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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.

CHAP. XXV.

[of the talents.

13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (F)

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,

EXPOSITION.

(F) Ver. 1-13. The parable of the ten virgins." Thus our Lord, in different parables, compares the dispensation of redemption to a marriage feast. Of all the attendants upon the marriage procession, he selects ten, five of whom deserved the name of wise, and the other five are denominated foolish. The marriage takes place in the night, at the house of the bride's father, where the bridegroom is expected about midnight. These persons, here called virgins, having provided their lamps, wait together at some proper resting place, expecting the arrival of the bridegroom and his friends, who may be supposed to be coming from an adjacent town. While the bridegroom delayed, all the ten virgins lay down to rest. But about midnight, the bridegroom is seen at a distance with his friends, and it is announced, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh! go ye out to meet him." Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps; but the foolish (then too late) discovered their mistake, that they had forgotten to bring oil with

them; and there being then no time to prepare, the wise virgins only were in circumstances to join the procession." And they that were ready went in with him to the marriage; and," as is the custom on these occasions, in order to keep out the crowd, "the door was shut." The other virgins came afterwards, but were denied entrance, as persons unknown to the master of the feast.

"The application of this to the case of those who wear a Christian profession, and pass for the friends of the Redeemer, is not difficult; and the pointed and most wholesome caution which it contains, to be ready for the coming of Christ, at death and judgment, has been felt by thousands. Do any ask, How may we know what is requisite in our preparation to meet the great Judge? we may say, these things are essential Repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, which, whenever it is genuine, produces, thirdly, that

holiness without which no mau shall see the Lord.'" (Acts xx. 21; Heb. xii. 14.) (Ward's Reflections, p. 71, 72.)

NOTES-Chap. XXV. Con.

"Along the streets the new-made brides are led, With torches flaming, to the nuptial bed." Iliad, xviii. 569. So also the Roman ladies; and a like custom prevails in Persia and the East Indies to the present time. See Orient. Cust. No. 418. The wicks of the lamps used on these occasions in the Indies, are only rags, very tightly pressed into a copper mould, and these are carried in one hand, and a similar vessel with oil in the other hand, with which they frequently wet the rags. Ibid, No. 1214. Also Orient. Lit. 1230.

Ver. 8. Gone out-Marg. "Going out." Ver. 9. Go....to them that sell and buy.-See Isa. lv. 1, &c.

Ver. 10. And the door was shut.-The late Missionary Ward mentions being once present on such an occasion, when many of the circumstances agreed with those in the parable, particularly the last. After the bridegroom" went into the house, the door was immediately shut, and guarded by Sepoys. I (says Mr. W.) and others expostulated with the doorkeepers, but in vain," Orient. Lit. No. 1231.

Ver. 13. Wherein the son, &c.-This last clause of the verse is wanting in many MSS. and versions; but the sense is certainly implied.

Ver. 14. For the kingdom, &c.-Some words must here be necessarily supplied; instead of those inserted by our translators in Italic, Drs. Doddr, and Camp. supply "the Son of man!"

The parable]

CHAP. XXV.

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

[of the talents. 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 re⚫ ceived 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.

30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (G)

EXPOSITION.

(G) Ver. 14-30. The parable of the talents.-This parable, without straining it to support any peculiar system, clearly teaches the following important points. 1. That all the talents we possess, how ever natural we may consider them, are derived from God, the author of our being; and to deny this, is nothing short of Atheism. 2. That these talents are bestowed in great variety upon mankind, some possessing ten (i. e. many) times the abilities and advantages of others, both natural and acquired. 3. That these talents, and the improvement of them, must be accounted for to him, from whom they were received. 4. That no excuse will be admitted for the non-employment even of a single talent: much less such an ex

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will not be so much in proportion to the talents bestowed as according to the improvement which we are enabled to make of them. Every talent improved, though it were but one, will be graciously rewarded by him, in whom are united the characters of our Redeemer and our Judge. Lastly, that all pretensions to merit, like those of the unprofitable servant, will not only be rejected, but be resented as arrogant and unfounded. This man not only neglected to improve his talent, but made a merit of the care which he had taken to preserve without improving it; and at the same time reflected upon his Lord as a hard master, because he expected such improvement. And thus it is with all the pretenders to human merit. Vain and presumptuous creatures! they think to lay the Almighty under obligation by the mere performance of their duties; and not only

NOTES.

