In 2025 we're working our way through the gospels and invite you to join us as we seek to learn from Jesus. Find all our notes, from this year and past years, at the Faith Food tab. And if you'd like ideas for suggested pacing, download our March calendar. Welcome, friends, we're so glad you're journeying with us. Let's grow together!

Our notes on Matthew 25 include:

An Overview: Topic, Themes, and Summary.
An Outline Of our thoughts and questions.
Exploration Of watching carefully.
A Reflection On not tarrying.
An Invitation to Respond To a God who knows you.

Matthew 25

Overview

General Topic

Jesus delineates two subgroups of humanity: the righteous and the unrighteous.

Key Themes

Prepared. Faithful. Judged.

Summary

Jesus tells two more Kingdom of Heaven parables. The first story warns us to always be ready for His return. The second demands faithfulness to God's ways. The chapter ends with a scene of the final judgment.

Outline

? Denotes a question, * a personal thought, ! a connection, and x a cross reference. Researched answers are in italics. *R communicates that in-depth research follows. Behold requires our attention; it marks our partnership with God.

On The Parable of the Ten Young Women (Matthew 25:1-13)

In another Kingdom of Heaven parable, Jesus tells of ten young women who are waiting to marry.

* We are all waiting for our eternal marriage to Christ. (Read about Christ's bride.)
Woman represents belief systems. Ten represents responsibility, testimony, and completeness of order. *So, ten women could represent the responsibility of all belief systems. - BibleStudyTools.org and Bible Study.org

Five were foolish; five were wise.

Five represents the Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible) or God's grace. *So, these people specifically professed to follow God's laws or believe in His grace. - Bible Study Tools
? What does the Bible say about the wise and foolish in other places. It would be an interesting exercise to compare scripture on these words.

The foolish women did not prepare for the wait, but the wise women did.

🎵Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning🎶 ("Sing Hosanna" performed by BEKOFI Creative Hub.)
x You shall further command the Israelites to bring you pure oil of beaten olives for the light, so that a lamp may be set up to burn regularly. Exodus 27:20 NRSV
! Always keep your candle lit. (Read about light in darkness.)
? What's our oil? How do we prepare for Christ's arrival?

All ten women fell asleep while they waited.

x A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. Proverbs 24:33-34 RSV
x I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that are Jehovah's remembrancers, take ye no rest, and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Isaiah 62:6 ASV

When they were least prepared, behold, the Groomsman came.

x Therefore, we must not fall asleep like other people, but we must stay awake and be sober. I Thessalonians 5:6 GW

Hastily, they prepared for His arrival.

x Therefore the Lord GOD said: "Look, I have laid a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will be unshakable [shall not make haste]." Isaiah 28:16 CSB [KJV]
? Why must their lamps be lit for His arrival?
x You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Matthew 5:14-15 ESV
x She sees that she is making a good profit. Her lamp burns late at night. Proverbs 31:18 GW (See our Proverbs 31:18 notes.)

The foolish women asked the wise women for the resources they lacked...

x When that time comes, seven women will grab hold of one man and say, "We can feed and clothe ourselves, but please let us say you are our husband, so that we won't have to endure the shame of being unmarried." Isaiah 4:1 GNT (See our thoughts on this verse.)
! Reminds me of Aesop's tale, "The Ant and the Grasshopper."
* This is the quintessential example of skating in on someone's coattails.
! If only they were following the Good Shepherd: The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. Psalm 23:1 KJV

...but the wise women said no because then they would not have enough. They encouraged the foolish women to go get their own supplies.

* Oh, what lessons I have to learn from this! First, we cannot save everyone. Secondly, people are responsible for the choices they make.
* They did not choose to be anointed by following Jesus.

So, the foolish women left to buy what they lacked.

* And what did they lack? Oil. Oil marks the anointing of our Savior to the Father.
x [Brothers dwelling in unity] is like the precious oil upon the head, Coming down upon the beard, Even Aaron's beard, Coming down upon the edge of his robes. Psalm 133:2 NASB [Psalm 133:1]
x Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup runneth over. Psalm 23:5 KJV
Sheep were anointed with oil. The shepherd would rub oil into their heads to deter harmful pests, prevent injury, reduce conflict, soothe discomfort, and heal wounds. - All of the Animals (Originally heard on "Gesundheit", Episode 2180 of the Brant and Sherri Oddcast)

The wise women were present and ready when Jesus came. So, they went to the party and the servants shut the door.

x One male and one female of every living thing came, just as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD closed the door behind them. Genesis 7:16 NCV
x In the groom's feast parable (Matthew 22:1-14), the servants gathered the people and threw out the one dressed inappropriately. (See our Matthew 22 notes.)
x Wedding feast of the Lamb. (Revelation 19:6-9)
? Who are the servants? Angels? Prophets?

