Matthew 25 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered
A response and reply to the notes on Matthew 25 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).
King James Version
SAB comment
My comment
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
What actually is described here is a typical Jewish marriage. We see the bridegroom leaving his father's home, Gen. 2:24, and go to the home of the bride, her father's home, verse 10. This usually happened at night. Along the way the bridegroom would meet and pickup her and his friends and invited guests and take them with him to the feast. These ten virgins were probably friends of the bride.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
(Martin Schongauer, 1475-91)
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
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.
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.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
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.
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.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
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:
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.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
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.
The meaning here has of course nothing to do with taxes. Jesus himself even paid taxes while he had nothing, see chapter 17:27. The meaning is that those who use their God given talents, God shall add to their blessings. And God shall add to the curses of those who reject their talents and spoil what God has given them.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The servant who kept and returned his master's talent (without making any profit) was cast into the "outer darkness" where there will be "weeping and gnashing of teeth."
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:
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:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
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:
When was heaven created?
What must you do to be saved?
(25:34) BOM: 1 Nephi 10:18; 2 Nephi 9:18; Mosiah 4:6, 18:13; Enos 27
"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."
How should strangers be treated?
The author of the SAB also claims that people who did what is described in the next verses (verse 35-36) will be saved due to their efforts. This is quite untrue. These things are done because they are Christians, and because they are saved. They are works done by them because they want to be like Christ who did likewise.
Finally the author of the SAB cites the book of Numbers as an example where supposedly strangers had to be put to death. This is an absolutely weird reading of the text, and is discussed in Num. 1:51.
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:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
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.
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:
How long does God's anger last?
Is salvation by faith alone?
Does Hell exist?
What the Bible says about torture
The Bible's guide to torture
BOM: Mosiah 26:27
On the duration of God's anger: the author of the SAB should take the context into account. The short duration of his anger is with respect to his people, those who believe in him, but have gone astray. God is wrath with them in order that they will turn back to him. The duration of which is spoken in this verse is with regards to his punishment of those who have sinned against him and rejected him and will receive their sentence after this live.
On if salvation is by faith alone: yes it is. The works described here follow faith.
Yes, hell exist as is again clearly explained in this verse.
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
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.
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?
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.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
The damned will be tormented forever while "the righteous" will live forever.
How long does God's anger last?
Is death final?
Has there ever been a righteous person?
On righteous persons: no one has any righteous of himself, but a person can be called righteous if he has believed in Christ and through faith has attained the righteousness of Christ.
Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to ten virgins who went to meet their bridegroom.
Is polygamy OK?
What the Bible says about polygamy