The Strand Study Bible

MATTHEW

MATTHEW

1551

because of his behavior. There are three schools of thought concerning this verse: 1. This was a believer who “lost his salvation” due to the sin of not serving his Savior The Pulpit Commentary notes:

While the faithful servants enter into the joy of the Lord, he is rejected from his presence, expelled from the kingdom of heaven, banished we know not whither. 1 Matthew Henry’s Commentary notes: Slothful servants will be reckoned with as unprofitable servants, who do nothing to the purpose of their coming into the world, nothing to answer the end of their birth or baptism, who are no way serviceable to the glory of God, the good of others, or the salvation of their own souls. 2

2. This was an unbeliever who “wasted the light” that God had given to him The Liberty Bible Commentary notes:

The fact that the latter man is called wicked and slothful and an unprofitable servant (vs. 30) who is cast out into outer darkness , certainly indicates that he was not a true disciple of the Master. 3

3. This was a believer who “lost his rewards” due to the sin of not serving his Savior Lawrence O Richards in Bible Reader’s Companion notes:

To make this parable suggest that a believer can lose salvation if he or she fails to serve Christ is to distort its theme. 4 The New Testament and Wycliffe Bible Commentary notes: Herein is the crux of the interpretation. If this reckoning is the judgment of the believer’s works, then we apparently have a true believer suffering the loss of his soul because of the barrenness of his works. But that interpretation would contradict Jn 5:24. Or, if the unprofitable servant represents a mere professing Christian, whose real nature is thus unmasked, then it appears that the judgment of believers’ works and the damnation of sinners occur together, although Rev 20 separates these judgments by 1,000 years. The best solution applies the parable to the Tribulation saints (whether Jew or Gentile) because of the clear association with the preceding verses. This explanation agrees with other Scriptures that at the time of Christ’s return, the believing remnant will be gathered to enjoy Millennial blessings, but those then living who have no real belief in their Messiah will be removed (Ezk 20:37-42). 5 NOTE – H.A. Ironside in Notes onMatthew notes that the term “ outer darkness ” here is not referring to Hell, but is rather a Middle Eastern expression meaning “the disfavor of the Master.” 6 Thus, according to parables #20 (Lk 12:42-48), #33 (Lk 19:11-26), and #40 (Mt 25:14-30), Christians who fail to serve Jesus and finish their race down here (including the Tribulation saints) will not only lose any reward they might have gained (Ezk 3:20 & Rev 3:11), not only lose the right to have ruled and reigned with Jesus during the Millennium (Rev 2:26), not only weep for up to a 1,000-years after the return of Jesus ( I Cor 3:15a,b and Rev 21:4 ), but they will also be made to “feel” like they have been through hell when Jesus is done with them ( Lk 12:46,47 , I Pet 4:17 and Heb 10:30-31). 25:30b Just as “ outer darkness ” bespeaks of disfavor ( out from the joy of their Lord), so “ weeping and gnashing of teeth ” bespeaks of great sorrow and vexation. These will be the miseries of the believer who fails to: * finish his race ( Rev 2:26 , Ezk 3:20 and II Tim 2:12 & 4:6-8) * use his gift(s) ( Lk 19:11,17 and Mt 25:30 ) * have the right motive for why he did what he did for God ( I Sam 15 :1- 15 ) 25:32 “ And before him shall be gathered all nations ...” Oswald J. Smith in Marvels Of Grace notes:

When He came the first time He exercised authority over death for He raised men from the dead. He broke up every funeral He attended. He showed His power over disease, for He healed the sick, cleansed the lepers, made the lame to walk, opened the eyes of the blind and unstopped the ears of the deaf. He demonstrated His power over nature, for He stilled the storm and calmed the raging of the waves. He manifests His power over the fish of the sea, for He commanded them to enter the net, and they obeyed Him. He manufactured bread sufficient to feed five thousand men from five small loaves. He walked on the water, and most miraculous of all, He arose from the dead. No one ever before and no one since has manifested such power. He was the greatest of all the great. No one else has ever worked such miracles. But if His power was great when He was upon earth and while He lived in a human body, how much greater will it be when in His resurrection body He comes again! No principality will be able to withstand Him. All heathen religions will be swept into oblivion. Mohammedanism, Confuscianism, Buddhism, Shintoism, and all other religions; Communism, Dictatorship, Democracy, Fascism, Nazism, Socialism, and all other political institutions and governments, will crumble at His feet. He will be the one and only Ruler, Emperor of all Emperors and King of all Kings. 7

25:40 The “ brethren ” here are speaking of the 144,000 Jews, during the Great Tribulation Period, who are persecuted by the Antichrist. Our Lord will one day honor the Gentile Tribulation Saints who protected and hid the 144,000 witnessing Jews from the wrath of the Antichrist (Rev 12:14-16). NOTE – We serve the interests of God by serving others ( Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ). If we’ve gained nothing from those we’ve served, at least we’ve served God ( ye have done it unto me ). 25:41 a Those who believe Christians will be raptured after the Tribulation, and just prior to the Second Coming of Christ, ”