the disciples when Jesus spoke these words.

-There has been a lot written about what the Oil in the lamp stands for, and what the 5 foolish virgins and 5 wise virgins represent; from some claiming that the virgins were asleep meaning they were dead, to those who espouse the idea that the call of the bridegroom is the rapture of the Church (upholding Dispensationalism); and those who say the marriage feast proves the amillennial interpretation; speculation tends to be fantastical in nature.

The truth of the matter is that this parable is like any other parable. It has a surface level meaning that the audience (disciples on the Mount of Olives) easily understand, and it has a 2nd level meaning that teaches a concise simple truth.

-The surface level meaning was a simple marriage ceremony and feast that was culturally relevant to the disciples.

-The 2nd level meaning was simple. The bridegroom was Jesus. The call of the bridegroom was Jesus’s return for his bride/Church. The delay of the bridegroom was teaching that the 2nd coming of Jesus would be delayed. The bridesmaids were an illustration that we should always be vigilant and ready for the return of Jesus; some will be ready and will partake in the feast (marriage supper of the lamb that is Jesus’s 2nd coming), while others are not, and will be denied entrance into the kingdom of God.

This parable is another warning for the disciples of Christ “to watch.” Like the rest of the discourse it is primarily addressed to the Apostles, and after them to the pastors of the Church, who are posted as sentinels for the coming of Christ; lastly, to all Christians. Whatever interpretation may be put on the lesser incidents they must be subordinated to the lesson of the parable—vigilance, and the reason for vigilance—the certainty of the event, and the uncertainty as to the time of its occurrence

Eternal vigilance for the coming of Jesus, is the duty of every Christian

***Our great duty is to watch, to attend to the business of our souls with the utmost diligence and circumspection. Be awake, and be wakeful.

It is a good reason for our watching, that the time of our Lord's coming is very uncertain; we know neither the day nor the hour. Therefore every day and every hour we must be ready, and not off our watch any day in the year, or any hour in the day.



Comments on rhe Marriage feast in Part 8 largely drawn from:

The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (IVP Bible Background Commentary Set) by Craig S. Keener.

Albert Barnes Notes on the Bible by Albert Barnes

The Cambridge Bible, by Cambridge University Press.

The Pulpit Commentary
Edited by the Very Rev. H. D. M. Spence, D.D., and by the Rev. Joseph S. Exell, M.A.

​

 

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Part 9: The Parable of the Talents

Matthew 25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
Mat 25:15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
Mat 25:16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
Mat 25:17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
Mat 25:18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
Mat 25:19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
Mat 25:20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
Mat 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Mat 25:22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
Mat 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Mat 25:24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
Mat 25:25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
Mat 25:26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
Mat 25:27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
Mat 25:28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
Mat 25:29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
Mat 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.


-As the three parables in the Olivet discourse progress, so do the length and amount of details included.

-This longer parable has 3 sections: the departure of the Master, the work of the servants, and the judgment of the servants work.

-This parable is not as abused allegorically as is the 2nd parable, but you will see that its potential application for teaching and sermon exposition, is broad and expanded. This is a good thing.


Main Characters

*The Rich Master
-He leaves on a long journey, and because his return is uncertain, he entrusted portions of his wealth to 3 servants to use for the advancement of his holdings.

-From the wealth described in the parable, the Master is extremely wealthy. He's not just rich, he is the 1% type of rich. This amount of wealth would be a small portion, and not the totality of his wealth.

-Wealthy landowners usually delegated the control and multiplication of their wealth to trained accountants, who could be free persons or, as here, servants.

-The exaggerated amount of money, and entrusting it to his servant's suggests that the Master was leaving for a far off place, and would be gone for a long long time.


What is a “talent”
-Talent: A talent is a measurement of wealth based on weight.
- The exact value of a talent varied from period to period and place to place.

-In this era of history, talents came in silver or gold. In the 1st century, silver was only a little less valuable than Gold.

-A talent of this time period was roughly 6000 denarii or dinars. A common laborer earned a denar a day, so roughly 6 a week. It would take a laborer a 1000 weeks to earn just one talent.

-A talent was the equivalent of 20 years of pay for a day laborer.