Ver. 21. Well done.-Dr. Doddr. says "the original word has a peculiar force and energy, far beyond what I can express in English. It was used by anditors, or spectators, to express the highest applause." It answers to Euge! in Latin, and Bravo! in Italian.

Ver. 24. Gathering where thou hast not strawedthat is, "strewed, or scattered." The charge implies, that God is unreasonable in his demands, unjust in

judgment. See Rom. ix. 14, &c.

Ver. 26. Thou wicked and slothful servant. The word used throughout this chapter for servant, means primarily a slave, and such were often advanced to the office of stewards.

Ver. 27. To the exchangers-Doddr. "Bankers." With usury-Doddr. "Interest." When that interest became oppressive, it became a crime.

The day of]

S. MATTHEW.

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.

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?

[judgment foretold.

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.

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 not: sick, and in prison,

me not.

:

ye

clothed me and ye visited

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, say

ing, 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

EXPOSITION-Chap. XXV. Continued.

so, but they think him a hard master if he do not acknowledge himself their debtor, though, in fact, they bury in the earth the talent they ought to have improved.

Instead, however, of making a merit of our demerits, and openly boasting, as this man did, of our neglect, let us enquire into our improvement of the various talents with which we have severally been intrusted. Do we possess natural talents, or the means of improving them; genius, learning, or ministerial gifts; how have we employed them to promote the glory of God, or the instruction of our fellow creatures? Are we favoured with rank, and property, and influence; how do we lay out these to promote the cause of God, and the happiness of our fellow-creatures? What do we give to him who gave himself for us?

The degree of present and future blessedness, resulting from the proper improve ment of the talents with which we are intrusted, is altogether incalculable. We feed the hungry, or give to the thirsty drink; and we thereby save the life of an individual; that individual, in the course of time, may be the instrument of giving life to many; and some of these, probably, may be eminent for usefuluess to the bodies and souls of others. We clothe the naked, and visit the prisoner; possibly both may become useful and valuable members of society, and all the good done by them and their posterity results from a single act of kindness. When God blesses men, he makes them blessings to others; and thus is happiness propagated, like the flame from torch to torch.

NOTES-Chap. XXV. Con.

Ver. 31. With his holy angels.-The expression seems designedly varied from chap xxiv. 31, where angels may include human messengers; but those are called holy angels."

Ver. 36. Ye visited-Doddr. "Looked after me." "Tended," or waited upon, seems to be the exact idea.

Ver. 43. Ye took me not in.-The charge here, is

want of hospitality; a most heinous crime in the

eastern countries

Ver. 44. Then shall they also answer-We must not take this too literally, as if sinners should then dare to dispute with their judge; it must be understood parabolically.

Ver. 45. Not to me.-See Chap. xviii. 6.

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(H) Ver. 31--46. A solemn description of the last judgment. This awful subject, which had been repeatedly alluded to in the preceding chapters, is here solemnly described, with the particular view to enCourage Christian benevolence, and to warn mere professors against hypocrisy and self deceit. The Son of man now comes, not to take possession of his kingdom, but to administer final judgment. The office of a judge is compared to that of a shepherd, which is also sustained by our Re deemer and though his sincere followers may in this world be mixed with hypocrites and false professors, as tares with the wheat, in a former parable (chap. xiii. 36), yet such is the omniscience of the judge, that he can separate them from each other with the same ease and certainty that a shepherd distinguishes sheep from goats: but the description here given is founded on the difference of their qualities and conduct; the meek and simple sheep, and the filthy goat. Both classess evince their true character, by their conduct and the award is given accordingly. To the former class the Judge seems to lay himself under obligations of which they have no conception; the latter, indeed, like the worthless steward in the preceding parable, appear to be sensible of no neglect or want of duty, though rejected by their judge on that account.

But let us attend carefully to the respective and widely different sentences of the two classes brought before us. To the righteous, who are called his sheep, the King, their Shepherd and their Judge, will thus address himself, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom pre

pared for you from the foundation of the world." On this we may remark, 1.That their reward is great-it is a kingdom." 2. That their kingdom is "prepared" for them. And, 3. That it was so prepared "from the foundation of the world." The munificence of the king of heaven will not he disputed by any of his children; but how can this kingdom have been thus early prepared for them, even from the foundation of the world?" To this we answer (and presume it will not be denied), that the Almighty formed the heavens in which himself resides, and where he intends his people to reside with him, even long before the foundation of these lower worlds, our planetary system. 2. That all the plans and designs of God are, like himself, eternal; without, therefore, here entering at all into the doctrine of decrees, we must admit, that all the happiness which God designs his people, he designed them from eternity.

