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Chapter 4
PARABLES ON WORK
How many times have you heard this or that excuse why someone would not help in
doing a particular work? Jesus even left a specific parable for us to let us know that this
is not a new problem. In the parable of the great banquet, those who were invited “all
with one accord began to make excuse” (Lk 14:18). One said, “I have bought a piece of
ground,” and another said that he had “bought five yoke of oxen” (Lk 14:18,19). You
know the rest of the story. When it comes to Jesus’ invitation to discipleship, the
excuses are without end.
Some excuses to avoid involvement are valid. They would thus not be excuses, but
reasons. But what James stated in James 4:17 is still true. “Therefore, to him who
knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” With that caution, we would do
well to be careful about making excuses, or giving reasons that are really excuses.
Excuses are made only when work is involved. We make no excuses about doing
our own thing. We make excuses in order to do our own thing instead of fulfilling our
responsibility toward others. Jesus focused on this problem in defining the nature of the
kingdom. He gave a trilogy of parables that are recorded in Matthew 25 in order to
define the work ethic that should be indicative of His disciples. Each of the three
parables bring us to the same conclusion. That conclusion is that if one would be a
disciple of Jesus, self-initiated works must be a life-style, not an occasional occurrence
in our lives. The conclusion of the parables teaches that Christians should be
very careful about making excuses to avoid responsibility.
It is surprising to notice that the nature of many of the parables of Jesus is on the
activity of the characters in the parables. Jesus seeks to focus our minds on work,
(This series of blogs compose a book that carries the title, “Justified By Works.” )
involvement, and being busy with kingdom business. As we survey through the three
parables of Matthew 25, please notice carefully the emphasis Jesus places on doing the
work of the kingdom as an absolute life-style for the justified.
A. The absent-minded virgins (Mt 25:1-13):
The three parables of Matthew 25 are scary, since all three are stated in the context
of a final end of national Israel. Since Jesus takes the illustration of the parables beyond
the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 (Mt 25:46), the point of all three parables is
applicable to Christians until He comes again in His final coming. A.D. 70 was judgment
for those who were not prepared for the end of national Israel. The end of time or
our death will be final judgment for all the living who are not prepared for the coming
of Jesus.
The first parable of the trilogy is commonly entitled the parable of the Virgins.
Spare me the necessity of going into all the details of the parable. I think we need to
look at the parable from the viewpoint of the general theme of all three parables. I
would say the theme is “watch and work in preparation for the end of life or coming of
the Lord.” In this first parable, reference is to some foolish virgins who were in their
attitudes and life-styles indifferent to impending opportunity.
Then will the kingdom of heaven be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out
to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise and five were foolish. Those who were
foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them. But the wise took oil in their jars with
their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight
there was a cry made, “Behold, the bridegroom! Go out to meet him.” Then all those
virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of
your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise answered, saying, “No, lest there not
be enough for us and you. But go instead to those who sell and buy for yourselves.” And
while they went to buy, the bridegroom came. And they who were ready went in with him to
the marriage. And the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, “Lord,
Lord, open to us!” But he answered and said, “Truly I say to you, I do not know you.”
Therefore, watch for you know neither the day nor the hour.
1. The wise and the foolish among us: The kingdom is made up of both wise and
foolish disciples. All ten virgins took the initiative to go out with lamps to meet the
Bridegroom (25:1). The five foolish did take their lamps with a little oil in them by
which they would burn for a short period of time. They were ready for action, prepared
to let their “gospel light shine.” They began to build their barns and rebuild the city.
But they were foolish, not because they failed to take their lamps and a little oil, but
because they did not go out for the long haul. Because they took no extra oil in jars,
they did not foresee the possible delay that the wise virgins did (25:3). Their lack of
foresight and unwareness in attitude were not revealed until the final hour. The character
of who they were led them to cease from accomplishing their destiny. They were
foolish because they did not prepare.
2. Lights go out when the fuel is exhausted: Why was it that the wise were
prepared for the long haul, but the foolish were indifferent, and thus, were not prepared
at all times for the coming Bridegroom? We must keep in mind that the Holy Spirit uses
the word “foolish” to define those who cannot think beyond their immediate experiences.
One is foolish when he or she does not understand the perseverance that is
necessary for the working disciple. Foolish disciples are not alert. The gravity of
coming opportunity is not strong within their character, and thus they take no extra oil.
It will be truly unfortunate when the opportunity comes and foolish disciples find that
their lamps have run dry. As opportunity passes by, their lights flicker and die.