This is a vast amount of money…an exaggeration and unusual amount of money.

-Further consideration: the nature of this parable, and its application have given us through time, history, and language a 2nd level meaning of “talent” not as measurement of money, but of unique endowed abilities.

-Notes on “Talents” come from William Hendriksen's commentary on Matthew.


-The large sums of money implied, to a 1st century audience, that the servant would either invest the money in current business ventures, create new business ventures, or multiply wealth through money lending and/or usury (usury doesn't create wealth, it redistributes it).

-Lending money at interest was profitable, given the exorbitant interest rates of the period (although Jewish people were not supposed to charge interest to fellow Jews); one patron is reported to have lent to an entire city at roughly 50 percent interest! Because most people did not have capital available for investment, those who did could reap large profits.

-Although usury, charging interest on a loan or a deposit, was technically against Jewish law (Exo 22:25; Lev 25:36-37; Deu 23:19-20; Neh 5:7; Psa 15:5; Pro 28:8; Ezk 18:8, Ezk 18:13, Ezk 18:17; Ezk 22:12), Gentiles were not bound to refrain from it; further, Jewish people could charge Gentiles, and many wealthy Jewish aristocrats followed Greek custom more than official Jewish teaching anyway. Just as other rabbis could tell parables about kings long after kings had ceased in Jewish Palestine, Jesus could expect his hearers to grasp the message.

-The safest course was to take advantage of the banking, money-changing, money-lending system, of which the Phœnicians were the inventors, and which at the time was in full operation throughout the Roman empire. This is what the Master referenced in Matthew 25:27. This would have been the safest way to increase the Master's wealth, but the servant did not even try this endeavor.



*The 3 servants; 5-talent servant, 2-talent servant, and 1-talent servant.

-All 3 servants had 1 thing in common; the Master trusted them with his wealth, and expected them to be fruitful with it.

-Each were given different amounts, but none were excused from enlarging the Master's holdings

-The 1st 2 servants were faithful, and were rewarded.

-The 1 talent-servant buried his portion of the Master's wealth.

-One of the safest—and least profitable—ways of protecting one’s money was to bury it in the ground; such buried reserves are still occasionally found where someone never returned to retrieve his or her deposits. In ancient times, this was a practice some might engage in when traveling to a sketchy city or province. This was a means of wealth preservation, but the servants were not merely given wealth to preserve it; it was to be multiplied. Therefore, because he was unprofitable, he was cast out.


2nd level meaning

-The rich master is God Himself in the flesh; Jesus Christ. His return is delayed, just like in the first 2 parables, but it is certain. The delay of his coming is a very long delay.

-Therefore, believers should understand that there will be a long delay before Jesus’s 2nd advent.


-When the Master returns there will be a *reckoning (verse 19).

-To “Reckon with them” is to settle accounts. Here it means to inquire into their faithfulness, and to reward or punish them accordingly.

-Upon returning, Christ will call people to account for the manner in which they have improved their talents. See Rom 14:12; 2Co 5:10; 1Th 4:16; Act 1:11; Act 17:31.

-We will be judged according to our faithfulness, not according to our usefulness; our sincerity, not our success; according to the uprightness of our hearts, and not the degree of our opportunities.

-The servants are those that profess faith in and follow Jesus, and received spiritual gifts for the ministry [Epiphanes 4:11-13]. Not all servants have, or are given, the same talents, gifts, and abilities, but they are all expected to be fruitful.


-The “talents”, or “goods” (verse 14) mean all their gifts and endowments, whether original or acquired, natural or spiritual, [the means of grace, all the Christian virtues, abilities, spiritual gifts] distributed by the Holy Spirit.

-To each individual, God gives spiritual gifts to be used in His service [1Co 7:7; 1Pe 4:10]. He intends for us all to invest these talents with all energy, to work for the advancement of His Kingdom, and He wants to see results.

-The servants of God are not all endowed with equal gifts and talents. Even the least talented is just as responsible as the multi-talented.

-Faithfulness in using these talents is what matters.

-By employing their talents in a faithful manner, they improve and strengthen them.

It is by use that the power to use grows.