But truly awful is the reverse of this scene; no less than the curse of God, and everlasting fire! Not, indeed, prepared for them, but for the devil and his angels, in whose misery they became involved, by listening to his temptations, and uniting in his rebellion. But is the future punishment of sin eternal? Alas! must we demonstrate this? Is not the very possibility of such punishment enough to deter from sin? Ah, no! Men will speculate upon the mere possibility of escaping it; the mere hope of this will encourage them in crime. But surely our gracious Saviour never designed to set a hope before us, that should lead us into sin: and God forbid that we should be self-deceived!

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CHAP. XXVI. Ver. 2. Is betrayed-that is, he is about to be betrayed: the treason is already begun. Ver. 5. Not on the feast day-as the word" day is supplementary, Doddr. and Camp. render it, "not at the feast." The plan proposed seems to have been assassination: some objected, however, not to the murder, but to transacting it at a public festival,

lest the people should raise a tumult, and fall upon themselves.

Ver. 6. Simon the leper-probably one of those whom Jesus cured, and a friend of Lazarus. See John xii. 2-7.-They had indignation-chiefly Judas; but at first, probably, others joined with him.

Judas betrays]

S. MATTHEW.

cious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?

9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this,

CHAP. XXVI.

[his Master. that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the Chief Priests,

15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him. (1)

17 Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Passover?

18 And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I

EXPOSITION.

(1) Ver. 1-16. The rulers conspire against the life of Jesus, and Judas betrays him. Mr. Preb. Townsend unites the two first verses of this with the preceding chapter, and we think with considerable propriety. But the connective particle "then," which begins ver. 3., probably implies that the chief priests, &c. assembled on the same evening to plot the death of our Saviour. So Doddridge and other harmonists. It is not unlikely that the supper at Bethany, and the anointing of our Saviour, might also take place on the same evening; and the reproof that Judas met with, for his censure upon Mary, the woman here named, might prepare him for Satan's temptation to betray his Master on a principle of revenge, and induce him to go directly to the council at the high priest's palace, and make the offer.

We consider the anointing here mentioned, from the great similarity of circumstances, to be the same more particularly related by the Apostle John, and shall therefore defer our observations thereon till we come to that evangelist's 12th chapter, and confine our remarks on this section to the murderous designs of the Jews, and the treachery of Judas.

The object of the council of priests, we know was, how they might take Jesus by subtlety, or stratagem, on which there ap

one

pears to have been some debate; not as to the object itself, but the time, and the means to be employed. It probably never entered into their heads to think of bribing his disciples, nor that there was amongst them base enough to betray him: when, however, Judas made the offer, it was readily embraced, though with the utmost contempt for the wretch himself; for a traitor can never be respected.

The character of this man (who should be carefully distinguished from Jude, the author of the Catholic Epistle) is an inte resting subject of inquiry. "The treachery of Judas Iscariot, his remorse and suicide (says Dr. Hales) are occurrences altoge ther so strange and extraordinary, that the motives by which he was actuated require to be developed (as far as may be done) where the evangelists are in a great measure silent concerning them, from the circumstances of the history itself, and from the feelings of human nature. Judas, the leading trait in whose character was covetousness, was probably induced to follow Jesus at first, with a view to the riches, honours, and other temporal advantages, which he, in common with the rest, expected the Messiah's friends would enjoy. The astonishing miracles he saw him perform, left him no room to doubt of the reality of his Master's pretensions, who had indeed himself, in private, actually ac

NOTES-Chap. XXVI. Con.

Ver. 10. When Jesus understood it - Doddr. and Camp. But Jesus knowing (it)." See John ii. 25. Ver. 12. She did it for my burial-that is, "to embalm me, as it were, before hand," for my funeral.

Ver. 18. My time is at hand-that is, the time of his death. This message, by the terms of it, was doubtless addressed to a disciple. Several ques-, tions as to the time and circumstances of this pass

over, have been raised among commentators, and we bave slightly noticed one of them; but those who have leisure and ability for such discussions, will find a copious statement and examination of them in Mr. Prebend. Townsend's elaborate and learned notes to this chapter, in his N. Test. Arr. (vol. ii. p. 436-448); also a full account of the manner of keeping the passover, from the Jewish Rabbins.

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