Jesus concluded the parable by stating, “Watch, for you know neither the day nor the
hour” (25:13). “Watch” means staying in a state of preparedness. Because the wise
virgins had the extra oil meant that they were always ready. They were “watching” in
that they were prepared with extra oil. What takes place before the coming of the
Bridegroom is the emphasis of the parable. The coming was a onetime event. The
unpreparedness was a demeanor of life. What Jesus is saying is that it is foolish to think
that one is prepared for Jesus when his or her Christianity is running out of fuel. How
can one assume he is a “wise” disciple if he has no extra oil?
3. Lamps without oil: The foolish did not bring extra oil. They had only the oil
that was in their lamps. They started the building of the barns with a little oil, but they
did not have sufficient energy, funds, desires, or commitment to complete the task. They
had the dream of rebuilding the temple and city, but the opposition was too great. Their
leadership could not think beyond their personal encounters. Their dreams lasted only
until their willingness to work was exhausted. When the honeymoon was over, opportunity
was lost. The fire went out because of a lack of vision and an inability to understand
that discipleship is a lifetime commitment.
The fact that they took no extra oil is a reflection on who they were. Jesus defined
them as “foolish” simply because of their indifference concerning the preparedness that
must be characteristic of His disciples. And because they were indifferent, it was
extremely difficult to alert them to their responsibility to be watchful.
4. Taker discipleship: People who find themselves in trouble usually never discover
that what got them in trouble in the first place was their own fault. When people
are self-centered, they are headed for trouble. And when in trouble, they look for
deliverance only when it is too late. Self-centered people are always victims of themselves.
The foolish who said, “Give us oil,” were really focusing on themselves. So much
so, that they were willing to endanger the five wise virgins by also exhausting the oil of
their lamps. Why do the desperate always want to take others down with them? Is it
because selfishness got them in trouble in the first place, and thus, they can think no
other way? After all, the foolish did not say to the wise, “You go on. We will assume
the consequences of our own laziness.”
The foolish virgins were “taker disciples.” They were inward focused at a time
when they should have been repenting. The foolish are the people who would say,
“Give us a good sermon.” “Give us an exciting worship experience.” “Give us comfortable
pews, great speakers, and the right climate.” “Give us the preachers for the church
and the lost can take their chances.” “Give us ….” “Give us ….” Sociologist identify
the corrent generation as the “me” generation. Everything is about me, so much so, that
even the public assembly of churches must focus on “what I get out of it.” The foolish
virgins would be comforable today. Instead of worship that is given to God from an
outpouring heart, they would be sitting in assemblies across the land saying, “Give us a
good sermon or a good worship experience.” To the organizers of the “worship experience,”
the foolish virgins would also say, “What program can you give me in order to
entice me to come back next week.”
Have I gone too far in understanding the culture of the foolish virgins? You be the
judge. I do know that when the time came when they should have been repenting over
their foolishness, they were thinking selfishly, having no worry about endangering
others for the sake of preserving their own selves.
5. Cries from the unknown: So did the wise give oil to the foolish? They did not
because they could not (25:9). I cannot receive the Bridegroom on the foundation of
your preparedness. Neither can I take you there because of my work. No unfaithful
husband will ever see Jesus on the basis of the work of his faithful wife. It won’t
happen. The only thing left for foolish disciples to say is, “Lord, Lord, open to us!”
(25:11). And the only words they will hear in response from the Lord is, “I do not know
you” (25:12). I would deduct from these words that the Lord does not know indifferent
disciples. If the world cannot know us by our work, then certainly Jesus does not
know us.
The Bridegroom responded to the cries of the foolish, “I do not know you.” If there
is no light from the oil in your lamp, you are not known by Jesus. When our light goes
out, we are out of opportunities. The wisdom of the wise virgins was manifested in the
fact that they never wanted their lights to go out. They thus took no chances. They
remained in a state of preparedness. And that is discipleship.
6. The unknown hour: What if we knew for sure that Jesus was coming tomorrow?
What would we do today? Where would we go? Who would we see? What
words would we say to others? From whom would we seek forgiveness? To whom
would we give forgiveness? What would characterize our behavior at work? The fact is
that if we knew that Jesus was coming tomorrow, many things in our lives would
probably change for the better today.
But we do not know the hour of His coming. Foolish disciples, therefore, will put
His coming out of their minds. Wise disciples will live as if He might come at any hour.
That is the difference between being a foolish disciple and a wise disciple. The point is
that the behavior of our lives determines whether we are foolish or wise.