-It pleases Him to reward those that are faithful. But woe unto the unprofitable servant, that refuses to invest his talent, and to make use of his gifts and abilities in that sphere of activity where the Lord has placed him.

- The design of the parable is to teach that those who neglect their talents, and do no good to others, will be punished. No one is excused for neglecting his duty because he has few talents. God will require of him only according to his ability, 1Co 4:2; Luk 12:48; 2Co 8:12.



*digged in the earth, and hid
-This depicts the conduct of all those who shut up their gifts from the active service of Christ, and neglect the abilities and talents God has given them. Many become “private Christians” and separate themselves from the body of Christ.

-Hiding is a cave from the world, and waiting on the “rapture” is the same mentality as digging a hole and burying your talent.

-Their chief characteristic is unfaithfulness.


Final thought

Many have compared the parable of the 10 Virgins with the parable of the Talents, and made the observation that each described a different aspect of the Christian life. Indeed, they are both speaking about the return of the Son of Man, and they both exhort watchfulness. In comparison the parable of the Virgins speaks to the inner life of the believer, the parable of the Talents speaks to the external activity of the believer; the first is about waiting on the Lord, the 2nd is about what you are doing while you wait; one is about rest, one is about work; the first is about wisdom, the second is about faithfulness; the first tells us “Keep thy heart with all diligence” and the second says “Do thy work with all diligence”. The parable of the Virgins, which discusses the inner life of the Christian, appropriately comes first before the parable of the Talents, which describes the outward working of the inner Christian character; the latter which is wholly dependent on the former. Jesus has masterfully woven different teaching lessons into this discourse, and it is for our benefit and pleasure to discover them.


-Therefore, in view of the impending day of reckoning at the certain return of Jesus, even though it will be delayed, believers must be watchful of Jesus’s return, while diligently and faithfully using our God endowed talents and gifts to increase the Kingdom of God. The reward is great; we Christians long to stand before Jesus and hear: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.”

Eternal vigilance must be wed to faithful diligence

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 10: Parable’s considered

Caveat: Part 10 amounts to theological speculation. This is the stuff theo-nerds talk about. It is not essential to the exegesis of the Olivet discourse, but since it is so interesting, it is included hhere.Take it or leave it.


SPECULATION ON


-Conventionally, it is assumed that the beginnings of the parables have to do with the departure of Jesus from the world, and the judgments at the ends of the parables. Examine most popular commentaries written in the last 50 years, and they are nearly identical in this regard. .


The popular belief is that the 3 parables begin with the Master/bridegroom/rich man departing, with the idea that they will be returning later. That is the representation of Jesus leaving at his ascension, after he rose from the grave. The return of the Master/bridegroom/rich man is thought to be Jesus at his 2nd advent; his bodily return when the saints of God meet him in the air.


--All 3 parables share key elements.

-In each parable, someone is expected to come and bring about a change of affairs.

-In each parable, that coming is delayed beyond what is expected, with the result that some people remain faithful and watchful while others fall away.

-In each parable the Master/bridegroom/rich man does indeed return, and rewards the main characters accordingly.


But, other theologians have spoken about the possibility that the 3 parables represent the time of believers from the Sinaitic covenant down thru time till the judgment of the world

-There is evidence in the parables for taking them sequentially. In other words, the beginning and end points of each parable are different.


*****

-Some have suggested that the beginning point of the Parable of the Unfaithful Servant is the installation of the Sinaitic covenant, by Moses in the wilderness (1440 BC?), and the time of judgment is the 70 AD cataclysm that is the destruction of Jerusalem, the Temple, and the passing away of the Mosaic covenant. The Israelites were to be God's light to the world. Going all the way back to Abraham, Israel was supposed to be a blessing to the nations. But they swam in idolatry, broke covenant stipulations, and were judged accordingly. After they returned from exile, and possibly as a reaction to Antiochus Epiphanes' violation of the Jewish nation and customs, the Jews turned inward and insular with respect to race relations with the Gentiles. In the end God judged them and as Jesus said: “Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits” [Mat 21:43].

-The return of the Master in this parable is seen as Jesus coming in judgment of the nation in 70 AD. Those who remained in unbelief were crushed. Those Jews who believed in Jesus carried on the Kingdom of God.



****

-The starting time for the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins is thought to be Pentecost, and the return of Christ is viewed in a couple different ways. Agreement on the coming of the bridegroom is what is disputed.

-Some viewpoints see the return of the bridegroom as the beginning of the Millennial reign of Christ. The split comes from the disagreement over the timing of the Millennial reign.

-Dispensational adherents see the return of the bridegroom as the rapture of the Church, and the Millennial reign that occurs before the final judgment.

-Amillennial adherents believe that the Millennial reign of Christ began when Christ ascended, and Pentecost kick-started the Church. Remember, Amillennialists believe in the “Millennium now” approach…the Church age is the Millennium. So the return of the bridegroom began with the destruction of Jerusalem. This event pushed all the Jewish Christians out of Judea, where they huddled and congregated (except Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and a few others), and was the beginning of the worldwide evangelical church explosion that is spoken of in Matthew 24:31. This event also signified the end of the Apostolic age, and the beginning of the Church age.

-Postmillennialists will see the bridegroom coming also as the destruction of Jerusalem, and the true beginning of the Church age.





-The Parable of the Talents begins with the destruction of Jerusalem, and ends with the 2nd advent, and the Final Judgment. Thus the 3rd parable begins where the 1st parable ended. The reward in the 1st parable was dominion of more of the Master's possessions. For the servants to have dominion over their Master's possessions was figurative for the Christian church governing in the present earthly kingdom of God (The “Already but not yet”) until Jesus returns to consummate the new heavens and new earth. The reward in the 3rd parable is not more dominion, but “to enter into the joy of the Master”.


-In the beginning, there were 70 nations, and Israel was chosen from these nations to be a light unto the world.

These prophecies show the end of the focus on Israel, and the inclusion of the Gentile nations in the Kingdom of God.

As Israel is brought into final judgment in Matthew 24, at the end of things, the Gentile nations would be brought to judgment as well.

Israel's judgment was a foreshadowing of the entire judgment to come for all nations, and all mankind.



It is fitting then that the last part of the Olivet discourse is the Final Judgment, which is what happens when the rich Master returns in the 3rd parable. Therefore, the 3 parables take us sequentially from Moses on Mount Sinai, to the final judgment.


Opinions on the sequential view largely taken from James B. Jordan's book: Matthew 23-25: A Literary, Historical, and Theological Commentary.


SPECULATION OFF



-Regardless of whether the parables are the conventional interpretation of the sequential view, in all these parables, the Lord delay’s his coming. The first 2 parables feature a delay, but the 3rd parable features a very long delay. This delay extends all the way till the last judgment.

After the Millenium mentioned in Revelation 20, the wicked are retrieved from Hell, judged, and sent to the Lake of Fire.


The delay is a prominent feature in prophecy and Israel’s history.

-They waited centuries for the coming of the Messiah.

-Many Israelites expected the Messiah to come very soon after King David.

-Daniel 9 is the most powerful prophecy of the Messiah.

490 years from Cyrus…then there was a delay

-They knew Jesus said he would destroy Jerusalem…but he delayed

The Jews were fearful of Christians at first, but then began to beat and kill them.



The delay is an important theme in the Bible and an important aspect of how God deals with us. It should make us afraid, very afraid. God promises judgment for a sin and then delays the judgment after we sin. He does this to give us time to repent, but also time to harden in our sin.


Be afraid of delay!

When you transgress God’s law, judgment may not come immediately. The delay is both a blessing and a curse. God gives you time to repent, but also an opportunity to fall asleep and stop fearing Him. But after the Delay, he surely will come.


****

 

[xtp308]

Thanks for doing this !

 

[Starkherz199]

Took a break, but now it's time to finish this study.

Part 11: The Final Judgment

Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mat 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Mat 25:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Mat 25:44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Mat 25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
Mat 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.


*****

*The next section of the Olivet discourse, commonly known as “The Final Judgment”, is the concluding direct teaching passage Matthew included in his Gospel.

This section is the easiest part of the discourse to interpret because it is so straightforward.

-Some preachers mistakenly refer to this passage as the “Parable of the sheep and goats”. The simile of the sheep and goats is parabolic in nature, but the entire passage includes too many future tense verbs, which are uncharacteristic of parables.