When the foolish women returned and knocked, Jesus told them He never knew them.

x Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord! Lord! Didn't we prophesy in your name? Didn't we drive out demons in your name? Didn't we do many miracles in your name? Then I will tell them clearly, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who do evil!' Matthew 7:22-23 NIrV (See our Matthew 7 notes.)
! "Yada" means being known deeply. -BEMA, Episode 18 & Bible Hub (See our "being known" exploration.)

Jesus ends the parable with a warning: Watch carefully. My return will be unexpected.

? Why are we to watch carefully if no one knows when it will happen? Wouldn't it be better to just always be prepared? After all, even the wise women slept. *R

On the Parable of the Three Servants (Matthew 25:14-35)

Then, Jesus described the Kingdom of Heaven as a Master who entrusts His servants with treasure, giving each according to his ability, before leaving for an extended period of time.

x Don't store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth or rust destroys, and where thieves don't break in and steal. For where your treasures is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 CSB
! God never gives us more than we can handle! *I know that this phrase is ill-used and often tied to I Corinthians 10:13, but we can tie it to this verse. God entrusts you with what you are able to handle. If you want to be entrusted with more, show Him you can properly steward what you've been given - according to His ways, not yours.
? What has God entrusted to you?
? Why three servants? Do they represent something or someone specific? Does this mean most people who follow Jesus are faithful? Or we know in Hebrew two represents law. *So, the two faithful servants could represent people who follow God's law. - Asking Better Questions of the Bible & Albert Tours

The first two servants double the treasures entrusted to them, but the third buries it.

* We are servants of the Most High God. People are watching. (Ponder this from an ant's perspective.)
x Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for JOY over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Matthew 13:44 NKJV (See our Matthew 13 notes.)
x You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV (See our Matthew 5 notes.)
? What are we doing to increase what God has given to us?
! I will make you [Abram] a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. Genesis 12:2 NKJV *Blessed to be a blessing.
! You are the message, like Moses. - BEMA podcast

After a long time, the Master returns and asks the servants to report on the current status of the treasures entrusted to them.

x As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. Matthew 25:5 NRSV

The first two servants were highly praised, entrusted with more, and invited to celebrate in the JOY of their Master.

x I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. John 15:1-2 NRSV
x Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5 NRSV

The third servant approaches his Master with excuses.

! It's interesting to note that the first two servants begin their reckoning with "Behold", which signifies a human partnership with the divine (Eldredge), but the third servant's reckoning, who clearly was not partnering with God, does not include the word behold.

He blames the Master for setting His expectations too high which caused him to fear.

* Shame leads to blame.
x The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate." Genesis 3:12 NRSV
! God gathers from everywhere. Even the seemingly off limit places, like Pharoah in Egypt. - BEMA Podcast

Because he was afraid, he hid his Master's treasure.

x And [Adam and Eve] heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8 RSV
? Yet, He showed grace to Adam and Eve by clothing them and remaining in their presence. (Not just any clothing, but a robe like the one given to Joseph. - Brant Hansen) Why not on the third servant. Perhaps because he had story upon story to learn from, but Adam and Eve were the original story. How far does grace extend? What is the limit?

The Master concedes that while he does expect much, the servant knew His expectations and still chose not to work to meet them.

* So, perhaps the limit is as far as your knowledge goes. The more you know, the more you are responsible for.
! Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, "My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose," Isaiah 46:10 RSV (See our Isaiah 46 notes.)

As a result, the Master gives the third servant's treasure to the first servant explaining that the ones who understand what is required will receive more, but the ones who struggle to understand will lose what little understanding they did have.

x For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; Proverbs 2:6 RSV
x And [Jesus] answered [the disciples], "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to him who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Matthew 13:11-12 RSV (See our Matthew 13 notes.)
* God is being a good manager. He is making sure His employees understand and follow company policy. We don't have to agree with His policy, but we do have to follow it. We follow it willingly because we trust the One who wrote it. (Be a Courageous Follower with us!)
🎵And step by step You'll lead me / And I will follow You all of my days🎶("Step by Step" performed by Rich Mullins)

Then, He fires the servant, throwing him into the darkness among the rebellious.

On Final Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46)

When Jesus returns in all His glory, He will separate everyone into two groups.

x "Now then, my flock, I, the Sovereign LORD, tell you that I will judge each of you and separate the good from the bad, the sheep from the goats. Some of you are not satisfied with eating the best grass; you even trample down what you don't eat! You drink the clear water and muddy what you don't drink! My other sheep have to eat the grass you trample down and drink the water you muddy. "So, now, I the Sovereign LORD, tell you that I will judge between you strong sheep and the weak sheep. You pushed the sick ones aside and butted them away from the flock. But I will rescue my sheep and not let them be ill-treated any more. I will judge each of my sheep and separate the good from the bad. Ezekiel 34:17-22 GNT
? Why sheep and goats? It was relatable because of the agrarian culture. Sheep were more highly valued than goats. - NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Bible

Those on His right are the one's God's been preparing His kingdom for because they cared for Jesus' needs even though they did not realize it. By caring for the needs of others, they cared for Christ.