B. Dig-and-hide disciples (Mt 25:14-30):
Do I need to remind you of the context of this parable that immediately follows the
parable of the virgins? We are headed in the context of Matthew 25 to the statement,
“These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Mt
25:46). Along the way Jesus is throwing in His last parables, all of which focus on life
behavior as a follower of God. This second parable of the trilogy of parables of Matthew
25 takes away our excuses that surround complaints about our abilities.
For it [the kingdom] is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own
bondservants and delivered to them his goods. And to one he gave five talents, to another
two, and to another one, to everyone according to his own ability. And immediately he went
on his journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with the same and
made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more. But he
who had receive one went and dug in the earth and hid his master’s money. After a long
time the master of those bondservants came and settled accounts with them. And so he who
had received five talents came and brought five more talents, saying. “Master, you delivered
to me five talents. Behold, I have gained beside them five more talents.” His master said to
him, “Well done, good and faithful bondservant. You were faithful over a few things. I will
make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.” He also who had
received two talents came and said, “Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have
gained two other talents beside them.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and
faithful bondservant. You were faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many
things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” Then he who had received the one talent came and
said, “Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering
where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the
earth. See, here you have what is yours.” His master answered and said to him, “You
wicked and lazy bondservant. You knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I
have scattered no seed. Therefore, you should have put my money in the bank, and then at
my coming I would have received my own with interest. Therefore, take the talent from him
and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he
will have abundance. But from him who does not have, even what he does have will be taken
away. Cast the unprofitable bondservant into outer darkness. There will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.”
1. Delivery of responsibility: The bondservants were given responsibility (25:14).
It was not that some were left out. The master delivered some of his goods to all of
them. One received five, another two, and another one. The point is, no one was
ignored in the distribution. Not everyone received the same, neither was anyone left
with nothing. And so, no excuse can be made as, “I can’t do anything.”
The disciple who says he cannot do anything has not taken the time to see what he
has. God never left anyone out when it came to the distribution of abilities. To say that
we can do nothing is to deny the distribution of God. It is to say that God made us inept
and with inadequacies. The fact is that God could never require us to be accountable
if we had no ability to work His accounts. If one would, therefore, “go away
into eternal punishment” without having anything for which to be accountable, then
God would be a fiendish and unjust God. How could He require anything from someone
to whom He gave nothing?
We know that there will be those who “go away into eternal punishment.” Since we
know that this will happen, then we need to get busy and discover our responsibilities.
We need to first find our talents. And then, we need to be productive with what we
have.
2. Productive servants: The five and two talent bondservants went to work. They
assumed their responsibility with what they had, and thus, they were productive (25:16-
17). God expects productivity. The central theme of this parable is productivity,
regardless of our individual abilities. God can justly send the unproductive into eternal
punishment because He has given every person the goods with which to be productive.
We must not forget that the trilogy of parables is about assuming responsibility.
This parable is defining the productivity of the ones who have been given responsibility.
By the time Jesus gets to the third parable, He will be more specific in what to do in
maintaining good works. One of the key points in this parable is to recognize that every
disciple has been given responsibility and that which is necessary to produce. If production
does not happen, then the unproductive will go away into everlasting punishment
(25:46).
3. Dig-and-hide theology: The unproductive carry shovels and dig holes. They
hide their abilities and their opportunities (25:18). A dig-and-hide theology has cursed
us to the point that we have convinced ourselves that lethargy is the norm and productivity
is the exception. The church is burdened with dig-and-hide members who believe
that there will not be a time of accountability at which we will be judged by our works
(2 Co 5:10).
When the five and two talent bondservants gave account of their responsibility, they
had gained more. By doing such they were “good and faithful” bondservants
(25:21,23). Therefore, we would define “good and faithful” to mean the implementation
of good work. No one is “good and faithful” if his or her life is not defined by productivity.
Are we to understand from this that Jesus would not consider us “good and
faithful” if we are not productive with what we have been given by God? Certainly!
There is no true disciple of Jesus who believes and practices a dig-and-hide theology.
4. The fear factor: Fear drove the dig-and-hide disciple to be unproductive
(25:25). He was afraid of failure. In his fear of failure he failed. Because he hid what
was given to him, he was “wicked and lazy” (25:26). Harsh words? Exactly. Please
keep them in mind when determining if you are a disciple of Jesus. Becoming a disciple
of Jesus means that one must depend on Him to be adequate in all things. “I-can-do-allthings-
through-Christ-who-strengthens-me” means just that (See Ph 4:13). If I feel
inadequate, I will fear and hide. My fear, therefore, manifests my dependence on myself
and not Jesus. And if I am depending on myself to perform my responsibilities, how can
I claim to be the type of disciple Jesus wants me to be?
