Matthew 25 Commentary
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Matthew 25:1-13
Jesus tells an extended parable about the kingdom of heaven and His return, likening them to a bridegroom coming for His bride late at night. As ten bridesmaids wait for his coming they fall asleep. Five of them were wise and brought extra oil for their lamps. Five were foolish and did not.
Matthew 25:14-30
The Parable of the Talents: Jesus tells another parable about the kingdom of heaven and His return, likening them to a man who entrusts his estate to his servants while he is away on a long journey. He respectively entrusts five, two, and one talent(s) to three servants according to their abilities.
Matthew 25:31-46
The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats: “The Context of the Parable” Jesus ends His Olivet Discourse with a teaching about a series of Divine judgments. This teaching is known as “The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats.” It is the final parable of four that discuss His return.
Matthew 25:31
The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats: “The Opening Remark” Jesus begins His teaching of “the Sheep and the Goats” by saying that when the Son of Man comes in His glory He will sit on His glorious throne.
Matthew 25:32-33
The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats: “The First Judgment: Sorting the Sheep from the Goats” Jesus uses the metaphor of a shepherd separating the sheep from the goats to describe what will happen during the first of three judgments to occur. This image establishes the tone for the entire teaching that follows.
Matthew 25:34
The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats: “The Second Judgment: The Reward of the Righteous” Jesus says that the King will address the righteous sheep after they have been sorted to His right. He will call them “blessed of My Father” and invite them to inherit the kingdom...
Matthew 25:35-40
The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats: “The Life Choices of the Righteous” The King will explain how the inheritance for the sheep was based on the way they treated Him through various acts of kindness and mercy during their lives on earth. The righteous will ask when they ever served Him.
Matthew 25:41
The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats: “The Third Judgment: The Banishment of the Accursed” Jesus says that the King will address the accursed goats who were sorted to His left. This judgment will happen after the King rewarded the sheep. He will call them “accursed ones” and banish them into the eternal fire...
Matthew 25:42-45
The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats: “The Life Choices of the Accursed” The King will explain how their punishment was for the way they did not serve Him when He was destitute during their lives on earth. The accursed will ask when they ever refused to serve Him.
Matthew 25:46
The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats: “The Closing Remark” Jesus concludes His teaching about the Judgments regarding the Sheep and the Goats with a short summary statement. He explains that the goats will go into the eternal fire while the sheep will go into eternal life.
Additional Resources
Jesus continues His Olivet Discourse with His disciples about the end of the age and His return. In chapter 25, He tells the last two of three parables that reiterate the principles of being ready at all times for His return, and how the disciples should apply those principles to their lives. The final two parables of the discourse are called “The Parable of the Bridesmaids” and “The Parable of the Talents.”
After these parables, Jesus describes the Judgment in terms of separating “Sheep and Goats.” Believers will be sorted into one group (Sheep), and unbelievers into another (Goats). King Jesus will then judge to what extent did the sheep serve other people, and to what extent did the goats fail to serve. Then the sheep will enter into eternal life with God, while the goats will be sent away into eternal punishment along with the Devil and his demons.
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