Matthew 25: Readiness, Stewardship & Judgment

MATTHEW 25 STRUCTURE
    │
    ├─ vv. 1-13   TEN VIRGINS → Readiness during delay
    │   ├─► Ten virgins wait for bridegroom
    │   ├─► Five wise: brought extra oil
    │   ├─► Five foolish: lamps only, no reserve
    │   └─► Bridegroom delayed → all slept
    │       Midnight cry → lamps trimmed
    │       Foolish: "Give us your oil"
    │       Wise: "No, buy your own"
    │       │
    │       └─► Door shut. "I don't know you."
    │           │
    │           WATCH — YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN
    │
    ├─ vv. 14-30  BAGS OF GOLD → Action during absence
    │   ├─► Master distributes: 5, 2, 1 bags
    │   ├─► First two: invested, doubled
    │   ├─► Third: buried it (fear)
    │   └─► Master returns, settles accounts
    │       Two faithful → "Share my happiness"
    │       One fearful → "Wicked, lazy"
    │       │
    │       └─► Thrown into darkness
    │           │
    │           ACT — YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN
    │
    └─ vv. 31-46  SHEEP & GOATS → Evidence of life
        ├─► Son of Man on throne
        ├─► All nations gathered
        ├─► Separation: right (sheep) / left (goats)
        └─► Criterion: treatment of "least of these"
            │
            ├─ Sheep: Fed, clothed, visited
            │   "When did we see you?"
            │   "When you did it to LEAST"
            │
            └─► Goats: Did NOT feed, clothe, visit
                "When did we NOT see you?"
                "When you did NOT do it to LEAST"
                │
                └─► Eternal punishment / Eternal life
                    │
                    LOVE — IT WAS ALWAYS HIM

ALL THREE PARABLES: SAME ENGINE
    │
    ├─ ABSENCE
    │   ├─ Bridegroom delayed
    │   ├─ Master "on journey"
    │   └─► Son of Man not yet "come in glory"
    │
    ├─ TWO GROUPS
    │   ├─ Wise / Foolish virgins
    │   ├─ Faithful / Wicked servants
    │   └─► Sheep / Goats
    │
    ├─ WHAT THEY DID DURING ABSENCE
    │   ├─ Oil prepared / not prepared
    │   ├─ Invested / buried
    │   └─► Compassion shown / withheld
    │
    ├─ RETURN (sudden, unexpected)
    │   ├─ "At midnight the cry rang out"
    │   ├─ "After a long time the master returned"
    │   └─► "When the Son of Man comes in glory"
    │
    ├─ SEPARATION (decisive, irreversible)
    │   ├─ Door shut
    │   ├─ Cast into darkness
    │   └─► Left into eternal fire
    │
    └─► REVELATION: Actions reveal reality
        │
        ├─ You can't borrow readiness
        ├─ You can't hide from accountability
        └─► You can't claim ignorance of need

THE FAILURE MODES
    │
    ├─ VIRGINS: Borrowed relationship
    │   └─► "Give us your oil"
    │       │
    │       ├─ Oil = personal preparation
    │       ├─ Can't be transferred
    │       └─► Faith is non-negotiable
    │           │
    │           You can't ride on someone else's
    │
    ├─ SERVANT: Fear-based inaction
    │   └─► "I knew you were hard"
    │       │
    │       ├─ Wrong view of master
    │       ├─ Fear paralyzed action
    │       └─► Preserved = wasted
    │           │
    │           Safety is not faithfulness
    │
    └─► GOATS: Invisible Christ
        └─► "When did we see YOU?"
            │
            ├─ Saw need, didn't see Christ
            ├─ Would have helped Jesus
            └─► Didn't help "least of these"
                │
                Christ hidden in the vulnerable

THE SETUP (vv. 1-4)
    │
    └─► "At that time the kingdom of heaven
         will be LIKE ten virgins..."
        │
        ├─ Context: "At that time"
        │   └─► Connected to Ch 24
        │       │
        │       └─► Second coming discourse
        │           "No one knows the day or hour" (24:36)
        │           "Keep watch" (24:42)
        │           │
        │           This parable illustrates HOW to watch
        │
        └─► Wedding custom:
            │
            └─► Bridesmaids wait at bride's house
                Bridegroom comes at night
                Procession to wedding feast
                │
                Lamps required for entry
                No lamp = no entry

TEN VIRGINS (v. 1)
    │
    ├─ ALL ten:
    │   ├─ Had lamps
    │   ├─ Went out to meet bridegroom
    │   └─► Looked identical externally
    │
    └─► FIVE/FIVE split:
        │
        ├─ μωραί (mōrai) — "foolish"
        │   └─► Root of "moron"
        │       Lamps ONLY
        │       No reserve oil
        │
        └─► φρόνιμοι (phronimoi) — "wise"
            └─► Same word as "wise builder" (7:24)
                Lamps + OIL IN JARS
                Prepared for delay

THE DISTINCTION (vv. 3-4)
    │
    └─► "The foolish ones took their lamps
         but did not take any oil with them.
         The wise ones, however, took oil
         in jars along with their lamps."
        │
        └─► The difference:
            │
            ├─ NOT: lamps vs no lamps
            │   (Both had lamps)
            │
            ├─ NOT: oil vs no oil
            │   (Both had some oil)
            │
            └─► IS: RESERVE for extended wait
                │
                └─► Wise anticipated delay
                    Foolish assumed quick arrival
                    │
                    → What do you do when
                      the wait gets long?

THE DELAY (v. 5)
    │
    └─► "The bridegroom was a LONG TIME in coming,
         and they all became drowsy and fell asleep."
        │
        ├─ χρονίζοντος (chronizontos)
        │   └─► "Delayed, took a long time"
        │       From χρόνος (chronos) — "time"
        │       │
        │       The bridegroom DELAYS
        │       This is expected, not failure
        │
        └─► ALL TEN slept
            │
            ├─ Wise and foolish
            ├─ Both drowsy
            └─► Both asleep
                │
                → Sleeping NOT the problem
                  Unpreparedness is the problem
                  │
                  You can rest if you're ready
                  You can't rest INTO readiness

THE CRISIS (vv. 6-9)
    │
    └─► "At midnight the cry rang out:
         'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'"
        │
        ├─ MIDNIGHT
        │   └─► Darkest hour
        │       Least expected
        │       No warning
        │
        └─► "All the virgins woke up
             and trimmed their lamps"
            │
            ├─ κόσμησαν (kosmēsan) — "trimmed, arranged"
            │   └─► Adjusted wicks
            │       Checked oil level
            │       Prepared for use
            │
            └─► CRISIS REVEALED:
                │
                "The foolish ones said to the wise,
                 'Give us some of your oil;
                  our lamps are going out.'"
                │
                └─► σβέννυνται (sbennyntai)
                    │
                    └─► "Being extinguished, going out"
                        │
                        Had some oil
                        Enough to START
                        Not enough to LAST
                        │
                        → Initial flame ≠ sustained light

THE REQUEST (vv. 8-9)
    │
    └─► "Give us some of YOUR oil"
        │
        └─► The assumption:
            │
            ├─ Oil is transferable
            ├─ Relationship can be borrowed
            └─► Last-minute acquisition possible
                │
                THE ANSWER: "No"
                │
                └─► "'No,' they replied,
                     'there may not be enough
                      for both us and you.
                      Instead, go to those who sell oil
                      and buy some for yourselves.'"
                    │
                    ├─ NOT selfishness
                    │   └─► μήποτε (mēpote) — "lest perhaps"
                    │       "There might not be enough"
                    │       │
                    │       Sharing would doom both
                    │       No one gets in
                    │
                    └─► Oil represents:
                        │
                        ├─ Personal relationship with God
                        ├─ Genuine faith
                        ├─ Holy Spirit
                        └─► Inner preparation
                            │
                            → Cannot be borrowed
                              Cannot be transferred
                              Cannot be faked at last minute

THE EXCLUSION (vv. 10-12)
    │
    └─► "But while they were on their way to buy the oil,
         the bridegroom arrived.
         The virgins who were READY went in with him
         to the wedding banquet.
         And the DOOR WAS SHUT."
        │
        ├─ READY (ἕτοιμοι, hetoimoi)
        │   └─► Same word: "everything is ready" (22:4)
        │       │
        │       Ready = prepared beforehand
        │       Not: scrambling at last moment
        │
        ├─ "Went in WITH him"
        │   └─► μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ (met' autou)
        │       │
        │       Relationship word
        │       Not just location
        │       │
        │       → In = WITH the bridegroom
        │         Out = WITHOUT the bridegroom
        │
        └─► "THE DOOR WAS SHUT"
            │
            ἐκλείσθη (ekleisthē) — aorist passive
            │
            └─► Single decisive action
                Door shut BY someone
                (by the bridegroom/master)
                │
                → Finality
                  No re-opening
                  Opportunity closed

"LATER THE OTHERS ALSO CAME" (vv. 11-12)
    │
    └─► "'Lord, Lord,' they said,
         'open the door for us!'
         But he replied,
         'Truly I tell you, I don't know you.'"
        │
        ├─ "Lord, Lord"
        │   └─► Same words as 7:21-23
        │       │
        │       "Not everyone who says to me
        │        'Lord, Lord' will enter...
        │        'I never knew you'"
        │       │
        │       Verbal acknowledgment ≠ relationship
        │
        └─► "I don't know you"
            │
            οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς
            │
            └─► NOT: "I forgot you"
                NOT: "I don't recognize you"
                IS: "We have no relationship"
                │
                → Knowledge = covenant intimacy
                  "Not knowing" = no bond exists

THE LESSON (v. 13)
    │
    └─► "Therefore keep watch,
         because you do not know
         the day or the hour."
        │
        ├─ γρηγορεῖτε (grēgoreite)
        │   └─► "Keep watching, stay awake"
        │       Present imperative: continuous
        │       │
        │       NOT: one-time action
        │       IS: lifestyle of readiness
        │
        └─► The irony:
            │
            ALL TEN SLEPT (v. 5)
            │
            └─► Yet told to "watch"
                │
                → "Watching" ≠ not sleeping
                  "Watching" = being prepared
                  │
                  You can sleep and be ready
                  You can be awake and unready

THE SETUP (vv. 14-15)
    │
    └─► "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey,
         who called his servants
         and entrusted his wealth to them.
         To one he gave five bags of gold,
         to another two bags,
         and to another one bag,
         each according to his ability.
         Then he went on his journey."
        │
        ├─ "AGAIN, it will be like..."
        │   └─► Continues same theme
        │       Second illustration of kingdom waiting
        │
        ├─ τάλαντα (talanta) — "talents"
        │   └─► NOT "bags of gold" (NIV interpretation)
        │       │
        │       1 talent = 6,000 denarii
        │       1 denarius = day's wage
        │       1 talent = ~20 YEARS wages
        │       │
        │       5 talents = 100 years wages
        │       2 talents = 40 years wages
        │       1 talent = 20 years wages
        │       │
        │       → Even ONE talent is massive wealth
        │         No servant received "little"
        │
        └─► "Each according to his ability"
            │
            κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν δύναμιν
            │
            └─► Custom allocation
                Master knows each servant
                Different capacity, different trust
                │
                → Unequal distribution is just
                  Expectation matches ability
                  No one gets more than they can handle

THE ACTION (vv. 16-18)
    │
    ├─ FIVE-TALENT SERVANT (v. 16)
    │   └─► "Went at once and put his money to work
    │        and gained five bags more"
    │       │
    │       ├─ εὐθέως (eutheōs) — "immediately"
    │       │   └─► No delay
    │       │       Didn't wait for instructions
    │       │       Understood the assignment
    │       │
    │       ├─ ἠργάσατο (ērgasato) — "worked, traded"
    │       │   └─► Put money to WORK
    │       │       Active investment
    │       │       Risk required
    │       │
    │       └─► RESULT: 100% return
    │           5 → 10
    │
    ├─ TWO-TALENT SERVANT (v. 17)
    │   └─► "So also, the one with two bags
    │        gained two more"
    │       │
    │       └─► SAME action, SAME proportion
    │           2 → 4 (100% return)
    │           │
    │           → Amount doesn't matter
    │             Faithfulness does
    │
    └─► ONE-TALENT SERVANT (v. 18)
        └─► "But the man who had received one bag
             went off, dug a hole in the ground
             and HID his master's money"
            │
            ├─ ἀπελθών (apelthōn) — "went away"
            │   └─► Separated himself
            │       Didn't stay engaged
            │       Distanced from master's interests
            │
            ├─ ὤρυξεν γῆν (ōryxen gēn) — "dug ground"
            │   └─► Labor to HIDE
            │       Effort in wrong direction
            │       Work without fruit
            │
            └─► ἔκρυψεν (ekrypsen) — "hid"
                │
                └─► NOT: lost it
                    NOT: spent it
                    IS: preserved it exactly
                    │
                    → Preservation ≠ faithfulness
                      Safety ≠ obedience
                      Return unchanged = failure

THE ACCOUNTING (vv. 19-25)
    │
    └─► "After a long time
         the master of those servants returned
         and settled accounts with them"
        │
        ├─ "AFTER A LONG TIME"
        │   └─► μετὰ δὲ πολὺν χρόνον
        │       │
        │       Same delay as virgins parable
        │       Long wait, but CERTAIN return
        │       │
        │       → The delay is the test
        │         What you do when no one's watching
        │
        └─► "SETTLED ACCOUNTS"
            │
            συναίρει λόγον — "takes up a word/reckoning"
            │
            └─► Business term
                Full accounting required
                Nothing hidden

FIVE-TALENT REPORT (vv. 20-21)
    │
    └─► "'Master, you entrusted me with five bags of gold.
          See, I have gained five more.'
         His master replied,
         'Well done, good and faithful servant!
          You have been faithful with a few things;
          I will put you in charge of many things.
          Come and share your master's happiness!'"
        │
        ├─ "WELL DONE" (εὖ)
        │   └─► Single word of approval
        │       Highest commendation
        │
        ├─ "GOOD and FAITHFUL"
        │   └─► ἀγαθός = good (character)
        │       πιστός = faithful (action)
        │       │
        │       Both required
        │       Character + Conduct
        │
        ├─ "FAITHFUL with FEW things"
        │   └─► 5 talents = 100 years wages
        │       Master calls it "few things"
        │       │
        │       → Earth's wealth = "few"
        │         compared to kingdom reward
        │
        ├─ "IN CHARGE OF MANY THINGS"
        │   └─► Increased responsibility
        │       Promotion, not retirement
        │       │
        │       → Faithfulness → more trust
        │         Kingdom work expands capacity
        │
        └─► "SHARE YOUR MASTER'S HAPPINESS"
            │
            εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίου σου
            │
            └─► "Enter INTO the joy of your master"
                │
                NOT: "receive a bonus"
                IS: "share my own joy"
                │
                → The reward is RELATIONSHIP
                  Participation in master's gladness
                  Not external payment

TWO-TALENT REPORT (vv. 22-23)
    │
    └─► IDENTICAL response from master
        │
        "Well done, good and faithful servant!
         You have been faithful with a few things;
         I will put you in charge of many things.
         Come and share your master's happiness!"
        │
        └─► SAME words
            SAME reward
            │
            → Proportional faithfulness
              Same commendation
              │
              2→4 = 5→10
              Different amounts, same percentage
              Same heart, same praise

ONE-TALENT REPORT (vv. 24-25)
    │
    └─► "'Master, I knew that you are a HARD man,
          harvesting where you have not sown
          and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
          So I was AFRAID and went out
          and hid your gold in the ground.
          See, here is what belongs to you.'"
        │
        ├─ "I KNEW you are a HARD man"
        │   └─► σκληρός (sklēros) — "hard, harsh, rough"
        │       │
        │       Accusation, not observation
        │       "You're demanding"
        │       "You expect what you didn't earn"
        │       │
        │       → Wrong view of master
        │         Projected his own character
        │         Used "knowledge" as excuse
        │
        ├─ "I was AFRAID"
        │   └─► φοβηθείς (phobētheis)
        │       │
        │       Fear as MOTIVE
        │       Not reverence (healthy fear)
        │       But terror (paralyzing fear)
        │       │
        │       → Fear of failure > trust in master
        │         Self-protection > master's interest
        │
        └─► "Here is what BELONGS TO YOU"
            │
            ἔχεις τὸ σόν — "you have what is yours"
            │
            └─► Technically correct
                Nothing lost
                Nothing gained
                │
                BUT: Master didn't want it BACK
                     Master wanted it MULTIPLIED
                     │
                     → Preservation is not the goal
                       Production is the goal

THE VERDICT (vv. 26-30)
    │
    └─► "'You WICKED, LAZY servant!
          So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown
          and gather where I have not scattered seed?
          Well then, you should have put my money
          on deposit with the bankers,
          so that when I returned
          I would have received it back with interest.'"
        │
        ├─ "WICKED and LAZY"
        │   └─► πονηρός = wicked (character)
        │       ὀκνηρός = lazy, slothful (action)
        │       │
        │       Inverse of "good and faithful"
        │       Character condemned, not just action
        │       │
        │       → Inaction from wrong motive = wicked
        │         Not neutral, not safe
        │         EVIL
        │
        ├─ MASTER'S LOGIC (v. 27)
        │   └─► "Even IF your view of me were correct...
        │        you still should have acted"
        │       │
        │       At minimum: deposit with bankers
        │       τραπεζίταις (trapezitais) — "money changers"
        │       │
        │       → Lowest-risk option existed
        │         Interest (τόκος, tokos) guaranteed
        │         Some return better than none
        │         │
        │         Fear doesn't justify zero action
        │         Even cautious action would count
        │
        └─► THE REDISTRIBUTION (vv. 28-29)
            │
            "'Take the bag of gold from him
              and give it to the one who has ten bags.
              For whoever has will be given more,
              and they will have an abundance.
              Whoever does not have,
              even what they have will be taken from them.'"
            │
            ├─ Talent given to TEN-talent servant
            │   └─► 1 → 0
            │       10 → 11
            │       │
            │       Faithfulness attracts more
            │       Unfaithfulness loses even what it had
            │
            └─► THE PRINCIPLE:
                │
                "Whoever has → given MORE"
                "Whoever does not have → taken away"
                │
                └─► Paradox explained:
                    │
                    "Has" = has demonstrated faithfulness
                    "Does not have" = has not demonstrated
                    │
                    → It's not about quantity
                      It's about trajectory
                      │
                      Using → increases capacity
                      Burying → atrophies capacity

THE SENTENCE (v. 30)
    │
    └─► "'And throw that worthless servant outside,
          into the darkness,
          where there will be weeping
          and gnashing of teeth.'"
        │
        ├─ ἀχρεῖος (achreios) — "worthless, useless"
        │   └─► NOT: evil in conventional sense
        │       IS: unproductive, without use-value
        │       │
        │       → You exist TO BE USEFUL
        │         Unused servant = worthless servant
        │
        ├─ "OUTSIDE" (ἔξω, exō)
        │   └─► Excluded from master's presence
        │       Same as "door shut" in virgins parable
        │
        └─► "DARKNESS... WEEPING... GNASHING"
            │
            σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον
            │
            └─► "The outer darkness"
                │
                Recurring phrase in Matthew
                8:12, 22:13, 25:30
                │
                → Opposite of wedding feast light
                  Opposite of master's joy
                  Final exclusion

THE SCENE (vv. 31-33)
    │
    └─► "When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
         and all the angels with him,
         he will sit on his glorious throne.
         All the nations will be gathered before him,
         and he will separate the people one from another
         as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
         He will put the sheep on his right
         and the goats on his left."
        │
        ├─ "SON OF MAN comes IN HIS GLORY"
        │   └─► Daniel 7:13-14:
        │       "One like a son of man,
        │        coming with the clouds of heaven...
        │        given authority, glory, sovereign power"
        │       │
        │       → Not suffering servant now
        │         Returning king
        │
        ├─ "ALL THE ANGELS with him"
        │   └─► Complete heavenly host
        │       Full royal court
        │       No private judgment—cosmic event
        │
        ├─ "GLORIOUS THRONE"
        │   └─► θρόνου δόξης αὐτοῦ
        │       │
        │       Judgment seat
        │       Authority manifest
        │
        ├─ "ALL THE NATIONS gathered"
        │   └─► πάντα τὰ ἔθνη
        │       │
        │       Every people group
        │       Universal scope
        │       No exceptions
        │
        └─► SHEEP / GOATS separation
            │
            ├─ Shepherd metaphor
            │   └─► Common practice in Palestine
            │       Sheep and goats graze together
            │       Separated at night
            │       │
            │       External similarity
            │       Internal distinction
            │
            ├─ RIGHT = honor, blessing
            └─► LEFT = dishonor, cursing
                │
                → Binary outcome
                  No middle category
                  No partial placement

THE BLESSING (vv. 34-40)
    │
    └─► "Then the KING will say to those on his right,
         'Come, you who are BLESSED by my Father;
          take your inheritance,
          the kingdom PREPARED FOR YOU
          since the creation of the world.'"
        │
        ├─ Now called "KING" (βασιλεύς)
        │   └─► Son of Man → King
        │       Judge → Reward-giver
        │
        ├─ "BLESSED by my Father"
        │   └─► Source of blessing: Father
        │       Not self-earned
        │       Divine initiative
        │
        ├─ "INHERITANCE" (κληρονομία)
        │   └─► Family language
        │       Sons receive inheritance
        │       Not wages, not payment
        │       │
        │       → Relationship-based reward
        │
        └─► "PREPARED since CREATION"
            │
            ἡτοιμασμένην ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου
            │
            └─► Before they were born
                Before they acted
                God's plan from beginning
                │
                → Salvation not afterthought
                  Kingdom prepared in advance
                  Their entry was anticipated

THE EVIDENCE (vv. 35-36)
    │
    └─► "'For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,
          I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
          I was a stranger and you invited me in,
          I needed clothes and you clothed me,
          I was sick and you looked after me,
          I was in prison and you came to visit me.'"
        │
        └─► SIX CATEGORIES:
            │
            ├─ HUNGRY → fed
            ├─ THIRSTY → given drink
            ├─ STRANGER → invited in
            ├─ NAKED → clothed
            ├─ SICK → looked after
            └─► PRISON → visited
                │
                Physical needs
                Tangible actions
                Measurable compassion
                │
                → Not: theological correctness
                  Not: religious activity
                  IS: practical love

THE SURPRISE (vv. 37-39)
    │
    └─► "Then the righteous will answer him,
         '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 invite you in,
          or needing clothes and clothe you?
          When did we see you sick or in prison
          and go to visit you?'"
        │
        └─► THE SHOCK:
            │
            "When did we see YOU?"
            │
            ├─ They didn't KNOW they were serving Christ
            ├─ They weren't keeping score
            ├─ They weren't doing it FOR reward
            └─► They did it REFLEXIVELY
                │
                → Genuine compassion is unconscious
                  Calculated charity would have remembered
                  │
                  "When did we...?" = "We didn't notice"
                  │
                  Character, not performance

THE REVELATION (v. 40)
    │
    └─► "The King will reply,
         'Truly I tell you,
          whatever you did for one of the LEAST
          of these brothers and sisters of mine,
          you did for ME.'"
        │
        ├─ ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ἐλαχίστων
        │   │
        │   └─► "One of these brothers of mine, the least"
        │       │
        │       ├─ "Brothers of mine" — who?
        │       │   │
        │       │   ├─ Option 1: All suffering people
        │       │   ├─ Option 2: Disciples specifically
        │       │   └─► Option 3: Both (disciples = representative)
        │       │
        │       └─► "LEAST" (ἐλάχιστος)
        │           │
        │           Superlative of "small"
        │           Smallest, lowest, most insignificant
        │           │
        │           → Society's throwaway people
        │             The ones easily ignored
        │
        └─► "YOU DID FOR ME"
            │
            ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε
            │
            └─► Christ identifies with the vulnerable
                │
                NOT: "as if to me"
                IS: "to ME"
                │
                Ontological identification
                Christ present in the least
                │
                → Every encounter with need
                  is encounter with Christ
                  (whether recognized or not)

THE CURSE (vv. 41-45)
    │
    └─► "Then he will say to those on his left,
         'Depart from me, you who are CURSED,
          into the eternal fire
          PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS.'"
        │
        ├─ CONTRAST:
        │   │
        │   ├─ Blessed → "Come"
        │   │   Cursed → "Depart"
        │   │
        │   ├─ Kingdom "prepared for YOU"
        │   │   Fire "prepared for DEVIL"
        │   │
        │   └─► → Hell not prepared for humans
        │         Humans choose devil's destination
        │         Not God's intent for humanity
        │
        └─► SAME SIX CATEGORIES, INVERTED (vv. 42-43)
            │
            "I was hungry → you gave me NOTHING
             I was thirsty → you gave me NOTHING
             I was a stranger → you did NOT invite
             I needed clothes → you did NOT clothe
             I was sick and in prison → you did NOT look after"
            │
            └─► NOT: active cruelty
                IS: passive neglect
                │
                → Sins of OMISSION
                  What you DIDN'T do
                  │
                  No violence required for condemnation
                  Indifference is enough

GOATS' SURPRISE (vv. 44)
    │
    └─► "They also will answer,
         'Lord, when did we see you
          hungry or thirsty or a stranger
          or needing clothes or sick or in prison,
          and did NOT help you?'"
        │
        └─► SAME surprise as sheep
            │
            "When did we see YOU?"
            │
            ├─ They also didn't see Christ in the needy
            ├─ But their response was: nothing
            └─► They saw NEED, didn't see CHRIST
                │
                → The sheep also didn't see Christ
                  But they responded to NEED anyway
                  │
                  Difference: response to need itself
                  Not: ability to spot Jesus

THE VERDICT (vv. 45-46)
    │
    └─► "'Truly I tell you,
          whatever you did NOT do
          for one of the least of these,
          you did NOT do for me.'
         Then they will go away to eternal punishment,
         but the righteous to eternal life."
        │
        ├─ PARALLEL STRUCTURE:
        │   │
        │   Did → did for me → eternal life
        │   Did NOT → did NOT for me → eternal punishment
        │
        └─► κόλασιν αἰώνιον / ζωὴν αἰώνιον
            │
            "Eternal punishment" / "Eternal life"
            │
            Same adjective (αἰώνιος) for both
            │
            → Same duration
              Same finality
              Both permanent

THE THREE TESTS — WHAT'S REALLY BEING MEASURED
    │
    ├─ VIRGINS: Personal relationship
    │   │
    │   └─► Can you borrow someone else's faith?
    │       │
    │       NO.
    │       │
    │       Oil = internal, personal, non-transferable
    │       Lamps = external, visible, shareable
    │       │
    │       → You can share religion
    │         You cannot share relationship
    │
    ├─ TALENTS: Productive action
    │   │
    │   └─► Is safety the same as faithfulness?
    │       │
    │       NO.
    │       │
    │       Preservation = wicked
    │       Production = faithful
    │       │
    │       → Fear is not neutral
    │         Inaction is not safe
    │         Return unchanged = failure
    │
    └─► SHEEP/GOATS: Reflexive compassion
        │
        └─► Can you help Christ without helping people?
            │
            NO.
            │
            Christ hidden in the vulnerable
            Service to least = service to King
            │
            → You cannot love God abstractly
              Love manifests in tangible action
              Indifference to need = rejection of Christ

THE COMMON THREAD:
    │
    └─► All three parables ask:
        │
        "WHAT DID YOU DO DURING THE DELAY?"
        │
        ├─ Virgins: Did you prepare for extended wait?
        ├─ Servants: Did you work while master was away?
        └─► Nations: Did you serve the vulnerable?
            │
            THE ABSENCE IS THE TEST
            │
            What you do when the King isn't visible
            reveals who you really are

THE WARNING ABOUT SURPRISE
    │
    ├─ FOOLISH VIRGINS surprised:
    │   └─► "We THOUGHT we were ready"
    │       Had lamps, went out, waited
    │       Looked identical to wise
    │       │
    │       But: no reserve
    │
    ├─ WICKED SERVANT surprised:
    │   └─► "I THOUGHT I was being safe"
    │       Returned exact amount
    │       Didn't lose anything
    │       │
    │       But: no gain
    │
    └─► GOATS surprised:
        └─► "We THOUGHT we would have noticed YOU"
            Would have helped Jesus himself
            Didn't realize need = Jesus
            │
            But: didn't respond to need

    → SELF-ASSESSMENT IS UNRELIABLE
      │
      All three groups thought they were fine
      All three groups were wrong
      │
      The test is not: "Do you think you're ready?"
      The test is: "What did you actually do?"

READINESS DIAGNOSTIC (Virgins)
    │
    ├─ Do I have personal relationship, or borrowed religion?
    ├─ Am I prepared for delay, or assuming quick arrival?
    ├─ Is my faith sustainable, or just initial enthusiasm?
    └─► Can I wait indefinitely and still be ready?

STEWARDSHIP DIAGNOSTIC (Talents)
    │
    ├─ Am I using what I've been given?
    ├─ Am I taking appropriate risks for master's benefit?
    ├─ Do I view God as harsh, or as generous?
    └─► Is fear driving my inaction?

COMPASSION DIAGNOSTIC (Sheep/Goats)
    │
    ├─ Do I respond to need, even without recognizing Christ?
    ├─ Is my compassion reflexive or calculated?
    ├─ Do I see the "least" as worthy of my attention?
    └─► What am I NOT doing?