John said that perfect love casts out fear (1 Jn 4:17,18). In fact, “he who fears is not
made perfect in love” (1 Jn 4:18). What is John saying? Simply that our love must
move us to overcome all that would hinder us from doing what God requires of us. It
was not that the one-talent man failed to recognize his talent. He knew what he had. He
also knew that he must be productive. However, his fear moved him to be indifferent
concerning the desire of the master. His eventual rejection by his master was based on
his attitude, for his attitude led him to dig-and-hide. This is John’s point in reference to
love.
The disciple of Jesus is stirred into action because of love behind him and in front of
him. John said, “We love because He first loved us” (1 Jn 4:19). That is love behind us.
Peter and other inspired writers said, “Love the brotherhood” (1 Pt 2:17). That is love
set before us. If there is no work to manifest either our love for Jesus or our love for our
brothers, then love does not exist. Works manifest our love for our brothers. No works,
no love. If one has no good works, therefore, how can he assume that he should “go
away into eternal life” (25:46)?
The end of the unprofitable servant is, “Cast the unprofitable bondservant into outer
darkness” (25:30). No deductive interpretation skills are needed to understand this.
Lazy Christians will be cast out. They will be cast out because the inactivity of their
lives has manifested that their character is inappropriate for cohabitation with others for
eternity. The trilogy of Jesus’ parables in reference to rejection from him defines the
purpose of good works. Good works refer to a relationship between people. They
manifest that a giving relationship exists. Therefore, if no giving and sharing relationship
exists, then a self-centered attitude is revealed. We thus know one’s attitude by the
evidence of his or her works. And if there are no good works, no fruit, then one has
judged himself. See if this is not brought out in the last parable of the trilogy.
C. Responding to the needs of humanity:
The last parable of the trilogy of Matthew 25 is again focused on good works. In
fact, in this parable Jesus becomes more specific. In the parable of the virgins, the
subject was generic. In view of the coming Bridegroom, we must continually live a life
of watchfulness. In the parable of the talents, the generic becomes more definite.
Specific responsibilities are handed out. From these, performance in good works must
come forth. In this parable, Jesus identifies the specific needs to which our good works
must be directed. They must be directed toward the naked, hungry, strangers, thirsty and
imprisoned. The generic has thus moved to the specific, and now Jesus’ focus is on our
individual relationship with the needs of humanity.
When the Son of Man will come in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on
the throne of His glory. And before Him will be gathered all nations. And He will separate
them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the
sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His
right hand, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me food. I was thirsty and you
gave Me drink. I was a stranger and you took Me in. I was naked and you clothed Me. I
was sick and you visited Me. I was in prison and you came to Me.” Then will the righteous
answer Him, saying, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty, and give
You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked, and
clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?” And the King
will answer and say to them, “Truly I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least
of these My brothers, you have done it to Me.” Then He will say also to those on the left
hand. “Depart from Me you cursed into everlasting fire that is prepared for the devil and
his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me no food. I was thirsty and you gave Me no
drink. I was a stranger and you did not take Me in. I was naked and you did not clothe
Me; sick and in prison, and you did not visit Me.” Then they will also answer, saying,
“Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison,
and did not minister to You?” Then He will answer them, saying, “Truly I say to you,
inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. And
these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
1. The sheep group: This parable speaks of a specific time of accountability for
our works (25:31,32). It is a time of separating the sheep (workers) from the goats (the
lazy and unproductive). Our performance as a disciple will determine which group
we are in. Those in the sheep group worked. The verbs of the narrative define their
life-style. They “gave Me food … gave Me drink …. took Me in … clothed Me … visited
Me … came to Me …” (25:35,36). They worked. There was no wicked and lazy among
this group. The group was identified, not by what God had done for them, but what
they did for others. Their relationship with others made it possible for them to know
the needs of others. Their love moved them into action.
2. The goat group: Now this is a different group. It is the dig-and-hide group of
those who are not prepared. They do not watch. These are those to whom he said,
“Depart from Me you cursed into everlasting fire.” He also said to them, “You gave Me
no food … you gave Me no drink … you did not take Me in … you did not clothe Me …
you did not visit Me …” (25:41-43). No work, no reward. “And these will go away into
eternal punishment” (25:46). Again, we are in the goat group because of our lack of
response to the needs of others.
There is only one thing that determines if one is in the goat group or the sheep
group. It is our proactive response to the needs of others. We can systematically
argue or discuss our way out of each point that Jesus makes. However, when all the
classroom chatter is over, we must get out of class and go find someone we can help.
This context is not talking simply about those needs that may arise. It is obvious that
disciples serve daily as needs arise. But there is more to our responsibility as disciples.