*Because there has been a heart change, they serve others willingly without even thinking about what they are doing. It has become a part of their character. It's no longer about checking boxes, but about worshiping God in spirit and truth.

x To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; And I delight not in the blood of bullocks or the lambs, or of he goats...Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; The new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; It is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth. Isaiah 1: 11, 13-14 KJV (See our Isaiah 1 notes.)
x For I delight in loyalty [mercy] rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6 NASB [KJV]

x one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all. Ephesians 4:6 NLT
x And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. Matthew 18:5 NIV (See our Matthew 18 notes.)
x He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed." I Peter 2:24 CSB
x When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said to him, "You know that I love you." "Feed my lambs," he told him. John 21:15 CSB

On Jesus' left are the people who ignored Christ without realizing it because they ignored the needs of others.
Those on Jesus' left will go to everlasting punishment. Those on His right, will go to live eternally with God in the place that He has prepared for them.

x Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left...One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Luke 23:32-33 & 39-42 ESV

Exploration

Why does Jesus tell us to watch carefully? Even the wise women in this parable fell asleep. Isn't it best to live in a constant state of readiness by daily living with Jesus?

Commentaries

Jesus is trying to get our attention. To tell us that the message this story teaches is of vital importance. Don't ignore it.
The message:

Live in a state of habitual readiness. Persevere in grace, always be in possession.
Constantly guard your heart. Keep checking the state of your oil. Don't grow complacent.

The warning:

There are Christians in appearance (outside) and Christians in truth (inside). It's more important to have the oil (genuine motivation) than just the lamp (appearances).
"But others having the blaze of profession, and nothing to keep it alive, it must needs end in smoke and darkness, failing them when they have most occasion for it." - Benson

The urgency:

"Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him," Hebrews 10:38 KJV

x But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love. Revelation 2:4 BSB
x Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil...Others felll among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. Matthew 13:5, 7 NASB

No preparation can be made for (death or) Christ's return. It (can) will happen suddenly, unexpectedly.

Since all the women slept, it represents a natural, not sinful, condition.
Therefore, beloved, since you look for [the coming of the day of God], be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 2 Peter 3:12, 14 NASB

Cross References

So remember God's message that you have heard. Obey what God has said. Turn away from the wrong things that you do. Change the way that you live. If you do not wake up, I will come to punish you. I will come secretly, like someone who robs people. So you will not know what time I will come to you. Revelation 3:3 EASY
"Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of the earth. "But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man. Luke 21:34-36 NASB
("Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.") Revelation 16:15 NASB
Watch carefully for danger. Never stop trusting God. Continue to be brave and strong. Whatever you do, do it with love. I Corinthians 16:13-14 EASY
And now consider this. You know well the times you are living in. It is time for you to wake up and see what is right before your eyes: for salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The darkness of night is dissolving as dawn's light draws near, so walk out on your old dark life and put on the armor of light. May we all act as good and respectable people, living today the same way as we will in the day of His coming. Do not fall into patterns of dark living: wild partying, drunkenness, sexual depravity, decadent gratification, quarreling, and jealousy. Instead, wrap yourselves in the Lord Jesus, God's Anointed, and do not fuel your sinful imagination by indulging your self-seeking desire for the pleasures of the flesh. Romans 13:11-14 VOICE
Some people have stopped meeting with the group of Christians. But that is not good. We should all continue to meet together. We need to help one another to be strong and brave. That is now even more important, because the Lord's great day is coming. You know that the Lord will return soon. Hebrews 10:25 EASY
You also must be patient, because the Lord will return soon. Be strong as you continue to trust him. My Christian friends, do not complain against each other. If you do, God will punish you. So be careful! He is the Judge and he is ready now to judge people. James 5:8-9 EASY

*Thoughts: We watch carefully by gauging our hearts (Psalm 139:23-24). What are our true motivations? What is fueling us? Is it oil from heaven or oil of this world? We watch carefully because we do not know what tomorrow brings. We tend to grow complacent and let our fires fizzle. We never know when death, represented here by the women sleeping, will come for us or when Christ will return.

