THE OLIVET DISCOURSE Matthew 24-25 (Mark 13:1-37; Luke 21:5-36) Matthew 25 (NIV)

Home , Olivet Discourse, The Sheep and the Goats

These are parables addressed to those who are living in the Tribulation Period just before His return in glory.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins—Mt. 25:1-13 TEXT NARRATIVE 1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be This is a parable warning about the fate of those who like ten virgins who took their lamps and went will be unprepared for the Lord‟s return. When He out to meet the bridegroom. returns, it will be too late to turn to Him for salvation. “Lamps” could be either small clay oil lamps or torches. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The ten bridesmaids represent professing believers who will be alive just before His return. The five wise bridesmaids are true believers, but the five foolish bridesmaids have only the outward appearance of Christians; they have never actually given their hearts to Christ. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not Oil represents the Holy Spirit. take any oil with them. The five foolish have no oil; they have only the outward 4 The wise, however, took oil in jars along with appearance of Christians. their lamps. The five wise have oil; they are true born-again believers. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and The bridegroom, of course, represents Christ at His they all became drowsy and fell asleep. second coming. 6 “At midnight the cry rang out: „Here's the The long delay of the bridegroom may have been a hint bridegroom! Come out to meet him!‟ to the disciples that Jesus would not return 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed immediately. their lamps. Trimmed and adjusted the wicks so they would give off more light. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, „Give us some Each person is responsible for his own oil—his own of your oil; our lamps are going out.‟ relationship to Christ. You cannot depend on the faith 9 “„No,‟ they replied, „there may not be enough of someone else; it must be your own. for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.‟ 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the When Christ returns, the true believers will be oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were recognized by Him and immediately welcomed into His ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. presence. And the door was shut. 11 “Later the others also came. „Sir! Sir!‟ they said. „Open the door for us!‟ The Olivet Discourse © 2011 Will Duke User has unrestricted use of this document if attribution is provided in any published medium.

TEXT NARRATIVE 12 “But he replied, „I tell you the truth, I don't Those who were only nominally Christians will not be know you.‟ recognized by the Lord and will be rejected. 13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not It is very dangerous to put off making a decision about know the day or the hour. trusting Christ.

The Parable of the Talents—Mt. 25:14-30 TEXT NARRATIVE 14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, This is another parable about true and false believers who called his servants and entrusted his in the time just before His return. property to them. A “talent” is a weight of money; it is a significant 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to amount, more than three years wages for an average another two talents, and to another one talent, worker. each according to his ability. Then he went on his The master entrusted to his servants differing journey. amounts according to their abilities. 16 The man who had received the five talents The first man responded with immediate obedience; went at once and put his money to work and that is what God wants from us. gained five more. Both of these trusted servants were obedient. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent The third servant was not trusted as much, and he did went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his not obey his master. master‟s money. 19 “After a long time the master of those This may have been another hint to the disciples that servants returned and settled accounts with Jesus was going to be gone a long time. them. 20 The man who had received the five talents The true child of God works for His Lord. brought the other five. „Master,‟ he said, „you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.‟ 21 “His master replied, „Well done, good and Our performance evaluation will be at the Bema Seat. faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master‟s happiness!‟ 22 “The man with the two talents also came. „Master,‟ he said, „you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.‟ 23 “His master replied, „Well done, good and Each servant produced works in accord with their faithful servant! You have been faithful with a abilities, and both were rewarded similarly and few things; I will put you in charge of many proportionately. The reward for faithful service in things. Come and share your master‟s happiness!‟ this life will be greater responsibility in eternity (including in the Millennial government).

TEXT NARRATIVE 24 “Then the man who had received the one The false Christian does not do his Lord‟s work. talent came. „Master,‟ he said, „I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your He will be afraid when the Lord returns. talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.‟ 26 “His master replied, „You wicked, lazy servant! “Wicked” (Greek πονηρός) is the strongest pejorative So you knew that I harvest where I have not Jesus ever used in the New Testament. It is sown and gather where I have not scattered interesting that Jesus used this very strong word to seed? describe this man who did not do anything wrong—he 27 Well then, you should have put my money on just didn‟t do anything. deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with In addition to being disobedient, he did two things interest. wrong: 1. He was lazy 2. He was stupid

The Lord has given us natural talents, spiritual gifts, more disposable money than any Christians have ever had in history, and more opportunities that any people have ever had before. At the Bema, He will not praise us for failing to use what He has given us for His Kingdom. 28 “„Take the talent from him and give it to the Everyone who has Jesus will be given everything they one who has the ten talents. need in abundance. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not The unbeliever who does not have Jesus will lose have, even what he has will be taken from him. everything. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping The false Christian will be condemned to Hell for and gnashing of teeth.‟ eternity.