This is an indictment against those who took no initiative to get busy with initiated work
to fulfill the needs of the hurting. Those who will go away into eternal punishment
simply ignored needs. And thus, their indifference disqualified them from reward.
If we had only this one chapter of inspired Scripture from God, we would have
enough Scripture that would shock us into action. The conclusion to this trilogy of
parables is frightening if we fall into the goat group of disciples who have created a
religion after their own comfort and inactivity. In these parables, Jesus defined the
nature of discipleship. That nature is work and productivity. The sheep group cares and
works out of a heart of love for God by serving others. If we miss this point, we will
miss out on the eternal life that God has to offer those who are justified by good works.
D. Taking time for others:
A certain man went down from Jerusalem, to Jericho and fell among thieves, who stripped
him of his clothing and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance
there came down that way a certain priest. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other
side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked at him, and passed
by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And
when he saw him, he had compassion on him. Then he went to him and bound up his
wounds, pouring on oil and wine. And he set him on his own beast and brought him to an
inn, and took care of him. Now on the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the
host, and said to him, “Take care of him. And what more you spend, when I come again, I
will repay you.” Now which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among
the thieves?
This has always been a penitrating parable. Three characters are used by Jesus to
illustrate three responses to the needs of humanity.
1. The response of the professional: All priests of Israel were of the tribe of Levi.
Priests were given specific religious responsibilities. When they ministered their
responsibilities, they were “fulltime” for the Lord. In the parable, the priest was certainly
carrying out his responsibilities. He was headed somewhere that demanded
urgent arrival. There was no time for delay. His ceremonial responsibilities were more
important to him at the time than the needs he bypassed on the way to his appointment.
Jesus was not critical of his dedication to perform his duties. The dedication of the
priest is not what is under consideration. His problem was that he became so religious
oriented with his duties that he missed being religious after the nature of God. Now this
challenges our understanding of what is expected of us as God’s children. What truly
makes one religious before God?
James helps answer our question. “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the
Father is this, [1] to take care of the orphans and widows in their affliction, and [2] to
keep oneself unspotted from the world” (Js 1:27). The first responsibility of the
religious is outward focused. We have a responsibility to others, orphans and widows
and unfortunate people left by the roadside who were beaten and robbed by thieves.
Secondly, we have a responsibility toward ourselves that we not sin and thus reap the
whirlwind. I am sure the priest scored high on condition number two. However, he may
have had trouble with number one. He saw a need, but took measures to avoid the
situation.
I think the priest missed the point in being that which is pleasing to God. Christianity
is everyday. It is responding to immediate needs. And yes, these are the needs that
“may arise.” It seems that the priest was not willing to even meet these needs. Life is
an encounter with the needs of humanity. And thus, Christianity is to be the same, a
behavior that engages the needs of humanity that we experience every day.
2. The response of the culturally cocooned: As previously stated, all priests came
from the tribe of Levi, which tribe God chose out of Israel to be the priestly tribe. They
were set aside to be a class of their own and the other tribes were to minister to their
needs. They were to be treated differently than the other tribes. I wonder if this did not
go to their head? Could it be that the Levites were a little highminded in their cultural
position in reference to the rest of Israel? If so, then we can understand why it was
difficult for the Levite to stop and help.
Jesus mentioned that the Levite “came and looked at” the person who was wounded
and robbed. The priest simply walked on the other side of the road. But the coldhearted
Levite investigated the situation, and then passed on. Can one become so
accustomed to needs that he becomes cold and indifferent?
3. The response of common people: The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans,
considering them an outcast crossbreed of people who were not pure Jewish in
genes and heritage (See Jn 4:9). It is interesting that Jesus used a Samaritan to illustrate
his point in answer to the question in the context, “Who is my neighbor?”
The difference between the fulltime religious worker and the culturally cocooned
and the Samaritan was that the Samaritan saw a need, had mercy and acted. His response
was not a onetime action, but a behavior of life in that he told the inn keeper that
he would cover all the bills.
The parable was given in response to the question of a lawyer who asked, “Who is
my neighbor?” (Lk 10:29). Jesus’ question to the lawyer was, “Now which of these
three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among thieves?” (Lk 10:36). The
lawyer had no recourse but to answer correctly. “He who showed mercy toward him”
(Lk 10:37). Jesus’ response to the lawyer’s correct answer was specific. “Go and do
likewise” (Lk 10:37). At the end of the story, we must do something. Religious ceremonies
and services my be exciting and important. But what God requires of His people is
that they “go and do likewise.” This is Christianity. If there is no “doing likewise,”
then there is no Christianity.
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