Instead, it is an extended word picture metaphor using the “sheep and goats” simile, along with a literal prophetic declaration of the final judgment of mankind to teach and address the disciples' question about the end.


-As the 1st part of the discourse shared the many signs signaling the judgment and destruction of Jerusalem, the 2nd part hits on his actual 2nd coming and what the end entails in comparison to 2nd Temple beliefs.

-As a reminder, they were still looking through the eyes of 1st century Jews who thought the end of the Mosaic age meant the beginning of the age of the Messiah, which entailed the belief that he would physically come, defeat all Jewish opposition in combat, and establish a physical temporal Kingdom. Even though Jesus had spoken about his soon approaching death as they traveled to Jerusalem in the preceding months, they were still caught off guard when he was crucified.


-The idea that all humanity would stand before God to be judged was a common Jewish belief, especially during the 2nd Temple era.

-This idea is perfectly espoused in Daniel 12:1-2, and Jesus’s words are in alignment with Daniel.

-This description is a straight-forward judgment scene similar in its conception to the prophetic and apocalyptic visions of the ‘day of the Lord’ found in the Old Testament.”

-What is presented by Jesus is a very real, though future, event. From verse 34 on, nothing else appears that cannot be taken literally. This description of the final ending judgment of mankind is a very apt prophetic declaration that ends the Olivet discourse.


-The idea that every person will face judgment for their actions is simultaneously comforting to Christians and horrifying to unbelievers. More often than not people reject God on this basis. Some are willing to believe in a supernatural force that created all things, but they balk at the reality that they would be held accountable. It is ultimately a rejection of Authority.


-At the end, there are only 2 classes of people; the saved and the unsaved.

>At the end there are only 2 results of judgment; blessedness or punishment.

>The end of our material lives are only the beginning of our eternal lives, and there are 2 and only 2 outcomes and destinations.


-The Angels come with Jesus because they have a job to do. They will gather the wicked before the judgment throne and cast them into the lake of fire afterwards [Matt 13:41-42, 24:31; 2 Thess 1:7-8; Rev 14:17-20].

-The Final Judgment will occur and the honor of his people will be vindicated. All men and women will see him who they have pierced.


Final Judgment

-The last 2 verses to close out the Olivet discourse are strong and clear. The last verse in particular is extremely controversial, until you peer into the original language. For clarity, Albert Barnes notes on these 2 verse are added here, as he does the best work [imho] of pulling meaning out of the text.

–Matthew 25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Barnes says:
-”Inasmuch as ye did it not” ... - By not doing good to the “followers” of Christ, they showed that they had no real love for Him. By not doing good to the poor and needy, to the stranger and the prisoner, they showed that they had not his spirit, and were not like him, and were unfit for his kingdom. Let it be observed here that the public ground of their condemnation is the neglect of duty, or because “they did it not.” We are not to suppose that they will not also be condemned for their open and positive sins. See Rom 2:9; Eph 5:5; Col 3:5-6; 1Co 6:9-10; Rev 21:8; Psa 9:17. But their neglect of doing good to him and his people may be the “public” reason of condemning them:

1. Because he wished to give pre-eminence to those virtues, to excite his followers to do them.

2. People should be punished for neglect as well as for positive sin. Sin is a violation of the law, or refusing to do what God commands.

3. Nothing better shows the true state of the heart than the proper performance of those duties, and the true character can be as well tested by neglecting them as by open crimes.


If it is asked how the pagan who never heard of the name of Christ can be justly condemned in this manner, it may be answered:

1. That Christ acknowledges all the poor, and needy, and strangers of every land, as his brethren. See Mat 25:40.

2. That by neglecting the duties of charity they show that they have not his spirit are not like him.

3. That these duties are clearly made known by conscience and by the light of nature, as well as by revelation, and people may therefore be condemned for the neglect of them.

4. That they are not condemned for not believing in Christ, of whom they have not heard, but for a wrong spirit, neglect of duty, open crime; for being unlike Christ, and therefore unfit for heaven.




Matthew 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Up front, this verse is an antithetical Hebrew parallelism; meaning the 1st part of the verse directly contrasts with the 2nd part. The contrast is simple: eternal punishment or eternal life.