Sources:

Bible Hub commentaries on Matthew 25:13 and 25:5. (Especially Benson, Henry, and Pulpit.)
NIV, Cultural Perspectives Bible, notes on Matthew 25:13

Reflection

I remember wrestling with the question, "If someone can just accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior right before they die, and if the more I learn about God, the more responsible for, why should I even bother with being a Christian now?" After all, being a Christian comes wrought with expectations. It means committing to a way of life, consistently choosing it, and willingly facing ridicule for your choices. What's the advantage, I wondered, of living as a Christian when you can just wait and die as one?

I think the parable of the ten young women answers these questions, or at least part of them. The answer being that none of us is promised tomorrow. The warning is: do not tarry in making your choice to follow Jesus because you do not know what your next moment holds.

The other warning in this parable is that when you make the choice for Jesus, you must commit wholeheartedly. You don't just show up, you engage completely. That's how you keep your lamp full of oil, and when you do, you'll find it overflowing because you put your trust in Him.

Initially, the answer to the question I asked was answered through song. 🎵One day every tongue will confess / You are God / One day every knee will bow. Still the greatest treasure remains for those who gladly choose you now.🎶 ("Come, Now is the Time to Worship" by Brian Doerksen)

The lyrics helped me realize there is a greater reward to choosing God now than to tarry. But at the time, I didn't realize what the reward was. I envisioned a future award obtained once in heaven for following Jesus longer while on earth. Now, I know the reward is immediate: life with God is so much sweeter than life without Him.

For me, Christianity used to be about following a list of rules without even knowing what the list of rules required. Yet, somehow, I was still held accountable for following all of them. And, the more I learned about God, the more I was responsible for. Believing this, I had very little desire to know God more, because I already knew I could never live up to His expectations.

But now, I know that following Jesus is about building relationships. All He wants from me is a longing to know Him more, and as I know Him more I love Him more. And the more I love Him, the easier it is to know, understand, and be faithful in following His ways. See, eternity with God started the moment I started fully investing in our relationship.

Do not tarry.

Respond

Connect

God knows. He knows us to our core, even better than we know ourselves. We may be able to fool ourselves and others, but we cannot fool Him.

Reflect

What oil is in my lamp? Am I fueled by a true zeal for godliness, or do I just want to appear godly to the world?
How am I managing what God has entrusted to me? Am I managing it according to His desires out of love and devotion, or am I managing it according to my own desires out of fear and resentment?
When I notice the needs of others, how do I respond? Do I choose what benefits me, or do I consider the needs of others above my own desires? (Philippians 2:3-4)

Act

Arise, fuel yourself with godly motivations by getting to know Him more.
Arise, manage what God has given you the way that He would want you to.
Arise, do what is best for others instead of what is best for you.

In Closing

Father God, I often think of Your coming judgment in fear because You know all of my thoughts, all of my sins, and every word I have spoken. When I consider how unrighteous I am, I know You could never choose me. But, thanks be to God, You chose me, redeemed me, and sanctify me through the power of Your Son. Now, You look at me and see Christ's righteousness. May my life sing with the harmony of what You have done and of who You are. May I remain fueled by your anointing as I manage what You've given me and as I love others the way You would love them - zealously, earnestly, self-sacrificially.

Sample these related posts:

Matthew 24 | The Wolfe Notes

Review our Matthew 24 notes which also includes a warning to be ready always. Includes an outline of our thoughts, research on generations, a reflection on the meaning of Jesus' end-time teachings, and an invitation to respond to the all-knowing God.

Matthew 13 | The Wolfe Notes

Return with us to Matthew 13 to explore more Kingdom of Heaven parables. Includes an outline of our thoughts and questions, research on using the new and the old, reflections on teaching with stories, an invitation to respond to an emotional God who is truth, and my top three revelations. (Explore more Kingdom of Heaven parables in Matthew 20 and Matthew 22.)

Proverbs 31:16 | The Wolfe Notes

Challenge yourself to grow in faithfulness with us as we conclude our thoughts on buying fields and planting vineyards. Includes spiritual, personal, and practical applications, reflections on God's character, cross references, a worship experience, and the introduction of Proverbs 31:17. (View our introductory notes on Proverbs 31:16.)

Proverbs 31:17 | The Wolfe Notes

Strengthen your arms and gird your loins to prepare for Christ's return with inspiration from the virtuous woman poem that concludes Proverbs 31. Includes commentary notes, practical and spiritual connections and applications, reflections on God's character, and cross references. (View our introductory notes on Proverbs 31:17 are found at this link.)

Isaiah 66 | The Wolfe Notes

See how God's judgment connects to a worm in our Isaiah 66 notes. Includes KJV/TLV comparison, an outline of our thoughts, cross references of Isaiah 66:13 (which relates God's comfort to that of a mother's), and an invitation to respond to God's justice.

Interested in more faith-related blogs? Then you're looking for Faith Food. At Faith Food, you'll find links to all our faith-related blogs and a short description of each.

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Matthew 25 | The Wolfe Notes