The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats—Mt. 25:31-46 TEXT NARRATIVE 31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and This is a parable about the Lord‟s Second Coming. all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, Every person who has ever lived will stand before and he will separate the people one from another Christ. as a shepherd separates the sheep from the The sheep are believers. goats. The goats are those who have never trusted in Christ. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. The separation of the two will begin at the Rapture when the sheep are removed, leaving only the goats. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, The judgment of the sheep takes place at the Bema „Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take Seat of Christ (2 Co. 5:10). your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you There believers will be rewarded for what we have since the creation of the world. done in this life. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something We will particularly be rewarded for how we have to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something treated other people in need. to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.‟ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, „Lord, When we act to help others, we are doing it for Christ when did we see you hungry and feed you, or (Col. 3:23-24). thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite Remember what Jesus said were the greatest you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? commandments of all: Love God and love neighbor (Mk. 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go 12:29-31). to visit you?‟ 40 “The King will reply, „I tell you the truth, The acts for which the believers are commended are whatever you did for one of the least of these particularly those things done for other believers who brothers of mine, you did for me.‟ were suffering (Gal. 6:10).

(If this prophecy is aimed primarily at the Tribulation saints, then they will be rewarded especially for how they treated other Tribulation saints.) 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, „Depart The judgment of the goats takes place at the Great from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal White Throne Judgment. fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to There, unbelievers will be judged on the basis of what eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to they have done in life. drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, Jesus tells us that Hell was created, not for people, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I but for the Devil and the rebellious angels. was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.‟

TEXT NARRATIVE 44 “They also will answer, „Lord, when did we see Unbelievers will be judged on the basis of how they you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing have treated others. clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?‟ Not for their rejection of Christ. 45 “He will reply, „I tell you the truth, whatever These are the two final alternatives to life: eternal you did not do for one of the least of these, you life with Christ or eternal punishment with Satan. did not do for me.‟ There are no other options. 46 “Then they will go away to eternal Hell is forever; it is just as eternal as Heaven. punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

General Comments on Judgment:

1. Because all people sin, all people deserve condemnation to Hell. 2. Because of Jesus’ atonement on the cross, He offers the only way to escape from what we all deserve. 3. Eternal destination is not determined at the Bema Seat or at the Great White Throne Judgment. 4. One’s eternal destination is determined in this life by whether or not we put our trust in Christ. 5. Jn. 3:18-Everyone who has NOT put their trust in Christ stands CONDEMNED ALREADY right now. 6. When one stands at the Bema or at the Great White Throne, eternal destination has already been determined.

Let’s compare the two judgments:

Degrees of punishment—the biblical view of Hell is that it has degrees of suffering— - Not everyone’s experience in Hell will be the same. - Matt. 11:20-24—It will be worse in Hell for the people of Korazin and Bethsaida than for the people of Tyre and Sidon; it will be worse in Hell for the people of Capernaum than for the people of Sodom.

5 The Olivet Discourse © 2011 Will Duke User has unrestricted use of this document if attribution is provided in any published medium. . The people of Korazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum saw the miracles of Christ and rejected Him as their Messiah. . The people of Tyre and Sidon and even of evil Sodom never had that chance. - Luke 10: 10-12—The people who rejected the disciples and their message will suffer more in hell than those who did not get the chance to hear. - Luke 12:47-48—The servant who knows what his master wants and doesn’t do it will be punished more than the servant who does not know. Those given more will be judged by a higher standard. - Mark 12:38-40—Hypocritical teachers of the law will be punished most severely. - Rom. 2:12—Sinners who have the Scripture will be condemned by the Scripture; sinners who do not have the Scripture will be condemned without it. - Everyone outside of Christ will be condemned to Hell, but they will be judged and punished on the basis of their obedience to whatever light they had.

- Punishment will be based on what one did with what one knew

APPLICATION: