The Waiting Game
What does it actually look like to be ready and awake for Jesus' eventual return?
Matthew 24:36-25:30
Read the whole passage before anything else. Everything below exists to help you understand what you just read.
36“But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
37As the days of Noah were, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
38For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship,
39and they didn’t know until the flood came and took them all away, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
40Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one will be left.
41Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and one will be left.
42Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes.
43But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
44Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come.
45“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season?
46Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he comes.
47Most certainly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has.
48But if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delaying his coming,’
49and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with the drunkards,
50the lord of that servant will come in a day when he doesn’t expect it and in an hour when he doesn’t know it,
51and will cut him in pieces and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. That is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.
1“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
3Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them,
4but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!’
7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
9But the wise answered, saying, ‘What if there isn’t enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
10While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut.
11Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’
12But he answered, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
13Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
14“For it is like a man going into another country, who called his own servants and entrusted his goods to them.
15To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey.
16Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
17In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two.
18But he who received the one talent went away and dug in the earth and hid his lord’s money.
19“Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and settled accounts with them.
20He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents in addition to them.’
21“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
22“He also who got the two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents in addition to them.’
23“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things. I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
24“He also who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you didn’t sow, and gathering where you didn’t scatter.
25I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.’
26“But his lord answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn’t sow, and gather where I didn’t scatter.
27You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest.
28Take away therefore the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.
29For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away.
30Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
What just happened?
Picture this: it’s the last week of Jesus’ life, a Tuesday in Jerusalem. The city is buzzing, not just with Passover pilgrims, but with tension. Just days before, Jesus rode in like a king, crowds cheering. Then He spent time in the temple, overturning tables and debating the religious leaders. Now, He’s left the temple for good, walking east across the Kidron Valley, climbing the slopes of the Mount of Olives. From that vantage point, He can look back down at the magnificent temple complex, its white stones and gold accents glinting in the afternoon sun. He knows what's coming for it, and for the city. He knows the religious authorities are plotting His death. He's been teaching His disciples about what's ahead, about the end of the age.
His closest followers—Peter, James, John, and Andrew—are with Him. They've just heard Jesus predict the temple’s utter destruction, not a single stone left upon another. This isn’t just a shocking architectural prophecy; for a Jew, the temple was the center of everything: faith, culture, national identity. It would have felt like predicting the end of the world. So, they ask Him, quietly, "When will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?" They're thinking about the collapse of their world, and the arrival of His. Jesus has been giving them a long, complex answer, full of warnings about false prophets, wars, and famines, all leading up to this point.
What follows is Jesus' longest, most detailed teaching on the future: a stretch of teaching that spans chapters 24 and 25 of Matthew's Gospel. He isn't giving them a precise timeline or a secret calendar. Instead, He's painting a picture of the period leading up to His return, emphasizing that the timing is hidden, even from the angels. His focus isn't on *when* it will happen, but *how* His followers should live in the meantime. He uses a series of vivid stories, or parables, to illustrate what it means to be ready, to be awake, while waiting for a future event whose exact moment no one, save God Himself, knows. These aren't predictions to unlock secret codes; they're calls to action.
The Unexpected Arrival
Jesus starts with a stark statement: "But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only." This isn’t a humble deflection; it’s a direct declaration that the specific timing of His return is not for humans or even angels to know. He then draws a comparison to "the days of Noah." In Noah's time, people were living normal lives—"eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage"—right up until the flood came. Their everyday existence made them oblivious to the impending disaster. They weren’t doing evil things; they were simply not paying attention to Noah’s warnings or God’s coming judgment.
The imagery of "one will be taken and one will be left" has often been associated with a sudden, mysterious disappearance of some people. However, looking at the Noah story, the ones "taken away" were the ones swept away by the flood, meaning those who were judged. The ones "left" were Noah and his family, who were saved. This suggests that the separation isn't about being snatched away to safety, but about who faces judgment and who endures. Jesus then compares His return to a thief in the night—unexpected, unannounced. The master of the house, if he knew when the thief was coming, would be ready. The point here is not to live in fear of a thief, but to live in constant, active readiness, because the timing is unknown. "Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come."
The Faithful Steward
Jesus shifts from general alertness to active responsibility with the parable of the faithful and wise servant. This servant is put "over his household, to give them their food in due season." Their job isn't to speculate about the master's return, but to faithfully manage what they've been given, specifically caring for others. The master promises a reward: the faithful servant will be put "over all that he has." This isn't just a pat on the back; it’s an invitation into greater responsibility and the master’s joy. The picture here is one of trustworthiness, diligence, and service, especially to those under one’s care.
Then comes the warning about the "evil servant." This servant says in his heart, "My lord is delaying his coming." This belief—that the master won't return for a long time—leads directly to abusive behavior: "begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with the drunkards." He uses the master's absence as an excuse for irresponsibility and cruelty. His lord returns "in a day when he doesn’t expect it and in an hour when he doesn’t know it," and the punishment is severe: he "will cut him in pieces and appoint his portion with the hypocrites." The emphasis is on the consequence of assuming delay and acting badly, rather than being prepared and diligent.
The Ten Virgins
Next, Jesus tells the story of ten virgins waiting for a bridegroom. In Jewish wedding customs of the time, the bridegroom would come at night to escort the bride from her home to his, often accompanied by his friends. These virgins, likely friends of the bride or groom, were part of the procession, carrying lamps to light the way. Five are "foolish" and five are "wise." The difference? The wise took extra oil for their lamps; the foolish didn't. When the bridegroom was delayed, "they all slumbered and slept." This isn't a fault; it’s natural to sleep during a long wait. The problem isn’t sleeping, but being unprepared when awakened.
At "midnight," the call comes: "Behold! The bridegroom is coming!" Suddenly, everyone is scrambling. The foolish virgins’ lamps are going out, and they beg the wise for oil. The wise refuse, saying there might not be enough for both. This isn't selfishness, but a stark illustration: spiritual preparedness cannot be transferred. You can't borrow someone else's readiness at the last minute. While the foolish go to buy oil, the bridegroom arrives. "Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut." When the foolish return, the door is closed, and the bridegroom's chilling reply is, "I don’t know you." Again, the lesson concludes with a command: "Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."
The Talents
Jesus tells another story about a master going away and entrusting his "goods" (money, in this case, specific units called "talents") to his servants. A talent was a large sum, worth about fifteen years of a common laborer's wages. This wasn't pocket change; it was a significant investment. He gives five talents to one, two to another, and one to a third, "to each according to his own ability." This indicates unequal distribution based on capacity, not favoritism. The first two servants immediately invest and double their money. The third servant, however, "dug in the earth and hid his lord’s money."
"After a long time," the master returns and settles accounts. The first two servants present their doubled investments and receive the same commendation: "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord." Their reward isn't just praise, but increased responsibility and participation in the master's joy. The third servant, however, is full of fear and excuses: "I knew you that you are a hard man... I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent." The master's response is scathing: "You wicked and slothful servant." The master points out that even if his perception was accurate, the servant could have at least put the money in the bank to earn interest. The talent is taken from him and given to the one with ten, reinforcing the idea that responsibility and capacity grow with use. The unprofitable servant is cast "into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." The lesson here is about active stewardship and making the most of what you've been given, rather than letting fear or laziness paralyze you.
What are we supposed to see?
This passage shows Jesus not as a passive observer of history, but as its ultimate orchestrator and judge. He is the "Son of Man" who will return unexpectedly, like a master returning to his household or a bridegroom arriving for a wedding feast. He is the one who sets the terms of readiness, defining what it looks like to be prepared for His coming. He is depicted as the one who will make a clear, decisive separation between those who have been faithful and those who have not, between those who are awake and those who are oblivious, between those who have actively stewarded what they were given and those who have hoarded or neglected it. His return is not just an event; it is an accounting.
Furthermore, Jesus demonstrates His authority to define the criteria for entry into the "Kingdom of Heaven." He is the one who will welcome the diligent servant into His joy and shut the door on the unprepared virgins, declaring, "I don’t know you." He is the master who expects a return on the "talents" He entrusts, and who holds His servants accountable for their actions—or inactions—during His absence. He is a master who rewards faithfulness and punishes neglect and cruelty, clearly articulating that genuine expectation of His return is demonstrated through responsible, active living, not just passive waiting or fearful inaction.
- 1IDENTITY
Jesus is the Son of Man, the returning Lord, the Bridegroom, and the Master who will judge all people, but only His Father knows the exact timing of His return.
- 2WHAT HE VALUES
Jesus values faithfulness, wisdom, active stewardship, preparedness, diligence, and compassionate care for others (especially those under one's charge), demonstrated through consistent action rather than mere belief or fearful inaction.
- 3WHAT HE CONFRONTS
Jesus confronts complacency, procrastination, spiritual laziness, cruelty, hypocrisy, the assumption that His return is indefinitely delayed, and the belief that preparation can be borrowed or improvised at the last minute.
Where this sits in the whole Bible
Matthew 24:36 → Acts 1:6-7
Just before His ascension, His disciples ask Jesus, 'Lord, is it at this time that you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?' He replies, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by His own authority.' This directly echoes and reinforces Jesus' statement in Matthew that the timing of the future is solely in God the Father's hands.
Matthew 25:1-13 → Revelation 19:7-9
The parable of the ten virgins describes the anticipation of a wedding feast. Revelation speaks of the 'marriage of the Lamb' and the 'marriage supper of the Lamb,' where His bride (the church) has made herself ready. Both passages use wedding imagery to describe the culmination of God's redemptive plan and the importance of being prepared for that ultimate gathering.
Matthew 25:14-30 → Luke 19:11-27
Luke's Gospel contains a very similar parable, often called the 'Parable of the Minas' or 'Parable of the Pounds,' where a nobleman entrusts money to his servants before going to receive a kingdom. While there are differences in details (the amounts of money, the context), the core message is the same: faithful stewardship of resources during the master's absence leads to reward, while neglect or fear leads to judgment.
The core message isn't to decode prophecy or predict dates, but to live with diligent, active faithfulness in the present, understanding that true readiness is demonstrated through how we use our time, resources, and relationships while we wait for Jesus' unexpected return.
Don't rush past this
The hardest thing in this passage is the absolute, unyielding finality of the judgment. The evil servant is "cut him in pieces" and cast into "outer darkness, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth." The foolish virgins hear, "I don’t know you," and find the door to the wedding feast permanently shut. The unprofitable servant is thrown into the same "outer darkness." There’s no appeal, no second chance, no last-minute repentance. This isn't a soft suggestion; it's a terrifying consequence for those found unprepared or unfaithful. Jesus' words here are stark and uncompromising, underscoring the gravity of our choices and actions in the present.
Adding to the discomfort is the idea that the master in the parable of the talents is described as "a hard man, reaping where you didn’t sow." While the master refutes the servant's excuse, he doesn't deny the underlying characterization. And the outcome of the parable suggests a system where those who have much gain more, and those who have little lose even that. This feels deeply unfair to our modern sensibilities, suggesting a God who isn't just, but perhaps even harsh in His expectations and judgments. It forces us to confront a picture of divine justice that might not align with our comfortable notions of endless grace and second chances.
Turn it inward
Three questions from this passage. Answer them or just sit with them — nothing here is required to finish the lesson.
God, it’s easy to get distracted by life, or to assume we have more time than we do. Help us to be awake and ready, not with anxiety, but with active faithfulness. Show us where we are burying the gifts You've given us. Give us the courage to use them for Your purposes, and the diligence to care for those around us, so that when Jesus returns, we are found living as He would have us live.
This week, identify one 'talent' you've been given—a skill, a resource, a relationship, or a chunk of time—that you've been burying or neglecting out of fear, busyness, or complacency. Instead of hiding it, take one concrete step to 'invest' it: use that skill to help someone, allocate that resource to a worthy cause, intentionally nurture that relationship, or dedicate that time to something meaningful. Make that first move towards active stewardship.
History, language, objections and sources. None of it is needed to understand the passage.
If God is so loving, how can Jesus describe Him as a master who "reaps where he didn't sow" and then punish a servant for being afraid?
This question is about interpreting Jesus' parables. The parable of the talents isn't a direct theological statement about God's character in every detail, but a story used to illustrate a specific spiritual truth: faithful stewardship. The master's characterization as 'hard' comes from the lazy servant's mouth, born of his own fear and unwillingness to act. Jesus, in response, doesn't validate the servant's perception of the master as 'hard' in a moral sense, but rather uses the servant's own flawed logic against him: 'You knew that I reap where I didn’t sow… You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers.' The master points out that even by the servant's own understanding of his character, the servant still failed to act responsibly. The core lesson is about responsibility and using what you're given, not about endorsing a harsh employer. It challenges the idea that fear is an acceptable excuse for inaction when given a divine trust. This is a common interpretation among theologians like N.T. Wright and Craig Blomberg, who emphasize the parable's focus on kingdom ethics rather than a literal depiction of God's personality traits.
Does "one will be taken and one will be left" mean that Christians will suddenly disappear from Earth before a time of tribulation?
This interpretation, often called the 'rapture,' is a heavily debated topic among Christians. While many Christians believe in a pre-tribulation rapture based on this verse and others, the immediate context of Matthew 24:36-41 suggests a different understanding. Jesus explicitly compares His coming to 'the days of Noah,' where 'they didn’t know until the flood came and took them all away, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.' In the Noah story, the ones 'taken away' were the unrighteous, swept away by judgment, while Noah and his family were 'left' behind on Earth to populate it. Therefore, an alternative interpretation, favored by scholars like R.T. France and Douglas Stuart, is that 'taken' refers to being taken away in judgment, and 'left' refers to those who remain to enter the new age. This view suggests a more continuous presence of believers through challenging times, rather than a sudden removal before them. There isn't a single consensus, and different Christian traditions hold different views on this specific phrase.
How can I be 'ready' if I don't know the day or hour? Am I supposed to be constantly on edge, like the virgins waiting all night?
Jesus isn't calling for frantic, anxious waiting, but rather for a state of active, faithful living. The virgins weren't rebuked for sleeping; they were rebuked for being unprepared (no extra oil) when the call came. The good servant wasn't waiting anxiously, but diligently managing the master's household. Being 'ready' means consistently living out the values of the Kingdom: using what you've been given for good, caring for others, and walking in faithfulness, regardless of the calendar. It’s about living as if Jesus could return at any moment, not by doing nothing else, but by doing the right things in the meantime. The unknown timing actually serves to keep us in a constant posture of readiness through our everyday lives, rather than allowing us to procrastinate or become complacent. The call is for a steady, diligent faithfulness that integrates into the rhythm of ordinary life.
The Meaning of 'Talent'
In ancient Palestine, a 'talent' (Greek: *talanton*) was not a small coin or a natural aptitude as we understand the English word today. It was a unit of weight, usually for precious metals like silver or gold, and it represented an immense sum of money. The exact value varied by region and period, but it's generally estimated to be equivalent to about 6,000 denarii. Since a denarius was a typical day's wage for a laborer, one talent represented roughly 15 years' wages. The servant with five talents was entrusted with the equivalent of 75 years' wages—a fortune. This detail isn't incidental; it highlights the enormous trust the master placed in his servants and the significant resources they were expected to manage. It underscores that the parable is not just about using our innate abilities, but about stewarding substantial resources and opportunities given to us by God.
Furthermore, the phrase 'weeping and gnashing of teeth' appears multiple times in Matthew (e.g., 8:12, 13:42, 13:50, 22:13, 24:51, 25:30). This was a common idiom in Jewish apocalyptic literature, not necessarily a literal description of what happens in the afterlife, but a vivid and powerful image conveying intense regret, anguish, and despair. It signals a place of profound suffering and outer exclusion, often associated with judgment. Understanding this helps to convey the severity of the consequences Jesus describes for those who are found unfaithful or unprepared, without necessarily prescribing the exact physical experience of that suffering.