Gospel According to Matthew Bible Study
Chapter 25
Book Five: Jesus Travels to Judea and Enters Jerusalem, Discourse: The Olivet Discourse - Judgment on Jerusalem
Questions
- (1-13) What is the custom of 1st century Jewish weddings that necessitated the maidens waiting for the bridegroom? What is the main lesson of the wise and foolish maidens? Here is one interpretation from the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible commentary attributed to Origen (185-254 AD) and St. Hilary (315-367): awaiting the bridegroom signifies one’s uncertain life-span - no one knows the hour of his death and judgment. The lamp is Christian faith while the oil represents good works; thus faith without works is useless (Jas 2:17). Souls must prepare for their personal encounter with Christ (bridegroom) by loving God and neighbor, since those lacking good works will be shut out of heaven’s banquet. What other spiritual or moral lessons would you draw out of the parable?
- (14-30) What is the main message of the Parable of the Talents? How did the master apportion the talents to his servants? (5, 2, and 1 talent). How might the servants given fewer talents reacted to the lesser amounts given to them? The master was on his journey for a long time - what does this journey symbolize in our lives? What prevented the servant entrusted with 1 talent from taking action with it? Why was he labeled “wicked” by the master? In verse 29, what is the “more” that God will give to good and faithful servants? And what will be taken away from the worthless servant?
- (31-46) Not focusing on the AD 70 context of this sermon, what does the separation of the sheep from the goats represent? In verse 34, how does Jesus describe the Kingdom - for whom and since when was the kingdom prepared? In verse 41, how does Jesus describe the eternal fire - for whom (and since when?) was it prepared?
Primary Resources
Logical Daily Gospel Exegesis (Hayden)
The Bible in a Year Podcast (Fr. Mike)