-The English words “everlasting” and “eternal” in this verse are translated from the same Greek word “αἰώνιος” (aiōnios) [pronounced ahee-o'-nee-os] meaning perpetual, eternal, or everlasting.

-And these shall go away - These “persons.” Many, holding the doctrine of universal salvation have contended that God would punish sin only. Christ says that “those on his left hand,” shall go away - not “sins,” but “sinners.” Besides, sin, as an abstract thing, cannot be punished. Sin is nothing but an “act” - the act of a transgressor, and, to be reached at all, it must be reached by punishing the offender himself.


-Into everlasting punishment - The English word translated here as “punishment” comes from the Greek word κόλασις (kolasis), meaning penal infliction of suffering for a crime; punishment; torment.

-The noun is used but in one other place in the New Testament - 1Jn 4:18; “Fear hath ‘torment.’” The verb from which the noun is derived is twice used - Act 4:21; 2Pe 2:9.

Barnes explains the following: “In all these places it denotes anguish, suffering, punishment. It does not mean simply a “state or condition,” but absolute, positive suffering; and if this word does not teach it, no word “could” express the idea that the wicked would suffer. It has been contended that the sufferings of the wicked will not be eternal or without end. It is not the purpose of these notes to enter into debates of that kind further than to ascertain the meaning of the language used by the sacred writers. In regard to the meaning of the word “everlasting” in this place, it is to be observed:

1. That the literal meaning of the word expresses absolute eternity - “always belong,” Mat 18:8; Mat 19:16; Mrk 3:29; Rom 2:7; Heb 5:9.

2. That the obvious and plain interpretation of the word demands this signification in this place. The original word - αἰώνιον (aionion) is employed in the New Testament 66 times. Of these, in 51 instances it is used of the happiness of the righteous; in two, of God’s existence; in six, of the church and the Messiah’s kingdom; and in the remaining seven, of the future punishment of the wicked. If in these seven instances we attach to the word the idea of limited duration, consistency requires that the same idea of limited duration should be given it in the 51 cases of its application to the future glory of the righteous, and the two instances of its application to God’s existence, and the six eases of its appropriation to the future reign of the Messiah and the glory and perpetuity of the church. But no one will presume to deny that in these instances it denotes unlimited duration, and therefore, in accordance with the sound laws of interpretation and of language itself, the same sense of unlimited duration must be given it when used of future punishment - Owen, in loc.

3. That, admitting that it was the Saviour’s design always to teach this doctrine, this would be “the very word” to express it; and if this does not teach it, it could not be taught.

4. That it is not taught in any plainer manner in any confession of faith on the globe; and if this may be explained away, all those may be.

5. That our Saviour knew that this would be so understood by nine-tenths of the world; and if he did not mean to teach it, he has knowingly led them into error, and his honesty cannot be vindicated.

6. That he knew that the doctrine was calculated to produce “fear and terror;” and if he was benevolent, and actually used language calculated to produce this fear and terror, his conduct cannot be vindicated in exciting unnecessary alarms.

7. That the word used here is the same in the original as that used to express the eternal life of the righteous; if one can be proved to be limited in duration, the other can by the same arguments. “The proof that the righteous will be happy forever is precisely the same, and no other, than that the wicked will, be miserable forever.”

8. That it is confirmed by many other passages of Scripture, 2Th 1:7-9; Luk 16:26; Rev 14:11; Psa 9:17; Isa 33:14; Mrk 16:16; Jhn 3:36.”


-Barnes explains in English what the Greek language reveals plainly: there are only 2 final destinations: perpetual torment for unbelievers, and perpetual life for believers.

-The individual is punished, or tormented, perpetually, and it is the same length of duration as is the reward of life for the believer.

-The close of this discourse obliterates both the idea of universal salvation, and the idea of complete annihilation of the soul and body of the unbeliever.


To end this commentary, we understand through scripture that

1 -We must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

2 -We will be judged and found to be believers or unbelievers.

3 -Eternal, perpetual, and everlasting torment awaits those who do not belong to Jesus.

4 -Eternal, perpetual, and everlasting life awaits Christ's people.